But when a friend mentions that she’s “reinventing” herself, Eden embarks on a hopeful plan to do the same.

For the remainder of Eden’s freshman year, she withdraws from her family and becomes increasingly full of hatred for Kevin and the world she feels failed to protect her. Not ever,” and a chillingly believable death threat. In the three years following Eden’s brutal rape by her brother’s best friend, Kevin, she descends into anger, isolation, and promiscuity.Įden’s silence about the assault is cemented by both Kevin’s confident assurance that if she tells anyone, “No one will ever believe you. Jason’s close, third-person narration labels testosterone as “male hormones.” Additionally, the white protagonist uses African American Vernacular English in referring to Downtown Eastside as his “’hood.” While full of heat and high stakes, this plot-oriented adventure is not a knockout for inclusion.Ī gripping mystery for reluctant readers that loses some appeal for invalidating language. Unfortunately, the language choices are not always affirming. The investigation sends Jason to a boxing gym, where he meets new friends who accept him without faltering when they learn he’s transgender, something Jason is used to keeping private for his safety. This contemporary thriller offers suspense, intense sports competition, and a fast-paced plot leading to a resolution that emphasizes chosen family and inner-community support. With nothing to lose and no one on his side, Jason immerses himself in a dangerous investigation to bring justice to Becca. His sister was all he had, his plan for the future. Two boxes of belongings are all Becca left behind, but among them Jason finds a mysterious photograph and more than two years of newspaper reports about missing girls from Downtown Eastside, the same neighborhood in Vancouver as Jason’s group foster home. The police say that an overdose killed white, transgender boy Jason’s older sister, Becca, but Jason knows better. A teen takes on the fight to uncover the truth about the sudden death of his sister.

The Ooze by Tash McAdam