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Reviewed by:
  • Brother, Brother by Clay Carmichael
  • Karen Coats
Carmichael, Clay . Brother, Brother. Roaring Brook, 2013. [320p]. ISBN 978-1-59643-743-2 $17.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 7-10.

When seventeen-year-old Brother Grace loses the wise, warm, lively grandmother who reared him, he doesn't know where to turn. Mem, his grandmother, had always been tight-lipped about his background, stressing only that going to visit the island where she grew up as the daughter of the housekeeper of a wealthy family was out of the question. Now that she's gone, however, Brother makes an unsettling discovery about what the island holds, and he makes the trek to the island to uncover the secrets of his family. Carmichael deftly creates an atmospheric setting; the property, ironically but aptly called Eden, is a paradise infected by sadness and corruption and haunted by tragedy. There Brother finds relatives he never knew: his great-uncle (a powerful senator who brooks no challenge to his control over his family) and Brother's own drug-addicted twin brother. Brother arrives with his own posse, including a childhood friend and his little brother with problems of their own, a strong-willed, intelligent girl he meets on the way, and his dog, Trooper, who is simply everything a dog should be—faithful, heroic, and more than a little psychic. The working-class characters, including some in the senator's own household who are charmed by Brother's unflappable kindness, act as a critique of the senator's personal and political decision-making as well as a loving and practical support network; this network enables Brother to stand against the senator's plans and even restore a wholesome sweetness to the corrupted Eden. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Rachel Vail will enjoy this family story with its touch of mystery, well-developed sense of place, and appealing characters.

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