  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 05/01/2019 *Starred Review* Ollie's parents are artists. Her mother is an innovative sculptor; her father, along with his friend and partner, Apollo, does meticulous restoration work. But to Ollie's distress, neither of them are present at the moment. Her father has disappeared, perhaps to France with his new girlfriend, on some obscure mission. Her mother, as she did once before, has taken to her bed, too depressed to eat, wash, or focus on her daughter's worries. That leaves Ollie, an artist in her own right, free to roam a pregentrified Manhattan Soho with friends Alex and Richard, seeking clues to her father's whereabouts. The story isn't much of a mystery in the traditional sense. By the time readers discover what's happened to him, key elements about his disappearance are almost forgotten. As Ollie herself notes about mysteries, the clues in books are all tidy arrows pointing toward a logical conclusion. But not in meandering reality. What this is, however, is a brilliant mediation on the artistic life, the way shapes and color infuse perception, how concentration can lead to illumination, and how creation is a gift available to all in myriad forms. These messages don't present heavily, they shimmer, mostly because Tucker's writing is exquisite and as precise as brushstroke. A remarkable debut. - Copyright 2019 Booklist. School Library Journal - 04/01/2019 Gr 6–8—Olympia is a 12-year-old living in New York with her artist parents when her father suddenly leaves their family for France. After her father leaves, her mother spirals into a deep depression and never leaves her bed. Upon his departure, her father leaves her a secret note, and Olympia, with her friends Richard and Alex, must solve the mystery of why her father has disappeared so suddenly, and who is he running from—and running to. This book covers tough topics such as depression, a parent leaving the family for unknown reasons, the complexities of adult relationships, and more. The aspect of the art mystery gives the story a lighter tone to complement the dark happenings in Olympia's personal life and family. VERDICT A strong selection for any middle school child whose parent may have left, and a great way to spark a difficult discussion between parents and children.—Maeve Dodds, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, NC - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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