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The close-knit residents of Hackett Island have never seen anyone quite like Lani Garver. Everything about this new kid is a mystery: Where does Lani come from? How old is Lani? And most disturbing of all, is Lani a boy or a girl?
Popular Claire McKenzie isn't up to tormenting Lani with the rest of the high school elite. Instead, she decides to befriend the intriguing outcast. But within days of Lani's arrival, tragedy strikes, and Claire is left questioning herself, her friendships, and, most interesting of all, the possibility that angels may exist on earth.
"Gripping."—YM Magazine
"Prejudice, homophobia, friendship, tolerance, individuality, and the possibility that something spiritually bigger than all of us rules this universe are wonderfully woven into this powerfully told story. Outstanding writing, strong characterization, and riveting plot development make this title rise above many recent coming-of-age stories."—School Library Journal
"The characterizations are superb . . . The hint of supernatural only adds to the appeal. Successfully raising many valid issues, this should appeal to teens from the popular to the marginalized."—Kirkus Reviews
"Lani's androgyny and his angelic possibilities are intriguingly played out."—Booklist
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Creators
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
January 16, 2020 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780547546513
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780547546513
- File size: 1246 KB
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 5.1
- Lexile® Measure: 720
- Interest Level: 9-12(UG)
- Text Difficulty: 3-4
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Reviews
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June 7, 2004
When a new student shows up, no one can tell if Lani is male or female. And then the question arises about whether Lani is human at all, or rather a "floating angel." According to PW
, "the plotting exerts a sure grip." Ages 14-up. -
August 19, 2002
Claire McKenzie, narrator of this taut, provocative novel, wonders not only "what happened to Lani Garver" but about who—and what—Lani is. When Lani shows up on Hackett Island, neither Claire nor her cheerleader friends can tell if Lani is male or female (Asked if he's a girl, he says, "Oh! No. Not a girl. Sorry"). Claire has been hiding much of her identity, too: she conceals her electric guitar and the bloody lyrics she writes, and she doesn't tell her friends or her alcoholic mother that she suspects her leukemia has returned. When Lani finds her fainting, he pries her secrets out of her, then takes her to a hospital where she can get tested without parental consent. They bond, a bit quickly, as he helps her face her "hidden garbage," (among other things, her recent ill health is due to an eating disorder). When an orderly tells her about androgynous "floating angels," spiritual beings that help people in need, the discussion plants a question in Claire's mind, and as odd events continue, she skates close to asking if Lani might be one of those angels. Plum-Ucci's talent is such that readers will share rather than dismiss Claire's curiosity. The climactic scene, in which the boys kidnap Lani and Claire and take them to the docks, crackles with suspense. Even if not always convincing, the plotting exerts a sure grip, commanding the imagination well past the final page. Ages 14-up.
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