Format: Book
Sarah Byrnes and Eric Calhoune have been friends for years. Growing up, they were outcasts with no one to turn to but each other. The terrible scars covering Sarah's body coupled with the fact that Eric was an obese child made them prime picking for tormentors in school. Later, even though Eric began swimming which causes the pounds to melt away, Sarah and Eric remain close friends. Now, when Sarah is sitting silent in the hospital's psychiatric ward, Eric begins to try to unravel Sarah's secrets...before even worse things happen.
This is only the second Crutcher book that I've read (the other being The Sledding Hill), but just like the other, from page one, I was hooked. I was thrust into the mind of Eric, seeing the interactions of his peers and listening to his thoughts and worries about Sarah. There is action and suspense in this book, however, the main focus is on the relationship between Sarah Byrnes and Eric and his hunt to find the answers to the questions swirling through his mind...Why has Sarah Byrnes suddenly gone catatonic in a Spokane mental ward? How can he help if he's not really sure why she's there? Are Sarah's secrets striking her dumb? Would her father kill to keep the secrets from being revealed?
Now, this book might not be for everyone. There are religious elements and discussion between the characters within the book as well as discussion of abortion and suicide. For these reasons, this book may not be for everyone, but I would recommend this book.
Crutcher has an amazing ability to pull the best from each character while still showing their faults. The themes of pain and retribution, love and abandonment, and the struggle to understand one's self are universal. Crutcher's story is engrossing because of his ability to show both the pain and the humor of being an outsider.
Reviewed by Sara.
No comments:
Post a Comment