Genre: Young Adult
POV: 1st Person (alternately told by hero & heroine)
Sensuality: Subtle (but there are explicit references to sex which might be an issue for some parents)
Violence: N/A
My Grade: B+
While I thought Perfect Chemistry (2008) by Simone Elkeles was a fun read, my quibble with it was that the characters seemed too perfect. This is certainly not the case in Leaving Paradise, and I found the flawed, troubled teenagers far more compelling because of it.
Seventeen-year-old Caleb Becker has spent the last year in a juvenile detention facility. His crime: a hit-and-run accident while driving drunk. To make matters worse, Caleb’s victim is his neighbour and his twin sister’s best friend, Maggie Armstrong.
Maggie has spent the past year having a series of painful operations and physical therapy. She still bears obvious scars from the accident – both physical and psychological – and walks with a pronounced limp. She is no longer able to play the sports which once defined her, and has gone from being popular to being a social pariah. Her best friend, Leah Becker, no longer speaks to her, and her other friends avoid her. The only ray of hope in Maggie’s life is a scholarship to spend a semester at a school in Spain.
When Caleb is released early on parole, they are obliged to see one another at school. Maggie had hoped to be in Spain by the time Caleb got out, but his early release has scuppered that plan. Maggie is furious at the welcome Caleb receives from his (and her) old friends. It seems to Maggie that Caleb is regarded as the victim and she the villain for causing him to spend a year in jail. Maggie is also aware of the stares from kids she barely knows, and the fact that her former friends choose to ignore her existence. The jocks make jokes about her disability, and Maggie is convinced she’s making no progress in physical therapy.
Caleb, for his part, is angry. He’s just spent a year locked up with psychos and gang members, yet they seemed more humane than his so-called friends and family. Caleb’s father is noticeably absent, his mother is fake cheery, and his twin sister has retreated into herself. His teachers treat him like scum, and he wonders why he bothers showing up to school if they’re determined to fail him on principle. The only teacher who seems to care is his old wrestling coach.
When Caleb is sent to work off his community service hours for an old lady, he’s shocked to discover that Maggie also works for her as a companion/helper. Maggie wants him to leave but her employer, Mrs Reynolds, persuades her to give Caleb a chance. Slowly, Caleb and Maggie find themselves drawn to each other. Eventually, they have to face what really happened the night of the accident.
Leaving Paradise is an emotional rollercoaster. Neither Maggie nor Caleb are particularly likeable at the start of the story. Maggie alternates between denial and feeling sorry for herself. Caleb is angry and struggles to keep his aggression under control. In different ways, they are both struggling to come to terms with the accident and its implications for their respective futures. Maggie avoids their old friends – and they avoid her. Caleb is accepted back into the group, but feels like the people he once regarded as friends have become strangers to him.
The character of Mrs. Reynolds acts as a sort of deus ex machina by consciously bringing Caleb and Maggie together and encouraging their developing friendship. This aspect of the story is unrealistic and a little too pat, but the author pulls it off by making Mrs Reynolds a character to care about.
The conclusion of the book leaves several threads unresolved. However, I felt it ended where it needed to end for the characters at that time. Thankfully, Caleb and Maggie’s story will continue in a sequel called Return to Paradise which is due to be released in September 2010. I definitely want to read it.
For fans of YA novels which pack an emotional punch, I can highly recommend Leaving Paradise.
Another Review of Leaving Paradise:
Stacy’s Place on Earth – 5 out of 5 stars
{ 4 comments }
I so want to read this one. Great review!
I’m so glad you liked this one. I haven’t read it yet, and have decided to wait until the sequel is out so I can blow through both.
@katiebabs: Thanks! I think you’ll like it, especially with a sequel coming soon.
@Angie: I’m relieved the sequel will be out soon as I’m dying to know what happens next.
I’m scared to read this book. It sounds depressing.
Chicken———>
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