A little bland and bleak--odd for the one book by Hartnett where the flyleaf uses the words "ultimately hopeful," because this seems one of the least hopeful of her titles. The characters don't really grow much and the situation seems as sluggish at the end as it was at the beginning. Heartbreaking in a lot of ways, but ultimately probably forgettable. ( )

This beautifully written story juxtaposes a decaying, dying Australian town against a recently sighted, supposedly extinct Tasmanian Tiger. The protagonist, Satchel, is 23 years old and he lives with his mother and father. His father closes down the family service station believing that God will provide anything and everything needed. His mother tries to support the family with her nursing income despite her own physical ailments. Satchel stubbornly refuses to move on with his life despite his father’s mental illness and the inexorable decay of the town. Hartnett has crafted a exquisite book for older teens who also may be questioning how to deal with family, tradition, and change. ( )