Cat is blind-sided as much as the reader, owing to her self-imposed isolation, which further helps us sympathize with her. The mystery itself is well executed, revealing tidbits of truth here and there. In a way, this saves her from getting involved with heinous things that drag at several of her friends (and the whole town), but it also reinforces negative self-perception, removes her light from her friends’ lives, and puts her on the path her Aunt Tildy is on (real talk: I wanted to punch Tildy in the soft bits, several times throughout this book). The MC, Cat, is a resilient, intelligent young woman who has retreated into herself for the past 3 years due to trauma, utterly cutting herself off from her support network. It also deals with extreme poverty, sexual abuse, child abandonment, drug abuse, and the combination of all these factors. There are a lot of slurs, and though it didn’t feel gratuitous (it’s definitely used to set the insidious hatred atmosphere of a town in decay) it was still painful. This was a difficult book to read in that it handles homophobia (and child abuse) in a rural NC town. Cat’s reflections on these moments are spot-on.” – School Library Journal “Myracle captures well the regret that many feel for things in their past about which they are ashamed. “Dramatic in both content and presentation.” – Los Angeles Times “The page-turning mystery and Cat’s inspiring trajectory of self-realization will draw readers in and give them plenty to ponder.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “Cat eventually uncovers the truth in a cliffhanging climax in which she confronts fear, discovers that love is stronger than hate and truly ‘shines.’ Raw, realistic and compelling.” – Kirkus Reviews Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.Īgainst a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Amazon,, Better World Books, Book Depository
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