When Bernie's great-aunt Charlotte died, she left something behind for her niece. Bernie's mother, Celia, inherited the Black Spruce Lodge. Now they have a place to live, where they won't ever have to leave in the dead of night to avoid paying the overdue rent. Things aren't as easy as one might hope, though. Bernie's angry at her mother, and can't believe Celia could even try to stop drinking, or take some responsibility for her children, Bernie's younger siblings who have been taken care of by their older sister for years. That's the most dominant emotion Bernie feels: anger, specifically at her mother. It makes life out of focus (as the title says). Can Black Spruce Lodge help Bernie get things in focus?
Out Of Focus is one of the best young adult books I've read recently. It was very well-written, with believable, unique characters. The story, told from Bernie's point of view, surpassed any expectations I had of a novel from an author I'd never heard of. Now that I have read a book written by Margaret Buffie, I'll certainly be looking for more from her. The story is interesting and original, rather than the same old books I've been reading lately. Out Of Focus was certainly worth reading.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Asheville, NC USA
