Grand and Humble

by Brent Hartinger

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Gr 9 Up–This novel is told in chapters that alternate between Harlan, a popular jock and son of a U.S. Senator, and Manny, a creative backstage drama geek whose single father is struggling to get by. Strange premonitions and nightmares of sudden death haunt both of these 17-year-olds as their parallel tales unfold. Characterization is a bit hollow as Harlan attempts to break free of his controlling mother and Manny wrests the truth about the past from his father. In narrative climaxes that occur without the tension they should muster, both boys learn they are adopted and each has a drunken father in his background. Readers will struggle, as perhaps the author intended, to make sense of the disparate but eerily similar stories the teens parents tell them. Finally, in an unsatisfying sort of magical-realism twist, they are revealed as two concurrent destinies of the same child. This murky blend of realistic fiction and supernatural mystery may appeal to some teens, but the characters wont draw the masses to their corner.–Suzanne Gordon, Richards Middle School, Lawrenceville, GA
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From BookList, January 1, 2006, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
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Gr. 7-10. In alternating chapters, Hartinger introduces two high-school kids who seem to be worlds apart. Harlan, 17, the gorgeous, brilliant son of a rich senator, appears to have it all; he never notices that his dad is always busy or that his mom is a control freak. Manny, also 17, is a theater geek, the child of a poor, nurturing single-parent dad, who has secrets that he won't share with his son. But the boys are alike in at least one way: both have panic attacks and recurring nightmares about drowning and being hit by a truck. Harlan's battle with his demonic mother is too purposive (his panic attacks will stop if he stands up to her), and readers may be confused about who's dreaming what until the plot cleverly twists to reveal a surprise. The minor characters are nicely drawn, including Harlan's best friend, Ricky, who is gay. Manny's best friend, Elsa, is deaf, and their signing talk is relaxed and friendly. Best of all, though, is the edge-of-fantasy feel that will make readers ask, “What if?”
HazelRochman.
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