Saving Montgomery Sole

Reviewed by: Brooke Faulkner - McArthur Public Library, Biddeford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 9, 2016

Review

Sixteen-year-old Montgomery "Monty" Sole lives with her sister and two moms in a small California town that she finds generally uninspiring. She has two good friends, Thomas and Naoki, and the trio have a Mystery Club at school, where they discuss phenomena such as lucid dreaming and clairvoyance. Monty's internal monologues about her often homophobic, image-focused peers are dotted with genuinely funny observations that balance the expertly depicted rage she feels at those whose cruelty threatens her family and friends. When a hate-spouting evangelist reverend moves to their town and crosses begin appearing on lockers at school, Monty's sense of alienation grows to overwhelming proportions as Tamaki slowly parses out the backstory of the pain caused by her grandparents, who've continually rejected her family. Events come to a head when Monty orders a supposed supernatural ornament online and it seems to cause bad things to happen to those who anger her, creating a moral quandary. Detailed characters with strong relationships that allow them to challenge one another's perceptions make this a tale that will inspire empathy in readers even as they grapple with many of the issues that arise.

Overall Book Score: excellent