Lark in the Morning

Rating:
Summary: Serious but entertaining
Review: I liked this book. I wasn't particularly impressed with the writing, but I found the story sticking with me for a long time after I read it. I thought it did a good job of integrating the everyday events and family life with the more unusual events with the two runaways. I could identify with Gillian, and Lark was very realistic. The other characters could have been less flat, though. And even though Gillian's fear about helping the two kids was understandable, and anyone in that situation would be terrified, I found myself wondering what the big deal was. Maybe the book's target audience, about age 13-18 I assume, would be more impressed by the events than I was. The one other thing that bothered me was the writing itself. I've read other books by Nancy Garden, and dialogue is obviously not her strong point. The characters all speak the same way, in complete sentences, and express themselves way too easily for teenagers, which cuts down on the tension a little. On the other hand, this book is a good start on filling a much-needed gap in young-adult literature. The fact that it has a gay protagonist in a loving relationship without putting a lot of emphasis on it is good in two ways: it shows that being gay or straight isn't the most important thing about a person, and it makes the book relevant to gay and straight kids alike. And the more straight kids read this book, and any other books that portray gays as human beings, the better.

Rating:
Summary: Not about sexual identity as much as abuse and suicide.
Review: This novel was frustrating because the premise doesn't seem very realistic. The protagonist is old enough to know that she is in way over her head with the runaways she finds in the woods. I think most 18-year-olds would have just turned the kids in. Plus, don't be fooled by descriptions that say the protagonist and her girlfriend handle the situation together--the love interest is in the novel for only a short period!

Rating:
Summary: Not about sexual identity as much as abuse and suicide.
Review: This novel was frustrating because the premise doesn't seem very realistic. The protagonist is old enough to know that she is in way over her head with the runaways she finds in the woods. I think most 18-year-olds would have just turned the kids in. Plus, don't be fooled by descriptions that say the protagonist and her girlfriend handle the situation together--the love interest is in the novel for only a short period!