Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com
Every so often a book comes along that is so good it feels more like it grew than it was written, like it came into being through its own sheer force of will. That is exactly how I feel about this book.
Ellie Roma is a freshman in high school. She has her fair share of normal high school problems; she hates school, she only has a few friends, she`s insecure about the way she looks, her sister seems like she's become an alien, etc. Ellie's got some bigger problems, though. She's new in town. As if that isn't bad enough, they moved three times when they first got to town. The last time was just next door, so everyone in the neighborhood thinks they're nuts. Her parents recently got divorced, and she hasn't seen her dad in a few months. Oh, and her mom has decided to "take a vacation from parenting."
Ever since her parents' divorce Ellie feels like nothing in her life makes sense. Her sister, Gwen, has completely switched personalities, from cheerleader to juvenile delinquent. Her mother, well, Ellie says it best; "...it's more like she's come unraveled. Like he was the last bit of glue that was keeping her together, and now that he's gone, all the broken parts can take over." Ellie spends a lot of time locked out of the house, basically living by her mom's whim. It's starting to get to the point where it's easier to lie than to tell the truth. Consciously trying to escape her mother's notice, Ellie has become an observer in her own life.
The book is told by Ellie, as things happen. At first it's all observation and barely scratches the surface of Ellie. As the story progresses Ellie opens up more, and allows herself to be a bit more vulnerable. The more vulnerable she lets herself become, the more she begins to be involved in her own life, and the more involved we become. Somehow, before you know it, you are living and breathing inside Ellie's story. By the end of it my heart felt like it had been taken, broken, and given back in the most tender, loving, beautiful way.
At its simplest level this is a coming of age story, but it's also a story of survival, strength, love, hope, and most of all possibility.
Every so often a book comes along that is so good it feels more like it grew than it was written, like it came into being through its own sheer force of will. That is exactly how I feel about this book.
Ellie Roma is a freshman in high school. She has her fair share of normal high school problems; she hates school, she only has a few friends, she`s insecure about the way she looks, her sister seems like she's become an alien, etc. Ellie's got some bigger problems, though. She's new in town. As if that isn't bad enough, they moved three times when they first got to town. The last time was just next door, so everyone in the neighborhood thinks they're nuts. Her parents recently got divorced, and she hasn't seen her dad in a few months. Oh, and her mom has decided to "take a vacation from parenting."
Ever since her parents' divorce Ellie feels like nothing in her life makes sense. Her sister, Gwen, has completely switched personalities, from cheerleader to juvenile delinquent. Her mother, well, Ellie says it best; "...it's more like she's come unraveled. Like he was the last bit of glue that was keeping her together, and now that he's gone, all the broken parts can take over." Ellie spends a lot of time locked out of the house, basically living by her mom's whim. It's starting to get to the point where it's easier to lie than to tell the truth. Consciously trying to escape her mother's notice, Ellie has become an observer in her own life.
The book is told by Ellie, as things happen. At first it's all observation and barely scratches the surface of Ellie. As the story progresses Ellie opens up more, and allows herself to be a bit more vulnerable. The more vulnerable she lets herself become, the more she begins to be involved in her own life, and the more involved we become. Somehow, before you know it, you are living and breathing inside Ellie's story. By the end of it my heart felt like it had been taken, broken, and given back in the most tender, loving, beautiful way.
At its simplest level this is a coming of age story, but it's also a story of survival, strength, love, hope, and most of all possibility.
