Scan barcode
A review by kbranfield
Boomerang by Helene Dunbar
4.0
4.5 stars.
In Boomerang by Helene Dunbar, a runaway teenager returns home in order to collect an inheritance to save his best friend.
Five years earlier, twelve year old Michael Sterling felt like he had choice but to run away from home. His alcoholic mother is neglectful and makes her living dancing in a strip club. He stows away in a builder's truck then reinvents himself as Sean Woodhouse. For the next five years, he lives in seclusion with the Woodhouses where he is homeschooled and befriends neighbor, Trip Marchette. Sean and Trip dream of another life far away from Trip's abusive uncle but they need Sean's trust to make their plans come to fruition. With Trip's situation becoming more precarious, Sean returns home but unexpected complications could ruin the future they envision.
Many surprises await Sean once he is back home. He left without fully realizing how his disappearance would be construed by law enforcement, his mom and the rest of the town. Much has changed in his absence and to his shock, his mom is drastically different. Sean is uncomfortable by his next door neighbor and former friend Jenny Gordon's expectations. And underneath all of his uneasiness about being back in town, Sean is worried about Trip and the things that happened between them right before he returned to his mom.
With his friendship with Jenny on shaky ground, Sean unexpectedly finds companionship with Emery Whitman and her twin brother Rory. Unfortunately for him, Emery knows more about his past than he is comfortable with. Despite his apprehension about what she will do with this knowledge, Sean is drawn to her. His feelings for her are conflicted since he has yet to make sense of his relationship with Trip. Sean and Trip were extremely close friends but there is much more to their relationship than just friendship. This conflict over the true nature of what he shared with Trip is tangled up in his desire to keep his promise to save him from his uncle. Needless to say, Sean is struggling on many fronts as he reintegrates to his former life with his mom while desperately clinging to the one he is reluctant to leave behind.
Boomerang is a captivating young adult novel that is heartfelt and engaging. Sean is an extremely sympathetic protagonist whose struggles are realistic and thought-provoking. The secondary characters are colorful and well-developed. The storyline is multi-layered and quite poignant. Helene Dunbar keeps readers on the edge of the seats about how Sean's story will work out right up until the novel's heartwarming conclusion. An outstanding young adult will appeal to readers of all ages.
In Boomerang by Helene Dunbar, a runaway teenager returns home in order to collect an inheritance to save his best friend.
Five years earlier, twelve year old Michael Sterling felt like he had choice but to run away from home. His alcoholic mother is neglectful and makes her living dancing in a strip club. He stows away in a builder's truck then reinvents himself as Sean Woodhouse. For the next five years, he lives in seclusion with the Woodhouses where he is homeschooled and befriends neighbor, Trip Marchette. Sean and Trip dream of another life far away from Trip's abusive uncle but they need Sean's trust to make their plans come to fruition. With Trip's situation becoming more precarious, Sean returns home but unexpected complications could ruin the future they envision.
Many surprises await Sean once he is back home. He left without fully realizing how his disappearance would be construed by law enforcement, his mom and the rest of the town. Much has changed in his absence and to his shock, his mom is drastically different. Sean is uncomfortable by his next door neighbor and former friend Jenny Gordon's expectations. And underneath all of his uneasiness about being back in town, Sean is worried about Trip and the things that happened between them right before he returned to his mom.
With his friendship with Jenny on shaky ground, Sean unexpectedly finds companionship with Emery Whitman and her twin brother Rory. Unfortunately for him, Emery knows more about his past than he is comfortable with. Despite his apprehension about what she will do with this knowledge, Sean is drawn to her. His feelings for her are conflicted since he has yet to make sense of his relationship with Trip. Sean and Trip were extremely close friends but there is much more to their relationship than just friendship. This conflict over the true nature of what he shared with Trip is tangled up in his desire to keep his promise to save him from his uncle. Needless to say, Sean is struggling on many fronts as he reintegrates to his former life with his mom while desperately clinging to the one he is reluctant to leave behind.
Boomerang is a captivating young adult novel that is heartfelt and engaging. Sean is an extremely sympathetic protagonist whose struggles are realistic and thought-provoking. The secondary characters are colorful and well-developed. The storyline is multi-layered and quite poignant. Helene Dunbar keeps readers on the edge of the seats about how Sean's story will work out right up until the novel's heartwarming conclusion. An outstanding young adult will appeal to readers of all ages.