What We’re Reading

Defining Dulcie | Paul Acampora

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When Dulcie’s Father accidentally kills himself, it’s a bit of a shock. When her mother decides to move them off to California, it’s more than Dulcie is prepared to take. When she finds out her mother intends to get rid of her father’s truck, she officially draws the line: she takes it and drives herself back to Connecticut.

Upon arrival, she meets not her grandfather, as expected, but a girl she’s never seen before standing in the flowers. Roxanne, who now works for Dulcie’s grandfather, knows exactly who Dulcie is, and that her grandfather has been expecting her.

The welcome isn’t as warm as she had hoped. Turns out taking off and going cross-country as a teen worries your elders. But Frank does agree to let her stay. She even gets her old job back, though as punishment she will receive no pay for the summer. She also has to call her mother. This stipulation is easier to get around: she knows when her mother is going to be at work, and always makes sure to call when she won’t be there.

Back at work as a janitor, Dulcie makes fast friends with Roxanne, whom Frank has somewhat adopted, as it seems she’s not necessarily well taken care of at home. The night Dulcie drops by with her to get fresh clothes on their way to dinner with Dulcie’s suprise-visiting mother, Dulcie finds out just how bad Roxanne’s home life is. This harsh glimpse at events causes a flurry of actions on multiple fronts, which almost lead to disaster.

In the end, Dulcie, who’s always known who she is, gains a greater understanding of relationships, friendships, love, and home. Roxanne, who’s never had it great, adopts Dulcie’s family. While perhaps no one’s ended up quite where they expected, they all know they’ve found their place.

An excellent book, worth reading again (and again).

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Wrecked | E.R Frank

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Anna finds herself in the most unfortunate position of having been on the other side of an accident which killed her brother’s girlfriend. And if that weren’t bad enough, her best friend Ellen was in the car with her, and suffered sever injuries. But while she was physically least scathed, Anna is the one who cannot readjust.

She doesn’t know what to say to her brother. She doesn’t know how to get used to the way her mother is treating her. To her dad being somewhat less of a jerk. To her brother’s kind but distant treatment of her. Nightmares haunt her nightly. And the mere thought of driving sends her into such a panic attack that she’s sure she’s dying. And yet…she thinks she’s fine.

At Thanksgiving, her Aunt insists she needs therapy. Though originally, against it, her father agrees to let her try. Though she doesn’t understand it at first, she’s also willing to give it a fair shot. Anything, if it means getting her life back again.

This book takes a good look at the different ways people can be damaged by a tragedy, and the different ways people will choose to cope with that damage. For Anna, a good part of the healing process is simply letting go.

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