Get It Together, Delilah!

March 27, 2017
Year 11 has not been kind to Australian teenager Delilah Green. Jilted by popular student Georgina, Delilah becomes the target of near-constant harassment. With her mother away with her new boyfriend, and her father off trying to find himself, Delilah is left to fend for herself. Avoiding school and dodging a persistent teacher, Delilah focuses on saving the failing family cafe with the help of her fickle-hearted friend Charlie and her not-so-secret crush, Rosa. Cynical and strong-willed, Delilah knows who she is and what she wants. It’s her frustration with less self-aware people around her that creates the majority of the conflict in Gough’s debut novel, originally published in Australia. Delilah’s interactions and conflicts with her family and friends feel deeply real, but the romance between Delilah and Rosa is disappointingly shallow. Delilah’s openness about her sexuality and Rosa’s fear of coming out is addressed candidly and thoughtfully, but the characters lack meaningful chemistry. It’s Delilah’s complex relationships that give the story its depth. Ages 14–up.

February 1, 2017
A lesbian teen struggles to balance school, work, and life in Gough's charming debut. Seventeen-year-old white Delilah has a lot on her plate. Her loving father is taking a much-needed globe-trotting vacation, her mother has moved to a different city to live with a man named Mungo, and Delilah has been left to run her father's Sydney cafe, the Flywheel. This wouldn't be so bad if her wealthy, straight, white best friend, Charlie, wasn't hiding out in her apartment to avoid the police and she wasn't bullied incessantly at school for her supposed obsession with popular white girl Georgina (read: they consensually kissed, and Delilah wanted them to be out as a couple). School is becoming less and less a priority as Delilah juggles more and more, and the only good thing in her life is Rosa, a white flamenco dancer at the restaurant across the street who doesn't notice her--that is, until one day she does. A passionate community advocate, Rosa works to save both their local branch library and the Flywheel, while Delilah hopes to snag her heart. The line between crushing and stalking is frequently broached but never fully explored, both a missed opportunity and realistic for an adolescent first-person narration. Delilah's voice is engaging and genuine, filled with frustration and hope. The plot's tidy wrap-up may feel too easy to some, but Delilah's newly found self-awareness and its effects make for a satisfying conclusion. A quiet and authentic coming-of-age story from Down Under. (maps, glossary) (Fiction. 14 & up)

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January 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Delilah, 17, is dealing with a dizzying array of life issues: her mother has left the family to be with a boyfriend, a group of mean girls taunt Delilah about her sexuality, her best friend is somewhat distant, her new guy friend has gotten into legal trouble, and her father is on an overseas vacation, leaving her to run his cafe during her two-week school break. Delilah is awkward around Rosa, a flamenco dancer at a nearby restaurant, so she is stunned when Rosa initiates a kiss. Rosa's fear of being outed causes conflict with Delilah, but events lead to a hopeful and believable resolution. Delilah is an engaging teen trying to work her way through the uncertainty and pain of teen life. In addition to confronting bullying, she also faces microaggressions, such as when a rival business owner comments that he understands the importance of having a safe and welcome environment for "you people." Although a closeted lesbian causes much of Delilah's torment at school, the protagonist's feelings of pity, rather than anger, seem authentic. Life lessons about the challenges of making assumptions, speaking out, and being true to oneself are woven throughout realistically. Australian geographical names are sprinkled throughout the story, but the high school setting will be familiar to American readers, and the references to sexual situations are straightforward and realistic. VERDICT This well-crafted novel is recommended for most collections for its honest portrayal of teenage crushes, first love, friendship issues, and homophobic bullying.-Jennifer Schultz, Fauquier County Public Library, Warrenton, VA

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