An inviting take on feminine wisdom and the power of collective self-transformation.
Seventeen-year-old Canadian camp counselor Nora Nichols’ boyfriend has broken up with her right before her arrival at the all-girls Camp Cradle Rock in West Virginia.
The “wounds / are still tender,” and Nora is hoping to leave everything behind, concentrate on getting to know her fellow counselors, and embark on “a fresh start.” Sitting in the Lightning Circle, a tradition inspired by a legendary camp story that builds a connection between the six young women counselors, Nora finds self-love and healing from the pain of unrequited love and rejection. The interconnectedness that “passes / from hand to hand” in their circle is metaphorically compared to the “electricity” of lightning. This story in journal form emphasizes sisterhood. In the poem “The Recovery Position,” one counselor reveals an eating disorder. The counselors support the younger campers with their own concerns—homesickness, fitting in socially, getting a first period. The free-verse poetry’s accessible diction speaks to teenage voices and is punctuated with nature imagery, symbolism, and details that vividly and nostalgically recall traditional camp experiences, from fingers that are “sticky from sucking on watermelon rinds” to “dancing barefoot in the grass.” Nora writes about shells, mountains, rivers, trees, and horses, and each poem is accompanied by beautiful illustrations, including portraits of the campers and images of everyday objects and flora and fauna. Ultimately, Nora movingly reflects on the perspective she’s gained from “this magical space.” Characters largely read white.
An inviting take on feminine wisdom and the power of collective self-transformation. (Verse fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9781774882498
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This astonishing book will generate much-needed discussion.
After 15-year-old Will sees his older brother, Shawn, gunned down on the streets, he sets out to do the expected: the rules dictate no crying, no snitching, and revenge.
Though the African-American teen has never held one, Will leaves his apartment with his brother’s gun tucked in his waistband. As he travels down on the elevator, the door opens on certain floors, and Will is confronted with a different figure from his past, each a victim of gun violence, each important in his life. They also force Will to face the questions he has about his plan. As each “ghost” speaks, Will realizes how much of his own story has been unknown to him and how intricately woven they are. Told in free-verse poems, this is a raw, powerful, and emotional depiction of urban violence. The structure of the novel heightens the tension, as each stop of the elevator brings a new challenge until the narrative arrives at its taut, ambiguous ending. There is considerable symbolism, including the 15 bullets in the gun and the way the elevator rules parallel street rules. Reynolds masterfully weaves in textured glimpses of the supporting characters. Throughout, readers get a vivid picture of Will and the people in his life, all trying to cope with the circumstances of their environment while expressing the love, uncertainty, and hope that all humans share.
This astonishing book will generate much-needed discussion. (Verse fiction. 12-adult)Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-3825-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship.
A battered girl and an injured rugby star spark up an ill-advised romance at an Irish secondary school.
Beautiful, waiflike, 15-year-old Shannon has lived her entire life in Ballylaggin. Alternately bullied at school and beaten by her ne’er-do-well father, she’s hopeful for a fresh start at Tommen, a private school. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who has a hair-trigger temper and a severe groin injury, is used to Dublin’s elite-level rugby but, since his family’s move to County Cork, is now stuck captaining Tommen’s middling team. When Johnny angrily kicks a ball and knocks Shannon unconscious (“a soft female groan came from her lips”), a tentative relationship is born. As the two grow closer, Johnny’s past and Shannon’s present become serious obstacles to their budding love, threatening Shannon’s safety. Shannon’s portrayal feels infantilized (“I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm”), while Johnny comes across as borderline obsessive (“I knew I shouldn’t be touching her, but how the hell could I not?”). Uneven pacing and choppy sentences lead to a sudden climax and an unsatisfyingly abrupt ending. Repetitive descriptions, abundant and misogynistic dialogue (Johnny, to his best friend: “who’s the bitch with a vagina now?”), and graphic violence also weigh down this lengthy tome (considerably trimmed down from its original, self-published length). The cast of lively, well-developed supporting characters, especially Johnny’s best friend and Shannon’s protective older brother, is a bright spot. Major characters read white.
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship. (author’s note, pronunciations, glossary, song moments, playlists) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781728299945
Page Count: 626
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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