Kevin Greczek – Library Journal

Gershow's first novel offers much more than one might initially expect. It's not merely about the emotional struggle awkward teenager Lydia Pasternak must endure after her brother Danny's unexplained disappearance-the story presents a fractured family that contained little love to begin with and now is forced to expose these flaws to a stunned community and hovering local media. At the time he goes missing, Danny is a popular athlete but also a dim-witted, selfish lout who has shunned and mocked his sister as his popularity has grown. Mr. and Mrs. Pasternak ignore brainy, precocious Lydia as they fervently search for their son, and Lydia becomes a sympathetic curiosity who grudgingly accepts the newfound attention. Amid a hurricane of emotions, Lydia too often finds herself feeling numb and bitter more than anything else. The result is a sad, bravely written story that elicits sympathy for the situation rather than any of the characters and demonstrates that not all tragedies have heroes. Heartily recommended for most fiction collections.