THIS GOLDEN STATE

A teen tries to unravel her parents’ secrets, truths that force the family to live on the run.

Seventeen-year-old Poppy has lived her entire life knowing her family could need to pack up and vanish at a moment’s notice. All she has is her mom, dad, and younger sister. When her parents suddenly move them again, this time to California, mathematically gifted Poppy gets to sign up for an intense summer STEM program. Despite her natural abilities and love for the subject matter, it’s a tough wake-up call to be in a class with extremely privileged kids who’ve had much better educational opportunities. Frustrated by the restrictions of her lifestyle and her parents, who are so secretive Poppy doesn’t know who they are let alone who she herself is, she impulsively takes a DNA test to unveil details about her ancestry; her classmate Harry, whose tech tycoon father is obsessed with secrecy, takes one, too. Poppy’s DNA results indicate European heritage; Harry’s test shows his ancestors came from Jamaica, South India, and Europe. When Poppy’s not being encouraged by her professor to prioritize her STEM future or enjoying her complicated-yet-sweet budding romance with Harry, she’s digging into the family history revealed by the DNA test, unwinding dangerous secrets. Her discoveries prove risky for her family and her relationships. The ending leaves a lot up in the air; though some readers will be frustrated and want more, the thematic resolution to Poppy’s identity, family, and agency conflicts is solid.

Captivating and introspective.