Snowflake, AZ

Starred review from July 15, 2019
Ash travels to the desert highlands of Snowflake, Arizona, to look for his older stepbrother, Bly, who has disappeared to this rural enclave for reasons unknown. Ash, 18 and assumed white, succeeds in finding Bly, but what he discovers in Snowflake keeps him there far longer than expected, and for reasons he couldn't have predicted. Here he finds an odd community of white, mostly middle-aged misfits who are all sick, their bodies ravaged by chemicals ubiquitous to daily life. The canaries, as they call themselves, are a warning of what is to come to broader society, yet their suffering is dismissed by the medical establishment. To survive, they've created a community of mutual care far from the toxins of city living. The novel turns the post-apocalypse genre on its head, forgoing extremes to instead focus on the subtleties of pre-apocalyptic days. It takes time to sink into Sedgwick's (The Monsters We Deserve, 2018, etc.) odd cadence, which may put off some readers, but the payoff for those who push through is tremendous. Expert foreshadowing pulls readers along to unavoidable disaster; when the blows arrive, they land with a visceral punch. Sedgwick's restraint is remarkable, and he achieves something special with the raw, vulnerable humanity he reveals through these characters. Their relationships are deep yet fraught; their suffering and humor equally sincere. An ominous, relevant, and uniquely compelling read. (author's note) (Fiction. 15-adult)

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Starred review from August 19, 2019
In a note to readers, Sedgwick (Saint Death) cites his own bout with a “disputed” chronic illness as an inspiration for this cautionary tale. Eighteen-year-old Ash is shocked to learn that his brother, Bly, has dropped out of the police academy in San Francisco. In search of answers, Ash follows him to Snowflake, Ariz., and discovers that Bly is sick with an environmental illness. He, like others suffering from various forms of chemical and/or electromagnetic sensitivities, has found refuge and camaraderie in the isolated town. When Ash also falls ill with the disease and joins the community, he learns firsthand what it is like to have an ailment that most of the public, including medical professionals, believe is “all in his head.” Throughout, Sedgwick offers musings by educated community members (including philosophy professor Mona, engineer Detlef, and cave-dwelling scientist Polleux) on a number of topics, for example epigenetics (how diseases, stress, and toxins can change genes) and the biological roots of kindness. Framed as a memoir narrated by a much older, wiser Ash, this raw, deeply philosophical tale leaves readers with a timely, sobering message about how humankind’s treatment of the environment impacts the environment’s treatment of humankind. Ages 13–up.

September 1, 2019

Gr 8 Up-Ash arrives in the small town of Snowflake, AZ in pursuit of her stepbrother Bly. She is immediately befriended by a middle aged woman named Mona. Besides her stepbrother, Ash finds an entire town of sick people living in hovels lined with tin foil. Bly and Mona explain that everyone in Snowflake has Multiple Chemical Syndrome (MCS), which is also described as Environmental Illness (EI). This illness has no known cure, and it is caused by multiple societal issues, from the chemicals that are placed on crops to the electricity running through the city. As Ash spends time in Snowflake, she also becomes sick and decides to stay with Bly and Mona. Year after year Ash sees doctors in a neighboring town only to be told she is not sick, MCS does not exist, and the illness is all in her head. Using Ash as his conduit, the author makes his point. What does it matter whether illness is imagined or real? Ash's journey from outsider to inner circle gives readers a unique perspective. The "normies" think the people of Snowflake are crazy, but there truly seems to be something wrong with them. The readers experience this dichotomy with Ash. The question about physical versus mental illness is not answered, leaving readers to come up with their own conclusions. An unexpected twist leaves readers asking if this story is realistic or science fiction. VERDICT This story will appeal to both realistic fiction and sci-fi readers. Due to themes of drug abuse, suicide, and depression, this book is recommended for libraries that cater to mature readers.-Jeni Tahaney, Summit High School, Manfield, TX

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