The Last to Let Go

November 27, 2017
Smith (The Way I Used to Be) takes up domestic violence and its far-reaching consequences in this empathetic novel of learning to live with painful realities. Sophomore Brooke Winters comes home from school one day to find the police taking her mother into custody after she stabbed and killed Brooke’s physically abusive father. The rest of Smith’s novel deals with the emotional and practical fallout of this tragedy, including its effect on Brooke’s younger sister, Callie, who saw the killing; older brother Aaron, who is trying to keep the family together; and Brooke herself, as she navigates a new school in the fall and comes to terms with her sexuality. A few bright spots surface as Brooke moves through the chaos of her family situation: falling in love with new friend Dani and reconnecting with her Aunt Jackie, who provides the siblings with a source of stability and comfort. But Smith never sugarcoats Brooke’s life; she’s forced to make peace with her new reality, one that readers must accept alongside her in this difficult, honest novel. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jess Regel, Foundry Literary + Media.

November 15, 2017
A white teenage girl tries to keep her family together after her mother murders her abusive father in this sophomore effort by Smith.After high school junior Brooke's mother stabs her father to death in their apartment, Brooke and her younger sister, Callie, are forced to move in with her mom's best friend, Jackie. Flashbacks reveal that Brooke's father has physically abused her mother and also her older brother, Aaron, who now lives with his girlfriend after attempting suicide, for years. Callie was witness to the murder and has gone mute. Brooke convinces Jackie to allow the siblings to live together again in the apartment while their mom awaits trial in hopes that it will help Callie. But when this arrangement begins to fall apart, Brooke tries to make it on her own by lying to everyone, including Dani, the biracial girl she's falling in love with. Brooke's tightly focused first-person narration leaves little room for Smith to flesh out secondary characters or explain their motivations. Dialogue between Brooke and her mother is frustratingly vague, never revealing exactly what happened between Brooke's parents that last day. All this leads to a climax that falls flat because the boilerplate emotional stakes lack any real specificity. Save for Indian/white Dani, the primary cast appears to be white.Ultimately unsatisfying despite its explosive opening. (author's note) (Fiction. 14-18)

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December 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Brooke Winters is excited about her junior year and her transfer to the best school in town, until she gets home one day to find her mother has killed her abusive father. Brooke is determined to keep what is left of her family together despite her brother's mental health issues and her sister's trauma. That doesn't leave much time for exploring the feelings for girls she's been putting aside for years or for letting anyone close enough to help with her problems. Brooke can only keep holding on to the appearance of home for so long. Smith shows great skill in navigating such a serious issue with both sensitivity and realistic outcomes. Brooke is a complex and relatable character who, like many teens, struggles when forced to take on adult roles. Her relationships with her siblings are also authentically complicated, and Brooke's sexuality is simply one of the many things she has put aside to focus her energy on family and schoolwork. The pacing and short chapters, as well as the subject matter and lack of easy solutions, will appeal to a wide variety of readers. VERDICT A well-crafted and honest look at family issues and a good pick for fans of Sara Zarr and Laurie Halse Anderson. Highly recommended.-Elizabeth Saxton, Tiffin, OH

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