SWIMMING IN A SEA OF STARS
In a diary her therapist suggested she keep, 17-year-old Addison begins the rotation of the narrative in first-person epistolary format, striking a weary tone laced with sarcastic humor. Also lending their voices in the third person are Booker, Damion, Avery, and Celia, students who all know—or at least know of—Addison. Booker is close to Addison, a friend or maybe more, but she’s been avoiding him. This, plus his cousin’s serious illness, weighs heavily on him. Meanwhile, Damion’s image as a minor social media star obscures a tragic family secret, and while everyone knows that Avery’s brother was recently arrested for drug dealing, most don’t suspect that quiet, reserved Celia is dealing with abuse at home. Many realistic issues are explored, and while readers will feel empathy for each of these characters, the overarching themes of interconnectedness and how people can affect others in ways of which they are not always aware are a bit heavy-handed in their portrayals. Addison, Damion, Avery, and Celia are White; Booker is Black, and there is racial diversity among secondary characters.
