About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the realization that family history is rarely a straight line and that the people we idolize often have hidden, messy lives. It is a sophisticated choice for older teens who are ready to deconstruct the idea of the perfect family and explore the concept of self-identity outside of parental expectations. Matilda's journey to a reclusive artist colony to meet her estranged father and long-lost brother exposes the tension between the family we imagine and the family that actually exists. The story handles themes of abandonment, artistic obsession, and the search for belonging with a sharp, contemporary lens. Parents will find it a valuable tool for discussing the nuances of truth, the weight of family secrets, and the importance of defining oneself independently of a parent's legacy. While the atmosphere is moody and mysterious, the core focuses on the resilience of siblings finding each other in the wreckage of their parents' choices.
