After the Moment. Houghton

Freyman-Weyr, Garret. After the Moment.
Houghton. Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2009 328p 16.00 978-0-6186-0572-9 hs/adult
Who is a hero? He who fights? Who feels? Who stays to help? How a person defines himself is one of many themes in a layered novel that’s set against a videotaped high school rape. Leigh’s mother writes historical romances, his half-sister Millie and her friend Maia read them, yet real life just isn’t the same. Because he’s always helpful, Leigh goes to live with his father for his senior year to help Millie deal with the death of her own father. Despite Maia’s many issues--she’s anorectic and has had several stepfathers (one currently in jail)--she and Leigh become close. Unfortunately, “the moment” comes when Leigh steps in because he thinks he’s needed, only to change their lives forever. Told in flashbacks and set against the buildup of the Iraq war, characters are as believable as they are flawed. Nobody, including the adults, are all good or all bad. Leigh and the reader are left wondering how anyone defines themselves and whether they are able to change. With a male point of view, quality writing (”you loved me like you walked on water”), and a story where a high school rape is a pivotal event (but there’s no sex), this is a must for most secondary collections. This is definitely crossover material--could be marketed as an adult novel and/or subject for book group discussions. Gooden, Sue