The Feathered Bone

February 1, 2016

What starts off as a fun Halloween sixth-grade field trip to New Orleans for Ellie and Sarah turns into a terrifying odyssey for Amanda Salassi, the chaperone and Ellie's mother, when Sarah vanishes. Initially, there is the expectation that the missing girl will be found. But as the search for Sarah extends from days to years, the strain of the guilt becomes too much for Amanda and her family. In a tale reminiscent of the story of Job, Amanda experiences losses that eventually rival those of the missing girl's family. VERDICT Inspired by the real-life kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, the author of the Christy Award-winning Into the Free and Carol Award winner When Mountains Move has written an excruciatingly dark and disturbing novel about the devastating impact of sex trafficking on two families. Although Cantrell inserts a grain of hope in the novel, her portrait of loss and heartbreak will leave readers reeling. This latest work is bound to be nominated for all the major CF literary awards. [Previewed in Julia M. Reffner's "Trials and Tribulations" Genre Spotlight feature, LJ 11/15/15.]

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