Fierce dialogue, searing honesty, humor and teenage angst fill the pages of Harmon’s Last exit to normal. Set in a small town in Montana, Ben Campbell is thrown into the hard working, yet caring community of Rough Butte, where he finds unexpected love and acceptance from its people.
Ben is determined to shed his rebellious and self-destructive behaviors, despite his anger and resentment towards his gay father and his mother who abandoned him. His “Mom-dad, Edward, shares his biting humor and offers Ben deep friendship and balance to their nontraditional family, while Edward’s mother, Mae, provides the stern discipline and integrity that Ben adopts as his own.
Harmon is able to focus on the essential questions of what makes a family and what constitutes manhood: courage, love, and self-discipline enable Ben to overcome his past immaturity and anger and demonstrate an independence and ethics worthy of Montanan’s pride.
If only all families could have an “Edward” or an “Aunt Mae” to provide the humor and tough love that can defuse most family conflicts. Homophobia, abandonment and child abuse, as social issues and personal experience are difficult to address and discuss; particularly in school settings. However, Harmon deftly discusses these issues through his characters’ innocence and unflinching honesty.
Highly recommended for mature high school students. Visit Michael Harmon's web site for more information.
No comments:
Post a Comment