THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson. Viking, 2014.
As you can see, this was a bound manuscript some of us were fortunate enough to receive at ALA in Chicago in June. I read this during the flight home. My BH told me there was some turbulence. I did not notice because I was attached to Hayley Kincain who experiences her own brand of turbulence in this compelling novel. Hayley's Dad is a veteran, one who is not able to cope with the PTSD that sends him into alcoholic fogs and unpredictable episodes of rage and depression. It is a lot for Hayley to handle (and mostly by herself). She keeps to herself for the most part, searches for help from some of her father's friends, and does her best to be there for her father. It is not an easy life at all for a teen, but Hayley does the best she knows how. Complications arise now that she and her Dad are no longer living from place to place as she accompanies him in his semi. Se is in school for the first time, and she does not know the RULES. There are rules for having friends, different rules for having boyfriends, and rules about school and interacting with teachers. Quite frankly, there are too many rules, and some of them seem (no, they ARE) idiotic. Hayley is a strong young woman (and we would expect no less from Anderson) who must now learn how to ask for help, how to allow herself to be vulnerable, how to find love. Tough, uncompromising, compelling: there are not enough adjectives to prepare you for THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY. Pre-order it now.
I was lucky to get a copy at ALA, too. Absolutely loved it!
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