THE NIGHT ROOM

In a bizarre premise, seven high-school juniors take part in an experiment with virtual reality: a simulation of their ten-year reunion. Goldman (Getting Lincoln's Goat, above) is a shrewd storyteller, expertly setting up each teen's family life, interests, and placement in the school's pecking order; how each will turn out more than a decade hence soon engrosses readers entirely. A subplot concerns a vengeful computer hacker, who blames the experiment for his girlfriend's breaking up with him—and one of the kids may die as a result. The ending wraps up aspects of the story without resolving each character's personal problems, but the novel is no less convincing. Goldman is a rare writer who can present the story from the point-of-view of either gender; as a result, this novel will reach deep inside readers' own hopes and dreams. (Fiction. 12+)