Too Shattered for Mending

Starred review from July 24, 2017
Gavin “Little” McCardell attempts to navigate life in his small Idaho town, but it’s not easy with his dysfunctional family, learning disability, and crush on his imprisoned older brother’s girlfriend, Rowan. It seems as though everyone in town has secrets, including why his grandfather, the infamous Big McCardell, has vanished, and why the cops are so interested in his disappearance. When the sheriff starts blackmailing Little, he has no choice but to seek out his wayward relative, and the answers he uncovers aren’t what anyone expects. Meanwhile, Little grows closer to his classmate Zaylie, only to discover she has her own struggles, and Rowan seems hell-bent on self-destruction. In this gritty, complicated drama, Hoffmeister (This Is the Part Where You Laugh) draws out the harsh realities of living on the edge, and of attempting to stay afloat when things get messy. His characters are complex and authentic, and his subtle, stripped-down writing changes the narrative in startling ways as the story unfolds and more details come to light. Ages 14–up. Agent: Adriann Ranta, Foundry Literary + Media.

Starred review from June 1, 2017
When 16-year-old Little McCardell's grandfather disappears, it is up to him to clean up the mess that's left behind. Hunger, violence, drugs, and hopelessness haunt the citizens of his impoverished Idaho town. But Little is determined to break free from his family's legacy. Desperate to find stronger roots, he even begins learning Spanish in hopes of feeling closer to his estranged Mexican father. He is determined to graduate and find a way to care for his young cousin, but his dyslexia is a constant battle. When an obsessed sheriff's deputy begins asking questions about his grandfather's whereabouts, Little must dig for information or risk becoming entangled in a dangerous world. Drugs, abuse, child pornography, casually crude language, drinking, and rape orient readers to the ample challenges that Little faces. But the unfolding mystery, lyrical language, and empathy for the characters make Hoffmeister's a story worth investing in. Little's determination, passion, and genuine love for the broken people in his life keep this narrative from falling into despair. Short chapters, a sparse setting, and evocative characters combine to create a story that is more than the sum of its parts. Proof that even in the darkness, there can be light. (Fiction. 14-adult)

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July 1, 2018
Little McCardell is treading water in his poverty-stricken rural Idaho hometown; his grandfather is missing, his older brother jailed for domestic abuse, and Little's schoolwork is understandably suffering. Told in short, vignette-like chapters with unadorned poetic language, Little's story is bleak and heartwrenching but quite moving, with an eerie tension slowly building to a surprising conclusion.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from September 1, 2017

Gr 10 Up-Gavin "Little" McCardell is fighting to keep his world from unraveling. Little's older brother JT is serving time in prison, and Rowan, JET's girlfriend, is cozying up to Little. Little's aunt and uncle oscillate between being neglectful and abusive toward his 10-year-old cousin Willa, prompting Little to try to at least keep both of them fed. Finally, when Little's grandfather, "Big" McCardell, disappears without a trace and the local deputy threatens Little with incarceration in an attempt to discover Big's whereabouts, the young man's frayed world threatens to tear apart completely. Hoffmeister's follow-up to This Is the Part Where You Laugh, moves with a slow rhythm. Most chapters average two to three pages, detailing small moments, such as Willa's wise observations, or Rowan's routine visits to Little's trailer home, between longer chapters with bolder consequential events. Little's world becomes tangible over time, as the setting and characters quickly fill with depth and believability. These factors coalesce into a novel with a powerful, and oftentimes profound impact on readers. The work deals with family and abusive relationships, as well as drug use, making this more appropriate for older readers. VERDICT A dark, somber novel with an endearing heart and a captivating protagonist, this excellent title is recommended for libraries with fans of realistic fiction.-Matisse Mozer, County of Los Angeles Public Library

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