The Tragic Age

Gr 9 Up—Billy is a depressed 17 year old trying to avoid attracting the attention of his parents, teachers, and peers. His twin sister died when they were eleven, and since then, Billy has worked hard to keep the balance at home while pretending everything is fine. Then Twom and Gretchen enter his life and everything starts to change. Billy finds himself falling for Gretchen. Then he convinces Twom and Ephraim, a computer nerd Billy has always tolerated, to start breaking into people's homes. The boys go along with the crimes because they enjoy the thrill; Billy does it so he can sleep without the nightmares that plague him. Just when things start going well, Gretchen's parents forbid her from seeing Billy and the breaking and entering "game" spirals out of control. The story picks up speed about halfway through, but starts slowly. Billy's first-person narration is broken up by interjected facts and sidebars throughout. These interruptions throw off some of the story's flow. As the characters are older teenagers, explicit language, drinking, and sex all take place. An additional purchase.—Natalie Struecker, Rock Island Public Library, IL