The Smell of Other People's Houses

November 9, 2015
Set in Fairbanks, Alaska, in the 1970s, this lyrical debut follows four teens whose stories gradually converge through a well-plotted series of loves, tragedies, and adventures. Dora only wants to find a safe home and loving family, but when good fortune strikes, it may be her downfall. Ruth misses her parents and hopes to escape the harsh life she has endured with her Gran, but a relationship with a popular guy at school might not be the escape she needs. Stowing away on a ship proves dangerous for Hank, who seeks a safe haven for himself and his brothers, and Alyce must choose between her love of dancing and her father’s expectation that she continue to spend summers fishing with him. Using alternating narratives, debut novelist Hitchcock deftly weaves these stories together, setting them against the backdrop of a native Alaska that readers will find intoxicating. The gutsiness of these four teens who, at heart, are trying to find their places in the world and survive against challenging odds, will resonate with readers of all ages. Ages 12–up. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, Bent Agency.

November 15, 2015
In 1970, a decade after statehood, the difficult lives of four Alaska teens are transformed when their paths intersect. Growing up poor is tough anywhere; it has its own flavor in Fairbanks. Raised with her younger sister by their grimly religious grandmother, Ruth is isolated and unprotected. For Inupiat Dora, life improves when she's informally adopted by a kind Athabascan family, but although her violent, alcoholic dad's in jail, she still feels unsafe. Alyce, whose parents have separated, lives with her mother in Fairbanks, fishing with her dad in summer. She wants to audition for college dance programs and that means staying in Fairbanks, disappointing her dad. Fleeing a troubled home, Hank and his brothers sneak onto a ferry heading south; then one disappears. The Alaskan author depicts places and an era rarely seen in fiction for teens: shopping for winter clothes at the Fairbanks Goodwill, living in a summer fish camp on the Yukon River and on a small fishing boat. All benefit from her journalist's eye for detail. Though compact, the novel features a large cast of sympathetic characters. At first somber but resonant, the plot eventually veers onto a different course. As the tone shifts to highly upbeat, outcomes feel pat, rewards unearned. The effect is to gloss over and minimize the aftereffects of childhood poverty, fractured families, and domestic trauma. The talented author and original subject matter largely counterbalance missteps. (Historical fiction. 12-16)

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January 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-In the 1970s, in Fairbanks, AK, four teenagers' lives intersect in unexpected ways. Dealing with problems that continue to propel modern teens-unwanted pregnancy, alcoholism, difficult family situations, and ambition-they try to find a future that is theirs. Their struggles feel especially poignant set against the backdrop of a young state also battling to define itself. Uniquely Alaskan issues and industries weave throughout the background of the story by an author who is a fourth-generation Alaskan. Point of view moves among the four characters. But rather than appearing disjointed, this vantage allows readers a multifaceted glimpse into the rich cast of characters. Perhaps the primary flaw of this book is its brevity-each character has a unique journey and personality that readers will want to spend more time with than they are allotted. This leads to a glossed-over treatment of the relationships among characters, implied rather than shown. However, that is not enough to rob this work of its beauty and gentle emotional richness. VERDICT An excellent debut sure to appeal to teens who prefer relationship-based fiction.-Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

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Starred review from December 15, 2015
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* A 1970s Alaskan fishing town is the setting for this tale of four teenagers struggling with hardship over the course of a year, during which their stories occasionally collide and intertwine. Ruth, who lives with her tough grandmother after her father's death and mother's breakdown, thought she was in love; now, she's pregnant at 16 and sent to live in a convent until the baby comes. Everyone knows Dora's father is abusive, and even though she gets him sent to jail and comes into some luck, she feels like she'll never be free from him. Alyce, whose parents are divorced, is a talented dancer, and a dance scholarship is her ticket outif only she didn't feel like she was abandoning her fisher father. And Hank and his two brothers have run away from their mother and her horrible boyfriend, stowing away on a boat, where it quickly becomes apparent that Hank can't keep his brothers as safe as he would like. Less a narrative and more a series of portraits, this is an exquisitely drawn, deeply heartfelt look at a time and place not often addressed. Hitchcock's measured prose casts a gorgeous, almost otherworldly feel over the text, resulting in a quietly lovely look at the various sides of human nature and growing up in a difficult world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)