A resourceful teenager in rural Vermont struggles to hold on to the family home while his mom recovers from addiction in this striking debut novel.

Ian Gray isn’t supposed to have a dog, but a lot of things that shouldn’t happen end up happening anyway. And Gather, Ian’s adopted pup, is good company now that Ian has to quit the basketball team, find a job and take care of his mom. Ian is determined to keep his family afloat and for awhile, things are looking up. But an unforeseen tragedy results in Ian going on the run, trying to evade a future that would mean leaving the family’s house and land.
Cadow’s debut brings an emotional and ultimately hopeful story of one teen’s resilience in the face of unthinkable hardships.

Gather is a long and dragging read from start to finish as it goes inside the mind of a teenager with a struggling family.

Written in first-person, it depicts very well what is going on in the head of the main character. I was impressed with the realism in terms of style of writing, and it portrays the messy and disarranged mind of a young kid dealing with a lot of things.

However, the plot is very unclear. Many times, you question what is being talked about, or where will the story is going; it feels like skimming through a diary. Characters are viewed through the main character, but I found myself wishing the text would delve into more colorful characters, like the dog.

The book’s mood is mostly pessimistic, gloomy and cynical. It highlights issues seldom dealt with in the young adult genre, which is in some ways good. The author’s versatility and boldness are put to test, and I think he did his best, though it could have been a more appealing and pleasurable read.

-Kevin Velayo