Not a bad first effort, but there are better choices.
Teens living in a desert cult botch a marriage ceremony, with drastic results.
Miriam, at 16 one of the oldest of the Second Generation of New Jerusalem, expects Caleb to choose her as his wife. Though boys and girls are kept separated, Miriam has kept her eye on Caleb, and he leaves her symbols drawn in the sand. But the boys choose wives out of order, and when Aaron’s planned wife gets chosen by Jacob, Aaron picks Miriam, and Caleb is left unwed. Devastated, Caleb attempts to reason with the cult’s leader, Daniel, only to be shamed and rebuffed. Miriam can’t fathom being intimate with Aaron, who, along with his parents, is the only convert to join New Jerusalem in Miriam’s memory, but he doesn’t seem to mind and eventually reveals a deep secret. Despite knowing little about life outside the compound, Miriam is intrigued, not horrified, when Aaron begins to speak against Daniel. Debut author Schuren’s choice to alternate the point of view between Miriam and Caleb gives her more control over the plotline but weakens the book, as the two sound virtually indistinguishable. Caleb’s storyline is also less compelling and its ending, unsatisfying. At no point is it clear how the cult manages to survive with limited resources in a hostile environment. Race is unclear for most characters, although Aaron is implied half-Japanese through his mother’s surname.
Not a bad first effort, but there are better choices. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-525-51654-5
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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