North Fork

by Wayne M. Johnston

Dreams of escape from her privileged but empty life are only fantasies until Kristen finds a Canadian birth certificate under her mother's jewelry box. Kristen has no memories of her early childhood or her biological father. Her stepdad controls her secretive mother, and Kristen cuts on herself. Even her best friend, Natalie, doesn't know she is haunted by thoughts of suicide. The questions raised by the birth certificate are so unsettling that Kristen decides to run away. Corey was alone the night that Kristen ran away. He has a past and he is known as a trouble maker. He is blamed by both the authorities and kids in school for having murdered Kristen, though her body has not been found. Even his mother believes he is guilty. Natalie, who has her own reasons to despise Corey, grieves for Kristen and also blames Corey. But Kristen has crossed into Canada and is making a new life for herself, unaware what is happening in her absence back in Washington state. She finds a kind of peace she's never experienced, until what started as an innocent relationship with an older man becomes dangerous. Now, stalked by a real predator, she must decide whether to stay and resolve her new problem or return home and confront her former life. The three main characters tell their stories separately as first-person written responses to an English class assignment to keep a personal journal. Each struggles to face life with integrity while entangled in a web of difficult situations. To triumph, each must confront the challenge of forgiveness.

210 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2016

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this, even though it was written for teens, because it was written about the town I just moved to. So it was interesting to me for the local history and culture it presented.

I had a little trouble appreciating how upset Kristen was about her perfect life, and why she didn't just ask her mother about her birth certificate when she first discovered it. But since, like the author, I was a high school teacher for many years, and long ago I was a teen, I know how overwrought teens can become over things that wouldn't ruffle an adult very much.

The best message in the book was to think more carefully about what we do and don't do because our actions can very seriously affect other people.

[Judy Frabotta · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good read -- mostly interesting to me because it is partly set in Victoria and partly in northernmost Washington state, so very familiar locale.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johnston creates believable characters in this compelling story that actually takes place around where I grew up. Not only does he get what small towns are like, but he gets what it's like for teenagers in a small town, specifically this area in Skagit Valley. These particular teens have challenging home lives, which can often be hidden or mislabeled. I was reminded of the pitfalls of a small town: everyone thinks they know everything about you and it's hard to change how you people perceive you. I am a sucker for novels with multiple perspectives and, again, Johnston manages to do this very well. He must have really been paying attention those years he was parenting teens and teaching teens. I definitely recommend this book.