A HANDFUL OF STARS

Told in serial flashbacks, this is the story of Julie's life with epilepsy: how seizures begin in high school, how she copes with the consequences, Julie herself is complex and credible--embarrassed, secretive, angry, and self-isolating before coming to terms with her syndrome; those around her, showing the same ignorance and confusions at first, also act believably; and the conclusion features a changed girl who resists the opportunity for an easier college life by enrolling where her sister and boyfriend don't go. The narrative is strong on details (medications that need adjustment, the dangers of alcohol) as well as attitudes; but even with an Untermeyer poem to point it, the book has no spark--its good intentions are always showing. From the authr of A Tangle of Roots (1979, p. 392, J-100), another smooth but studied exploration of a teenager overcoming great personal difficulties.