Tim Wynne-Jones

The Starlight Claim is a fast-paced YA thriller set in wintry Canada. It's part teen tragedy, part survival story, and part mystery. The main character, Nate, is trying to come to terms with the death of his best friend, Dodge. He and his father have a cabin in Northern Canada, which they are about to visit, but at the last minute, his father can't go, so Nate goes alone. He winds up having to survive not only cold and deprivation, but also escaped prison convicts. Finally, there is a mystery which is only resolved in the last chapters, explaining why Dodge and his family decided to take a very big risk and wound up paying for it with their lives. Strong characterization, though Nate and his father may seem too one-dimensionally "good" people. Short chapters and lots of twisty plot points make the reading go quickly. I received a copy of this book through Librarything Early Reviewer program.… (altro)