FINN’S GOING

What’s the right audience for a story about a ten-year-old boy struggling to cope with the death of his identical twin? Obviously that depends on the presentation. But despite Kelly’s obvious skill, it remains unclear just who might enjoy and appreciate this long first-person narrative. Readers know from the beginning that one of the boys has died. The surviving twin runs away from home to visit an island where the family once vacationed and along the way meets a handful of quirky characters. His ruminations use quite a bit of British slang that will slow some readers down. Others may find the elliptically told tale difficult to follow. And for some, the emphasis on flatulence and elimination, realistic though it may be, may seem too much at odds with the serious subject matter. While the revelation on the final page will certainly surprise, readers may feel more resentment at being tricked than recognition of the emotional toll that loss can take. Original and ambitious but not entirely successful. (Fiction. 9-12)