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OLDER FICTION
Smith, Niki

The Golden Hour

256 pp. | Little | October, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-0-316-54037-7 $24.99 | Paper ISBN 978-0-316-54033-9 $12.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-316-54031-5 $9.99
(2) YA This tenderhearted graphic novel explores the traumatic aftermath of gun violence experienced by a teen, Manuel, who had witnessed his teacher being threatened at gunpoint. On his road to recovery, he slips into panic attacks brought on by dreams, video games, and random images from the scene of the crime. While hanging out at a farm with his friends Caysha and Sebastian to work on a group project for art class, Manuel copes by using photography as a form of therapy; snapshots from his camera phone deliver parts of the visual narrative. Intermittent flashbacks reveal disturbing details from the incident, much like fragmented memories that lie buried until they rise to the surface. Scenic rural landscapes infused with shades of deep blue and rosy pink create a ­calming mood and tone. Vivid panels rendered in black, gray, and white magnify Manuel's increasingly intense disassociating episodes as the plot progresses before ­coming to some resolution and healing. This moving story touches on themes of friendship, ­coping, and self-discovery amidst a haunting experience.
Reviewer: Jerry Dear | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

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