Publishers Weekly Review
Blake's life is riddled with the small dramas that accompany a high school sophomore's existence, but he has a sense of humor and feels lucky to be in love with his girlfriend, Shannon. But that relationship, and his generally normal life, are upended after he takes a photo of a meth addict on the street and discovers that she's the mother of Marissa, one of his classmates. With her father in jail, Marissa has nowhere to turn when her mother disappears, and before he knows it, Blake becomes emotionally entrenched in her family troubles. As his relationship with Marissa intensifies, Blake struggles to manage Shannon's jealousy ("even thought I may not work at the Genius Bar, I can tell she is mad") and figure out what he really wants (he eventually does cheat on Shannon). Madigan's debut skillfully employs the metaphor of photography to illuminate Blake's subtle discoveries about human nature and himself. But it's the teenager's authentic, often humorous, narration and personality that carry the story and act as a counterpoint to the tough issues Madigan addresses. Ages 14-up. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. |
Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-L. K. Madigan's first novel (Houghton Mifflin, 2009), the winner of the 2010 William C. Morris Young Adult Debut Award, tells the story of Blake, a high school sophomore, who has a girlfriend and a friend who's a girl. Life gets complicated when, while photographing the gritty side of life in a bad part of town, Blake takes a picture of his friend Marissa's mom passed out from drug abuse. Meanwhile, Blake is also in the throes of first love. His girlfriend, Shannon, loves him for his sense of humor. But his class clown persona takes a beating as he becomes more involved in Marissa's personal life. A good cast of supporting characters, including Blake's model parents, help to make this much more than a teenage make-up/break-up story. MacLeod Andrews perfectly captures Blake's confusion and teenage angst, Marissa's fear, and Shannon's cold vengeance as she returns Blake's Christmas gift. A compelling listen.-Ann Brownson, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Fifteen-year-old Blake believes he has the perfect set-up a gorgeous girlfriend (Shannon) and a friend who shares his love for photography who just happens to be a girl (Marissa). But a chance photo op of a street person begins the unraveling of his happy situation when Marissa realizes that the passed-out woman in the picture is her meth addict mother. It's impossible for Blake to be the friend Marissa needs while being the boyfriend Shannon wants. While many of the storylines are traditional sibling rivalry, boy-girl love, lust, and drama (and a high-school setting replete with cafeteria and parking lot scenes) Madigan also introduces the unexpected. Blake's parents are strong, loving, and likable (his dad is a medical examiner who occasionally brings his work home, his mom is a hospital chaplain); his teachers are engaged, empathetic, and human; his girlfriend works at not being jealous while his friend-who-is-a-girl respects that relationship, but it all ends badly. With just enough humor to diffuse the tension and the art and science of photography as a backdrop, this rich romance explores the complexities of friendship and love, and the all-too-human limitations of both. It's a sobering, compelling, and satisfying read for teens and a promising debut for a new young-adult author.--Bradburn, Frances Copyright 2009 Booklist |
Kirkus Review
Fifteen-year-old photographer-in-training Blake is caught between fawning over his gorgeous girlfriend Shannon and helping Marissa, his troubled photography partner, a friend who also happens to be a girl. At first, the three handle the tension with uneasy understanding, but the uncertainty builds as Blake begins to spend more time with Marissa, locking Shannon out of their secrets. Madigan also throws a lovable goofball brother, Marissa's meth-addicted mom and a morgue into the mix. Like any boy his age, Blake thinks about sex a lot. The narrative handles his hormones well, safely focusing on his character's inner yearnings and providing just enough gritty details to feel realistic. The dialogue between the characters, especially the "dude" repartee between Blake and his brother, feels genuinely alive. Overplotting is the novel's only fault, but the details are just intriguingly bizarre enough to hook teens of both sexes and keep them engrossed by the navely unsteady love triangle. Somehow, all of the loose ends get tied up into a haphazard yet entertaining read. (Fiction. YA) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |