Little Wrecks

Gr 9 Up—Ruth, Magda, and Isabel are best friends, connected by their dislike of living in Highbone, a small coastal town in Long Island, NY. The girls have relationships with boys in town but long to leave their empty lives behind. They eventually hatch a plot to steal marijuana from a local dealer. They hope to use the profits to make their grand escape, but things are not quite as easy as they initially appear. The seemingly perfect crime begins to drive a wedge among Ruth, Magda, and Isabel that they may not be able to repair. Debut novelist Miller has crafted a fairly successful, dynamic coming-of-age tale about growing up in a small town. However, the narrative suffers from a lack of momentum throughout. It is also fairly easy to confuse the three protagonists—especially in the first half of the story. The author uses colorful metaphors to help readers visualize the characters' dissatisfaction and angst. While the comparisons are beautifully descriptive, they keep the story from moving forward.