Thirteen-year-old Flutie lives on the edge of an enormous quiet that she wants to transcend. Her family's life on a dirt road in Western Oklahoma, her father's job repairing old cars and tractors, her brother's betrayal, and her mother's indifference are all parts of a story Flutie wants to tell if she can find the words.
In a library book, Flutie reads the myth of Philomela, whose tongue was cut out by her sister's husband so she cannot tell that he raped her. As Flutie faces the poverty of the land and the turmoil of her family, she feels she is also without a tongue. She is not just afraid to speak, she is afraid of being. She especially fears her own imagination, which produces visions of deer and a spirit woman that she doesn't understand.
For a time, Flutie loses herself in drinking and drugs and a friendship that turns oppressive. But through her inner resources and the influence of a kind neighbor, she breaks through the barrier of her extreme shyness, claims her own voice, and bravely pursues goals that once seemed unattainable. (Text from jacket of book.)
Jacket art: Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha by Fr. John B. Giuliani.
ISBN 1-55921-212-8, Moyer Bell, Wakefield, RI, 1998
Click here to purchase this book from Powells Books.
Click here to purchase this book from Amazon.com.