Split Time

When Evan's mother moves out, the 15-year-old retreats from his father and friends, settling intoi a bitter, sullen lethargy. An ethereal, impetuous young woman, Lamia, who lives upstairs, seems to offer an escape, and Evan eagerly enters into a relationship with her. He immediately senses a disquieting element of desperation underlying her interest in him; but he is confused and in a state of sexual intoxication, and so he stifles his doubts. When Evan does begin to pull away, Lamia's instability leads her to attempt suicidea tragedy that helps Evan reach out to his parents again. This is a compelling story that candidly depicts both Evan's raw, isolating anger and his own vulnerability. His blind desire to lose himself in Lamia is convincingly portrayed, as is his gradual maturation. The pain Evan experiences and unwittingly fosters is balanced by the promise of renewed connections with his family and friends, so that the novel's message is, ultimately, one of hope. Ages 12-up. (October)