Tom MacKee’s life fell apart when his favorite uncle was killed in a bombing in London. Two years later, when he wakes up in the hospital with stitches in his face and no memory of how he got there, Tom realizes he has to climb out of the pit of despair he’s found himself in. With the help of his pregnant aunt Georgie, Tom begins to pick up the pieces of his broken life. It doesn’t take Tom long before he realizes that he can’t truly heal without the forgiveness of the girl-who-got-away. Peppered with characters from Saving Francesca as well as a cameo from the violin playing Ben from Printz winner Jelicoe Road, Marchetta’s examination of a family unable to deal with the death of a beloved uncle and brother manages to be as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming.
Recommendation – Marchetta’s writing is absolutely beautiful. She is a choreographer of words. Readers might have a hard time getting in to this book if they haven’t read Saving Francesca, but if the reader perseveres he or she will not be disappointed. Ages 14 and up 330 pages
Recommended by Abby H. Moore, Education Librarian, South Dakota, USA
