“Rich and robust, this expertly crafted sci fi/dystopian novel will have you turning pages until the very end.“

Kally, aka the human antenna, sensed it coming. Planet Earth was shifting under her feet. So was her family. But she never imagined that their tipping points would let go this soon—and this fast. Now, Kally and her father are sheltering in place with strangers on an isolated island in the Gulf of Maine. As each world-busting wave of change rocks their tiny enclave, she fears she will never have the chance to realize her dreams. In her urgent search for bearings, Kally discovers a surprising ally in Stuart, a champion freerunner who believes he can vault and pivot beyond anything that gets in his way. But, as they pool their skills, they soon realize: no map exists for what they and the earth are becoming. Setting out to find her way in the heaving future, Kally dares to steer by the only pole star she has left–-
her intuition-fueled creativity.

“Trust nothing you thought you knew. Expect only the unexpected.”

That adage ably sums up this wonderfully rich and inventive Young Adult novel.

It’s summer off the coast of Maine. Kally and her father David, an emergency management professional, are sailing aboard Home, their stalwart vessel of many memoires. The weather forecast says “perfect.” An artist, Kally is trying to figure out her figure and is about to begin her college tour. Dad is about to tell Kally Something Important – Something Big – when Home is hit by a titanic rogue wave and capsizes. Kally and her father are rescued by the Hart family. They’re enjoying a vacation on a nearby lighthouse island before plunging into the fall season.

It’s not long before Kally starts feeling she’s in a “summer Disney movie going very, very wrong.” Did a freak storm bring Kally and her dad to the island – or is something else going on? What is making that “sound-feeling”? Are Kally’s drawings “abstract art” or something else?

“All the falling apart of what used to be real? All the erupting of new facts of existence that never before existed on Earth? It all starts now.”

Then the families are hit by three whacked out weather seasons in one night. Then a swarm of “ghost birds.” St. Elmo’s fire. A Home-wrecking downburst. A ferocious whirlwind that knocks out all power and satellite service on the island and thrashes the entire East Coast. Enter “family-busting secrets.” A missing mother – Kally’s. Foothold and handholds. Freezing-tagging. A bellowing foghorn. Wayfinding. A “human antenna.” And Stuart Hart, a champion freerunner and surprising ally who dreams of becoming a NASA flight controller.

What in the world is going on?

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this book at first. Turning pages, however, I discovered a highly engaging blend of dystopian fiction, futuristic sci fi and “family forever.”

Featuring rich, full-bodied characters and robust writing, Solid, Broken, Changing is a page turner from chapter one. (That’s a really unfortunate title. A story as solid as this one deserves something better.) Nimble, agile, and briskly paced, Solid is an expertly crafted story that’s highly readable. It’s an exceptional achievement, especially for a first-time Young Adult novel.

Readers looking for something fresh and new in the YA genre will enjoy Solid, Broken, Changing. This one’s a winner!

Kristine L., Reedsy Discovery