This is one of the best debut novels I've ever read. The story is fairly simple yet the relationships and realities are complex. I enjoyed this author's writing style and look forward to reading future novels by her.

My book club was split. Some of us enjoyed this book. Others thought it dragged. I thought it was a very realistic story. Poverty, teen pregnancy, religion, parenting a child with a severe disability, as well as the normal stresses of being a teenager are all covered beautifully in the story of Evelyn and her friends and family. This is not a plot driven story. This left some of my book club wondering "what's the point?" And because this is not a plot driven story, there is no real resolution. The reader is not left with a lot of hope for the future. But again, I think that's part of the beauty of this novel. Evelyn's point is, this is the way life is. You make the best of it and hope it turns out okay.