Mia carries the facial scars from a tragic accident in which her older sister died when she was driving. Almost a year later, she is still unable to remember the events leading up to the crash, but knows she’s to blame. Abandoned first by her mother who leaves because the pain is more than she can bear and then by her emotionally paralyzed father, she is sent to NYC to spend the summer with a grandmother she’s never met and who is initially cold and distant. Despite hoping to hide, her grandmother arranges a job at a family diner run by the large, loud, loving Brunelli family who adopt her as one of their own. Fig, the granddaughter of the matriarch, Nonna, introduces her to her group of artistic friends (Art Attack) who share a common bond that is revealed as the story progresses. Over the course of the summer, friendships blossom, her attraction to enigmatic but adorable Cooper grows, and her amnesia slowly lifts, enabling her to learn the truth about the crash and to forgive herself.
Hepler has crafted a beautiful story that defines family as a loving rather than blood bond (Mia and her grandmother, the Brunelli’s, and the Art Attack kids). Art is a form of therapy, and Mia’s rediscovered passion for photography helps the healing process. The pacing is intentionally slow (written as a first-person diary of sorts) in order for the grieving and shedding of guilt to unfold organically. The lesson, never heavy-handed, is that we all have scars, many invisible, that fade with time but that are a reminder that we all have the capacity to heal with love and unconditional support. Diverse cast of characters with one interracial couple. Trigger warning for “recovering” Catholics who have a problem with the hypocrisy of the Church and some of its adherents. Highly recommended for libraries looking for young adult books on grief and healing or books that feature artistic protagonists.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Blink through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Hepler has crafted a beautiful story that defines family as a loving rather than blood bond (Mia and her grandmother, the Brunelli’s, and the Art Attack kids). Art is a form of therapy, and Mia’s rediscovered passion for photography helps the healing process. The pacing is intentionally slow (written as a first-person diary of sorts) in order for the grieving and shedding of guilt to unfold organically. The lesson, never heavy-handed, is that we all have scars, many invisible, that fade with time but that are a reminder that we all have the capacity to heal with love and unconditional support. Diverse cast of characters with one interracial couple. Trigger warning for “recovering” Catholics who have a problem with the hypocrisy of the Church and some of its adherents. Highly recommended for libraries looking for young adult books on grief and healing or books that feature artistic protagonists.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Blink through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment