Ryan, Darlene. Cuts Like A Knife.

Ryan, Darlene.    Cuts Like A Knife.  Orca  109p  $9.95     978-1-4598-0119-6

hs    Series: Orca Soundings    VG  Conflict  

Mac is tough, no-nonsense and quirky.  That’s why Daniel loves her.  He just can’t tell her that.  But when Mac goes missing, Daniel is afraid that this time, he will not find her alive.  

Strong characters and a twisting plot make this novel one the reader will not be able to put down.  From the tense relationship of friends Daniel and Mac, to her secretive home life, to the animosity of her friends, there is always the sense that something is wrong.  Mac begins sleeping in empty classrooms at night.  Her grandmother has died, and slowly she begins giving away her prized possessions.  Her last gift is her own body, a night of sex with Daniel, after which she disappears.  Then Daniel remembers friends whom she has abandoned, like one who had told a teacher that Mac was self-mutilating.  And now she has left him, and he fears the worst.  The climax finds Daniel’s resourceful mother following him, as he finds Mac hanging from a pipe.  With his mother’s help, Daniel saves her by doing CPR.  Her final words are “Why didn’t you let me die?” 

There is no happy ending here, but the reader will feel that there may be hope.  Realistic, well-drawn characters, a compelling plot and an appropriate ending make this a engaging read.  However, the sexual one-night-stand will dictate that this book is for older readers only.  Orca Soundings continues to create realistic, engrossing reads that appeal to reluctant readers, but can be enjoyed by any young adult.  This should prove to be a popular addition to any young adult collection.       

Suicide–Fiction, Friendship, Realistic fiction              -- Pat Naismith