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In this psychological thriller, Llewelyn is used to walking a fine line. Having lost his mom to cancer when he was little, he navigates grief while putting on a brave front for his younger sister and his parents. On the grandmother's sheep farm after his mom's death, he toggles between anxiety and following the myriad household rules. During a canoe trip for troubled teens, he balances an attraction toward fellow camper Eloise with his suspicions about the leadership. When his suspicions prove warranted, he and Eloise team up to outsmart the nefarious men using them for their devilish deeds.
The fine line between two settings, pristine wilderness and gritty city, is another device the novel utilizes to chilling effect. The canoe route along the US-Canada border in Quebec makes a compelling getaway and is described lyrically and vibrantly. However, the area's remoteness also appeals to New York mobsters behind the camp director, as well as to Llewelyn's privacy-minded sheep-farming guardian, and to a veteran Llewelyn and Eloise meet. Underhanded dealings are reported through cagey, conniving dialogue and precise scheming, while intriguing, ingenious traps set by the two older men complicate and twist the plot.
Developed under duress, the love between two traumatized teens gives the book its strength and depth. As they canoe alone, Llewelyn and Eloise learn to trust one another, sharing their darkest secrets and vulnerabilities. The italicized flashbacks showing experiences they bring to the present crisis create suspenseful breaks in the text and add urgency to the outcome. Surviving the canoe trip implies the possibility of healing from a backlog of hurts and injustices it crystallizes. This coming-of-age story addresses adult ills inflicted on kids, but Llewelyn and Eloise refuse to be victims. Rather, their synthesized fight against their enemies inspires and entertains audiences of all ages.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review