Along the Indigo by Elsie Chapman - OPTIONAL

Along the Indigo by Elsie Chapman, 383 pages. Amulet Books, 2018. $18                    

Language: PG-13(27 swears, 0 “f”); Content: PG (sexual innuendo); Violence: PG-13 (Suicides, murder, and talk of how each murder/suicide was done)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Marsden's family inherited the covert (a piece of land by the Indigo River that is cursed) a place where many towns people go to commit suicide. Marsden scans the covert daily for bodies so she can steal the money off of the bodies and then report the suicide to the police. Marsden, her mom, and her little sister, Wynn, live in the small town of Glory,  in the towns boardinghouse where her mom is a housekeeper by day and a prostitute by night. Marsden is coming of age and Nina wants Marsden to work for her;, but Marsden wants to take Wynn and leave the boardinghouse. Jude's brother committed suicide in the covert and Marsden befriends him. They begin to fall in love but can Marsden keep all her secrets from Jude?         

This is a story about healing and how each character overcomes death and trials in their life. I did enjoy the romance between Marsden and Jude. It is sweet and simple but also helps each other heal with drastic life altering events. Glory is such a small town it was hard for me wrap my head around all suicides, the brothel being ran, and all the evil doings  the cops seemed to turn a blind eye to. However, the innocence of Jude and of Wynn make you still believe in humanity in the world. 

Reviewer: T.S. Library Teacher