Martha Tod Dudman

This book was intriguing from the start. I was interested in the characters that Lorraine encounters and develops relationships with; the studies of the individuals and the multiple staff characters varying perceptions of the teens in their care was fascinating. Her naivete and lack of experience felt very authentic. The way this comes back later as a reflection by others on their observations and feelings towards her in distasteful ways felt eerily familiar to me, which I take as a very real representation of what it is like to be exposed to new environments. The idea of this place where untrained and inexperienced people try to control for severe trauma and behavior in teens is almost a horror story. Lorraine's continuous sense of fresh surprise at how life keeps turning out for her in disappointing ways is so sweetly hopeful, and yet saddening. I found it intriguing how the author wove together two disparate events that shattered her perception of the world and her sense of safety all at once. How this story culminated surprised me and I was left with so many questions. Though I felt the author had given me some clues at the very end, I still felt very surprised and like I had missed something and didn't understand exactly what happened. Upon reading others' reviews, I see that some readers LOVE this. My last read also had a similar ending. I find that perhaps because of my neurodivergence these types of endings leave me feeling a little indignant, confused, and dissatisfied. In general, I really enjoyed this read.… (altro)

This book was very relatable, as far as the protagonist experiencing for herself how awful the world can be and having to learn it the hard way, as I'm sure many of us do. As someone who's lived on Cape Cod, I loved the Maine setting and felt as though I was there. I've also often thought about working in a youth center like the one in this book, so it was really interesting for me to see the behind-the-scenes (so to speak) of what that could be like. I enjoyed those scenes a lot, but that's not to say the rest of the story wasn't equally well done. Reading this was more of an "experience" than anything---a movie played out in my head, and I felt like I was there, walking alongside Lorraine throughout the book. Two things: 1, THE ENDING! And 2, this is probably one of the best and most original titles I've come across. Worth a read just for that! 4.75 stars, easy.… (altro)

I’m not sure if this is a coming of age story or one about how life is not all roses. Lorraine, a recent college graduate takes a job counseling troubled teens in a rural Maine camp and in her time there experiences more than she can bear. Years later, her time there comes back to haunt her and she decides to confront her past. Yeah, okay, I really enjoyed the story that took place at the camp mostly. Fast forward to the real world, life isn’t what she dreamed off and goes on a journey to get answers. And the ending is certainly a shocker, that’s for sure.… (altro)