The Clearing

The Clearing
By Heather Davis
Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. 215 pgs. Young Adult

Amy is looking for a new life--something different from a life where her boyfriend is abusive. So, she moves to a trailer in the middle of nowhere to live with her elderly aunt. Henry, on the other hand, wants things to stay the same--and they have, for over sixty years. Henry's family is stuck in 1944, reliving the same day, over and over. Amy's and Henry's world collide when Amy pass through the thick mist near a clearing on her aunt's property and enters Henry's life. Soon, the pair find themselves falling in love, but each have to face the difficulties of their individual lives as well.

The idea of falling in love across the decades is intriguing, and I liked Henry's side of the story--his desire to protect his family and his fear of the future. Amy, on the other hand, was less appealing to me; while she warrants a certain amount of sympathy because of the abusive ex-boyfriend, there's not much about her that makes her a truly likable character. Also, there's something about the ending that fell flat for me. Still, for those looking for a somewhat supernatural twist without vampire, werewolves, or the like, this could be a fun read.

AE