Under the Fading Sky

by Cynthia Kadohata

A teen boy thinks his vaping habit is harmless until it becomes a crippling addiction of nightmarish dimensions in this searing young adult novel from Newbery and National Book Award winner Cynthia Kadohata.

Sixteen-year-old Elijah is pretty damn sick of his parents always being on his case about vaping. It’s not like he’s shooting up or knocking back pills. Until something changes, so slowly Jacob isn’t even aware it’s happening. Instead of vaping every now and then when he wants to, he’s vaping all the time because he has to.

And soon, Elijah and his friends need even more than vaping and are stumbling their way into the sprawling drug culture of Southern California, where girls sell pictures of themselves for vape and pill money, and the dealers are cutthroat. The more desperate the teens become, the more money they need. And to get that money they’re being blackmailed into an impossible choice—and an end you won’t see coming.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Addiction, Fiction, Novels

352 pages, Hardcover

Published April 22, 2025

About the author

Cynthia Kadohata is a Japanese American writer known for her insightful coming-of-age stories about Asian American women. Her first published short story appeared in The New Yorker in 1986. As she spent her early childhood in the American South, the author set both her first adult novel and her first novel for children in Southern states. The former became a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and the latter--her first children's book, entitled Kira-Kira--won the 2005 Newbery Medal.

Reviews

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 3.25 stars ✰

“But later you’ll learn for reals and seriously how your family can’t live your life for you. You gotta do that yourself. When you screw up, it’s all you.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The blurb to Under the Fading Sky doesn't nearly cover enough what, in fact, Cynthia Kadohata's latest YA novel tackled.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The impression that I got from the writing was that vaping and getting involved with drugs was all due to the impossible stress level imposed upon these young children from their parent's expectations of what they hoped they'd achieve in their lives. 😔 The crippling truth of living up to that potential is what draws them into sinking into a life of haze and drugs; the seedy underbelly of doing whatever means necessary to attain that high - simply to overcome the high of fulfilling an unspoken dream. And that is unnerving to see how sixteen-year-old Elijah Jensen and his 'friends' felt this compulsion of disregarding their parents, just as his life slowly starts falling apart, without any real means for doing so.

“What I mean to say is, once you’ve met a demon, you realize just about nobody you know truly lives in reality—they have no idea of the really bad stuff that’s out there.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The opening was a gripping hook; one that immediately allows it to sink in just how drastic and dire Elijah has sunk in his desperation for the fix; be it his unfavorable crowd or the inner wasting away of his own moral compass, it paints the sordid picture of what is to come for these young people, if someone does not step forward to protect them, if not help them, perhaps even save them. 😢 And then the narrative shifts to give us a little introspection into Elijah's background; his upbringing and his family history that sheds some light on how being a hapa - half-white, half-Asian - in an American society enriched with the desire of attaining the American dream is what also staves off one's own dreams.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ It's that shroud of history that gives way to the reason why Elijah is tempted by an addiction that somehow - washes his troubles away. As the story progresses, we get inundated with occasional outbursts and violent urges, before the realization hits him and not only his parents that he does in fact need help. But, continuously hanging out with the same bad company, while also hoping to get the therapeutic aid to heal that part of him that is drawn to an unhealthy outlet - it is a clash that narrows down on the thoughts that drive a specific group to behave so uncharacteristically.

“Not angry at all, just more determined to help you. You could see the same thing in all their faces. They were gonna see this thing through. They were gonna save your life or die trying.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ It is the part I was most troubled with. 🙎🏻‍♀️ The author does highlight how negative the impact is of drug usage; how so many teens nowadays are thrust in a state of approval - mostly from their parents' side - that leads them down the wrong path - 'because your whole life now depends on this box they built for you.' It's almost as if the finger is being pointed to the parents for their expectations for a good future for their kids, that these very kids end up so damaged and broken. But, at the same time, I argue - that if these parents had a stronger hold on their kids, could they not have been there for them, when they needed it? For Elijah’s family loved him; they cared for him deeply, and it saddened me how even a life that gives him all the happiness can have him derail on such a negative course. 😟

“It was like all was right with the world—every single thing—and all was wrong with the world, at the EXACT SAME TIME. It was enough to tear you in.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ It becomes an argument of two enemies - money to desperately quench the need for that fix, and the harsh and grim sentiment against one's' parents for having them end up in this state. Elijah's narration is one that is very much akin to a teen who is trying to see both sides of the coin, but still having difficulty choosing which side he wants to belong to. The obstacles he faces on the wrong side, somehow, outweigh the positive feeling of hope from the good side - yet, the mind has not yet figured it out yet. It takes a heavy blow and toll before it finally tips him over the edge, to make a conscious choice of change - before it is too late for him.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I liked how the author captured the intensity of the addiction; how it cripples all sense of thought and reason, clouds one’s judgment and sends Elijah on a spiral of bad decisions. ’But what the demons do when they touch you is they take away the wonderful world inside you.’ 😥 It was jarring and scary to see how far off the bend these kids would go; the frantic impulse to perform acts of such corruption, indecency, and absolute horror - it reminded me of a past crime that occurred in the States, which was shocking at how the abuse of the mind can lead to such a horrible train of thought – without any basis to it. The end result was not as shocking to me, but the build-up to it between Elijah and Lee was a heartbreaking one. As a reader, you see the signs, and your heart - just knows. 😞

“In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.” — the Greek poet Aeschylus

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ My issues lie mostly with Elijah's meandering and rather chaotic train of thought - even before the vaping takes over. Maybe, it is a way to show his teenage personality, but sometimes, it was hard to keep up and stay focused. The ending was unresolved in a certain character's final endgame which I felt was wrong for them not to get their comeuppance. 🙁 Another point that bothered me was this felt like a very angry statement towards not only parents, but the United States. The burning anger and resentment of being failed by what they believed to be rightfully theirs without working for it.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The mockery of therapy being an unhelpful way of guiding them to the right path, the ineffective ways of treating rehab, the scorn towards even admitting there is a problem with their behavior. As much as the part of Elijah being a history buff - by no means of his own choice - to mention how society has fed the youth with the ideal dream of following a path laid out by the parents - a specific guideline which they expect their children to achieve - as the cause of their own downfall - was something I felt was more of the purpose and emphasis of the book, rather than the consequences of substance abuse and drug consumption. 😕

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ If anything, this serves very well as a cautionary tale with an important message - be not afraid of being a family. For speaking up, even when you know it may hurt. One which, at times, felt it was catering to only a specific class of people, but one that is pivotal for all parents and children to adhere to, to prevent a lifetime of regret and loss. 🥺 The rage and disgruntlement of how society and parents have failed the child seems to be the root of the problem, rather than the drug; and that requires a lot of communication and love to prevent that from happening. 'I guess I was trying to protect you from the parts that suck.' For the child to realize and believe that the parent is not the enemy - here; everything they ever want - even the better future - came from a place of love. The gratifying take-away is that Elijah realized, even if too late, but just early enough, to set himself on the right course. 🙏🏻

*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[this_eel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Award-winning author Cynthia Kadohata doesn’t quite knock anything out of the park with this story of teen addiction. Elijah--a bright, history-obsessed teenager who develops a devastating addiction to vaping and pills--features moments of love and hope, especially around Elijah's adorable, balance bike riding baby brother. His family is moderately interesting, even as he catastrophically fails to give them his best. Most of the book is heavy going, a long and dull trudge through Elijah's drug-induced emotional and mental detachment, his corroded social life, his often ungenerous perspectives on the people around him (especially his parents for being parents, and trans kids for being trans), his deep frustrations and cynicism around the rehab industrial complex, and many of the violent possible outcomes of a life controlled completely by addiction. Elijah is a challenging character, not merely because of his addiction and its consequences, but because of clearly-drawn flaws that precede any substance use. Not that many books for children are confident enough to make their protagonists so difficult to root for, but Kadohata is clearly more interested in writing a defined and unique character than in making readers comfortable.This stands out in the genre as a bold and thoughtful choice, but I can’t say that I always trusted her with it–sometimes I think some of Elijah’s unpleasant traits may simply be Cynthia’s? I am troubled by the fact that in a book that bothered to have queer presence at all, it was limited to (a) the trans kids in mental health care being categorized as having transness as their mental health emergency and the protagonist sneering at them and (b) child molesting drug dealers. Maybe this is a weakness in me as a reader or maybe I’m just jaded, but either way the lack of pushback against our main character’s prejudices–and indeed, their support in other aspects in the text–makes it more difficult to keep neutral in a review for a book that I otherwise felt completely middling about. To be quite honest, the whole thing feels a little like a very long, boring PSA from DARE featuring a character that I never stopped disliking with or without the drugs. The ultimate tragedy that makes him think lacks emotional punch because the whole tone of the book is a constant haze. All in all, it’s a pass from me.

ETA: I see from their failure to update the cover image that this book was originally just called VAPE. I’m sorry, that is so funny. Did they change it because they thought teens would laugh at them? Teens would definitely laugh at them. Then again they might still do that every time Elijah says “KMS” in this book without a preface like “IM GONNA.” Fellow kids hours indeed.

[Elizabeth Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great thing about being an English education student is that your professors all go to cool conferences where YA publishers and authors give out free (often advance) copies of books, and then when your professors finish them they give them to you. This was an advance copy I got from my professor while she was making room on her shelves for more books. So: many thanks to the publisher/author via Dr. Arter for the free copy!

Had no idea what this book was about when I picked it up, the cover just enthralled me. I’m so glad I chose to take this one. Addiction is a subject close to my heart. I lived in LA where the book is set for a bit a few years ago, and almost all my friends there were addicts in various stages of recovery. It gets the worst out of people and robs them of themselves, and this book represented that so frankly.

The first chapter is a perfect representation of what people mean when they say a book or story has a “hook.” It did not pull punches. I was just like, okay, so we’re going there. And we went there. It’s rare that a book gets me to shed a tear, but this one did. I had a queasy feeling for chapter after chapter how the story would end, and I was right and it still punched me in the gut.

A lot of the book reads like a fever dream stream of consciousness which can make it a bit confusing at times. There would be moments where the narrator would go off on tangents that I could hardly see the relevance of, and I would just sit there and wonder if I had any idea what was going on. However, it’s a book about teenage boys getting high, so dare I say that was a choice that I can live with.

Absolutely devastating and very readable, but not for the faint of heart. Would recommend.

(PG-13 rating)

Grades 9-12

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cynthia Kadohata (Newbery Award-winning Kira-Kira, Weedflower, Checked, Saucy & more) is a Japanese American writer who writes primarily for middle grades but UNDER THE FADING SKY is clearly created for 9th grade and up. Her main character Elijah begins vaping after his longtime friend group changes, both losing and gaining members, one of which introduces the boys to vaping THC and popping pills. Elijah’s original “posse,” as he calls it, is focused on biking and doing well in school but when two members leave and older teen Banker is added, everything changes. Longtime friend Lee is still there and still a physics genius but is easily led into the world of drugs and sex for drugs. Elijah falls into the drugs as well but is eventually found out by his parents and placed into a rehab program. Bad decisions continue, however, and Elijah begins to question everything in his life, from longtime future goals all the way to his love for his dog.

This is a hard book to read. Not only are Elijah’s descent into addiction and the accompanying consequences clearly portrayed and tragic, but Elijah often postulates about the historical significance of everything, he and Lee launch into math and physics connections to what is going on around and to them plus rehab buddy Noah also joins in to discussions with Elijah about the social ramifications of rehab, addiction, insurance companies and mental illness. Some of those musings get complicated. Readers who stick with it will hurt right alongside Elijah, Lee, Noah and members of the rehab group and are likely to wish ill on Banker. Certainly, Kadohata continues to create characters that generate strong emotional connections and has tapped into the very real trap that can entangle even the “best” of kids. Many may find this book thought-provoking. Hope is scarce until the final pages, but that may be an accurate representation of a young person caught up in the desire for the high and euphoria from drugs yet yearning for a return to the less complicated life and joys of family, friends, school success and other less dangerous experiences.

Profanity is sprinkled liberally throughout the text, including F-bombs. The sex for drugs is strongly implied or briefly stated but not described in detail. Group therapy includes teens struggling with mental health and gender confusion/transitioning issues. Libraries with strong circulation in Ellen Hopkins’ works, older Go Ask Alice and recent The Glass Girl (Kathleen Glasgow) should consider this one.

Thanks for the print arc, Simon & Schuster.

Text

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elijah Jensen lives a picture perfect life, painstakingly curated by his parents so he can have a more successful upbringing than they did. But as Elijah gets older, he begins to realize that his structured existence is anchoring him in a box that prevents him from achieving his true potential. One fateful day, Elijah's friend Lee over-rotates in a dangerous bike stunt that leaves him with a broken leg and a relationship with a former classmate that is less than ideal. And as Lee and Elijah fall more into the world of drugs and listlessness, the life Elijah has always envisioned takes an unexpected turn. This young adult novel is told in the first person from Elijah's perspective in a stream-of-consciousness narrative style. Elijah's thoughts are sometimes disjointed and occasionally foreshadow future events, and this design feels both aimless and intriguing at the same time. While the plot takes several chapters to gain momentum, the characters grow on the reader over time. Stereotypes of Asian families’ expectations of their children abound in this novel, causing readers to consider the potential ramifications that can come from even the most well-intentioned caregivers. And outside the world of affluence and influence are drugs, homelessness, and imperfection, and the divide between the haves and have nots becomes both more obvious and more convoluted as the story continues. Incorporation of strong language, drug references, and heavy discussions of mental health make this book best suited to mature readers, and the weight of the story will resonate with a wide range of ages. Though difficult at times to read, this novel offers a thoughtful and direct foundation from which readers can consider the far-reaching impacts of their actions and choices. This is a unique addition to contemporary fiction library collections for mature young adult readers.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I would love to see a middle grade novel (or middle grade appropriate young Adult novel) about the dangers of vaping, but this book was a bit too philosophical for my 6th through 8th grade readers, and also had more mature language (lots of f words) as well as implied sexual acts for drugs. There is also an on page suicide.

Elijah and his friends dabble in vaping THC, which they think is harmless until it derails their lives. Elijah is also seen stealing pain killers from his elderly grandfather, selling his surfboard for drug money, and taking oxycontin. He is sent to rehab, but it doesn't seem to change his habits. The only thing is the death of a friend who is blackmailed after he trades sex for drugs and kills himself.

This has the hard hitting qualities of Ellen Hopkins' work. I'm always amazed at the wide range of topics that Kadohata covers.

[Emmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

A teen boy thinks his vaping habit is harmless until it becomes a crippling addiction of nightmarish dimensions

Thank you Simonteen for an Earc! :)

I really wanted to like this book. The premise was one that really intrigued me and something that I thought could translate well into a YA book. Unfortunately I felt like something was missing.

Elijahs internal monologue was a mess of consciences. Often times he would ramble which in any other context I feel would be fine. But it tended to pull me out of the scene and the overall seriousness of the book.
I did deeply enjoy how flawed he was. He had an often cynical outlook on life which is something that not a lot of YA books tend to gravitate towards but I feel like it’s important to show.

The writing wasn’t my favorite which lead to my rating. BUT I do think this is important topic to discuss in books, especially ones marketed towards a younger audience.

[Emily Silvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you SimonTeen for my gifted copy and sending me this in NetGalley.

I’m shooketh at that ending. Like why?? I know something had to happen for Elijah to get his life together but no. Also with that ending what happened with Banker?? We got no closure there?! Like commmonn, he needed a comeuppance.

I had a few issues with some of the dialogue, I have never heard a person in So Cal say hella for instance but maybe that has changed in the past 10 years.

I felt this book tried to take on the DARE story, but also had an mis of 13, Catcher in the Rye and 28 days. As Elijah becomes addicted to vaping THC (which he constantly says THC throughout the book) he is sent to an out patient rehab program. Meanwhile his friends and him delve deeper into the chaos of stealing, doing harder drugs and deal with sexual situations. I mean legit that first chapter was intense.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elijah starts vaping and taking drugs and finds they make him feel “like the real me.” Eli and his friends find ways to make money to buy the drugs. When Eli’s mom finds his vape pens his parents decide to put him in rehab. When he gets out, Eli goes back to drugs because he thinks drugs can make things all right and all wrong at the same time. When something happens to one of his friends it changes Eli. Will it last?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Paige Parlato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Simon and Schuster for the advanced print copy of Under the Fading Skies.

I was excited to receive it after reading the blurb. This book has some strong messages on drug use and abuse. Sadly it hits close to home and this book was a very emotional read for me. Following 16 year old Elijah and his friends as they make some questionable decisions, getting into the wrong crowds. We see the struggles Elijah faces with his parents, rehab and how his choices change his life. Once again Simon & Schuster have picked up a great story that the world needs to hear.

[Jane Dennish · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all watched those after school specials in the 80s and 90s when we got home from school warning us of the dangers in the world. This generation of teens doesn’t know what they are missing. And while they may not be smoking cigarettes in the park where their parents won’t see, they are still doing harmful things, and that includes vaping. As a teacher, it is a huge epidemic in schools. And kids have no awareness of the consequences. I don’t think they get the same messages we did on tv about smoking and drugs. So this book addresses an important topic for them at their level.

Thank you to Simon Teen for a gifted copy. I can’t wait to share it with my students.

[Caroline Beer · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay I can tell that my rating is unpopular based on the average rating of this book, but I really enjoyed the reading process! it took a bit to get into, but after a certain point I kept wanting to pick the book up. it was fascinating to watch elijah’s descent into addiction and witnessing the changes in his thoughts and actions without his realization. the last 50 pages made me feel sad and hopeful and empathetic to lee’s struggles. elijah and lee’s friendship really touched my heart, and what more could I want than a book that makes me feel?

[Chris G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elijah is doing well in school, has a circle of Asian and hapa friends, and a caring family but once he starts vaping, he is drawn more and more to getting high and eventually his need to buy pills to feed his habit consumes him. His family gets him into therapy but nothing diverts his addiction. Unflinching and painful. EARC from Edelweiss.

[Gracie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. This story isn’t just about addiction but about second generation immigrants whose parents have built their “American dream”, and are trying to give their kids that dream, but the kids don’t yet know what they want in life. The parents may not even realize they’re forcing this burden on their kids, yet the kids feel it, and rebel against it. However, the rebellion takes a turn into dangerous territory of the America no one wants to talk about, the drug trafficking industry. Elijah tries to discover who he is and what he wants, but ends up in a dangerous place and facing a dangerous reality. The pressure of being part of the model minority reveals the humanity of what it is to make mistakes and fall short of those cultural expectations and to have to face that shame. “…your family can’t live your life for you. You gotta do that yourself. When you screw up, it’s all yours.”

The writing is good if a bit over exaggerated for a teenage voice. I think the story and idea were interesting. However, the story’s moral felt unhelpful in the end. The author was basically like no one can help you, you have to do it yourself. I mean, it’s true only you can live your own life, but support from friends and loved ones is vital. Some counselors aren’t good at their jobs and I’m sure there are bad experiences people have in rehab centers, but there are also good ones too. I appreciate the critique on the American dream and the dismantling of the model minority stereotype, but I don’t think it should’ve ended there. I think counseling and self-reflection can be life-altering. You may need to find the right counselor, but what if Eli had just contacted his person for help when stuff started getting scary? It’s true that sometimes people drop the ball because we’re humans and we may not always do the right thing, but if Lee had been put into a rehab center like Eli, maybe he would’ve made it.

I think the topic of this book was interesting and important to address for a teen audience. Addiction is serious and even though some people may be unaffected, others get hooked on things easily and can’t escape. I liked seeing this from a teen perspective. I think the author masterfully executed the connections of teens and the dangers that lurk nearby through a friend of a friend or a chance encounter. I liked how Eli’s perspective was about realizing the darker parts of the world and learning how to navigate that, especially after making wrong choices and falling in with the wrong crowd. However, the ending of this is bleak. The MC basically accepts that no one will help him and the world sucks and he just needs to try to stay sober. I guess that’s the reality for some people, but I think this story would benefit from some form of hope and moving forward. I did appreciate the connections he made with his dad, who drew parallels between Eli’s struggles with addiction and his history in war. Both had seen the darker side of life and so they could connect over it. But the ending felt like Eli was just embracing the void and particularly the part of the adolescent brain that can’t imagine tomorrow, which I think is a despairing outlook to leave teens with. His friend died and the story didn’t even really show him grieving or talk about what could’ve been done for Lee.

I also felt that the author was trying to write about what she felt boys in society were struggling with in today’s world, and it felt a bit less believable and overdone from her perspective. Also, mentions of queer identities were largely negative, which didn’t sit right with me. Having spent some time in LA I felt I could appreciate the story’s context and the issues the author was discussing, but it feel short to me in aspects of providing any sort of answer to the posed question of addiction and drugs in American society, and more so just tried to scare kids off of ever being curious rather than teaching anyone how to better navigate these kids of situations in life.

[Jenni Heins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is what a Newbery and Nationsl Book Award winner put out into the world?! So disappointed. I don't even know where to start -- it read like a public service announcement at times, then had characters speak in texting acronyms. No connection to any characters. I blame the first page that started so well for making me read this.

[Emma K · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s not a bad book it’s just not for me. I don’t know how to explain it more than that. There’s some very beautiful concepts, the plot is solid, and the writing is pretty good. I just didn’t connect with it.

[Carly Grossman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have no idea why I took this book out of the library. It must have been recommended on a TikTok or something. I didn’t really understand the point of it. It was interesting the way it was written so colloquially but the material wasn’t relatable to me. Wasn’t a fan, wouldn’t recommend.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was just too disjointed for me. I had high hopes, as I think the subject matter (vaping) is important to see in books recently being published. There was just too much other things included in the book, that I just did not care about and really struggled to finish this book.

[Heather Marvel · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a parent this one really broke my heart. If you are triggered by trauma, suicide, addiction, or SA please proceed with caution.

[Steph Spone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't what I was expecting. It started off slow, but ended up being a decent read.

[LeeAnn Jennings · Rating 1 out of 5]

got about 22% in and then it mentioned how "smart" Elon Musk was and how the MC looked up to him. Immediate DNF.

[Chalida · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exploration of teen vaping and addiction that is devastating. The purpose is probably to scare young people to not vape, but I wish one of the storylines here wasn't as devastating.

[Jess Hilliard · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay.