Lexi

October 20, 2008
“What if you were born, at say, seven, ten or eleven years old, fully formed? That's what happened to me,” says the eponymous narrator at the start of this odd novel. Lexi explains that she has woken up in the forest with no memory of the past and hopes to uncover her true identity. As Matthews did in Fish
, she conceives of a beguiling premise and captures a child's perceptions of a harsh world. However, the meshing of different genres—fantasy, allegory and stark realism—proves confusing. Lexi finds friendship and security at a shelter run by compassionate women, but doesn't know what to make of the tales residents tell about the dangers lurking outside the walls. Their stories of magical embattled forces, the Scarlet Prince (“the top bad guy of all time”) and guardian “warrior angels” read like distractions unrelated to Lexi's dilemma. Although conflicts (and social ills) are neatly resolved in the end, readers, like Lexi, are left to wonder how far they should suspend their disbelief. Ages 10–up.

March 1, 2009
Gr 4-8-Lexi, 12, wakes up in the forest with no knowledge of who she is, where she lives, or what happened to her. She makes her way toward the lights of a city where she is hit by a car as she wanders through the streets. A kindly ex-boxer takes her to the Shelter, where someone seems to recognize her, and where she is safe from street criminals and other horrors. Gradually Lexi remembers bits and pieces of her old life, but she is surprised when she finds out that she has a grandmother and an identical twin, and then learns that she is the daughter of a pop-music star recently killed in an automobile accident. As she adjusts to her newfound identity, Lexi faces some important decisions about what to do with her wealth and how she wishes to live life with her new family. Like Matthews's Fish (2004) and A Dog for Life (2006, both Delacorte), this is a story of improbable, sometimes frightening events told by a child narrator, in which extraordinary things seem perfectly plausible. Most likely, this book will not have broad appeal, but fans of Matthews's previous work will appreciate its sense of childlike wonder and fantasy.Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.