Weave a Circle Round

Starred review from October 2, 2017
In this dazzling debut—a love letter to history, legend, and the power of stories that takes inspiration from Norse myth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge—a young woman is catapulted through time and space after she runs afoul of her eccentric neighbors. Fourteen-year-old Freddy Duchamp isn’t sure what to make of her abrasive, rebellious classmate Josiah or the mercurial Cuerva Lachance, who claims to be a private investigator. When Freddy and Josiah fall through a time portal, it’s the start of a fanciful odyssey through the past and future. As they encounter numerous versions of Josiah and Cuerva, who appear to represent order and chaos, Freddy realizes that she or one of her siblings might be the third in their eternally reoccurring trio, destined to tip the balance between opposing forces and influence a story as old as human civilization. This is an ambitious, intricate, joyful coming-of-age tale, with memorable characters and a powerful sense of wonder. Agent: Monica Pacheco, McDermid Agency.

Fourteen-year-old Freddy is trying not to be noticed by anyone at school. Narrator Eileen Stevens perfectly portrays a teen full of angst. When new neighbors Cuerva Lachance and Josiah move in next door to her family, strange occurrences begin to happen that make Freddy even more anxious. Soon she finds herself catapulted back in time with the new neighbors. Stevens creates distinct voices for each of the characters, aiding listeners in entering Freddy's world. Listeners will want to find out what's really going on with Cuerva Lachance and Josiah. C.G. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine