Jess Quotes

“Her grandfather is fixated on one thing--finishing the painting he’s started. It seems to be the only goal he has left in life, but it becomes more and more difficult as he gets weaker and weaker. Jess is torn. She doesn’t know how to help him or what he needs.”

“The relationship between Jess and her grandfather. They were very close despite his crabbiness. It was nice that Jess was able to look beyond that. I thought the ending of this book was really good. Things really came together and made sense. However, I didn’t like the way Jess’ grandfather treated her father; that made me dislike the character of the grandfather a little bit.”

“Fifteen-year-old Jess’s grandfather has just had a major heart attack, but he insists he finish his painting, River Boy. At first, Jess cannot understand why this painting is so important to her grandfather, especially since there doesn’t seem to be any boy in it at all. But while swimming in the river herself, Jess begins to feel the presence of a strange boy. Could this be the same one her ailing grandfather struggles to paint? And if so, why has he returned?”

Jess’ parents are worried, though. Before they left, Jess’ grandfather had a heart attack. He insisted on being let out of the hospital in order to go on vacation, but their vacation spot is so secluded, they worry he will have another heart attack and won’t be able to get to a hospital again in time.

“Jess’ parents are worried, though. Before they left, Jess’ grandfather had a heart attack. He insisted on being let out of the hospital in order to go on vacation, but their vacation spot is so secluded, they worry he will have another heart attack and won’t be able to get to a hospital again in time.”

The family drives for hours and moves into a small cottage by a river that starts up beyond them and eventually flows down into the ocean. Jess, an excellent swimmer who craves time in the water, loves the location and the river.

“She didn’t know how fast the current was moving her. It could take many more hours yet, perhaps more hours that she had the strength for. But she must not stop. She must keep going. She must try to catch the river boy, even though she was frightened at the thought of what he was.”

″ Furthermore, there seems to be a mystery surrounding this place. She keeps seeing a boy out in the river at the strangest hours, a boy she suspects is watching her. Who is he? Is he really as mysterious as Jess thinks, or is her imagination simply running away with her?”

“Jess swallowed, feeling her heart pump and thud. She crept to the door. Put her hand to the latch. Lifted. Across the room the old woman stirred and mumbled. Jess became a statue, but it was all right. The latch clicked up and the door opened.”

“Jess was prodded awake by the tow of somebody’s shoe. The somebody bent down, peering at her in the gloomy first light. She smelled bilious breath and heard a voice mumbling: ‘What’ve we got? A bleedin’ varmint in my place. Out th’goes!”

In the seaport city of Bristol in the late 1700′s, Midnight, a black slave, encounters and falls in love with Jess, a white indentured servant.

“Midnight, tall and still against a background of copper pans hanging on the wall, looked directly at Jess. She caught her breath. They were the same. Ordered about. Both of them. From morn till night. Birth till death. For always and ever.”

“Who’ll bid for the wench?′ Samson Orry gripped Jess round her narrow waist and swung her on to the tavern counter. ‘Sharp as a tack, shipmates. Sharp nails an’ all!′