Identity Crisis

Gr 9 Up—Annalise is a sophomore at Danville High School in a small town near Boston. She has family, friends, and a love for the rock band Brass Knuckles. When Annalise's mom fails to acquire concert tickets, Annalise turns to her online Brass Knuckles family. As she complains about her plight on the online forum, a newcomer to the page, Declan O'Keefe, engages Annalise directly to commiserate with her. Declan and Annalise begin an online friendship and discover that they have a lot in common. Annalise can hardly believe her luck. As their online relationship matures and Annalise begins to have feelings for Declan, she decides to surprise him at his home. Unfortunately, when Annalise arrives on Declan's doorstep, she discovers that she's been the victim of a "catfishing" prank. Three girls from school, including Noelle, created the fake Declan's online profile and pretended to be him. How this melodrama plays out is unconventional and worth the read. Schorr creates a robust and likable character in Annalise. But as believable as the characters are, the situations through which they struggle are less credible. Many of the scenes seem somewhat contrived. On the other hand, the writing and language are fluid and blend seamlessly with the mood of the book. The chapters are short and switch from the point of view of Annalise and Noelle.