A once-famous photographer has committed suicide, and 17-year-old Eddie, his only daughter, desperately wants to know why. In this episodic, almost stream-of-consciousness story, she also will cope with a lifelong friend who may become a boyfriend—or perhaps her father’s student will become her savior. Adding to her pain is Eddie’s nearly comatose mother, whose obnoxious friend has moved in, determined to put things right. However, the plot, although strong enough to keep the pages turning, does not dominate. Instead, the novel examines a wounded personality. Summers unzips Eddie’s skin, crawls inside and stays there. Her prose inhabits Eddie’s character so convincingly that readers may suspect the book may stem from experience. One can’t deny the author’s courage in making risky artistic choices. She offers not a cerebral understanding but the raw experience of Eddie’s pain and uncertainty. Readers may find the book fascinating or mesmerizingly melancholy depending on their moods, but there is no denying that Summers has brought Eddie’s intense experience into the world of her readers. An unusual, bold effort that deserves attention. (Fiction. 14 & up)
