Laura Wiess’ Leftovers tells the intense story of two 9th grade best friends from the perspective of each. Blair is an only child from a rich family, consisting of a career obsessed mother and a cheating father. Both parents are very absent from their daughter’s life. Blair begins to drift after her parents lie about putting her dog Wendy to sleep. Blair’s mother, always concerned with appearances, often tries to set her daughter up with “good” boys to advance her own career and does not approve of her best friend Ardith. Meanwhile, Ardith’s parents have created a party house of their home. Thus, while Blair's life is closely controlled, Ardith has too much freedom. Her mother and father will allow her brother and his underage friends to drink and party in their home, even joining in. While she could do anything she wanted, Ardith is looked down on by her family for being a good student, not partying, and having dreams for a bright future. Ardith feels so unsafe in her home, particularly around her brother’s friends, that she padlocks her bedroom door. Together, Blair and Ardith deal with feeling unwanted and unloved, boys and abuse, and much more. Throughout the book, they strive to make the reader understand their horrible and shocking secret. Though they come from different backgrounds, the reader sees how the girls become almost co-dependent, ultimately even partners in crime.
No comments:
Post a Comment