Although not announced as ``high-interest, low-vocabulary,'' this mature account of multiple addiction would make a useful addition to a list of such titles. Joey learned about alcohol and violence from his immature parents (an abusive, irresponsible father and an adulterous mother). He tells his story in an honest, conversational tone, especially touching when he describes how he distanced himself from his problems. His introduction to the world of drugs is typical in some ways (not liking beer, then getting used to its taste) but not in all (being dared by his father to consume). Barely out of his teens, Joey has already been through a lot: depression, stealing, gambling, pushing, violence toward his wife, the pressures of fatherhood, a sister killed by her lover. Still, he's in treatment and on the way back, with potential as a musician and as a caring person. Ironically, his story would have been better supported by thoughtful photos from the present rather than the posed model shots of his past; but, overall, the book has real impact, making the possible seem believable. Resources. (Nonfiction. 12+)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1991
ISBN: 1-56294-003-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Millbrook
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1991
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The lives of two girls named Hannah, living in different centuries on different continents, intersect.
Eighteen-year-old Hannah Dory is an English peasant living a harsh existence in 1347. Hannah Doe is a resident of Belman Psychiatric Hospital in 2023 New York City, brought in after being found on the street experiencing hallucinations and screaming something about a castle. Modern-day Hannah periodically enters a catatonic state, something the staff refer to as her “going to the castle.” Columbia psychology student Jordan Hassan is a new intern at Belman, and his interest is piqued by this girl no one knows much about. He decides to play detective and try to discover her history himself. Meanwhile, in the medieval England storyline, Hannah Dory tries to save her village from starvation by sneaking into the baron’s castle but finds herself swept up in a fight between the new baron and his rival. The book sustains a breakneck pace with short chapters and many cliffhangers that will keep readers’ interest. Patterson’s author’s note includes a list of mental health resources and describes his experience of working as an aide in a psychiatric hospital when he was a teenager. The narrative thoughtfully centers mental illness and touches on complex topics like suicide. Whiteness is the default; Jordan is cued as Muslim.
Thrill-seekers will be absorbed by this exciting story. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-41172-1
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Engrossing, contemplative, and as heart-wrenching as the title promises.
38
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What would you do with one day left to live?
In an alternate present, a company named Death-Cast calls Deckers—people who will die within the coming day—to inform them of their impending deaths, though not how they will happen. The End Day call comes for two teenagers living in New York City: Puerto Rican Mateo and bisexual Cuban-American foster kid Rufus. Rufus needs company after a violent act puts cops on his tail and lands his friends in jail; Mateo wants someone to push him past his comfort zone after a lifetime of playing it safe. The two meet through Last Friend, an app that connects lonely Deckers (one of many ways in which Death-Cast influences social media). Mateo and Rufus set out to seize the day together in their final hours, during which their deepening friendship blossoms into something more. Present-tense chapters, short and time-stamped, primarily feature the protagonists’ distinctive first-person narrations. Fleeting third-person chapters give windows into the lives of other characters they encounter, underscoring how even a tiny action can change the course of someone else’s life. It’s another standout from Silvera (History Is All You Left Me, 2017, etc.), who here grapples gracefully with heavy questions about death and the meaning of a life well-lived.
Engrossing, contemplative, and as heart-wrenching as the title promises. (Speculative fiction. 13-adult).Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-245779-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: June 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES
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