Tilt

Tilt

YA fiction
In Triangles Ellen Hopkins brought us into the lives and crises
of three women whose lives are intimately intertwined. Of course,
since all had children, this novel provided intriguing glimpses of
these fascinating young people. I know I'm not the only reader who
wanted to get to know the next generation better. Fortunately in Tilt
Hopkins depicts that same time period from the perspectives of three
of the offspring.
Mikayla is the daughter of Holly, the stay-at-home mom who is
acting on her newfound restlessness in ways that aren't always
conducive to family wellbeing. After months of largely covert
romance, about to start her high school senior year, she discovers
that she's pregnant. Her baby daddy who she adores has no intention
whatsoever of parenting. She has to choose between him and the baby.
Meanwhile she is perplexed by her mother's behavior which involves
more staying out late and coming home wasted.
"Do I worry about her? Definately.
Will I discuss it with her? No freaking
way. Because she's my mother, forty

years old and able to make decisions
For herself. But I really have to
wonder.
Why hasn't my father noticed?"
Shane, Marissa's son, is hoping to get a car for his sixteenth
birthday. He needs to sometimes get out of his house, away from the
stink of reek of dirty diapers and rubbing hall, away from the
inexorable downward spiral of his four-year-old sister who will never
walk or sit on her own.
"...the most vicious thing of all about
spinal
muscular atrophy is the disease lets her
think.

Lets her feel. Lets her attempt
communication...
Trapped inside that useless body is a
beautiful spirit."
As if that isn't enough to cope with, he is the gay son of a very
homophobic father. And the love of his life is HIV positive.
Harley, Andrea's only child, is in a state of transition. Her
rarely seen father is moving back into her nieghborhood and life,
complete with a girlfriend and her handsome son. She's a late bloomer
who gets caught up in dangerous situations when she tries to catch up
with her peers.
Although Triangles is pegged adult and Tilt YA and either could be
read as a stand alone, I would not recommend that. Anyone who is
mature enough to handle Tilt can go a baby step further. And I can't
see anyone who gets caught up in Triangles not wanting to view that
period of time from another perspective. I'd say whichever volume you
start with, you're in for the literary equivalent of dark chocolate
with caramel and sea salt.
On a personal note, my birthday got turned into an over a week long
celebration this year. Friday the 18th I went out to lunch at Family
Dog (my favorite restaurant) with Amber, Brian, and Adam. Monday the
21st, the actual day, I had cake with my Rainbow Resource Room chums.
The next day I had cake with my writing class. Then Sunday the 26th
was the family party up to Winterport. Katie came up from Portland.
It was wonderful to see her. I got to meet her boyfriend for the
first time. :)
Who could ask for more?
A great big shout out and thanks go out to all who made my birthday so
special this year.
Julia Emily Hathaway



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