Evidence of Things Not Seen

Reviewed by: Bernie Alie - Kennebunk Free Library, Kennebunk, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 3, 2014

Review

Multiple voices reflect on Tommy who has disappeared into the Texas desert. Tommy's fascination with theories of probability and possibility lead his peers to wonder if he has disappeared into another reality. The stories are disjointed, with only occasional overlap. Mostly they are vignettes of the teller's life. There is no character development or story arc beyond the speculation as to what happened to Tommy as a year passes. Some characters have no relationship with Tommy, such as the immigrant girl who finds his keys and the boy fleeing abuse who finds his goggles. All touch upon a patch of dirt, a pullout along Highway 281. Scraps of paper from Tommy's journal separate each entry, with his writings about physics, philosophy, particles and the nature of reality. Introspective, thoughtful teens will find much to reflect upon here; others may be disappointed with the lack of closure.

Overall Book Score: good