Chime by Franny Billingsley

I will admit that I read the novel Chime less because it was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature than because it was part of this year's controversy surrounding the award. And though I'm sad that its author Franny Billingsley was dragged through an ugly mess that should never have happened, I'm so glad the turmoil put the book on my radar.
This inventive tale about self-perception and memory defies classification, or more accurately, meshes the best elements of many genres seamlessly. It is a coming-of-age story told in first-person by 17-year old Briony Larkin, a self-described witch who believes herself unloveable and controls her awful powers with a combination of strict self-control and self-loathing. It is part historical fiction and magical realism, set in a rural swamp village in England at the height of the Industrial Revolution, where uneducated fishermen, rich businessmen and even the clergy (Briony's father) believe in the Old Ones--the mythical creatures like witches,  pixies, and monsters that control the elements of nature. It is a novel of mystery and suspense as Briony reveals her troubling story: daughter of a distant and oblivious father, twin of a sister whose childlike mentality leaves Briony in the role of constant caretaker, griever of her beloved step-mother whose suspicious death is believed to have been a poisoning. When wild-hearted Eldric arrives in town with his "boy-man" charm and uncomfortable questions, Briony begins to thaw against her will. She finds herself acting like a normal girl when in his company, though always returning to her senses when she remembers how it was her uncontrolled power that caused her sister to fall from a swing and her terrible magic that crippled her step-mother before her death. Briony must ever remind herself she can never have the love story.

While the novel is dense with dialogue and less plot-driven, I was completely riveted by the conflict of Briony vs. Briony and the slowly unraveling mystery of her power and her step-mother's murder. But the true tension comes from the expert use of dramatic irony as I found myself wanting to scream at Briony to realize what was happening at the end...so I suppose the novel is bit horror as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would recommend it highly, especially to those who enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. And do yourself a favor and get this one as an audiobook because actor Susan Duerden is fantastic in this production by Listening Library.

Green Angel by Alice Hoffman

Green Angel is a brief, haunting, modern fairy tale by prolific novelist Alice Hoffman. The protagonist, Green, lives with her parents and younger sister on a farm outside an unnamed city where they sell their produce. Always considered the quiet one with the knack for gardening, Green is left behind to tend the crops on one trip. Resentful, Green climbs the hill on the farm overlooking the city and witnesses its catastrophic destruction by a mysterious fire bombing.

In what follows, Hoffman illustrates the process of dealing with trauma and grief through the mind of a terrified, lonely 15-year old girl. Each day Green loses herself more in the armor she literally and figuratively builds around person while discovering a valuable talent for survival that helps keep her and those around her alive.

It's been a long time since I've read a book through in one sitting, and I so relished devouring this one. It's a gem of a book, and a powerful parable on the humanity of grief. I can't wait to read the sequel Green Witch.