Quaking (review)

It's been a rough childhood for Matt, scarred by life with a savagely abusive father and with a succession of distant relatives after her mother's death. Now she's taken in by Sam and Jessica, a young Quaker couple already foster parents to a developmentally delayed young boy, Rory. Against her will, the fourteen-year-old finds herself increasingly comfortable in her new household, but that attachment comes at a price when Sam and his fellow Quakers' opposition to the Iraq war puts Matt's new family at risk from violent war supporters. The characters are often overwritten as heroes or villains, and the story is somewhat formulaic, including the histrionic climax that unfortunately overshadows the subtler points; the exploration of anti-war beliefs and, more often, Quaker principles turns into heavy-handed proselytizing. Smart-alec toughie Matt is a lively figure, though, and her inner demons make her a sympathetic character. The book also thoughtfully champions the right to dissent (kids will especially understand the stacked deck and price of disagreement in the opinion-crushing World Civ class), making it particularly appealing to young challengers of the status quo; they and other readers will be relieved to see that Matt finally wins a safe home as well as the courage to voice her opinions.