The Beauty That Remains

December 18, 2017
In a strong debut, set on a realistically diverse Long Island, Woodfolk surveys the devastation of those left behind after the deaths of three teenagers, and their tentative efforts to move forward. Each of the book’s narrators is struggling with grief. When the book opens, Autumn’s best friend, Tavia, has just been killed in a car crash; Shay’s twin sister, Sasha, has succumbed to the leukemia she’s had since she was 11; and Logan’s ex-boyfriend, Bram, has committed suicide. Autumn’s loss is the most recent; Logan’s happened months ago, and he thinks he should be over it. The three are also linked by their connections, some closer than others, to Unraveling Lovely, a local indie band that might have made it big if Logan hadn’t messed things up. Although there are many characters to keep track of, and it’s not always clear who knows whom and how well, Woodfolk eloquently depicts how 16-year-olds live in the digital and physical worlds, how the latter can amplify the former, how relationships shift after someone dies, and how life goes on, if you let it. Ages 14–up. Agent: Beth Phelan, Bent Agency.

Three teens grieve over the untimely deaths of those who matter to them, and three narrators give strong portrayals of each. Together they present a poignant picture of healing. Jackie Chung portrays Autumn, whose best friend, Tavia, has died in a car wreck. Chung's soft tones are a good fit for the Asian-American adoptee who is obsessed with how she might have prevented Tavia's death. Alisha Wainwright portrays Shay, whose vibrant twin, Sasha, has died of leukemia. Wainwright captures the overwhelming emotions of sorrow and emptiness that bring on Shay's panic attacks. Michael Crouch portrays Logan, whose first boyfriend, Bram, has apparently committed suicide. Crouch expresses Logan's plummet into anger and alcohol and his determination to resolve the ambiguity of Bram's death. S.W. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine