FICTION

The Walls Around

Us
by Nova Ren Suma
Algonquin Young Readers. Mar. 2015. 319p. Tr $17.95.
ISBN 9781616203726

Gr 8 Up—Told from alternating points of view, this novel

explores the fine line between guilt and innocence and the
delivering of justice. Inside the walls of the Aurora Hills juvenile
detention center is Amber, who attempts to unravel the
mystery of one fateful night while trying to envision the
freedom she has not seen in over three years. On the
outside is Violet, a young ballet dancer destined for greatness,
but internally tortured by one dark secret. At the center of the
mystery is Orianna, who serves as the chain link between
these two worlds and the only one who can send them both
crashing down. She holds two central truths: the truth of what
really happened the night she got sent away, and the truth of
the fates of the 42 girls at Aurora Hills. Suma’s haunting prose
that reads almost like a dream tells a tragically realistic story—
fraught with cleverly interspersed supernatural elements—
about three young girls’ struggle with the criminal justice
system and the unforeseen, ultimately deadly, consequences.
The novel insidiously flows from one account to the next as the
story comes together piece by piece, culminating in a
conclusion that is an unexpected, terrifying journey into the
macabre.
VERDICT This chilling, evocative novel presents strong
imagery and arouses engaging discussion about guilt,
innocence, and injustice. Fans of the unusual and
mysterious will not want to miss this one.
 Reviewed by Amanda Harding, Highland Park Public Library, IL, Jul 7, 2019.