This novel, Almond’s first, follows plenty of acclaimed story collections and works of nonfiction. He’s opted to make use of the largest potential canvas, incorporating a various solid of characters and a bunch of weighty themes. The ensuing novel is extremely formidable whereas additionally that includes some surprising touches—scorpion biology and Nancy Reagan each play vital roles. The majority of the novel is about in California in 1981. Lorena Saenz, age 13, is partnered with classmate Jenny Stallworth for a science honest venture. Lorena is the daughter of an undocumented mom and comes from a working-class background; Jenny’s household, against this, is rich. Extra ominously, Jenny’s father, Marcus—a scientist and tutorial with an curiosity in scorpions—develops an attraction to Lorena. Almond summons loads of stress from the query of whether or not or not Marcus will do one thing terrible—proper up till the purpose when he vanishes underneath mysterious circumstances and Lorena’s older brother, Tony, turns into a suspect in his disappearance. It’s at this level that Pedro Guerrero, one of many cops investigating the case, enters the narrative, increasing its scope past the 2 households of the early chapters. Almond is grappling with a whole lot of weighty themes: Class disparities, sexual abuse, corrupt policing, immigration, and the trendy Republican Social gathering (together with a few references to the Romney household) all play vital elements right here. However whereas the large-scale tragedy that performs out is thought-provoking, the novel’s stranger digressions—like glowing scorpions—are what endure.
