Denny is a 12-year-old neglected boy who's been studying all year for the upcoming spelling bee. But when his alcoholic mother dies in her sleep, he suddenly faces foster care. To ensure he still competes in the school event, he hides his mother's death for one week so he can have a chance at something he so desperately needs. Something to be proud of. Something his dad would have been proud of: A win.
A heartfelt and tragic coming-of-age tale in the setting of a hot New Orleans summer.
I took a quick break from reading ARCs to finally crack open a book that has been waiting in my Kindle for years. If you know me, you know that's a rare occasion. I needed to pick a quick read that wouldn't let me down. I'm glad this is the one I chose.
12 year old Denny lives with his abusive, alcoholic mother. He pretty much has to fend for himself other than the occasional pop-tarts she leaves on the table for him in an unspoken acknowledgment of the guilt she feels for what she's done. Maybe that's not as much effort as she puts into the eggs she cooks for her dog but that's really not the dog's fault so Denny isn't jealous.
In spite of his wretched home life, Denny has one thing he's looking forward to. He's been preparing for the school spelling bee and he is more than ready to win. He has spent the year regretting his decision not to enter last time and he won't let anything stop him this year. But with one week to go until the spelling bee, his mother drinks herself to death, leaving him with visions of foster homes, and being carted off to who knows where, should anyone find out. So he does what he has to in order to compete. He keeps her death a secret for the week.
This was a heartbreaking, bittersweet, coming of age tale. While Denny is in a hopeless situation, cast adrift in circumstances he will have no control over, he clings to the one thing he wants most, something to be proud of. Will he get his chance? I really wanted him to. The author has a talent for creating characters that are impossible not to connect with.
5 out of 5 stars
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