Part of The Alternative series, Patrick Jones’ book explores the effects upon a ‘normal’ but emotionally-stunted family as they take in a damaged, out-of-control niece, Misty, upon the death of her neglectful, troubled, drug-addicted mother.

Rachel, attending Woodbury High School, wants to help her pushy cousin, but Misty’s arrival turns out to be more than challenging, bordering on outright mental illness, while Rachel’s life is orderly, planned, and relatively quiet. As her father and mother become embroiled in Misty’s blatant disrespect, Rachel begins to empathize with her cousin in the face of her straight-laced parents’ inability to fathom Misty’s wild, sexually dangerous, self-abusive behavior: Misty cuts herself.

Expelled from Woodbury, CPS sends Misty to Rondo Alternative School, but even here she cannot cope, and when rules at home prove too much, Misty flees, ending up in a horrible situation from which she needs rescuing by Rachel.

When Rachel needs rescue herself, it is Misty who comes for her since Rachel’s perfect friends have deserted her. As their understanding grows, it is not enough to keep Misty from being admitted, as a final resort, to a mental health facility with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder that fits Misty like a glove. Misty has the chance to overcome her illness with hard work, and Rachel will be her friend as they learn to care for themselves.

This book is a convincing and easy-to-read look at what is at stake when a child, neglected from the start, must learn to cope in whatever way she can while exposing the difficulties for a family taking in such a damaged person for whom rules are meaningless.

Recommended, of course.  It’s Patrick Jones!