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YA
Cynthia's mother's alcoholism forces Cynthia's grandparents to assume custody of her beloved three-year-old brother who has Down syndrome. Thirteen-year-old Cynthia starts drinking, but court-ordered AA meetings slowly introduce her to a new life. Hyde's blunt first-person prose captures the anger, grief, and deep humanity of this memorable protagonist. The cast of equally damaged but supportive secondary characters is also noteworthy.