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Guests | October 15, 2009

Michelle Wildgen: IMG A Few Initial and Not-Comprehensive Meditations on Group Novels



I am a sucker for a book about a group. What reminded me of this was Joanna Smith Rakoff's A Fortunate Age, her homage to Mary McCarthy's endlessly re-readable... Continue »

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Lock and Key

by Sarah Dessen

Lock and Key Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

"Ruby, where is your mother?"

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.

That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future — it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

Bestselling author Sarah Dessen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.

Review:

"Dessen (Just Listen) inverts a familiar fairy tale: What if Cinderella got the prince, the castle and all its accoutrements, but wasn't remotely interested? After her mother abandons her, Ruby Cooper is flying below the radar of officialdom and trying to make it to her 18th birthday, when she's busted by the landlord and turned over to social services. Ruby is taken in by her estranged sister, Cora, who left for college a decade earlier and never looked back, and Cora's husband, Jamie, the wealthy founder of a popular social networking site. Resentful, suspicious and vulnerable, Ruby resists mightily, refusing the risky business of depending on anybody but herself, and wearing the key to her old house around her neck. All the Dessen trademarks are here — the swoon-worthy boy next door who is not what he appears to be, and the supporting characters who force Ruby to rethink her cynical worldview, among them the frazzled owner of a jewelry kiosk at the mall. The author again defines characters primarily through dialogue, and although Ruby and her love interest, Nate, sound wiser than their years, they talk the way teens might want to — from the heart. A must for Dessen fans, this will win her new readers, too. Ages 12-up." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"[T]he in-depth exploration of issues of family, trust, and responsibility gives readers plenty to chew on, and the complex, deeply sympathetic characters are pure pleasure to spend time with." Horn Book Magazine

Review:

"The characters are real and relatable. This new book is Dessen's best since This Lullaby and it will captivate all readers." VOYA

Review:

"The author's feel for setting is as uncanny as ever, and Ruby's descriptions of the homogenous nouveau riche Anytown are sharp, clever, and honest....Recommended." School Library Journal

Review:

"[A] quiet, moving dramatic family story such as we expect from Sarah Dessen, one of the fine authors of YA fiction....Thoughtful readers who like slowly unfolding family sagas will want to read this latest work by Dessen." KLIATT

Review:

"Despite the uneven narrative, Dessen's writing can be beautiful, and her story is involving." — Booklist

Review:

"Dessen's tone...is invitingly non-threatening and will reward patient readers." Kirkus Reviews

Synopsis:

The New York Times bestselling author of Just Listen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.

Video

About the Author

Sarah Dessen is the author of seven previous novels for young adults, including the New York Times bestseller Just Listen. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
BellaEzrebetFang, June 18, 2008 (view all comments by BellaEzrebetFang)
I need to read it!!!
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(6 of 12 readers found this comment helpful)
hannibal892003, April 24, 2008 (view all comments by hannibal892003)
I really enjoyed this book! Sarah takes you into the world of a troubled girl fighting her way to be a trusting young woman. It was a wonderful book!!!
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(7 of 13 readers found this comment helpful)
brittani, April 20, 2008 (view all comments by brittani)
Written in the style that Dessen's readers have long enjoyed, "Lock & Key" is an honest and breathtaking book. From Ruby's mom disappearance to the emotional end, this book is one of Dessen's best to date. A must read for any age!
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(7 of 13 readers found this comment helpful)
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780670010882
Author:
Dessen, Sarah
Publisher:
Viking Children's Books
Subject:
Family
Subject:
Interpersonal Relations
Subject:
Girls & Women
Subject:
Social Issues - General
Subject:
Family - General
Copyright:
Publication Date:
May 2008
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
Young adult
Language:
English
Pages:
422
Dimensions:
854x577x133 114
Age Level:
08-12

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