Everything Breaks

Gr 9 Up—Tucker is the careful one in his group of friends, the designated driver. But on the night of the last summer bonfire, he gets drunk, and his three best friends leave him retching on the side of the road as they drive off to their deaths. Tucker's guilt and grief are enormous, and he stumbles through the days after their funerals. His stepgrandfather, Bud, is the only person who can reach him. Tucker and Bud both encounter Charon, ferryman to the world of the dead, and they each have a different take on this mystical, powerful personage. Tucker has some loving people in his corner: his stepmom, his history teacher, and Bud, all of whom will go to the wall to save this young man, but Tucker is the one who needs to do the hard work to save himself. Although his guilt makes him feel trapped, the story itself moves quickly. Grove uses flashbacks to show Tucker's life and friendships before the accident, and they deepen and enrich the story. Readers will feel Tucker's joy in being with his friends and his grief, anger, and confusion over their loss. At first, when otherworldly elements appear, readers may be unsure if Tucker is having a breakdown or if mystical things are truly happening. Teens will grieve for and with Tucker, and will appreciate a positive ending that is not syrupy sweet.—Geri Diorio, Ridgefield Library, CT