What do you say about an author that consistently puts out amazing books? The "Becoming" series is her first foray into the Young Adult genre. I thought she'd pulled out all the stops on "Becoming Charlie: Part 1." Boy was I wrong. So very wrong.
Part 2 picks up at the end of the school year with Charlie arriving at Sean's father's house for the weekend. The tension between Sean and his father reaches from the page to ensnare the reader, willing or not. His feelings regarding his stepmother are quickly made apparent.
Haigwood's deft handling of her characters is evident from the beginning. There is more of reality in this series than in any of her other stories to date. She skillfully weaves the drama that is high school into a story that is impossible to put down. Haigwood was not my introduction to the YA genre, but she is far and away my favorite.
The story may be fiction, but what her characters experience accurately reflects what the modern teenager deals with in high school - the loner geek, the hot sports star boy, the snooty clique that puts down everyone else as beneath them, the unexpectedly loyal goth girl all feature large in Charlie's life. As the story progresses, Charlie starts having dreams that leave her confused. Are they memories, or is her subconscious just messing with her? There are revelations that erode her trust that must be worked through. The summer goes by far too quickly and everyone is back in school
Coming home from school one day with Sean, Charlie sees a black sedan in her driveway with a US Army emblem on the door. She runs screaming to the house. My father served during the Bay of Pigs. As a military daughter, I was too young to know the fear my mother felt every time my father was called to grab his go-bag from beside the door and jump in the truck to go to the airfield. As a veteran myself, I've seen first hand how absolutely terrifying it is to have that car pull up to someone's home. I gave thanks that it never pulled up to my home. It never brings good news.
Haigwood inserts a "Message from the author" for readers asking how she could "do that" to characters they fell in love with. And she offers a solid answer. Life happens and it's not all roses and champagne. She also provides links at the end of the book for hotlines and charities that offer help.
Although only her second YA book, there is no aspect of teenagers' life in high school that she fails to touch upon. She does it all with respect for the situation and the reader. This book can absolutely be read by everyone from kids as young as junior high (or middle school if you prefer) to grandparents.
To date, I've only seen one other author capable of taking me through the entire gamut of emotions in one book. I was into his third book before I felt he was worthy of the title of Bard. I have read every book Haigwood has written, including one she never published, each one a masterpiece. With this series she has placed herself in rarified company with this second installment of her "Becoming" series. I felt book one was solid gold. This one continues her gold streak.
For her deft handling of sometimes painful, sometimes sensitive topics, continuing development of believable and relatable characters, she gets 5 stars from me. She's earned every single one.
