Lily and Taylor

September 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-This raw, brutal story of abuse opens with Taylor observing her older sister's autopsy. It's a jarring scene that sets the tone for the rest of the book. After losing Tannis to an abusive boyfriend, Taylor tries to start over in a new town where she meets amiable Lily. However, Lily harbors some of her own domestic demons, namely a brain-injured mother whose ability to function is spotty at best. The two form a fast bond and life finally seems to be improving for both girls. Unfortunately, everything changes when Taylor's own dangerous boyfriend, Devon, shows up and imprisons the girls in a remote cabin in the woods. Despite being kidnapped, Taylor still finds herself caught between feelings of affection for him and flashes of insight that their relationship, which includes forced uprotected sex, is unhealthy. She struggles to come to terms with standing up for herself and must then face the truth about her life-or-death situation. Moser deals with abusive relationships in a sadly realistic manner. There are no happily-ever-afters here; there is only tragedy or melancholic hope. Lily and Taylor come off as authentic teens, and their friendship rings true. While this will be a heavy read for most, it is an important book for teens dealing with similar situations.-Kimberly Castle-Alberts, Hudson Library & Historical Society, OH

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2013
This no-holds-barred, suspenseful examination of domestic abuse serves as a powerful warning. High schooler Taylor stoically identifies her older sister's body and witnesses the end of her autopsy after her boyfriend finally beats her to death. The girl takes charge of her 6-year-old nephew, Mason, and moves away to live with her overworked grandparents. But Taylor herself is involved with a violent boyfriend. It's a textbook abusive relationship: Devon calls her constantly and threatens to beat her, imagining that she might be involved with another boy, and although fearful, Taylor believes she loves Devon and thinks she can control him with sex. She finally makes a real friend, Lily, who falls victim with Taylor when Devon and his friend Conor raise the stakes. The boys take the girls to a remote cabin with no heat, where they hold them hostage. Rather like Devon, Moser pulls no punches in describing a realistic situation of domestic violence, presenting an alternative to Taylor's submission in feisty Lily. The narrative frankly describes several sexual acts as the only power Taylor has over Devon. It touches on Devon's own experience of domestic abuse at the hands of his father, demonstrating the cycle of abuse. The characterizations come across as completely believable, and the prose is absolutely gripping. An excellent and absorbing cautionary tale. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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November 1, 2013
Grades 10-1 The opening line establishes the grim, violent tone: They stuffed her brain into her chest. In the morgue, high-school student Taylor identifies the badly beaten body of her sister, the victim of domestic violence. Living in a new town with her grandmother, Taylor befriends Lily, who radiates personal strength and resilience despite her own family tragedy. Taylor's suspicious boyfriend, Devon, harasses her by phone, tracks her down, and accompanied by a friend, abducts Taylor and Lily to a remote cabin. Armed with a rifle, Devon keeps them imprisoned, physically abusing Taylor until the young women fight back. Told from an omniscient point of view, alternating chapters focus on each title character. As each recalls significant moments in their lives, it is clear both have witnessed repeated domestic violence, and Taylor herself is a victim. Tautly constructed, this relentless, uncompromising portrait of domestic violence convincingly conveys the confused mindset of a victim, as Taylor seeks Devon's love even as he rapes her. With plenty of sex, violence, smoking, and harsh language, this has something to offend nearly everyone, but it is a fully credible, gripping cautionary tale for teens. An author's note and resources are appended.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)