LIFE AT THE SPEED OF US

Grief and self-discovery combine to change one young woman's life.

In the year since her mother's death, Sovern has become nearly mute, started dating the wrong guy, and begun to cut school to go snowboarding. With her dyslexia battling with her genius at math, school is difficult for Sovern. But then a snowboarding accident opens a new world for her. When Sovern touches a certain kind of spruce tree, she is rocketed into a variety of alternate universes: worlds where her mother is still alive. Confusingly yet compellingly, this also brings her into contact with a handsome, young Ute man who, over a century before, roamed the Colorado mountain where Sovern lives. Getting to know Súmáí creates a connection between them, and Sovern falls in love with him. But Sovern will have to see if she's strong enough to handle another tragedy. What with a surfeit of plot elements—time travel, alternate universes, dyslexia, grief, and family dynamics—the novel is overstuffed. There's too much going on already by the time readers reach Sovern's extended stay in the past with Súmáí. Nevertheless, Sappenfield has created engaging-enough characters to keep the pages turning.

Readers may not understand what's happening, but they’ll probably keep reading.