REACH FOR HOPE

The abuse a girl experiences at home shapes her development.

In California’s San Fernando Valley in 1985, 7-year-old Carolyn endures her father’s neglect, verbal profanity, and physical abuse. She cleans, cooks, and cares for her two younger brothers. Her father has retired from the Army, and her mother works outside the home. A miserable Carolyn turns to friends who are also struggling with parental dysfunction for support in her teen years, and her trauma leads her to engage in poor coping mechanisms. The Mojave Desert setting represents the void in Carolyn’s life; its hardy flora—tumbleweeds, Joshua trees—also mirror her survival. The novel’s stark realism in its treatment of the early millennial experience provides very little hope throughout most of the novel, and the hummingbird symbolism sends muddled, mixed messaging. The content warning at the beginning accurately describes the painful themes discussed openly in dialogue. The novel, which is divided into three parts, follows Carolyn until she’s 18, and in the earlier sections, her voice often sounds much older, as when a middle school–aged Carolyn reflects on her mother’s “memorized reactions practiced through her collective generational silence.” Recognizable ’80s and ’90s references, such as hair scrunchies and a “‘popcorn’ style white ceiling,” abound, adding to the sense of place. Most central characters read white, and one is white and Mexican American.

A realistic portrayal of a troubled upbringing weakened by some problematic messaging.