Paul Fisher’s older brother Erik is a star – big in high school football, he dominates wherever they go. Paul, a soccer player, somewhat weedy and bespectacled (because of a mysterious eye issue) is a non-event. When the Fisher’s move to Tangerine, Florida, Paul expects everything to be the same – he’ll be alternately ignored and bullied, and Erik will shine. It’s worse than he expects – thanks to his protective mother’s meddling, Paul’s forbidden to join the soccer team because he’s ‘visually challenged.’ But when an unforseen problem with the school grounds arises, Paul has the option of moving from Lake Windsor Middle High, the well-funded school for wealthy residents, to Tangerine Middle School. Poorly funded, attended by a large non-white population, target of daily lightening strikes and underground fires, Tangerine has a strong, co-ed soccer team. As Paul’s perceptions start to adjust, he learns more about himself, the world and, shockingly, the deep secrets festering in the heart of his family.
This is a strong, compelling novel about secrets, repression and justice, wrapped in a compelling plot with a sympathetic protagonist who grows considerably in the course of the novel. This aspect of the review would be more reviewy if I’d written in shortly after reading Tangerine instead of waiting til the end of year catch up, but it’s now several months later, so all I can give is a general impression – very good. I know, not helpful, and it’s a great book that deserves a more articulate and useful response. - Alex
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