A Certain October

Life's dramas can be loud and messy and outrageous, but sometimes as in Scotty's case, drama can be a quiet grief that passes slowly. Johnson once again uses her lowkey writer's voice to explore Scotty's guilt and grief in the wake of a train accident. An intelligent read for thoughtful teens.

There is gentle quality in Angela Johnson's writing that I just love. This despite the fact she is often writing about tough topics. Her award winner, First Part Last, was my introduction to her. My favorite is still A Cool Moonlight.
Our life can turn on a moment. As an older sister to an autistic brother, Scotty has a outlook on life that is influenced by her sibling. But when a casual action leads to tragic results, Scotty struggles like she never has before.
An homage to the obstacles our human spirit can overcome, indeed overcome with grace. Beautiful.

Like Angela Johnson's other works, she writes about a tough topic, stays true to life, and makes the most mundane parts of our daily lives into a whisper of poetry. Some parts hit hard, and the ending was realistic, beautiful, and satisfying. I especially enjoyed the camaraderie between Scotty and her two best friends.

Scotty's life changes in a moment with a train accident that puts her brother Keone in a coma and takes the life of a boy she didn't really know. Scotty prevails with the help of her friends and strong sense of self. (She's not like tofu anymore!) Semi-affecting look at grief and recovery but hampered, for this reader, by a lack of memorable characters and plot. There's also a gratuitous sex scene (heavy petting... stopped only by the lack of birth control)... disappointing!

A tragic accident lands Scotty's brother in a coma and kills a classmate. She is used to sitting back and letting life happen to her. While mourning and recovering, she realizes her own power to make a difference reconciling relationships and beginning new ones. A coming-of-age story recommended for fans of Lauren Myracle and John Green.

Katie Z. / Marathon County Public Library
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