Everthing Must Go

A couple of years back I attended Book Expo America; and when the lines for autographs grew long, I chose the shortest one not even caring who the author might be. Then I discovered I was in the line for a book I had just read and found amazing, Emma and Me, by Elizabeth Flock!

That made me very interested in reading her newest novel (11/2006) Everything Must Go.

Maybe Christmas wasn't the right time to be reading such dismal fare. Henry Powell lives a life inside his head that doesn't match his tedious day-to-day existence. He is scary and sad and lonely. I had trouble with the shifts in time. Sections would be given a year and then within that section, Henry would go back in time. I kept hoping something would happen to break Henry free from his routine life. As years slipped by, he continued to work at the local clothing store and take care of his parents. The ending offers a glimpse of possible hope, but it is outside forces not Henry that brings this about.