Hoban, Julia.  Willow. Dial Books. April 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8037-3356-5. Gr 8-11.

-- School Library Journal, 3/4/2009

Too often in YA drama novels, the female character comes off as drippy, self-absorbed, and melodramatic. Her teen angst stems off a never-ending stream of issues that hardly any teen experiences with such magnitude. However, Willow, the title character in this book, is not your average teenage girl. She kills her parents in a tragic accident, becomes incredibly reserved at her new school, and finds that her one constant, her relationship with her brother, falls apart with her parents' death.

Willow deals with the pain of her actions through cutting herself, but the author does not romanticize the cutting. Willow knows the consequences of her actions, and her saving grace is a sensitive, stubborn boy in the form of Guy. The development of their relationship is reason enough to read the novel because it showcases the sacrifices we need to make for love.

The novel also examines relationships between siblings when dealing with Willow's brother, David, and his sudden duty to be a parent to a teen. While on the surface, he copes by putting up a hard exterior, Willow discovers he secretly cries at night. With the sudden shift in his life, David cannot express his feelings to his family, so Willow's attempts to mend the broken sibling relationship are compelling and powerful.

Some of the minor characters seemed to just fit into the mold of the average teenager. A couple of Willow's new friends are just superficial and cookie-cutter. Laurie cares only about her shoes, grades, and boyfriend. Andy is the typical ignorant jerk. In a sea of dynamic, unique characters, the presence of such shallow characters is troubling.

When picking the novel out, I found myself somehow drawn to the cover of Willow. However, upon later inspection, there seems to be nothing spectacular about the cover. In fact, it seems, well, ordinary. What subliminally drew me to the book? I think that in the end, the girl depicted on the cover seemed raw and real, and that connected with me on an unconscious level.

One thing to note is that the book deals with issues that, while they do plague teens, are more commonly dealt with at older ages, such as graphic cutting and premarital sex. The thematic elements are pretty heavy, so people should be warned that Willow will not be an easy, or enjoying read. – Chloe W., age 16