No Man's Land

Gr 9 Up—Underdahl has written a jarringly accurate portrayal of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When football star and all-around golden boy Brian Howard comes back home with a Purple Heart after his tour of duty in Afghanistan is cut short by injury, 16-year-old Dov quickly discovers that his brother has changed. He is breaking off his engagement with his fiancée, drinking heavily, and sleeping with a pistol, and Dov is sure his brother is going to snap at any moment. Couple this with Dov's other high school problems including bullying, crushing on a teacher, uncertainty about a new girl who has moved into town, and his gecko who has quit eating, and emo-kid Dov feels like things are spiraling out of control. While there are many components to the plot, the author explores all of the situations in depth, and the book does not seem overburdened. The language, although raw, is appropriate for the content. Underdahl doesn't provide easy answers, nor does the novel come across as didactic even though readers are left feeling the ramifications of war. Timely and insightful.—Tammy Turner, Centennial High School, Frisco, TX