THE DIME

Two orphans create their own little family and overcome life’s obstacles in Paxson’s debut novel.

It was just another day at the Dime, a five-and-dime store in Northville, New York.Lily Madison, who works there, is watching high schoolers shop after school lets out for the day, worrying about her younger sister, Sophie, who’s also in high school. Their parents were killed in a car accident many years ago, which also left Sophie paralyzed from the waist down; since then, she’s had a tendency to withdraw into herself and refrain from socializing with her classmates. Teenager Pete Boynton just wants to have something special for his birthday, and since his abusive parents aren’t going to do anything for him, he decides to take matters into his own hands by stealing a shirt from the Dime. Lily catches him but offers him a deal: If he asks Sophie to the upcoming school dance, she’ll let him keep the shirt and won’t turn him in. Pete agrees, mostly due to his fear of what his father will do if the police are called. However, Sophie throws a wrench in their plans by taking the initiative—and asking Pete to the dance first. Unfortunately, the day of the dance doesn’t work out like they all hoped; instead, Pete shows up on Lily and Sophie’s doorstep bloody and bruised after being beaten by his dad. Because of this, the three form a bond that will change their lives. Paxson’s slice-of-life novel presents an unusual kind of found family in a story that’s character-driven and compelling. What’s most notable about the novel, though, is the author’s portrayal of the anxiety that Pete faces; early on, he describes it as being an octopus, and images of tentacles recur as Pete thinks and worries about various troublesome aspects of his life over the course of the story. The tragedies that Lily and Sophie have suffered also help to make them relatable characters, and the work’s secondary players, such as Pete’s parents and Lily’s friends the Anthems, also help to make this a consistently engaging read.

A solid drama with a well-developed cast.