Brooks' characters never lose their dignity as they move through a difficult period during their transition from young adulthood to adulthood. While there are humorous moments (a drunken Peter announcing that Serena is a goddess and he a sad Adonis), it is never at the expense of young characters. There is great compassion here; as Brooks notes in Quill and Quire, "you're really up against it at that age." She feels it is very important to offer hope in literature for young adults.

The process of building identity is a crucial one for the young adult. Here, Brooks shows that we are connected to our heritage and to our environment, yet we also have a responsibility to learn how to tell our own stories, and to reach out to others.

Many of Alex's and Lonny's concerns transcend cultural difference: the process of maturation, the desire to...