Into the Hurricane

March 15, 2017
Haunted by the ghost of his dead older sister, Eli decides to defy the emergency evacuation orders and travel out to the old lighthouse to finally put his sister's spirit to rest--even if it kills him. But the arrival of the incredibly angry, green-haired Max on Shackles Island changes everything. She has her own spirits to lay to rest and, like Eli, her own secrets to keep. The standoff between the two white teens is interrupted by the arrival of the violent and superstitious Odenkirks, a white family whose brand of backwoods Christianity has its own twisted justice. When they steal something of value to Max, the two decide to travel deep into the swamps to retrieve it. The only problem is that a hurricane is quickly approaching. Trapped on an island with no way off, they must decide whether to risk their lives for the very people determined to kill them. Investigating the many twisting roads that grief can take, this story set deep in the Louisiana bayou is both thoughtful and provocative. The rising water and the Odenkirks' insanity make for a high-pitched tension that becomes unbearable at times, however. While the grief both Eli and Max feel is real and palpable, the depiction of the Odenkirk family is pure crazy, cheapening the effect. A Category 5 drama that's not without flaws but that has plenty of heart. (Fiction. 12-16)

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June 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-There's nothing typical about how teenagers Eli and Maxine unexpectedly meet, on top of a lighthouse on Shackles Island in coastal Louisiana hours before category five Hurricane Celeste hits. Eli is contemplating suicide at the same spot from which his older sister, also named Celeste, jumped to her death a few years earlier. Max is there to spread the ashes of her recently deceased father. While their reasons for being at the lighthouse are personal and they each resent the other's intrusion, Eli and Max must learn not only to tolerate each other but also to cooperate in order to get to safety as the storm approaches. After realizing that the only bridge off the island has been shut down, they embark on a desperate effort to get to higher ground that involves an ATV, an alligator, a possible ghost, and an unhinged local family bent on holding Eli and Max hostage-all while battling the relentless storm and their own emotional baggage. Connelly's detailed descriptions of the island's unique landscape and the ferocity of the hurricane help set the scene, while the plot's brisk pacing (the whole novel transpires in less than 24 hours) conveys the urgency of the characters' dire situation. Although alternating first- and third-person narration feels disjointed, it allows readers to fully appreciate the protagonists-both of whom are flawed but sincere and self-aware-and their motivations. VERDICT Accessible writing and an engaging plot make this a good choice for reluctant readers looking for a fast-paced adventure.-Melissa Kazan, Horace Mann School, NY

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