Eppes, Cindy. South of reason, a novel

Kliatt, May, 2003 by Claire Rosser

Pocket Books, Washington Square Press. 278p. c2002. 0-7434-3973-2. $13.00. SA

This is basically the story of adults who are making terrible choices, as narrated by the young teenage daughter Kayla. It happens in the South, in the past (a central character has been killed recently in the Vietnam War). Kayla's family moves back to the hometown where the parents grew up, next door to a single morn with a son about Kayla's age. Kayla's mother is acting rather strange, in some weird competition with this woman next door. Secrets of the past slowly come forth, and all lives are changed forever. It turns out that Kayla's father is also the father of the boy next door, and perhaps her father is still in love with this boy's mother. Kayla's family falls apart and she watches it happen, not really understanding the passions because she is just too immature.

YAs who are drawn to family dramas, especially those in the South, will also like this one. It doesn't have the pathos of Ellen Foster, for instance, because Kayla is one step removed from the main emotional drama, but it is a beautifully written family story, which will have an audience.