Quick and somewhat brutal read, but good crying as well. Intriguing story with interesting cast of characters that looks at abuse and trauma. There are also funny and uplifting moments and I read as fast as I could. Its good, but heads up for sexual assault and suicide talk, and for racist violence. Also a bit fat phobic which was not appreciated. ( )

teen/adult fiction (chosen families, young adults escaping difficult family situations with various potential trauma triggers, 1980s Newfoundland). I read this straight through and really loved spending time with these unconventional characters (diversity note: one of them is an Innu native and one of them is a gay drag queen); I definitely needed tissues when I got to the middle/end. ( )

In one weekend, I was able to hunker down and read both Heather Smith’s newest young adult titles. Starting with The Agony of Bun O’Keefe I was struck by the honesty of her writing.

The year is 1986, the place is Newfoundland and Bun O’Keefe is a fourteen year old girl basically living off the grid with her mother, a hoarder, in a home stuffed to the rafters with shopping. She’s asthmatic, naive, and uneducated and when her mother tells her to “Get out!”, she does. She hitchhikes all the way to St. John’s. Her only understanding of the world comes from the books and the movies her mother brings home in her wagon each day. She sets off looking for a Mission and thankfully find Busker Boy, an Innu man making a living with his guitar on the streets of St. John’s. Busker Boy sees the naivety in Bun and brings her home with him, introducing her to a whole host of characters who all live together under the roof of the Landlord, or Dragon Man. There is Chef training by day to take on the culinary world but is melancholy, there is Cher/Chris who is so nurturing and kind but not welcome at his home because his dad doesn’t agree with his lifestyle, and there is Big Eyes who has a dark secret and can no longer face her religious zealot of a mother. Together they educate Bun, taking care of her and teaching her about the world around her. It’s certainly not all roses, Bun has to face some very hard realities but Busker Boy treats her as a little sister. He keeps her safe and loves her in a way her mother never could.

The beauty in Heather Smith’s writing is her honesty. She tells the hard truths and provides a mirror to young people. There is beauty in the heartbreak of Bun’s story. There is a real quality and something so relatable in each of the characters. Maybe you see your younger self reflected in Bun. Perhaps you feel the same pain as Chef. Maybe you are holding onto a haunting secret and just need to know you are not alone on your journey. There is so, so much love in this story. As difficult as the subject matter can be at times, there is always love ( )

One sentence theme: Familial love has the power to overcome many things, but the family you choose may end up being the strongest source of all.

Plot summary: Bun’s story centers around finding the love and support that her mother has denied her over the years. Her father left when she was in Kindergarten, and her hoarder mother treats her as if she doesn’t exist. Bun has not been to school since her father left, is barely fed, and lives with her mother in squalid conditions. The relationship and the situation are so neglectful and empty of love that after simply sharing a crazy fact that annoys her mother, Bun is told to get out, and does. So at the tender age of 14, Bun sets out to find her place in the world that can also provide the love that’s been missing. She quickly meets Busker Boy and his ragtag bunch of misfits who take her in and show her what family really means. They all have troubles, but with the kindness, support, and safety they share, Bun’s understanding of love blossoms. Love doesn’t mean pain free though, and just as Bun is starting to open up to the idea of love, tragedy strikes again. She and her companions fight for a place that provides the security and togetherness that these compassionate misfits truly deserve. Bun has the opportunity to confront a ghost from the past, and must once again decide whether to stay or go.

Personal response: When I first read the book jacket summary for this book, I was intrigued by the hoarder mother as I had never seen a novel tackle this sort of topic and feel my own mother is leaning towards hoarder tendencies. Turns out we didn’t spend much time in the hoarder house, but perhaps that’s for the best. When Bun and her tribe find themselves back at her mother’s home, she must once again face the remnants of her broken childhood. I can’t imagine dealing with the mess that was left behind, but with the support of her friends, she was able to do it. I don’t look forward to the possibility of dealing with a similar task, and can only hope that my mom seeks out the help she needs to deal with the emotions that have triggered this kind of behavior.

Curricular connections: I see this text being used in a high school english class to study story elements. Students could identify quotes from the beginning, middle, and end that represent the important events taking place at that moment. They would then provide context for the quote, how it’s important to the story, and then explain why they selected that specific quote. This could be turned into a three quote story in graphic novel format. ( )

This book broke my heart. It is a beautiful story of friendship. ( )