What We Buried

December 15, 2018
Exploring the malleability of memory, time, and reality, Boorman (Heartfire, 2016, etc.) sends two estranged siblings on a surreal road trip in search of their dysfunctional parents.Eighteen-year-old Jory Brewer, born with his face partially paralyzed by Moebius syndrome, grew up resenting his now 16-year-old sister. Liv grew up in the spotlight of beauty pageants with their histrionic mother, leaving Jory to deal with their volatile, alcoholic father. But when their parents vanish just as Liv's about to sue them for emotional damages (again), the siblings join forces. Driving through the Nevada heat in pursuit of their parents, they detour abruptly into a surreal landscape, haunted by déjà vu at every turn. Some readers might guess where the story's heading, but the destination takes a back seat to painstaking character development as Liv's and Jory's alternating perspectives poignantly reckon with their individual and shared past and present. The author deftly handles a number of issues, including disability and the skeevy underside of pageants and reality shows, but the overarching theme is a sensitive exploration of child abuse and neglect. Though their parents are caricatures, Jory and Liv each grapple with realistic damage, such as rages, fear of being like one's parent(s), and learned helplessness. As the siblings finally compare notes, their reconciliation gives closure to the otherwise open ending. Jory and Liv are assumed white; Liv has a tentative crush on a girl.Vexing, poignant, and thought-provoking. (Thriller. 13-18)

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February 1, 2019

Gr 10 Up-Livinia Brewer is a teenage beauty pageant queen and Jory is her brother. Liv is suing her parents for the money that she earned during her pageants and being a part of a reality television show. All the while, Jory, who has Moebius syndrome, has been in the background. Both siblings harbor grudges against the other and their parents for their dysfunctional upbringing yet must now join forces after their parents go missing hours before the jury was to return a verdict on Liv's case. Liv's memories and Jory's questions are all starting to add up to something sinister and disturbing. Boorman's psychological thriller is fast-paced. Focused on only the Brewer family and several additional people, this drama is character-driven and features nonlinear sequences that divert attention from the present to the past and future fate of the family. The circuitous storytelling creates an added layer of mystery that borders on magical realism yet this work has a classic whodunit feel at its foundation. VERDICT More realistic mysteries are needed and this one fits the profile of a popular teen thriller. Add to your collections.-Alicia Abdul, Albany High School, NY

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