Perfect Ruin

Gr 7 Up—The citizens of Internment don't view their city as a prison, despite its name. Suspended in the clouds high above the ground, surrounded by a force field of wind, the people believe that they are especially beloved of the sky god. Occasionally, however, someone will attempt to breach the high fence that circles the island and jump over the edge-an act that is strictly forbidden. Morgan Stockhour, 16, has been shunned by most students at the Academy ever since her older brother attempted a jump. She tells no one, not even best friend, Pen, or her betrothed, Basil, about the dark thoughts she harbors. When a young woman is murdered and fear begins to taint the idyllic life of the floating metropolis, Morgan finds herself helping the accused murderer and questioning everything she knows about Internment. In the midst of these troubles, the romance between Morgan and Basil offers a sweet counterpart to the pall that hangs over the city. DeStefano draws out the story slowly, building the anxiety and confusion with revelations gradually coming to light. Her prose flits from straightforward to lyrical as the story seesaws between gloom and hope. Fans of speculative fiction will enjoy DeStefano's concoction of tension and love with a cliff-hanger ending.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids