A review by shirleytupperfreeman
Marlena by Julie Buntin

Julie Buntin is from Michigan and she did a fabulous job interviewing George Saunders so we wanted to check out her book. She's a good writer and she does a great job getting into the mind of a teenager who's life is coming apart. After her dad exits the family, Cat, her brother Jimmy and their mom leave everything and everyone behind and move to a small northern Michigan town. Their economic circumstances, while never terribly robust, have declined precipitously. Cat and Jimmy develop intense friendships with Marlena, the girl next door, a troubled soul with a troubled and complicated life. The novel alternates between the 10 months of friendship before Marlena died and decades later in New York as the past and present connect. The novel explores many forms of addiction so it can be pretty depressing but it does have a touch of hope.