Set in northern Maine in 1918, the year of the influenza pandemic, LaFaye's (Water Steps
) compact novel is infused with the spirit of death. Fourteen-year-old Lyza's parents have raised her in an unconventional manner; the family sleeps and eats to its own rhythms. Pater, while mentally unbalanced, is a gifted sculptor, and Mater plays the cello, bakes, and sews beautifully. Lyza deeply loves her family and home in their small coastal town—“The comforts of it had soaked in soul deep.... sights like our house standing on the high grass plain between the glen of sugar maples and the forest made me feel safe”—but yearns for a talent of her own. Early on, Mater succumbs to influenza, and Lyza must confront her fear of travel to fight relatives who want to have Pater committed. During her journey to get help, she discovers her singular gift. LaFaye explores the thin line between artistry and mental illness and offers visions of dead spirits in darkly lyrical language that makes for a powerful and unsettling book, best appreciated by older preteens and teens. Ages 8–13. (Apr.)
