by Karen Fisher
First published 2015
A brother and sister lose their parents when they are young children. The pair must go east to live with Aunt Effie, a resentful woman who makes clear she never wanted them. For eight difficult years, Effie meddles in every aspect of the boy's life until he finally breaks free and leaves home. He refuses to take his sister with him, leaving her trapped with their controlling aunt. Two years pass without word from her brother. The girl reaches her breaking point as Aunt Effie continues to dictate her choices and future. Then a letter arrives from her brother, revealing his location and promising he has nearly saved enough money to bring her to him. But the girl cannot wait any longer for rescue. She must find her own way to reach him and claim the life she wants. This story follows her determination to escape the suffocating control that has defined her childhood and adolescence.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, coming-of-age, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: East
Period: 20th-century
156 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Content warnings: abuse, emotional-abuse