Willow - by Julia Hoban (Paperback)

About the Book

Told in an arresting, fresh voice, "Willow" is an unforgettable novel about one girl's struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy's refusal to give up on her.

Book Synopsis

A young girl's world spirals into darkness and despair after a tragic accident claims the lives of her parents in this emotionally charged young adult novel.

"Lush and intense, tortured and romantic, this is a compelling story with some irresistible elements."--BCCB

"A credible depiction of a grieving girl's struggle toward self-forgiveness."--Publishers Weekly

Seven months ago on a rainy March night, Willow's parents drank too much at dinner and asked her to drive them home. But they never made it--Willow lost control of the car, and both of her parents were killed. Now the only way she knows how to survive and control the pain is by secretly cutting herself. But when Willow meets Guy, a boy as sensitive and complicated as she is, she finds it hard to keep the secret that's written all over her body.

Review Quotes

"Lush and intense, tortured and romantic, this is a compelling story with some wellnigh irresistible elements."--BCCB

"Hoban takes readers on an intense journey that allows them to see a cutter's painful reality."--School Library Journal

"[An] unusual story of first love and redemption."--VOYA

"The stark clarity of the present tense, third-person narration echoes the numbing effect that Willow achieves through cutting . . . a credible depiction of a grieving girl's struggle toward self-forgiveness."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Julia Hoban is a woman of many talents: She writes, designs her own clothes and handbags, and attended graduate school for physics and philosophy. She lives with her husband in New York City, and is working on her next novel (and outfit).