ALL THE BAD APPLES

Seventeen-year-old Deena, bullied at school for her perceived lesbianism, sets off on a journey across Ireland in search of her beloved older sister Mandy, who is believed to have recently committed suicide.

Deena’s breathless first-person narration propels readers into the action and drags them across the country and through time. Deena picks up a few companions along the way, including her bisexual, black best (male) friend Finn and Cale (short for Michaela), a possible romantic interest. Cale’s great-great-great-great aunt’s lesbian relationship with Deena’s great-great grandmother is just one of the stories revealed in mysterious letters detailing the lives of Deena’s ancestors. The missives provide information about the past and clues about where to look next. Hints of magic, from a family curse to a banshee’s wail, amplify the sense of mystery—and the possibility that readers, like Deena’s fellow travelers, will find themselves frustrated and confused at times. While the gradually revealed, multigenerational abuse of women, girls, and those who deviate from the norm certainly deserves to be exposed (and, ideally, repudiated), the author’s message and the (very) complicated plot overwhelm her narrative—and her main character. As a result, despite evocative writing, eerie details, and intense emotional content, the novel may fail to reach an appreciative audience.

A compelling diatribe but not entirely successful as either realistic fiction or folkloric fantasy. (Fiction. 14-18)