Great Falls

January 11, 2016
The true cost of war comes back to haunt a family as a teenage football star faces his veteran brother’s slow self-destruction. Shane Dupree used to idolize his older brother, Jeremy, but Jeremy has become a paranoid, alcoholic mess ever since he returned from his deployment, suffering from PTSD, nightmares, and more. When Jeremy asks Shane to join him on a trip to the family’s hunting cabin, it seems like a chance to bond and talk sense into his older brother. Instead, they embark on an impromptu canoe trip down the Shenandoah River, with Jeremy getting progressively more reckless as the full scope of his trauma is gradually revealed. Watkins (Juvie) delivers a powerful, emotionally raw tale, heartbreaking in its portrayal of damaged veterans, the price some pay to serve, and the toll it takes on their friends and family. It’s also a raw coming-of-age journey for Shane as he struggles with his own feelings, especially toward “the Colonel,” the brothers’ emotionally abusive, micromanaging, ex-military stepfather. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

February 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-Shane's brother, Jeremy, is a Marine just back from three tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, Jeremy saved himself and a private from grueling gunfire when they were separated from their unit. When Jeremy returns, his behavior is erratic, though his family makes the excuse of an adjustment period. Instead of living with his wife and two daughters, Jeremy lives in the basement of his childhood home. Some things about Jeremy are certain: he's constantly on edge, is always drinking or drunk, and is usually cleaning his 9mm or M16. When Shane suffers a likely concussion on the football field and scores for the other team, he takes Jeremy up on an offer to get away, resulting in a brief stay at their stepfather's cabin, where Jeremy is gored by a wild pig. What follows is a canoe trip up the Shenandoah River to Harper's Ferry that ends tragically at Great Falls. Jeremy's post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is apparent and manifests through his short fuse, nightmares, jittery anxiety, trouble sleeping, and fits of violence. Jeremy doesn't know how to ask for help, and his family isn't equipped to look for the signs. This stirring untold story sheds light on issues that those in the military face. The gritty language underlies the young men's continuous struggles. VERDICT Watkins portrays family life with a returning veteran with PTSD in a way that will appeal to reluctant readers, especially those who like war or adventure stories.-Adrienne L. Strock, Nashville Public Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 1, 2016
Two brothers try to flee their demons on a canoe trip. Seventeen-year-old, 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker Shane Dupree is a high school football star waiting for a sports scholarship. His older brother, Jeremy, was just as celebrated: he had ace football skills, was the valedictorian of his class, and is beloved by everyone in their community. Jeremy has other accolades too, including a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, and after three deployments in Iraq, he's back home with his family. Jeremy came home with more than medals, however. He carries and cleans his 9mm wherever he goes. He sleeps in the basement of his parents' house, away from his wife and daughters. He is clearly suffering, and things take a turn for the worse when he enlists a concussed Shane for a frightening camping excursion with a canoe, a deadly assault rifle, and plenty of beer and whiskey. Watkins' latest (Juvie, 2013, etc.) rings with the truth of the plight of veterans who've struggled to return to their daily lives after having witnessed what no doubt is sheer horror. Shane's present-tense narration is fast-paced, full of blunt, uncompromising, sometimes-shocking cruelty. Readers can't help noticing how Watkins plays Shane's football prowess against Jeremy's war stories. Both are battered warriors making sense of what they've been taught to do. A gripping, moving, disturbing tale of homecoming. (Fiction. 14-18)

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July 1, 2016
Shane's older brother, Jeremy, is a hometown hero: football star, valedictorian, and decorated Marine. But after returning from three deployments, Jeremy's behavior is erratic and violent. Concerned, Shane accompanies Jeremy on an ill-advised impromptu canoe trip. While their wilderness adventure ends on a melodramatic note, their journey is a raw, tense exploration of brotherhood and the psychological costs of war.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)