The Solitary

When 17-year-old Jane Cahill leaves her uncle's house and moves to the Arkansas land she inherited from her parents, she believes that ""the bad part of her life is over now,'' and she is right. Her harrowing childhood behind her, this is the story of Jane's first year alone in the run-down dwelling, which has no plumbing, heat or light, and of her passage toward self-acceptance. It is an honest, thoughtful work, imbued with wisdom about the dependencies of men as well as those of women. With faith in herself and with the help of new friends, Jane embarks on a largely self-sufficient way of lifebreeding rabbits, raising food and making peace with tragic events in her family's past. A compelling story, with a heroine who is remarkably free of angst. (12-up)