FINNEGAN'S CLOSE

Reunited supernaturally-gifted brothers find themselves in danger after meeting the family they’ve never known in White’s debut YA novel.

It’s been a decade since 16-year-old Julian Harrington’s parents’ divorce split the family in two. His father died several years ago, leaving Julian in Boston with his paternal grandparents. Now, he gets news that his estranged mother has died, which requires a trip to San Francisco for the reading of the will and a reunion with his younger brother, Jacob. Their aunt and newly-minted legal guardian Molly Finnegan takes the boys to Finnegan’s Close, a castle in Ireland. It’s there they learn of their extended family’s “Gifts”—special abilities the brothers already have but can’t quite control. With training (courtesy of their aunts and uncles), Julian slowly masters his telekinesis and Jacob develops his telepathy. Unfortunately, Jacob’s skills attract the attention of a diabolical criminal who targets the boy with a sinister purpose in mind. White’s novel quickly establishes the simpatico brothers, who have no idea why their parents kept them apart or why their Finnegan relatives have all but ignored them for so long. The siblings’ relationship is endearing; they instantly reconnect, displaying a sturdy bond that only gets stronger despite Jacob being a mere 3-year-old when Julian last saw him. The Finnegans are an entertainingly mixed bag—some, like Molly, are loving (“She pulled him into a hug. Jacob let himself feel the warmth of it”), while others are indifferent or even outright hostile. While the author subtly weaves the Gifts into the narrative, they still stand out, running the gamut from Molly’s electricity manipulation to Uncle Ned’s ability to “wipe memories.” The novel is primed for sequels—it ends with numerous mysteries surrounding the family, including the backstory of Julian and Jacob’s parents, an unknown uncle apparently up to “his usual shenanigans” in America, and certain relatives who seemingly hate the brothers.

This story deftly fuses a family’s engaging dynamic with chic superpowers.