Mira Banul has lived all her life on the six-mile long, half-mile wide island called Haven, and she’s seen everything. Every kind of storm, every kind of family tragedy. And she and her friends have weathered it all. But when a superstorm devastates Haven, leaving her mom and brother stranded on the mainland, her best friend missing and every home destroyed, Mira has to dig deep inside herself to find the strength to move forward.
This Is the Story of You, the latest from National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart, is a beautiful rendering of a terrifying event. If the novel’s pacing is a little awkward at times—slowing in the middle and rushing through climactic twists—Kephart’s liquid prose drives the story, fueling the reader’s own emotional turmoil and rendering Mira and her friends brave and loyal despite their fear. Kephart’s worldbuilding is meticulous and vivid, with details that make Haven feel like a place out of time.
This smart, poignant novel is an absolute pleasure to read.
This article was originally published in the April 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
