While Adam's day is unfolding, another story is also being revealed. A corpse emerges from the lake, followed by a faun (a tall man with goat legs). This corpse is a mix of two souls, Katie (a teenage girl murdered by her drug addict boyfriend) and the Queen of the spirit world. Unfortunately, Katie has latched on to the Queen in hopes of completing a task on Earth, but she only has until sundown that day, or Katie, the Queen and the entire World are doomed. The faun, a faithful servant to the Queen, follows in order to protect, erase memories, and possibly break the connection between the two spirits. The two tales intermingle here and there, but mostly Katie and Adam's stories mirror each other. While one is realistic and the other is fantastic, both are showing the growth of a soul. From learning what home really means, to understanding toxic love, to the weight of expectations, and the truth found in a simple answer given by one you believed you loved. Katie and Adam learn who they are and how much they must break away from people who are hurting them. This was such a well written novel, fast paced and deep. Adam's story reveals the depths of a parents impact on their children. How conditional love can strip a child of their hopes and dreams, can make them think they are not worthy of real love. When a parent's hate or misunderstanding leads to a child feeling lost, unloved and alone. I was so angry at Adam's parents, at how they treated him, at their unjust expectations and unfair judgments. Adam's story is important for showing how to be empathetic, to encourage understanding for those who are different from ourselves, to emphasize loving others in your life without putting stipulations and restrictions on that love. Great line: “They're your parents. They're meant to love you because. Never in spite.” I really enjoyed the intricate details of this novel, the deft way the two stories weaved in and out of each other, the uncertainty of life and love. I was angry for so much of the novel, but by the end I felt that same release that Adam and Katie felt, that letting go, that being yourself and forgiving others for their inadequacies. Life is for loving those who return your love, with no caveats. Loving you for the brave, amazing person you have grown into, in spite of the world placing so much pressure on an individual to fit into an impossibly perfect mould.
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