Breaking Butterflies

Gr 9 Up—The childhood dreams of two women who have been friends since they were little girls have mostly come true. One has a boy named Cadence and the other has a girl named Sphinx. The young mothers planned for their offspring to marry each other, and when brilliant, handsome Cadence and sensitive but plain Sphinxie are teens, the pair seem to be following that path. However, the older Cadence gets, the clearer it becomes that he has serious emotional issues that prevent him from actually connecting with another person. But Sphinxie and all who meet him are drawn to the young man, even when he physically and psychologically threatens and hurts those who love him. This is a suspenseful and well-written exploration of mental illness and how it affects friendships, families, and relationships. The private moments between the two teens will leave readers worried, agitated, and eager to keep reading. This is a story designed to make its audience uncomfortable and question the actions of its characters. For fans of Stephanie Kuehn's Complicit (St. Martin's, 2014).—Sarah Jones, Clinton-Macomb Public Library, MI