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Summary
Summary
In this bittersweet romance, two teens living decades apart form a bond that will change their lives forever.
Amy is drawn to the misty, mysterious clearing behind her Aunt Mae's place because it looks like the perfect place to hide from life. A place to block out the pain of her last relationship, to avoid the kids in her new town, to stop dwelling on what her future holds after high school.
Then, she meets a boy lurking in the mist--Henry. Henry is different from any other guy Amy has ever known. And after several meetings in the clearing, she's starting to fall for him.
But Amy is stunned when she finds out just how different Henry really is. Because on his side of the clearing, it's still 1944. By some miracle, Henry and his family are stuck in the past, staving off the tragedy that will strike them in the future. Amy's crossing over to Henry's side brings him more happiness than he's ever known--but her presence also threatens to destroy his safe existence.
In The Clearing, author Heather Davis crafts a tender and poignant tale about falling in love, finding strength, and having the courage to make your own destiny--a perfect book to slip into and hide away for awhile.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Desiring a fresh start, away from an abusive boyfriend, Seattle teen Amy moves to Great-aunt Mae's mobile home in the North Cascade Mountains. There, she discovers a mist-laden clearing promising further escape. Penetrating this seemingly permanent haze, Amy meets and falls in love with Henry Briggs, a World War II teen existing in an endless summer with his mother and grandfather. One terrible night in 1944, fueled by grief and fear, Henry prayed for a miracle and jump-started a summer that never changed-until Amy came along. Stumbling, learning, and healing along the way, a braver Amy, thanks to Henry, Mae, and two new friends, decides to move forward. Taking her cue, Henry is finally able to step toward his own unpredictable future. But what will the future mean for their love? Despite familiar elements, this tender, supernatural romance isn't Twilight (Little, Brown, 2005). It's a compact tale about embracing the future and the life-altering capabilities of love. Henry isn't perfect, but he's genuine, perceptive, and non-domineering. Aunt Mae is an attentive guardian. And Amy is a well-developed protagonist, simultaneously vulnerable and strong, occasionally self-centered, realistically guarded. Chapters alternating between Amy's and Henry's points of view offer a nicely paced plot. While the ending might not be what some readers hope for, it's still satisfying.-Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
For her senior year, Amy decides to move from Seattle to a tiny town in the North Cascades to live in her great-aunt Mae's trailer. Her goal is to escape her self-involved mother and stepfather, shallow circle of friends, and abusive boyfriend. "I needed to be somewhere different. Maybe I needed to be someone different, too," she muses. Fitting in at her new school is a struggle because of her defensiveness; in low spirits, she is drawn to a foggy clearing near Mae's home, which leads to Henry Brigg's family farm-in the summer of 1944. Henry, who lives with his grandfather and frail mother, is a gentleman and the opposite of the boys Amy's been damaged by in the past. Alternating between Amy and Henry's intersecting stories, Davis's (Never Cry Werewolf) second novel has a quiet power; the time travel element gives the story the feel of an old-fashioned romance, with a tinge of melodrama. The tale takes some unexpected turns, providing insights into healing and the weight of destiny along the way. Ages 14-up. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Escaping a destructive relationship with Matt, Amy has moved to her aunt Mae's trailer for her senior year. She finds herself drawn to a dense, ever-present fog in the clearing near the trailer; the mist is a time barrier, and on the other side is 18-year-old Henry Briggs, a farmhouse, and his family, all endlessly reliving the summer of 1944, before a tragedy struck. The star-crossed romance between Amy and Henry is tender and will have special appeal for female fans of the romance in the Twilight books or Judy Blundell's What I Saw and How I Lied (2008). Although the plot can be hard to swallow at times, the vivid setting creates a believable otherworldliness. Some dialogue is forced, but alternating chapters between Amy's first-person voice and Henry's third-person perspective create momentum to move the story forward. Henry's dilemma is especially poignant, and a completely unexpected ending shows that Davis is capable of creating a riveting read that lingers long after the story ends.--Moore, Melissa Copyright 2010 Booklist