Edgewater

Starred review from July 6, 2015
What initially presents itself as a poor-little-rich-girl pastiche and Grey Gardens homage undergoes a rapid metamorphosis into the elegantly tangled tapestry of Lorrie Hollander’s unusual existence. Lorrie is used to the finest things in life, thanks to a trust fund set up by a mother who left Lorrie and her sister with their aunt Gigi more than a decade ago. Accustomed to being the caretaker of the family, 17-year-old Lorrie returns home from her summer riding camp when the money apparently runs out. Faced with Gigi’s evasiveness and increasing demonstration of mental illness, a sister who cares more about animals than herself, and a huge family home lying in ruins, Lorrie tries to save them all while hiding the depth of the problem from the exclusive enclave of Idlewild. Meanwhile, the son of a powerful political family has taken an interest in her, and the feeling is mutual. With powerful messages of family and self-reliance, Sheinmel’s (Sincerely) coming-of-age tale captivates with its masterful storytelling style and intricate detail. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laura Dail, Laura Dail Literary Agency.

July 15, 2015
Grey Gardens meets teen family drama. Lorrie Hollander is used to a trust fund that never runs dry and summers at an exclusive horse camp, but everything changes when Lorrie is discharged from camp after her guardian, her erratic aunt, Gigi, neglects to pay the tuition. Crestfallen, Lorrie heads home to Edgewater, the Hollander family estate, once an impressive and elegant home but now fallen to ruin of health-risk proportions and a constant source of shame for Lorrie. When Lorrie confronts her aunt about the missed payment, Gigi, who doesn't care for life's minutiae (like paying the electric bill), tells her she moved the money; its whereabouts are none of Lorrie's concern. However, Lorrie is used to assuming adult responsibility in the absence of competent adult care, and she takes it upon herself to locate the trust fund. Her search reveals family secrets that go much deeper and farther back than the missing money. At times, Lorrie seems more concerned with her budding romance with Charlie, the local senator's heartthrob son, than locating the money (and being able to pay the bills), but she's still a teenager, after all. Astute readers will realize what's going on before Lorrie does, but the how and the why are so intriguing they'll read until way past bedtime. Riveting and heartbreaking. (Fiction. 12-18)

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September 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Rich girl Lorrie Hollander's life comes crashing down when she is notified that there are insufficient funds available to cover her tuition at an exclusive equestrian program at her boarding school. She knows there is a trust fund governed by her maternal Aunt Gigi, who happens to be unstable, mentally ill, and unreliable. It is the same trust fund set up by her absentee mother, Danielle, who abandoned Lorrie and younger sister Susannah to Aunt Gigi's care for a new life 12 years ago. Lorrie has no choice but to leave her beloved horse and her top-notch education so she can return to the family estate. Edgewater is the decaying and dilapidated mansion where her aunt resides with colonies of cats and raccoons in a wealthy town in Long Island, NY. It is also a health hazard. While Aunt Gigi and Susannah are content with living in squalor, Lorrie is embarrassed and ashamed of her living situation. She meets and falls in love with Charlie Copeland, the son of a prominent senator. The teen makes every attempt to hide her real identity and ties to Edgewater from Charlie. However, she has no idea that the Copelands are hiding something that binds the two families forever. The pace of Sheinmel's YA debut starts off slow but picks up once the importance of Lorrie and Susannah's mother's backstory becomes clearer within the larger plot. The family-centered political drama will intrigue teens, who will especially appreciate the bond of the sister relationships explored here. This nod to Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale and Edith Bouvier Beale, who were the basis of the multiple versions of Grey Gardens, will inspire teens to do their own research on the enigmatic mother-daughter pair. VERDICT Recommended for readers who are interested in political thrillers and fans of the television series Scandal.-Donald Peebles, New York Black Librarians Caucus

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