"Gram is worried about me. It's not just because my sister Bailey died four weeks ago, or because my mother hasn't contacted me in sixteen years, or even because suddenly all I think about is sex. She is worried about me because one of her houseplants has spots. Gram has believed for most of my seventeen years that this particular houseplant, which is of the nondescript variety, reflects my emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. I've grown to believe it too... This is us since my sister Bailey collapsed one month ago from a fatal arrhythmia while in rehearsal for a local production of Romeo and Juliet. It's as if someone vacuumed up the horizon while we were looking the other way."
That was just the first three pages. My. Heart. Broke. With. Every. Page. This book (I am not afraid to admit) had me sobbing and laughing in rotating intervals all night. I simply could not put it down without finding out what happens next. I even called my sister at 1am to tell her I loved her- this phone call was not exactly met with the warmth and gratefulness I had expected (mostly just a groggy "you are so weird"), but as you can see, this book clocked me in the solar plexus.
Seventeen year old Lennie is an interesting character. She is a clarinet player in the band, has never had a boyfriend, and loves to read emotional classics like Wuthering Heights. In fact, her family is famous in the neighborhood for "road reading"- walking down the road so engrossed in a book they have no idea if they are about to be plowed down in traffic. Despite her quirkiness, Lennie has still always been her sister's shadow, her companion pony to her sister's racehorse. When her sister Bailey dies suddenly, Lennie can't seem to get her life together. It was bad enough her mother left them to live with their grandmother when Lennie was one, but now Bailey has abandoned her too.
Lennie is struggling to stay afloat. When Bailey's boyfriend starts spending time with her and even making out with her, Lennie feels drawn to him. She knows it is wrong and her heart breaks for betraying Bailey every time they get together, but she still can't stop seeing him. Toby is the closest she can get to Bailey. When a new boy moves into town with his musical family and 100 watt smile, Lennie starts to feel about him the way Bailey felt about Toby. Now she has herself caught between the worst betrayal ever and a boy who just likes her for who she is, broken pieces and all.
This book is about a young girl who cannot cope with the loss of her best friend, sister, and confidante. I have to say the grief is so real, I found myself sobbing and couldn't figure out if I was tired, overemotional, or the book was really that good. After finishing, I think the book was really that good. The descriptions of Lennie's shock, how she goes through the motions, loses it when she sees Bailey in the coffin, refuses to pack up Bailey's half of the room, and talks to her sister are so real, I felt like I was grieving with her every step of the way. When the new boy comes into town, Lennie can't believe she deserves such attention at first, and then feels guilty about every happy thought. It feels too soon for Lennie to smile.
This book is obviously geared more toward girls. It is an emotional story, but it is so well written, it would touch the heart of any reader. There is a light amount of sexual activity- mostly making out, but it might make the story inappropriate for younger readers. I think this is a great 10-12 grade book with strong feelings, a wonderful story, and amazing characters. It might be too much for any student who has recently suffered a loss, though, so recommendations should be made with careful consideration. This is a beautiful story, and I plan to call my sister this morning at a more reasonable time and tell her again how much I love her!
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