[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Cayenne and Saffron lost their mother 14 years ago when they were 4 and 3 respectively. Since then, they’ve lived with their Aunt Tina and her family. Cayenne is about to finish high school, but she has no plans beyond that. It’s hard to be excited about your future when you know you are going to die early like every other woman in your family.
Cayenne and her boyfriend are adrenaline junkies, train jumping and cliff diving for thrills. Cayenne especially is looking for ways to feel “alive.” In her grief, she has even imagined a personification of death who feels like she is always lurking, coming for Cayenne one of these days.
Cayenne’s mom left some videos for the sisters to watch together before Cayenne graduates as a way for them to know her and for her to communicate some things to them as they become adults. Cayenne initially wants no part of them.
But when the girls’ aunt announces she has the BRCA gene and plans to have a preventative mastectomy, Cayenne is forced to face her fears about the family “curse” and the potential fate of the women she loves most.
Review
This is a realistic look at how people might respond to the weight of cancer risk. Cayenne believes the family history means she is going to die anyway, so she takes tremendous risks like she is daring Death. Saffron’s loss has left her afraid of losing someone else. And Aunt Tina is willing to do whatever it takes to reduce her risks in order to have as many healthy years with her family as possible. All of this felt realistic, and it all wove together so well.
Cayenne is the point-of-view character, so she’s the one we get to see grow the most. And her arc is tremendously satisfying. But the videos from their mom and their aunt’s genetic risk impact both of the girls over the course of the book. While Cayenne’s story is more dramatic, I preferred Saffron’s. I connected more with her character and her ways of coping. But the whole book is really well done.
I highly recommend this one for readers who want an emotional punch in their stories as well as readers who want to explore a story with a medical risk like cancer or grief and loss issues. This is a well-crafted story with tons to think about! (References to sex)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥ – Great!