It's tough to put this novel in a particular genre, but
horror and psychological thriller come to mind although it
doesn't fit nicely into either one. Will and Asheley had a
difficult childhood. Their father left when they were young,
and their mother is an on-again-off-again drunk. She has
been carted off to rehab again and Will and Asheley have the
house to themselves for the summer.
Neither of them fit in well socially although Asheley has
less difficulty. Will has a tendency to explode at the
smallest thing and prefers to spend time by himself. He's
very protective of Asheley, and this tendency verges on
overly protective at some points and beyond that at
others. This book will take a number of readers out of their
comfort genre, but I think that's healthy from time to time.
The story is told from both Asheley and Will's points of
view, and it can be interesting how differently they view
the same situations at times. You can tell from the
beginning, which is an interview of a sort, that something
awful has happened, but you don't know what. Finding out
what has occurred and how they get to the point where the
story begins keeps the pages turning.
But it's the ending that whacks you over the head, so you
have to reconsider everything you've read. It's dark, a bit
twisted, emotional and heart-wrenching, but I'm glad I read
it.
The story really shows the importance of an active and
caring parent in a child's life. It's doubtful Asheley and
Will would have had these same experiences if even one
parent had more than a passing interest in their activities.
But when they felt they only had each other to depend
on...well, crazy things can happen.
Will and Asheley have a troubled past. Their father left
them when they were little, and their mother has just been
carted off to an alcohol treatment center. Now, they have
the house to themselves, and an endless California summer
stretching out before them.
Through alternating perspectives, they tell the story of how
and why their lives spun violently out of control - right up
to the impossibly shocking conclusion you'll have to read
for yourself to believe.
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