The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door

Gr 8 Up—Celia Door enters Hershey High with one objective: revenge for what Sandy Firestone did to her the previous year. Sandy and her coterie of popular girls continue to torment Celia and others who don't fit their mold. The "Celia the Dark" locker sign attracts the attention of Drake Berlin, who lives with his grandmother while waiting for a place in an arts school back in New York City. Good-looking and athletic, he appreciates Celia's unconventional dress and outlook, trusting her with the secret that he is gay. When his best friend, Japhy, rejects his advances, Drake undertakes a program of positive thinking to convince Japhy otherwise. Following the precepts of Dream It! Do It! Drake encourages Celia to pursue her own dream. While Celia pretends to work toward becoming a published poet, her real goal is revenge. Unfortunately, her chance to take down Sandy ends up hurting Drake as well. Celia often seeks online advice from her cousin Dorathea, a student at UC Berkeley. Her replies mix social commentary with insights about family and friends. Not surprisingly, poet Finneyfrock deftly incorporates Celia's own poetry into the plot, as when she reworks her mom's brief instructional notes into haiku. Most memorable is Celia's wry, perceptive, and honest narrative voice. When readers finally learn the details of Sandy's eighth-grade actions and Celia's desperate response, it becomes clear that humor can cover only so much hurt. Finneyfrock weaves characters and plotlines into an entertaining and thought-provoking mix. She succeeds in making her debut much more than a "problem novel" by creating a memorable outsider who is articulate, funny, and brave.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato