A Place Apart. Maureen Lennon

Long-listed for the 2006 Re-Lit Award for Best Novel For 15-year-old Cathy Mugan, «a place apart» is where she longs to be: apart from her mother, an unhinged, uncontrollable terror who explodes at the slightest provocation. So Cathy has a chance to work at a rectory for the summer, she seizes it. But «a place apart» is also where Cathy is: surrounded by violence, a cowering father, and a contemptuous brother, she is almost completely alone. Her closest friend exists only in her imagination, a frightening sign that perhaps Cathy has more in common with her mad mother than she – or the reader – wants to believe Stirring and dramatic, this is an unforgettable debut from Canada’s next major author. Engaging characters, enthralling scenes, and lyrical beauty will make A Place Apart stay with readers for years.