A series of earthquakes exposes the fault lines in a teenager’s unconventional life in a powerful crossover novel that explores raw emotion with wit and warmth.
After the deadly 2011 earthquakes in Christ Church, New Zealand, Eddy Smallbone must navigate the ruins of his hometown along with the ruins of his personal life. A Catholic-school dropout itching to break free of the eccentric uncle who raised him and newly mourning the death of his dog, Eddy starts his own dog-walking and pet-sitting business. Through his work, he meets and cares for an extraordinary cast of characters, including a precocious seven-year-old girl and a nun and her unruly parrot. Meanwhile, Eddy’s former girlfriend, Boo, is back, and their relationship fraught, to say the least. And his best friend, Thomas Moore, who lives in a cabin behind his parents’ house, is suffering from a mysterious and devastating illness. Layered and resonant, intellectually rigorous, and as soothing as it is shocking, this sophisticated literary novel for mature teens plumbs the depths of trauma and healing. With its sensitive take on important issues—including grief and faith, unplanned pregnancy, and mental illness and self-harm—Eddy’s story will speak volumes to adult readers also.