Vera Dietz is a high school senior balancing a full-time job at a pizza parlor with the weight of a secret involving her former best friend, Charlie Kahn. After Charlie dies under suspicious circumstances, Vera navigates her daily life while being haunted by his presence and the literal voices of the town’s landmark sign. The narrative uses multiple perspectives, including Charlie’s from beyond the grave and Vera’s father’s struggles with sobriety, to piece together the betrayal and violence that led to Charlie’s death and Vera’s subsequent isolation.
Teenagers and young adults interested in realistic depictions of grief and social alienation read this work. It appeals to those seeking a blunt look at how family cycles of alcoholism and parental neglect influence a person's identity. The reader finishes the book with a clear understanding of how silence regarding trauma can be destructive and how personal accountability serves as a mechanism for breaking generational patterns. Information on the complexity of long-term friendships provides a cynical but honest view of childhood loyalty.
Inward-looking; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2010
- Language
- EN
