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From renowned author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr comes a deep, nuanced, and gorgeously written story about the complex relationship between two sisters from a broken home.
Gem has never known what it is to have security. She's never known an adult she can truly rely on. But the one constant in her life has been Dixie. Gem grew up taking care of her sister when no one else could: not their mother, whose issues make it hard for her to keep food on the table, and definitely not their father, whose intermittent presence is the only thing worse than his frequent absence. Even as Gem and Dixie have grown apart, they've always had each other.
When their dad returns home for the first time in years and tries to insert himself back into their lives, Gem finds herself with an unexpected opportunity: three days with Dixie - on their own in Seattle and beyond. But this short trip soon becomes something more, as Gem discovers that that to save herself, she may have to sever the one bond she's tried so hard to keep.
"Starred Review. "With a vivid, well-rounded cast of characters, including the adults, and a poignant portrayal of family dynamics, Zarr's frank, resonant story is both bittersweet and triumphant." - Booklist
"Starred Review. A poignant and smart family drama with broad appeal." - Kirkus
"Starred Review. Readers' hearts will ache for Gem , who so desperately wants to follow a different path than her parents, as she tries to carve out a better life for herself and her sister. Ages 14–up." - Publishers Weekly
"A thoughtful work that will resonate with Zarr's many fans and those who appreciate contemplative, character-driven novels." - School Library Journal
"A story that broke my heart and put it back together again. You won't want to let Gem and Dixie go." - Sarah Dessen, New York Times bestselling author of Saint Anything
This information about Gem & Dixie was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Photo: Jeffrey Overstreet
Sara Zarr is the acclaimed author of five novels for young adults, most recently The Lucy Variations. Her sixth, a collaborative novel with Tara Altebrando, came out December 2013. She's a National Book Award finalist and two-time Utah Book Award winner. Her books have been variously named to annual best books lists of the American Library Association, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, the Guardian, the International Reading Association, the New York Public Library and Los Angeles Public Library, and have been translated into many languages. In 2010, she served as a judge for the National Book Award.
She has written essays and creative nonfiction for Image, Hunger Mountain online, and Response as well as for several anthologies, and has been a regular contributor ...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to Sara Zarr's Website
Name Pronunciation
Sara Zarr: Sarah Zarr (rhymes with car)
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