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A review by buffalojenn
Signs of You by Emily France
5.0
So few YA novels stray into any area of religiosity, so I was pleased to see a book that explored this area. In the aftermath of her mother's death, Riley has forged close friendships with Jay, Kate, and Noah, all part of her school's Back on Track program (basically for teens whose high school success was derailed by a tragedy at home). But when Riley puts on a relic necklace, which Jay's father discovered before his untimely death that supposedly belonged to Ignatius of Loyola, something unexpected happens. She sees her mother, in the flesh, while out grocery shopping. What is going on? Is she losing her mind? Is anyone seeing their dearly beloveds, too?
France does such a great job with setting up the mystery of this story (which in less skilled hands could come off as too cuckoo), and making me completely believe these characters. Jake and Noah and Kate are just as well-developed as Riley, and they're all wrestling with some pretty heady issues.
There are so many novels about grief that it can be tough to find a a fresh angle into the subject matter, but this feels more than unique -- it's deeply meaningful. Sometimes teens don't get enough credit for their intelligence and range of interests, and I love how this book just goes there. Why not go off on a research trip and decipher an ancient text in foreign languages? The literal journey of discovery felt entirely appropriate for the metaphorical journey these four teenagers are on. A uniquely compelling debut.
France does such a great job with setting up the mystery of this story (which in less skilled hands could come off as too cuckoo), and making me completely believe these characters. Jake and Noah and Kate are just as well-developed as Riley, and they're all wrestling with some pretty heady issues.
There are so many novels about grief that it can be tough to find a a fresh angle into the subject matter, but this feels more than unique -- it's deeply meaningful. Sometimes teens don't get enough credit for their intelligence and range of interests, and I love how this book just goes there. Why not go off on a research trip and decipher an ancient text in foreign languages? The literal journey of discovery felt entirely appropriate for the metaphorical journey these four teenagers are on. A uniquely compelling debut.