Perplexing and disorienting, full of the rich language and heady epiphanies readers have come to expect from the Printz-award winning author.” —starred review, School Library Journal
“Impressively unpredictable—a motley mix of taut thriller, transportive fantasy, and poignant coming-of-age . . . Shelby narrates the surreal implosion of her life in an indignant, funny voice, à la Judy Blume.” —Entertainment Weekly
“A rare joy to behold . . . Another impressive stylistic swerve from Printz-winner Lake.” —Booklist
“Suspenseful, complicated . . . A fine exploration of the power of story itself to heal the unconscious from scars physical and emotional.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Lake returns to the mix of reality and fantasy he used to great success in his Printz-winning In Darkness . . . Shelby is highly sympathetic, and readers will stick with her as she figures out who she can trust.” —Publishers Weekly
“A twisty drama suffused with elements of folklore.” —Wall Street Journal
“Lake is truly a masterful storyteller . . . This is a strange and beautiful story that truly deserves to be read. Do not hesitate to add this to your collection.” —VOYA
“This hallucinatory, kaleidoscopic mix of plot, characters, and setting is eminently discussable for its nuanced themes . . . . Lake continues to practice his craft at a high level.” —The Horn Book
“Lake employs a powerful combination of realism and myth to craft a resonant story of survival.” —BCCB
“Intelligent, empathetic, and eye-opening.” —starred review, Booklist on HOSTAGE THREE
“Perceptive and harrowing.” —starred review, Publishers Weekly on HOSTAGE THREE
“A dark journey well worth taking—engrossing, disturbing, illuminating.” —starred review, Kirkus Reviews on IN DARKNESS
“A startling but successful feat of literary imagination.” —starred review, Publishers Weekly on IN DARKNESS
2014-11-04
Over a period of eight days, 17-year-old Shelby's life is forever changed.Home-schooled in Scottsdale, Arizona, the two things Shelby's sure of are that her father is dead and that the world is a dangerous place. Her friend, Mark, tells her that "[t]hings are…starting to happen" right before she's struck by a car, fracturing her foot. As she passes out, a coyote seems to give her a cryptic message about lies and a hard truth. From then on, Shelby's life quickly unravels. Her once-shy mother's behavior becomes erratic as she drives Shelby to Flagstaff and tells her that her father, not dead after all, may be chasing them. When Shelby closes her eyes, she finds herself in the Dreaming, where Mark is the trickster Coyote and where her recurring dream of a crying child in need of rescue takes on urgency. Counting down the days toward a life-altering revelation, Shelby steps in and out of the Dreaming, its fairy-tale castles, crones and changelings blended with the sacred Eagle and Coyote of Navajo legend. Discerning readers might pick up carefully planted indications that Shelby is deaf early on. The suspenseful, complicated story slowly spins out clues to Shelby's life that have been hidden from her for years. A fine exploration of the power of story itself to heal the unconscious from scars physical and emotional. (Fiction. 13-17)
