Art by kozerog2015/Adobe Stock.
A century after his great-great-grandfather Saint Abernathy was publicly executed with a railroad spike for inciting a miners’ rebellion, trans autistic Miles is a proud 16-year-old socialist still seeking justice for his family. He is infuriated by the way his people, the rural poor, are treated by those with power in Twist Creek County, West Virginia. Though a hundred years have passed, the longstanding feud ensures that everyone knows what it means to be an Abernathy: it means trouble, and it means that, for their own good, people look the other way. And Miles is tired of being denigrated while no one in the county does anything about the problems plaguing them all.
After coming out to his parents as trans, Miles sneaks off to a graduation party, armed with photographs proving that the county’s Sheriff Davies was directly involved in the accident that killed the mom of Miles’ friend Cooper. Miles, subsequently cornered by the sheriff’s son, Noah, and his friends, is beaten nearly to death before Cooper gets him to the hospital, narrowly saving his life. Recovery proves brutal, both physically and mentally, and to top it off, Sheriff Davies visits to remind Miles that keeping silent is the only way to survive as an Abernathy in Twist Creek County. That’s when the spirit of his great-great- grandfather Saint appears, sullied and beaten and with the railroad spike exactly where the Davies’ ancestor left it.
Staying silent has never worked in Miles’ favor, and Saint’s presence feels like it’s calling him to end the blood feud once and for all. When, during an altercation with Miles, Noah’s friend Eddie is accidentally killed, Miles and Cooper are pushed to finish things by murdering the rest of Noah’s gang. Miles struggles with his fury and fear surrounding the dispute, but he wants to make things better for his hometown. An enlightening reconnection with an old friend, now out as nonbinary and with a family that owns a socialist, worker-owned co-op, helps Miles believe that he and his community might be able to fight for the West Virginia they love. “For all its problems, it’s mine. For all the overdose deaths, environmental disasters, and reactionary politics, West Virginia is mine.”
Compound Fracture is White’s third novel and possibly his best thus far, delivering evocative, haunting prose and eloquently exploring economic injustice, poverty, generational trauma, and how easy it is to sink one’s teeth into violence and revenge as a result. The story centers workers’ rights and classism in rural West Virginia, presenting Twist Creek County with as much character as anyone else. It’s a love letter to the people, especially blue-collar workers and communists who work to make rural West Virginia a more equitable place to live. Meanwhile, Miles is a character whose voice and story will grip readers at once and hold on long after the final page, and his narration never allows the reader to look away from the atrocities created by capitalism and classism: “I’m mad that this is the shape the world takes, I’m mad that we’ve both been put here, I’m mad because it don’t got to be this way.”
Miles’ portrayal as a trans, autistic, and aromantic teenager is a standout piece of representation, allowing for the complexities of coming out in a rural small town combined with the unconditional love Miles receives from his family and his LGBTQ+ community. His fierce self-determination and steadfast pride in himself shine on the page. And beyond Miles, the novel never shies away from grappling with difficult topics, always in a way that takes care of its queer, trans, aromantic-spectrum, disfigured, and neurodivergent readers. The ending, which hinges on the local community coming together to take care of their own and finally ending their silence about injustice, feels well earned. The result is a thrilling tale of what happens when people trapped in cycles of trauma and poverty decide to bite back—and about the strength that can come from healing, empathy, and creating community.
Compound Fracture.
By Andrew Joseph White.
Sept. 2024. 384p. Peachtree Teen, $19.99 (9781682636121). Gr. 9–12.
Older Readers
Aisle Nine.
By Ian X. Cho.
Sept. 2024. 272p. Harper, $19.99 (9780063206809). Gr. 8–12.
Welcome to the ultimate capitalist hellscape, emphasis on hell. Two years ago, when portals opened and hell’s demons poured through to snack on humanity, Vanguard Corporation saved the day. Now, the VC app is a way of life, and you can collect VC points—redeemable at a variety of fast-food chains—for anything from interacting with advertisements to watching another person be dismembered by a demon. In the thick of it all, Jasper, teenage amnesiac and unfortunate retail worker at Here For You mart, finds himself challenging the status quo and taking on the task of saving the world. The story line is not overly ambitious, sticking to stark commentary on the impacts of unchecked capitalism amidst the absolute frenetic chaos of the plot. Younger teens will buy into the rapid-fire action and the absurdity of the demon manifestations, while older, genre-savvy readers will appreciate the clear satire and the subversion of the chosen-one trope. Regardless of the reader’s age, the call to fight hopelessness and change the world, even when obstacles seem insurmountable, is one that will resonate. —Austin Ferraro
The Brightness between Us.
By Eliot Schrefer.
Oct. 2024. 464p. Harper, $19.99 (9780063343764). Gr. 9–12.
In one era, the children of the final two clones come of age on a deserted planet; in another, the two boys who were cloned face a world in crisis instead of embarking on the space rescue they prepared for. This unexpected sequel to The Darkness outside Us (2021) follows in its footsteps with a deceivingly straightforward start, as Owl, the daughter of book 1’s protagonists, Ambrose and Kodiak, treks farther into the wilds of their unsettled planet than she ever has before. Just as a mild sense of unease settles in, the narrative shifts to the original Ambrose on twenty-fifth-century Earth. Kodiak also features in the POV rotation, as does Owl’s brother, Yarrow. Readers who trust the book’s process will be rewarded with cliff-hangers and revelations at every turn. Despite a convoluted plot, the writing itself is clear and compulsively readable, with thought-provoking themes. Truly, Schrefer has produced an updated, inclusive exploration of human connection in a style that is rarely seen outside the context of classic sf. —Austin Ferraro
A Constellation of Minor Bears.
By Jen Ferguson.
Sept. 2024. 352p. HarperCollins/Heartdrum, $19.99 (9780063334229). Gr. 9–12.
Molly had an epic trip planned for the summer after graduation: hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. That is, until Hank has a near-fatal climbing accident—one Tray tried and failed to prevent. Despite Hank staying behind, Molly insists on doing the hike. To her dismay, her parents insist that Tray accompany her. Together, a silent schism between them, Tray and Molly fly to California and begin their trek—one in which they will be forced to reckon with what happened the day Hank fell as well as the feelings they have for each other. Though quiet and small in scope, this book more than makes up for it in its thoughtfulness. Using three points of view, Ferguson adeptly creates deep, rounded characters who, while having distinct voices, are all equal parts mischievous and reflective. Molly and Hank exhibit a truly well-crafted sibling relationship that flips on its head after Hank’s accident. A great read for all teenagers, especially those who’ve graduated and are wondering what comes next. —Reinhardt Suarez
The Curse of Madame Petrova.
By Marjolijn Hof. Illus. by Annette Fienieg. Tr. by Bill Nagelkerke.
Sept. 2024. 272p. Levine Querido, $18.99 (9781646144532). Gr. 7–10.
The story opens with twins Silke and Janis scraping by in the mountains, one month since fleeing their family’s estate. After their parents died, the kids’ malicious cousins had arranged for the twins to be reunited for the first time since one Madame Petrova foretold “It,” a disastrous prophesy that they would each be the death of the other. Now, desperate to survive, the twins fall in with another traveling card reader, and Silke herself learns the craft—which, of course, is a con. A theme of dishonest manipulation is threaded throughout the pair’s journey as they ultimately find their way to their mother’s hometown, where answers await them about the true origins of “It.” Fienieg’s intriguing cover and endpaper artwork is bound to lure readers in search of a fantastical or