Review: The Accident by Kate Hendrick

Sarah, Will and Eliat are three teens who are dealing with complex problems, who are all drawn together in one tragic moment, when they are all present at a fatal accident. The story is told across three different timelines--Eliat tells us of the time before, Will tells us what happened in the days afterward, and Sarah shares her experiences of what happens in the months afterward. All three teens are quite different, and all find their lives changed in some way.

This book is a difficult one to review, because in some senses it is brilliant. The writing feels very real. The phrases and idioms used are very relatable. I like the overall moral to the story, that everyone has a story to tell, even if no one else can see it. The shifting narratives and trying to piece together how the three main characters related to one another proved to be challenging at times. That said, there is some clever symbolism at work here (mostly in relation to a drought and the possibility of rain,) and I don't think that the story would work nearly as well without the shifting narratives. 

Recommended.

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