: 17-year-old Orphea Proud’s life is turned upside down by the death of her best friend and secret sweetheart Lissa. She pulls her life back together and starts afresh living in her mother’s old town with her two aunts. Orphea explains her background and how she became a poet with a regular gig…and she tells the "audience" right before one of her shows. This reads very true. The background development of Orphea and her family are well-done; you know why she is named Orphea, and why she is living with her older brother…and why she hates living with her older brother. It shows her progression from being terrified of performing in front of an audience to her being able to command the stage with self-assurance. I love the snippets of her poetry at the beginning of the chapters, a very nice touch. Orphea’s struggles to fit in and accept herself for who she is, and getting others to accept her, reads very well. Recommended for 16 or above; some strong language and sexuality issues.
