Irreversible

Lynch returns to the story of Keir Sarafian, the newly graduated high school football star who was accused of date rape in 2005’s Inexcusable. Though Keir maintains that he is not a rapist, he abandons his hometown and post-graduation plans, moving across the country to attend a small college. He leaves behind his sisters, who look at him with disdain, and his father, one of the only people who believes he is innocent. Keir’s flight is largely instigated by his self-serving belief that people on the nearby college campus are “planning to make trouble for [him]. Because they tended to make certain types of transgressions—which I didn’t even do, but that didn’t matter—into their own crusades.” Even with Keir’s attempts to start fresh, his past soon resurfaces. Though this premise has promise, Lynch’s attempts to add depth to the events in Inexcusable fall short. Keir’s growth is minimal, and many plot devices, including the death of someone close to Keir, are jarring and forced. With little character growth and a meandering plot, this sequel misfires. Ages 12–up. (Sept.)