The Shattering by Karen Healey

[larney41]

I don't usually read only one genre, what I look for is unique and compelling storytelling. There have been some great Young Adult books written by American authors, but I have noticed that much out there are water downed versions of the really great ones. That's one of the things that makes The Shattering by Karen Healey so refreshing. The New Zealand author first published Guardian of the Dead (another fantastic books). The Shattering is her second book, and is just as strong as her first.

Teens Keri, Janna and Sione have all suffered a loss, each of them has lost an older brother to suicide. While Keri is still morning the loss of her brother her old friend Janna presents her with a theory she has been working on with Sione, who himself was once a tourist to their idyllic little town; the deaths of their brothers, along with numerous other young men are both connected and not suicides. They set off to investigate a possible serial killer, and discover that there is a lot they don't know about their home.

The point of view for the book rotates among the three main characters, offering insight into each of their thoughts and motivations. There is a lot of talk about modern witchcraft, but at the heart of it is dealing with the loss of someone you love to suicide. It is treated in a real and true way, without sugarcoating anything. Anyone who has lost someone in this way, especially if there was no note (only about one third of suicides leave notes) can relate to this book. You want there to be someone to blame, other than the person who is dead. It is a beautiful and sensitive book, though it does also have plenty of fun and comedic moments.