I walked by our YA display this morning and saw Golden, a book I read (and enjoyed) a few weeks ago. With its appealing cover and the Robert Frost tagline “Nothing gold can stay”, as well as a slew of praise from well-known authors on the back, I couldn’t resist sharing my enthusiasm about it with our readers. This is the kind of book that is layered, smart, emotional and really rewarding.
Parker Frost has always been the best at everything, happily pushed to excellence by her overbearing and controlling mother. She doesn’t have much of a social life, has never had a boyfriend and always does what is expected of her. All that changes when she stumbles across town legend Julianna Farnetti’s senior year journal. It’s been ten years since Julianna and her boyfriend, Shane, crashed their car into a river while driving in a snow storm, and the town has never forgotten this golden couple. And now Parker has the journal of the almost mythic figure, this beautiful and talented girl whose potential was cut short because of a tragic accident.
Before Parker can talk herself out of it, she takes Julianna’s journal and starts to read it. She can’t explain why she is drawn to one-half of the golden couple, but she can’t help herself. By reading through the journal, Parker starts to think about her own life and asks herself questions she never took the time to ask, questions about what she wants out of her own life. While Parker is going through the journal, she also discovers something shocking: Julianna and Shane were not the perfect couple. This revelation leads Parker on a journey with unexpected results.
Nested stories have a way of hooking me, and this one was no exception. I really enjoyed reading about Parker and Julianna, and Parker’s growth as a result of reading the journal is compelling and realistic. Parker is first shocked to find that Julianna, who has lived in town memory as a happy girl in a perfect couple, felt trapped by her circumstances. Reading about Julianna’s struggles helps Parker find her own way and her own resistance.
There is a hint of a love story in the novel, but this book is primarily about self-discovery and figuring who you are, which can sometimes be painful . Kirby’s novel is smart and fast-paced, particularly for a character-driven novel. The main characters, from Parker to Kat, Parker’s rebellious best friend, to Julianna herself, are really compelling. I have to agree with author Sonya Sones, who said that Golden is “deliciously addictive” and “will keep you up way past your bedtime”.
Happy reading!
-Valerie
CSL Children's Department Blog 