FOUR MONTHS PAST FLORENCE

An aspiring reporter reveals a scandal after a hurricane hits her community.

High school junior Millie Willard desperately wants to be the next editor of her school’s paper, The Bloom, and takes every opportunity to show she’s worthy of being chosen. When Hurricane Florence comes through her small town of Magnolia, South Carolina, an opportunity arises. Millie overhears a conversation between her mother and her cousin, who’s deputy sheriff, during which he reveals the cause of the fire in the local library that was serving as a temporary shelter for people and their pets: It broke out accidentally after a librarian plugged in an electric kettle and went outside for a cigarette break. Millie seizes her chance, not considering the impact on the subject of her exposé. Her story in The Bloom goes viral and is picked up by Felicia Fitz, local news anchor and Millie’s hero. Soon the librarian starts getting threats, she’s derided on social media, and her property is vandalized. The free verse makes the hurricane’s impact feel visceral, and Millie’s motivations and determination come across as authentic. Millie feels the strain of the fallout of publishing the story, but her internal ethics don’t kick in immediately: She’s ultimately able to rectify the situation but experiences few consequences and is forgiven in a way that doesn’t feel wholly earned. Main characters are cued White.

An interesting examination of journalistic integrity that doesn’t hit all its beats.