The Empress Chronicles

Vitello (The Moment Before) tackles tough issues in this centuries-bridging tale, in which two separate plots play out with only a marginal connection. In the present, 15-year-old Liz, struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, is sent to live with her estranged father and his new girlfriend on a farm in Oregon while her mother travels for work. In mid-19th century Bavaria, Sisi, also 15, is caught between youthful desires and adult romance, forced to consider a royal marriage and unwanted responsibilities. As Liz discovers and works her way through Sisi's diary, she sympathizes with the increasingly desperate empress-to-be. Vitello presents an intriguing, believable portrait of two young women caught up in events and circumstances beyond their control, as well as a painfully sympathetic portrayal of OCD. However, despite a solid premise, the narrative never gels by the time the novel reaches its abrupt ending. The supernatural elements connecting the two girls are too little, too late, and the story lacks driving momentum. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. Agent: Melissa Sarver White, Folio Literary Management. (Sept.)