An affecting story that shines a light on systematic bullying, despite its occasionally unlikable hero.
In this debut novel, a teenager victimized by school bullies stands up for himself and takes his fight to the supervising adults.
Henry Wilton had hoped that his sophomore year in high school (in an undisclosed American city) would be different, but the bullies that have tormented him for years continue to target him. He’s just one of several such victims, and the others, like him, have kept their heads down and not spoken up to those in charge. But Henry, who’s endured bullying since the fifth grade, has finally had enough. He voices his complaints to teachers and the principal, identifying a group of boys who’ve repeatedly insulted and assaulted him. Sadly, nothing changes; the administration feels that Henry should simply brush off the bullies’ behavior, and he can’t prove that anyone physically harmed him. With seemingly no one on his side, Henry plans to expose the situation publicly. It’s hardly surprising that he incites the wrath of both the bullies he accuses and the school’s apathetic leadership. Wade stirs up topical issues in this hard-hitting tale, such as how adults can be dismissive of bullying that isn’t physical and how athletes often receive more favorable treatment than other students. The portrayal of Henry is a sympathetic one; he’s highly anxious throughout every school day, and there seems to be nowhere he can turn for advice or support; also, the narrative largely comprises his discussions with increasingly frustrating adults. That said, Henry isn’t always the nicest guy in his pursuit of vengeance; he admirably steers clear of physically violent means, but he does berate people at times. He also claims that he’s fighting for all victims, but he seems to see others’ suffering as more evidence for his arguments, rather than something that emotionally concerns him.
An affecting story that shines a light on systematic bullying, despite its occasionally unlikable hero.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2021
ISBN: 9781638680208
Page Count: 282
Publisher: Virtualbookworm.com Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 24, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.
A struggling writer finds an unexpected muse when a mysterious man shows up at her cabin.
Petra Rose used to pump out a bestselling book every six months, but then the adaptation happened—that is, the disastrous film adaptation of her most famous book. The movie changed the book’s storyline so egregiously that fans couldn’t forgive her, and the ensuing harassment sent Petra into hiding and gave her a serious case of writer’s block. Petra’s one hope is her solo writing retreat at a remote cabin, where she can escape the distractions of real life and focus on her next book, a story about a woman having an affair with a cop. When officer Nathaniel Saint shows up at her cabin door, inspiration comes flooding back. Much like the character from Petra’s book, Saint is married, and he’s willing to be Petra’s muse, helping her get into her characters’ heads. Petra’s book is practically writing itself, but is the game she’s playing a little too dangerous? Does she know when to stop—and, more importantly, is Saint willing to stop? Hoover is no stranger to controversial movie adaptations and internet backlash, but she clarifies in a note to readers that she’s “just a writer writing about a writer” and that no further connections to her own life are contained in these pages—which is a good thing, because the book takes some horrifying twists and turns. Petra finds herself inexplicably attracted to Saint, even as she describes him as “such an asshole,” and her feelings for him veer between love and hate. The novel serves as a meta commentary on the dark romance genre—as Petra puts it, “Even though, as readers, we wouldn’t want to live out some of the fantasies we read about, it doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy reading those things.”
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781662539374
Page Count: -
Publisher: Montlake
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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