A review by readitall199
At Risk by Alice Hoffman

5.0

I really loved this novel. It is about hysteria and prejudice and what may happen to unravel a family.

Polly and Ivan find out that their eleven year old daughter, Amanda has contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion after surgery. Slowly the small town they live in is mired in a controversy over weather they want their children to attend school with Amanda. There are many small moments that capture the sudden loss of slowly losing a child - what would that be like for a family who loves each other? Amanda wants to continue gymnastics competition but is losing weight and very weak.

The book shifts POV between members of the community, Polly, Ivan, the doctor, Charlie - their young son.

Hoffman is a keen observer of small beautiful details in nature in human characters.