AFTER THE SIRENS

When her parents’ divorce upends her life, a 17-year-old girl decides to spend a year doing something that matters.

Cate Banville had to become a new person when she moved with her mom, leaving behind an Upper East Side private school and entering a public school in Miami. Cate believes that her perfect college plans are no longer attainable with the courses and extracurriculars available at her new school, where they force her to take drivers ed instead of AP calculus, and so she takes her mother’s advice and sets out to make the most of her senior year. After she witnesses a terrible accident while volunteering at a stable, helping children with disabilities ride horses, Cate is inspired by the EMTs who quickly and quietly take charge. Thus begins her journey with the junior EMS program. The supporting cast of characters is believable and likable, and strong bonds develop as, in addition to EMT school, Cate spends 12 hours a week riding in an ambulance, observing procedures and learning from the patients and other crew members. Readers will be drawn in by the sweetly developed romance—and heartache—and other loving relationships. Footnotes and other authorial intrusions feel engaging and bolster the novel’s voice. Cate, who is white, is a reflective and relatable narrator who sets a fast pace. There is ethnic diversity among secondary characters.

A thoughtful, well-executed coming-of-age story offering insights into the impact of pivotal life moments.