Zen and Gone

Starred review from May 7, 2018
In this memorable, Zen Buddhist-centric novel, 17-year-old Essa, a native of Boulder, Colo., must care for her little sister, Puck, because their perpetually high-on-marijuana mother refuses to. Oliver, a recent transplant to Boulder, is also close to his younger sister, Lilly, and is grieving over how Lilly’s serious mental illness has affected their relationship and family. Over the course of slow, intense, and reflective alternating chapters, Essa and Oliver meet, fall in love, and face tremendous hardship with the awe-inducing beauty of the Colorado wilderness as a backdrop. France’s prose is dense with ideas and practices related to Zen Buddhism and thoughtful about how these practices apply to Essa’s thoughts and life struggles. France also shows her expertise in camping and survival in the wilderness, as Essa and Oliver become lost in the mountains during a storm and must fight for their lives—and Puck’s. Essa’s struggles with her irresponsible, absentee mother are fierce and poignant, as are Oliver’s in response to his sister’s schizophrenia. This is a beautiful, gentle, contemplative story certain to both fascinate and educate readers about a new way of encountering the world and all the challenges within it. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jennifer Unter, Unter Agency.

May 15, 2018
Needing a break from mounting family stress, 17-year-old Oliver leaves Chicago to spend the summer with his aunt in Boulder and encounters the alluring but distant Essa.As their stoner mother flits from relationship to relationship, Essa is the default caregiver to her sister, the tenacious and gifted 9-year-old Puck. Rather than seeking escape through marijuana as her mother and friends choose, Essa is drawn toward Zen Buddhism and wilderness orienteering. Oliver feels out of place in crunchy Boulder, but he does relate to Essa's sense of responsibility for her sister; his suffers from a severe mental illness. The two bond over this shared understanding, and Essa introduces Oliver to meditation and the challenging mountain survival games she plays with her friends. On one of these expeditions, Puck sneaks along and isn't discovered until the group is too deep to turn back. That night, Puck disappears, and Essa is left in the groundless terror of the unknown, desperately searching for any clues that will lead her to Puck, hopefully still alive. The third-person narration alternates focus between Essa and Oliver in short chapters, making for a fast-paced read. Well-developed, diverse supporting characters surround the white protagonists, contributing insights and struggles that enrich the overall plot. Blending romance, thrills, drama, and philosophy, this novel delivers a strong message about being present with life even when it hurts. (Fiction. 14-18)

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May 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 Two teens face outsize family responsibility in this thoughtful novel about mindfulness and survival. Essa lives in crunchy Boulder, looking out for her younger sister, Puck, while her mom lives in a haze of weed and new boyfriends. Essa allows herself some pleasures?a rigorous Zen Buddhism practice, and weekend orienteering trips with a few coworkers?but ensures she'll always be there for Puck by swearing off drugs, alcohol, and dating. Oliver's mother sent him to Boulder for the summer after an explosive interaction with his schizophrenic sister lands her in a mental hospital. Both teens are wound tightly to their roles as caretakers to their sisters, and this bond, along with an overwhelming attraction, draws them to each other. As Essa's home life begins to unravel and her feelings for Oliver ramp up, Puck hatches a dangerous plan to make herself seen and heard. Puck's behavior and thought process ring true for a nine-year-old girl, and the blame and pressure the two teens continue to place on themselves leads to an ambiguous but hopeful ending.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
Essence's marijuana-shop-worker mother is usually high, leaving Essa in charge of her little sister, Puck. Essa and Puck's lives are forever changed when a mysterious boy from Chicago, Oliver, arrives in Boulder, Colorado. Essa's interest in Zen Buddhism gives her strength once the story veers into wilderness-survival terrain. This story is at once a keep-you-guessing mystery and an affectionate portrait of liberal, outdoorsy Boulder culture.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)