Five teenagers from the Hoffman family's neighborhood in suburban Wisconsin each carry a secret about their relatives, who have lived together in a state of silent cruelty for generations. The Hoffmans are wealthy and white, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have been trained to keep up appearances while privately hurting. A.S. King tells their stories in alternating chapters and mixes real-world scenes with surreal ones, in order to get at privilege, abuse, and what it takes to break a family pattern.
It is for older teens and adults who like challenging young adult fiction that tackles hard subjects with an unusual structure. Readers who enjoy King's other books, with their blend of realism and the bizarre, will recognize her style.
Inward-looking; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2019
- Language
- EN
