100 Days

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

Review Date: November 14, 2016

Review

Best friends Moira and Agnes look out for one another at their high school. Both are outcasts for different reasons -- Moira discovered years before that she could repel the cruel attacks about her weight heaped upon her by her peers by adopting a tough, Goth-inspired exterior while Agnes lives with progeria syndrome, a degenerative condition that causes her to age prematurely and remain physically small. In middle school, they'd been friendly with a boy named Boone, who eventually bowed to peer pressure rather than defend them, but who now reappears in their lives.

Each of this trio of characters share in the narration and are multi-dimensional and thoughtful. Their struggles, including Boone's frantic efforts to make ends meet at home and cover up for his mom's longstanding depression following the death of his abusive dad, are believable and readers will easily empathize with them. The differences in the home lives of each of the main characters are dramatic and their relationships with their families are as interesting as their friendships with one another, making this an insightful and emotionally-resonant read with a heartbreaking conclusion.

Overall Book Score: very good