Books: Lark

Author:  Tracey Porter

Age Level:  12+

Pages: 180

Overview:

After sixteen year old Lark is kidnapped, raped, and left to die, her friends Nyetta and Eve struggle to cope with the loss of their friend and problems in their own lives.

Nyetta is haunted by Lark’s ghost who needs her help while she also struggles with her parents’ divorce.  Eve faces guilt over her recent falling out with Lark while struggling with being molested by her coach.  Although dead, Lark explains what happened to her while longing to be freed from the realm she is stuck in.  If she is not helped, then Lark will forever be imprisoned in a tree like all murdered girls. Each girl’s story is slowly revealed as the chapters switch perspective between the three. 

Why Lark and all murdered girls become trees is never explained, and the three main characters have distinct personalities but remain static throughout the story.

Some students, especially those struggling with men in their lives (a father moving out [Nyetta], being molested [Eve], and in the extreme case being murdered [Lark]) might find this book enjoyable.  The tree angle brings another perspective on death not seen before which could be seen as interesting or just odd.  While hearing from the person who was murdered is intriguing, overall the book seemed somewhat flat to me.