A thoughtful take on grief and growth.
A grieving teen begins to question everything she believes.
The Flyy Girls return with Micah Dupree, who is known to be a rule-following “good girl” who tries to live up to her parents’ high standards and follow the word of God. Until last summer, that was fine by her—but as the anniversary of the day she lost her brother approaches, Micah has started to wonder if living up to everyone else’s expectations outweighs the personal toll it takes. With the help of her therapist, Micah tries to manage her anxiety and unpack her feelings about religion, grief, and losing her virginity to the serious boyfriend she’s been secretly dating. Micah begins to find solace in her brother’s artwork when she notices the messages hidden within it and learns he may not have been as “perfect” as she thought. Micah’s realizations culminate in a beautiful senior project, giving readers a satisfying end with an expectation of more to come. Woodfolk’s ability to create compelling characters shines in this follow-up to Lux: The New Girl (2020). In straightforward language, the author normalizes having anxiety and seeing a therapist as a young Black girl navigating the unexpected death of a beloved brother. This third-person narrative moves quickly without feeling disjointed, making it appealing to reluctant readers. Micah and other characters are Black.
A thoughtful take on grief and growth. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09605-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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