Tangerine
Edward Bloor (Young Adult Fiction)
The Fisher family—Dad, Mom, and sons Erik and Paul—are moving from Texas to Florida. Their new home is in the prestigious Lake Windsor Downs subdivision located in Tangerine County. Despite their new location, the family continues to move forward with the Erik Fisher Football Dream…dad’s favorite topic. However, no such dream exists for Paul whose IEP lists him as legally blind. But you don’t have to be blind to see all the strange things happening in Tangerine: the never-ending muck fires, disappearing koi, a giant school-swallowing sink hole, and lightning that strikes at the same time every day. Things are definitely different in Tangerine and they’re about to get even more strange as Paul begins to piece together memories about a dark, family secret as fuzzy as his own eyesight.
I’m having a difficult time writing this review as the adult in me desperately wants to rip the title of “parent” from both Mr. and Mrs. Fisher. In 1670, John Ray cited as a proverb, “Hell is paved with good intentions” and the Fisher parents embody this beautifully. They have failed both of their sons dismally, and I can only hope that the audience this book was written for (young adults) realize this and understand the difference between parenting and passivity. With that said, I shall cast aside my adultness and say that Tangerine does provide teens with some spot-on insights into the messy, harsh, and unforgiving world of middle and high school. Edward Bloor gives us a story about the Haves and the Have Nots, where opportunity seems to favor those with money over those with moxie. He shows us how a bunch of ragtag soccer players can be more of a family than your own kin. And, he warns us of the danger of placing glory above goodness and confusing apathy with care.
Despite the flagrant shortcomings of some of the adults in this book, Bloor does give readers a modern-day hero in the likes of Paul Fisher—an underdog who pursues his dreams with relentless courage and moral conviction. Never one to fall victim to his impairment, Paul proves himself to be a loyal, fearless, and worthy friend and shows everyone in Tangerine—including his own family—that he is more than just the sum of his parts. From an early age, Paul realizes that life is often unfair and cruel, but by living in Tangerine where lightning does in fact strike twice, he understands that anything is possible and that even a kid labeled as legally blind can still see the good in people.
Rating: 4/5
*Book cover image attributed to www.amazon.com
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