I set out looking for something with a tropical setting to combat the frigid air where I live. This artsy-sounding tale, set on Curacao, leapt into my hands from the library's New Books shelf. It's Patterson's first novel, and it has a lot of promise and an interesting plot but a host of unbelievable characters. There's not enough backstory and several odd and unexplained vignettes, especially with the nasty boy character. I wanted to like it more than I did. ( )

I love a good island drama, and Valerie Patterson’s remarkable YA novel “The Other Side of Blue” delivers the kind of tropical punch that leaves me giddy with wonder. Set on the island of Curacao in the Caribbean Sea, fifteen-year-old Cyan returns with her mother to their annual summer retreat where her father mysteriously died in a boating incident the year before. Her grief has deepened to an interminable anger that no amount of sand, sun and seafood can calm. As the emotional gulf between Cyan and her mother widens, Cyan suspects there is more to her father's death than she's been told. Her mother, a renowned artist who has agreed to marry an affluent admirer, invites Cyan’s future step-sister to the island, a Cinderella-like girl named Kammi who is two years Cyan's junior and everything Cyan is not (thin, sweet and happy). The visit exacerbates Cyan's insecurities and self-defining role as the ugly step-sister. She becomes possessive, dismissive and jealous, a bratty killjoy in full bloom. Meanwhile, Kammi wins everyone over, including the island boys, while Cyan searches for clues about her father. Holding the key to new information about the boating incident is Mayur, a proud local boy from a wealthy family who taunts Cyan yet pulls at her desires and insecurities. Their frosty interactions heighten Cyan's sense of confusion. When Cyan states, "I am not interesting in Mayur. Absolutely not. Maybe," she is acknowledging the depths she'll inevitably go for acceptance and comfort. While Cyan's behavior often works against her, her thoughts and actions accurately reflect a depressed teen working through a profound loss. This is a masterfully rendered portrayal of grief and the reason why this book leaves such a powerful, enduring impression. Cyan's voice is pitch perfect and the writing throughout is masterful. "The Other Side of Blue" is a shining jewel in the sand, a story of healing and hope by a gifted storyteller and skilled practitioner of human nature. Bravo, Valerie Patterson, for this stunning debut! ( )

To read our full review, go to The Reading Tub®.