Review of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Volume 6, by Beth Brower

Fiction Review, Historical, Starred Review 0

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion

Volume 6

by Beth Brower

Rhydon Press, 2022. 235 pages.
Review written August 21, 2024, from my own copy, purchased via Amazon.com
Starred Review

I am so hooked on these books! I had made plans to try to pace myself, but when I finished this book, which ended on a dramatic note, I picked up the next book immediately to see how that situation resolved – only to learn they didn’t discuss it the very next day, as planned. I am going to go into withdrawal when I finish the seventh volume – the last one currently published. But then I’ll be able to binge as each new volume comes out.

So – because this is an ongoing series and you really should start at the beginning, I’ll try to tell what’s so much fun about this volume without giving away spoilers. Our heroine, Emma M. Lion comes of age (21) in Volume 6, so she now officially owns Lapis Lazuli House. But because of her nefarious cousin spending her money, she needs to find work. She tries a personal secretary position in this volume (January through February 1884) – with hilariously disastrous results, such as could only happen to Emma Lion.

She does continue the inspiring, enlightening, and cordial friendship with three very different gentlemen – and at last we get rumblings of romance where I had most expected it. Will this change things? That’s why I’m reading on. All three men are men of mystery, with fascinating revelations about each one slowly coming to light.

Meanwhile, her friend Pierce is expected to contribute more to the St. Crispian’s neighborhood, her friendship with Islington wins her some social points, Young Hawkes continues to materialize where he is most needed, her friend Mary is showing signs of falling in love, and she has interesting conversations with the artist Saffronia and even with Mrs. Penury, who never says a word. It’s all quirky and fun and I am definitely hooked.

bethbrower.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Review of Noodles on a Bicycle, by Kyo Maclear & Gracey Zhang

Historical, Picture Book Review, Starred Review 0

Noodles on a Bicycle

written by Kyo Maclear
illustrated by Gracey Zhang

Random House Studio, 2024. 36 pages.
Review written October 4, 2024, from my own copy, sent to me by the publisher.
Starred Review

I was completely surprised how charmed I was by this picture book. Here’s the beginning:

When the deliverymen set off in the morning
we sit outside
and watch
and wait
for the flicker of pedal and wheel.

It turns out the deliverymen are delivering orders of sobaya noodles from the Old Sobaya shop downtown.

When the orders are ready,
the deliverymen arrive
and stack the ceramic soup bowls and wooden soba boxes.
One tray on top of another.
On top of another.

Then they take off.

We watch them balancing towers on their shoulders.
An arm holding things steady
as their bicycle tires bump, bounce, settle, swoosh.

The story and illustrations are all about these elaborate tall towers, balanced while riding a bike. It turns out that the deliverymen from the New Sobaya shop compete with those from the Old Sobaya shop to see who can make “the tallest and fanciest stack.” And the children themselves get in on the action, trying to pile up their own plates and bowls and ride a bike – with not so excellent results. (But all in good fun, and encouragement from the deliverymen.)

As the day wears on, the children wonder if the deliverymen get tired. Do they dream of noodles all night? And then where I am really charmed is that when the kids’ mother orders noodles from the Old Sobaya shop, the deliveryman who brings them is Papa.

The book finishes up warm and cozy, eating noodles, being tucked into bed, and the parents setting out the clean dishes for Papa as deliveryman to take away with him in the morning.

It’s all just so charming and lovely. What child wouldn’t like to read about a papa who balances towers of dishes while riding a bike? And the Author’s Note at the back tells us this is based on what she saw in her childhood summers in Tokyo and the actual deliverymen who biked on the streets there from the 1930s to the 1970s. A couple of old photographs on the endpapers confirm that the illustrator was, amazingly, not exaggerating. Just a lovely book.

kyomaclear.com
graceyzhang.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Review of There Is a Door in This Darkness, by Kristin Cashore

Paranormal, Starred Review, Teen Fiction Review 0

There Is a Door in This Darkness

by Kristin Cashore

Dutton Books, 2024. 372 pages.
Review written October 8, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

It was a bit surreal to read this book a month before the 2024 election with Donald Trump running against Kamala Harris, because the events of the book mainly take place in the week of the 2020 election with Joe Biden running against Donald Trump. And they flashback at times to the 2016 election, very much with the sense of “Not again!” So let’s just say that the “Not again!” feeling was heightened for me, reading it now.

And let me stop right there and say that there’s absolutely no effort made to present a politically “balanced” perspective in this book. The book mostly calls Trump “the monster,” but at one point, if I remember correctly, he’s called “the pouting pustule.” (There was another colorful one that I don’t remember and couldn’t find after the fact. Wish I’d marked them!) I personally enjoyed reading about characters whose perspective pretty much matches mine. But if you’re a Trump fan, read this book only if you want an alternate perspective, not presented gently. Hey, you’ve been warned.

Beyond that, this book had a lot of nuance and warmth, exploring grief and friendship during the pandemic.

The book takes place in Boston during the pandemic, before and after the 2020 presidential election, featuring Wilhelmina, who graduated from high school the past June and now is taking a year off to help out her family during the pandemic. Her two younger siblings need monitoring for online school, and two elderly aunts are staying with their family. Her father has asthma, so they’re strictly wearing masks and being careful about where they go, and Wilhelmina feels a little overwhelmed by so many people in their small apartment.

On top of that, her two best friends, Judy and Bee, get to do things together, because their families are in the same pandemic bubble so their younger siblings in the same grade can do school together. Wilhelmina feels left out, but feels guilty for feeling left out.

And on top of that, Wilhelmina is still deeply grieving her third and favorite aunt, Aunt Frankie, who died a couple years ago and left her lots of wisdom – plus a great big hole in her heart.

And then, after she’s driven Aunt Margaret to an eye appointment, strange things start happening. Like a message coming down from the sky. And an elevator opening to the wrong place. And more. And these strange things throw her together with a guy named James whose parents own the donut shop in the same building as Aunt Margaret’s eye doctor. He has strange things happen, too. Is it some kind of message? What are they supposed to do?

The story is told at a leisurely pace that at first made me impatient, but soon had me savoring it. There are alternating chapters with the present – during election week – and the past, especially time Wilhelmina had with her three aunts, spending most summers with them in Pennsylvania.

It’s all very lovely, mostly Wilhelmina dealing with Frankie’s death, but with more themes woven in, including finding hope and seeing good even in people who voted for the monster.

The romance is gently and beautifully done. Not only is there no sex in this teen romance, but since it’s during the pandemic, there’s no kissing, either.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Wilhelmina has a condition that causes her a lot of pain in moving her body. So that’s one more thing she’s dealing with.

Here’s how the book begins:

Frankie used to make the world shine, or at least that’s how Wilhelmina Hart remembered it.

This book is about how Wilhelmina learns to shine.

kristincashore.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Review of Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell

Children's Fiction Review, Fantasy, Starred Review 0

Impossible Creatures

by Katherine Rundell
read by Samuel West

Listening Library, 2024. (Print edition first published in the United Kingdom in 2023.) 8 hours, 55 minutes.
Review written October 7, 2024, from a library eaudiobook (referencing an advance reader copy).
Starred Review

I’m not sure how this book got all the buzz, but it turns out I didn’t order nearly enough print copies or ebook copies or eaudiobook copies for the library. Perhaps because it was first published in the UK, people knew how good it is? I even had an Advance Reader Copy I’d been meaning to read, but didn’t get to it before I needed to start reading Young Adult Speculative Fiction for the Cybils Awards, so I got in the queue to listen to the Audiobook version.

This book completely deserves all the hype! It’s one I plan to read again some day in the finished print form – probably buy myself a copy – because it’s illustrated, including a map and an illustrated bestiary at the back. The advance reader copy has some finished illustrations, but mostly sketches that show what will go there. (The book has Art by Ashley Mackenzie.) However, the audiobook is delightful, and Samuel West has the wonderful voice of someone reading you a fairy tale – which completely fits this epic quest.

I pulled out the Advance Reader Copy to write this review so that I could quote you the incredible beginning. (Wasn’t sure I’d get it exactly right without referring to it.) Then as I reread, the whole first chapter, called “The Beginning,” is perfect:

It was a very fine day, until something tried to eat him.

It was a black doglike creature, but it was not like any dog he had ever seen. It had teeth as long as his arm and claws that could tear apart an oak tree.

It says, therefore, a great deal in Christopher Forrester’s favor that he refused — with speed and cunning and courage — to be eaten.

The second chapter, called “The Beginning, Elsewhere,” begins like this:

It was a very fine day, until somebody tried to kill her.

Mal had returned home from her journey, flying back from the forest with arms outstretched and coat flapping, buffeted by the wind.

After the opening chapters, the book backtracks from that very fine day to give us some background on Christopher and Mal. Christopher lives an ordinary life – except that animals flock to him and want to get close to him.

Mal does not live an ordinary life, having learned to fly by using a coat given to her by the seer who named her. And she lives somewhere where that doesn’t surprise her neighbors, with her great-aunt who has so many rules, Mal can’t possibly keep them all.

Then on the fateful day referred to at the beginning, their worlds come together. Christopher has learned from his grandfather that he is inheriting the guardianship of a magical place, called the Archipelago, hidden from our world and full of magical creatures. But the magical tree at the heart of the Archipelago is failing and animals are dying. Griffins are believed to be extinct.

And then a baby griffin comes through the lake on the mountain by his grandfather’s house, followed by a giant black dog with flaming ears. But a girl comes through the lake after the dog and shows him how to extinguish the ears and kill the beast. The griffin is hers (It’s Mal!) and she tells Christopher that someone tried to kill her and she needs help. So she leads Christopher back through the door that has opened in the lake to the Archipelago.

And so begins an epic quest, a quest to heal the tree, the source of magic. And both Christopher and Mal have crucial parts to play.

I usually don’t like stories that lead the characters from one thing to another, taking detours all along the way. But I think since this one was all in service of the goal to help heal the magic, it didn’t bother me. First they want to get to the sphinxes to find out what to do. No, I take that back – first, they try to tell the authorities in the Azurial Senate about the problem and get them to fix it. There’s a comical scene when they are spurned for being children. But a scholar who has detailed information about the problem is also spurned. Both they and this woman are going to be arrested and imprisoned for disrupting the court – when someone comes to their rescue, and they end up joining forces with the scholar and their rescuer. Then they go to the sphinxes, because if the human leaders don’t know, the sphinxes are the wisest ones who may be able to help.

Getting to the sphinxes is an adventure in itself, and that leads them to the next adventure, which leads them to the next adventure, and so on until it’s finally Christopher and Mal trying to heal the magical tree.

And the whole story is epic and wonderful and magical and full of wonderful people and danger and beauty and peril.

My only sadness is that this book was first published in the UK, so it’s not eligible for the Newbery Medal.

And I was delighted just now when I pulled out the Advance Reader Copy to notice “Book One” on the spine! That settles it – by the time Book Two comes out, I’m buying myself finished copies of both books and rereading this one in print for the joy of it. It’s that good.

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Review of In God’s Holy Light, by Joan Chittister

Christian, Nonfiction Review, Starred Review 0

In God’s Holy Light

Wisdom from the Desert Monastics

by Joan Chittister

Franciscan Media, 2015. 134 pages.
Review written August 27, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

I don’t remember what prompted me to check this book out, but I was happy I did. The chapters are short, and perfect for a quick read over breakfast to give you something to think about during the day.

In each chapter the author, herself a Benedictine Sister, begins with a short segment from the writings of the Desert Monastics, “thousands of monks and nuns who went into the Egyptian wastelands in the third to sixth centuries.” The writings usually take the form of little stories or conversations, and they usually have something a little bit surprising.

Here’s one example from Chapter Three:

Some old men came to see Abba Poemon, and said to him: “Tell us, when we see brothers dozing during the sacred office, should we pinch them so they will stay awake?” The old man said to them: “Actually, if I saw a brother sleeping, I would put his head on my knees and let him rest.”

After that, she gives us a few short pages of reflections on the passage. In this chapter, that includes thoughts on pious practices and the spiritual life.

With this story, legalism and false asceticism pale in the light of greater virtue. What Abba Poeman calls for here is the godliness of mercy and compassion and forgiveness: the very holiness that pious practices are meant to sow in us and that rigidity for its own sake can never substitute. Nor does our failure to be unwaveringly faithful to the practice of them count against the value of those whose hearts are right even when their knees are weak….

In the spiritual life, we are meant to prod our souls to regular discipline so that in doing so our hearts will be softened to serve those whom Jesus served. The gentle Jesus wants clean hearts from us, not sacrifice; deep down basic commitment, not simply blue ribbons for winning the spiritual marathons we’ve run to make ourselves feel holy.

There are thirty-five chapters in this book, and that’s the kind of challenging yet encouraging thinking you’ll find in these pages. Recommended for anyone who wants to give thought to what it means to live a spiritual life.

joanchittister.org

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Review of Ash’s Cabin, by Jen Wang

Contemporary, Graphic Novel, Starred Review, Teen Fiction Review 0

Ash’s Cabin

by Jen Wang

First Second, 2024. 320 pages.
Review written October 8, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

This is a gorgeous and thoughtful graphic novel about a nonbinary teen named Ash who doesn’t feel like their family gets them. They often use Ash’s former name (shown with a black bar over it in the speech bubble) and use the pronoun “her” to talk about them. Ash thinks about the environment and climate change more than the people around them. They still miss their Grandpa Edwin, who died a couple of years ago. Fortunately, Ash still has Chase, the dog Grandpa Edwin gave them.

Chase is my familiar. We don’t go anywhere without each other. He knows me better than anyone else in the universe.

Ash’s family used to go to Grandpa Edwin’s ranch every summer – now owned by Ash’s uncle and aunt. Grandpa Edwin had a hidden cabin somewhere in the nearby wilderness area where he’d go when he needed to get away from people. But he never told anyone where it is.

When Ash hears their parents planning to go to Disneyworld next summer instead of the ranch, they make it very clear they want no part of that. After some negotiation, the family makes plans to take Ash to the ranch, staying with their older cousin there, to say good-by before it gets sold.

What Ash’s parents don’t know is that Ash is planning to sneak away, find Grandpa Edwin’s cabin, and stay there, with only Chase for company.

And Ash’s plan works surprisingly well. They have a few months to go through Grandpa Edwin’s journals to pinpoint the location of the cabin, and look at wilderness survival sites to figure out what supplies they’ll need and what skills they need to learn. When they get to the ranch, Ash’s cousin actually has a secret trip first – asking Ash not to tell that she’s going to spend the weekend away with friends. Ash schedules emails to their parents, and sets off into the wilderness with Chase to find the cabin.

And yes! They find the cabin and live in the wilderness for weeks. The book shows realistic setbacks as well as unexpected help. And we can see Ash learning and growing during the experience.

I squelched all my feelings about how badly I’d freak out if my kid did this and was actually impressed with all the skills Ash had learned – of course with some things they hadn’t planned for, too.

This graphic novel is a treasure, telling about a teen who discovers how strong they truly are.

jenwang.net
firstsecondbooks.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Review of Pizza Face, by Rex Ogle & Dave Valeza

Biography, Children's Nonfiction Review, Graphic Memoir, Starred Review 0

Pizza Face

by Rex Ogle & Dave Valeza

Graphix, 2024. 222 pages.
Review written October 3, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

I continue to maintain that graphic novels are the absolutely perfect format for middle school memoirs – the perfect way to express the angst we all went through.

In this follow up to Four Eyes, the morning Rex starts seventh grade, a giant pimple erupts in the center of his forehead – the first of many. So yeah, this is a graphic novel about a boy beginning to go through puberty, and feeling behind everyone else – he was only twelve in seventh grade, but his friends were all thirteen or turning thirteen. So he was the smallest, had the least hair, and had the highest voice.

And then come the bullies, the misunderstandings with friends, the saying something to try to be cool that hurts a friend’s feelings – and we’ve got a classic story of middle school angst.

There’s plenty of nuance going on here, such as becoming friends with the biggest kid in seventh grade, who starts out pushing Rex around, but ends up confessing he feels out of place, too. And gaining some insight about another bully when they’re both on in-school suspension.

This story captures the despair and hope of middle school, and does it with humor and compassion.

rexogle.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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In a Dark, Dark Wood, by Ruth Ware, read by Imogen Church

Audiobooks, Contemporary, Fiction Review, Starred Review, Suspense 0

In a Dark, Dark Wood

by Ruth Ware
read by Imogen Church

Simon & Schuster Audio, 2015. 9 hours, 35 minutes.
Review written July 27, 2024, from a library eaudiobook.
Starred Review

Okay, you can see I’m catching up on Ruth Ware thrillers. I discovered them during my year of reading for the Newbery committee — as we weren’t listening to audiobooks of eligible titles, and they are quite the opposite of children’s books. They’re also along the same lines as the romantic suspense books or Agatha Christie books I loved in high school – only in these, the girl doesn’t get saved by the romantic hero.

In this book the death doesn’t happen until halfway through the book, but here’s the set up: Our viewpoint character is Leonora Shaw, a young writer who lives alone and enjoys her solitude. Like most Ruth Ware main characters, Imogen Church makes her sound just a tiny bit neurotic, or at least afraid she’s neurotic. Leonora has been invited to a Hen Party for her best friend when she was at school, Claire, whom she hasn’t seen in ten years. (This seems to be the British name for a Bachelorette Party.)

Nora doesn’t know why Claire invited her to the Hen Party, but not to the wedding. But she makes a pact with another school friend, Nina, to go to the weekend together.

The weekend’s happening in a house with lots of huge windows down a long, rutted driveway in the middle of the dark, dark woods in winter. Nora, out for a run, sees Claire arriving and has a little time with her privately in the car – and learns that Claire is marrying James, Nora’s high school sweetheart, and the reason she hasn’t talked with Claire – or James – for ten years. Claire says she wanted to tell Nora face to face. Nora pretends to be nonchalant and happy for Claire, but she knows full well she hasn’t gotten over James – or the thing that happened to make her leave.

The other people at the party are the oddly intense Flo, Claire’s current best friend, Melanie, who’s left her six-month-old behind and is feeling anxious, especially when the phone goes dead in the snow, and Tom, a gay actor who’s friends with Claire because of her connections to theater.

Mind you, all of this set-up is interspersed with scenes of Nora in the hospital, with police by her door, trying to remember what happened and when things began to go so very wrong.

I was proud that I did figure out whodunit and why almost right away – I think I’m getting used to Ruth Ware’s style. But that didn’t spoil the fun as I knew Nora was going to get into a dangerous situation before she figured it out.

If you’re in the mood for a thriller, you can’t go wrong with these books. They generally involve a young woman getting into an incredibly intense situation and coming out the other side discovering she has more strength than she ever gave herself credit for.

ruthware.com

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Review of I’m Sorry You Got Mad, written by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Julie Kwon

Contemporary, Picture Book Review, Starred Review 0

I’m Sorry You Got Mad

written by Kyle Lukoff
illustrated by Julie Kwon

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024. 32 pages.
Review written October 2, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

Want to teach young children about apologies? This is the book for you!

But at the same time, the brilliance of this picture book is that it’s not a how-to book; it’s an engaging story that will make you laugh and make you care about the kids involved.

And it’s a scenario that kids will feel deeply. Read this book to kids before they need to apologize, and it will be much, much easier for them to understand when it’s needed.

The book begins with an obviously furious Jack writing notes to Zoe and throwing them in the trash. We get to read the notes as they progress. One of the first ones says this:

DEAR ZOE,
I’M SORRY YOU GOT SO MAD!!!
JACK

Dear Jack,
Please try again.
Love,
Ms. Rice

The next one adds “But it wasn’t my fault!!!” and a note from Ms. Rice to check in with her.

Later letters build the situation: Zoe built a castle and it got knocked over by accident. And then we learn that Jack thought it was really cool, but Ben and Jeremy said castles were for girls so he couldn’t play with them. And he got mad and knocked it over. (It takes many letters for us to get that story.)

Somewhere in the middle, Ms. Rice tells Jack that an apology needs three things:

1) What I did
2) That I’m sorry
3) And I’ll help you fix it.

It takes Jack many tries, and you can see his heart getting softer. Finally, we see him giving a note to Zoe:

Dear Zoe,
I’m very sorry I knocked down your castle. I know I hurt your feelings. I want to help you build a new one, if that’s okay. But you don’t have to let me.
Your Friend,
Jack

The book isn’t finished until we see Zoe’s note in reply, acknowledging that she was mad but she feels better now. And the book wraps up with a picture of them building a castle together.

Mind you, along this whole book, the pictures tell stories, too. First of Jack furiously angry. Then watching other kids having fun. Slowly softening (with setbacks). And there are two other kids who are pictured at the end angry and writing letters – so you go back and see what happened with them.

It’s all brilliant on many levels, including the simple one of modeling a sincere apology and how difficult it is to get to that place, but also telling us a story and making us care about Jack and Zoe and the restoration of their friendship.

Come to think of it, I can think of many adults who could learn from reading this to their child. And I take it as a good reminder myself.

kylelukoff.com
juliekwonart.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Review of Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear, by Robin Wasley

Paranormal, Starred Review, Teen Fiction Review 0

Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear

by Robin Wasley

Simon & Schuster, 2024. 405 pages.
Review written October 2, 2024, from a library book.
Starred Review

Given the title, I wasn’t surprised when this turned out to be a zombie book. I was, however, surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Sid Spencer is an adopted American teen girl who lives in a town on a fault line – but not an earthquake fault line so much as a magical fault line. It’s not the only such town in the world by any means, but tourists come from all over the world to see the magic seeping up from the cracks like rainbow mist. Among the townsfolk, eight people are Guardians, but no one knows who they are. Each Guardian has a magical power, but also a Key made of bone that secures a segment of the fault line.

And then, one segment of the fault line comes open – and besides earthquakes and a magical forest taking over, zombies come out of the fault, attracted to living people and able to kill them with their bare hands. When it hits, Sid is alone at home and manages to trap a zombie in the basement after she sees it kill a neighbor. When Brian, a friend of her brother’s, breaks into her house, Sid tasers him before she realizes who he is. He tells Sid that he’s a Guardian, and so is her brother Matty. And the reason the fault line came open was that one of the other Guardians is dead. The man who killed him stole that Guardian’s key, but he was able to pass his power to Matty before he died, so no one can use the key but Matty. Oh, and the dead Guardian also put a magical wall around the town, so everybody on the outside is safe (including the rest of Sid’s family), but no help is coming to save them.

So the mission is to somehow navigate the town full of zombies, get the key from the bad guy – who turns out to be invulnerable to magical or physical attacks – and get it to Matty, whom no one has seen since before the breach. This is not an easy mission, as besides his own magic powers, the bad guy has teams of thugs with guns doing his bidding. He knows who all the Guardians are, and he wants all their powers and all their keys.

Thus, a saga begins. The task is daunting. But along the way, magic is leaking out of the breach, and ordinary people are developing magical powers, with each one unique to them.

Sid’s magic power ends up involving connecting with people. And that’s also the power of the book. The magic for me was a little muddled and confusing in spots, and yes, there was plenty of death and gore, but the story of found family and connections and working together against all odds – was powerful and moving. There was also a theme about friendship and forgiveness – for the past months Sid had been estranged from her best friend and her boyfriend because of something that happened – but the disaster puts all that in perspective.

This isn’t a relaxing book to read. The zombies are scary and strong, but the human villains are even worse, and the task seems impossible at times. But joining in Sid’s adventure just felt so warm and human. She’s a flawed teenage girl trying to survive – but also to help the people she loves – and even new people she meets. It turns out that disaster makes her shine, and it felt like a privilege to witness that.

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