An engaging tale of vulnerability and control.
A teen reckons with her family’s genetic curse.
In this sweeping bildungsroman, Scheerger (Mitzvah Pizza, 2019, etc.) introduces sisters Cayenne and Saffron Silk, who were orphaned at a young age when their mother succumbed to what they call their family curse and lost her battle with breast cancer. Raised by their aunt, the girls barely remember their mother and have never known the identity of their father. The only certainty in their lives has been the knowledge that, in the last two generations, no woman on their mother’s side has lived past age 37, but a family friend shares a letter from the girls’ mother that reveals more of their history. Scheerger plumbs how growing up with this knowledge has influenced Cay, who seeks to beat death at every turn by engaging in daredevil acts like train dodging and cliff diving with her boyfriend just to get a rush and take control of life. Throughout this action-packed tale, the contrast between Cay’s and Saff’s reactions to their newfound knowledge, as well as their and their aunt’s decisions about whether to get tested for the BRCA gene mutation, yield a revealing study in personal growth and sibling relations. But psychologically probing as Scheerger’s narrative is, it’s maddeningly vague in describing these presumably white, lower-middle-class characters, making it difficult for teens to imagine themselves in similar circumstances.
An engaging tale of vulnerability and control. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5415-7889-0
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy.
A war between gods plays havoc with mortals and their everyday lives.
In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world.
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-85743-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
