First published 2003
Ratchet sits in the backseat of a car driving through the pitch black Maine woods. She has no idea where she is. Two women occupy the front seats. Tilly is tiny and extremely thin, so small she needs phone books and a cushion just to see over the steering wheel. Penpen is round and cheerful, younger looking than expected. The darkness outside has an oily quality, so deep it seems to shimmer with rainbow colors. This strange trio moves through the night woods, but Ratchet's confusion suggests this journey was not her choice. The car carries them deeper into unknown territory, away from whatever life Ratchet knew before. These three mismatched travelers must navigate more than just dark country roads. They face the challenge of understanding each other and finding their way to something that might feel like home.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Maine
Period: Contemporary
Hardcover · Thorndike Press