Young Adult Literature without Apology
Amy's assessment of contemporary young adult literature, organized by author and title, censored by noone.
Realistic | Romance | Science Fiction | Historical Fiction | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery
Galloway, Gregory (2005). As Simple As Snow. NY: Putnum Adult. ISBN: 0399152318. 320 pages.
Published, presumably, as an adult title (see press credit), this sleeper novel has been a bit hit with young adults and y.a. librarians. As Simple As Snow is an understated novel with what seems like a simple premise: the unnamed narrator befriends and falls in love with one of his small town's school outsiders, they share a quirky interest in puzzles, numbers stations and Houdini, she disappears and is presumed dead and the narrator tries to figure out if she is still alive. Sounds a little like The Body of Christopher Creed, doesn't it? Galloway's book does owe a debt to Plum-Ucci's earlier novel; however, the two writings are not carbon copies. Filled with quirky trivia and obscure references (though not referred to in an obnoxious way), Galloway's novel is a puzzle, itself. By the end, we, like the narrator, are just as intrigued and compelled to follow the trail of clues woven into the narrative. A related website, with extra information and "clues", is a unique paratextual compliment.The website hosts a short film that accompanies an audio reading of the first pages of the novel. Showing this would be a good means of booktalking the novel, as would a simple read aloud of the same.
