Jacob's Ladder (Keaney novel)

Jacob's Ladder

Company type	Novel
Industry	Young adult literature, Fantasy literature
Founded	2005
Founder	Brian Keaney
Products	Young adult novel

Jacob's Ladder is a 2005 young adult novel penned by British writer Brian Keaney. The narrative centers on Jacob, who awakens in an enigmatic realm devoid of any recollection of his former life, striving to find a way out.

Plot summary

Jacob regains consciousness in a field, with only his name and soiled garments as identifiers. Virgil guides him to Locus, a place reminiscent of a school where children gather stones instead of attending lessons. There, Jacob forms friendships with Aysha and Toby. Following a series of visions, he comes to understand that he has died and that Locus represents the 'afterlife.'

Equipped with supplies, Jacob, Aysha, and Toby depart from Locus; however, some of their food turns to ash overnight. They encounter Nemain, a woman washing clothes stained with brown marks by a riverbank, but they flee when she complains about bloodstains. Subsequently, they meet the Dedanim, wandering people with biblical associations, who offer them temporary shelter. Distracted from his mission, Jacob leaves alongside his companions; shortly after, the Dedanim disappear, leaving them back where they began.

When pursued by wild dogs, the group separates. Jacob encounters Moloch, an aged man residing in a cave who is revealed to be a cannibal. After being trapped and nearly suffocated by smoke, Jacob escapes through a tunnel that ends at a tall ladder—the titular Jacob's Ladder—symbolic of the Biblical reference.

Ascending the ladder brings Jacob to a white palace situated in the desert where he briefly reunites with Aysha and Toby before each confronts Locus’s ruler: a dual-faced entity reminiscent of the Roman god Janus, embodying both despair and hope while guarding the passage back to the ordinary world.

Publication

Jacob's Ladder was initially released in the United Kingdom by Orchard Books in 2005 and later published in the United States by Candlewick Press in 2007. The book has also been translated into Polish and Welsh.

Reception

Publishers Weekly characterized the novel as "poignant and puzzling," noting its somber atmosphere and commending its conclusion for addressing central mysteries and elevating it beyond standard ghost tales. Kirkus Reviews observed that while the adventure begins compellingly, it gradually shifts into an instructive allegory, describing it as an "oversimplified Pilgrim's Progress." April Spisak from The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books praised the intricately crafted setting of Locus as an engaging environment for examining themes like fragility and mortality but criticized unclear antagonists and overly convenient plot elements. Nevertheless, Spisak recognized Keaney’s distinctive portrayal of an afterlife scenario amid numerous contemporary fantasy narratives.

Awards

Jacob's Ladder received the Havering 'Best of the Best Award' for teenage fiction and was shortlisted for several honors including the South Lanarkshire, Calderdale Children's, and Warwickshire children's book awards.