CLOSE YOUR EYES, HOLD HANDS by Chris Bohjalian

Chris Bohjalian has written a heartbreaking story in “Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands”.  Emily Shepherd's world has collapsed after the nuclear power plant where both her parents work experiences a meltdown.  People die (including her parents), homes and families are torn apart and the finger pointing begins.  And who better to blame than people who are no longer around to defend themselves?  Emily runs away from the temporary evacuation site and finds herself living on the street.

As has been the case in a number of his other books (Midwives, for example), Bohjalian writes convincingly in the voice of a teenaged girl.  The book is written as if it is Emily's journal - the people who help her along the way and those whom she befriends and helps are well fleshed out;  she speaks of the perils of living on the street and the tricks used to enable a person to survive that experience.

I really liked this book (I am a fan of this author).  Bohjalian puts a sentence together beautifully.  He tells a believable story.  Emily Shepard is a character you can care about.