Circle Nine

Gr 10 Up—A teen wakes up next to a flaming building, her lungs burning, her head throbbing, and she can't remember who she is. The boy who rescues her tells her that her name is Abby and his is Sam. He seems surprised that she can't remember that they're friends and he promises he'll take care of her; she goes with him to live in an abandoned mine shaft in the woods because she feels she has no other choice. Thus begins this psychological drama told from Abby's perspective. She exists in a fugue. Sam controls her, keeping her safe from the outside world or, as they call it, Circle Nine. She believes she is happy and in love with him. But when Sam brings another girl into their home, Abby begins to questions his loyalty. As he gets sicker and sicker without what he calls his "medicine," Abby remembers elements of her past and finds that she must leave the cave to help herself and him. She ultimately draws on her inner strength to cope with her tragic life. Though readers may be puzzled by the writing style—italics are used instead of quotes and the prose is constrained—if they forge ahead they will soon be engrossed in the mystery and suspense. With explorations of addiction, homelessness, and abuse, this book touches on some of society's weightiest issues. This is a title for teens who like their fiction serious and gritty.—Mindy Whipple, West Jordan Library, UT