February 1, 2016
Still smarting from her mother’s recent death and her father’s subsequent emotional detachment, recent high school graduate Tara Marconi leaves her beloved Philadelphia (and the security of her high school boyfriend, Connor) for an entirely different world: the fishing boats and processing plants of Alaska. Once there, the amateur boxer encounters plenty of violence and danger, as well as the opportunity—for better or for worse—to finally confront elements of her own uncomfortable past. The depictions of the landscape’s harsh beauty and the rugged, damaged characters inhabiting it are well realized; Tara’s motivations, however, are not nearly as well developed. Her overwhelming desire to own and inhabit a dilapidated tugboat—prompting her to take on increasingly dangerous jobs to earn money—is never fully plumbed, nor is her persistent attachment to distant folks back home, despite the lack of any genuine revelations or changes of heart on either part. Her friendship with a scrappy but likable fellow laborer is appealing; less so is her uncomfortable relationship with an older Native man, whose supposed air of menace is never adequately demonstrated or explained. A debut that will leave some readers out in the cold.
October 1, 2016
This coming-of-age novel features the larger-than-life backdrop of rural Alaska as its second leading character. Eighteen-year-old Tara Marconi flees her father and the city life of Philadelphia to take a job in a fish hatchery. Despite her toughness from boxing, Tara is thrown off balance by the demanding hard work and harder life. Over a two-year period, she struggles to make a living, make peace with her past, and make her way. Rebecca Gibel provides a most satisfying voice for young Tara and the Alaska residents. There will be crossover appeal with the young adult market owing to the age and situations of the main character, but the colorful language recommends it for a mature if not strictly adult audience. VERDICT For listeners looking for strong female characters, atmospheric novels, and individuals who find their own voice. Highly recommended.--J. Sara Paulk, Houston Cty. P.L., Perry, GA
Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.