Review: Irises by Francisco X. Stork

Kate and Mary Romero live in the modern world but thanks to their strict upbringing, they have barely been part of it. Their father was the minister of a conservative congregation and sheltered his girls from the evils of the outside world (including the Internet, cell phones, and the mall). Their mother was more understanding and had ambitions for her daughters, but she has been in a persistent vegetative state for a couple of years as the result of a car accident. When their father unexpectedly dies (in the first chapter), the teenagers are left on their own to finish high school, take care of their mother, and decide on their futures.

Although Irises, by Francisco X Stork, is targeted to a teen audience, the novel talks about issues that will resonate with adults. The overriding themes are faith in God, the nature of responsibility, death and dying, ambition, and parenting, and Stork interweaves them to make for a thought-provoking and complex story.

The novel follows the girls, especially Kate, as they transition through their grief to facing the realities of their new situation as virtual orphans and as living in the modern world. Of course, the girls are forced to make an overwhelming number of decisions, and as they weigh their choices, you'll be asking yourself many of the same questions: Should Kate give up her dreams and her college scholarship to stay in El Paso and take care of her sister and mother? Is it okay that Mary accepts this lot as her fate and cannot see any other path? Is it ever right to stop life support for a loved one who will never get better? Is it giving up or an act of love to let someone die? What kind of parent isolates his children from the world they live in: a caring parent or a controlling one? How do we prioritize our obligations to our faith, our family, and ourselves?

These questions do not have easy answers, and Kate and Mary struggle to find solutions, seeking help from friends, their aunt, the church, and social welfare programs. The text drags at times and the ending seemed obvious (the only logical solution?), but Irises will make you think and will open the door to many conversations. Thus the novel is a great choice for book clubs. Note that Irises is not about preaching a particular moral viewpoint; although faith in a Christian God is part of the book, it is not the focus.

I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Listening Library, 7 hr, 28 min) read by Carrington MacDuffie. My audio review will be available on the AudioFile magazine website. This review will be linked to Kid Konnection, hosted each Saturday by Julie from Booking Mama.

Buy Irises at an Indie, Powell's, Book Depository, or a bookstore near you. These links lead to affiliate programs.
Published by Scholastic / Arthur A. Levine Books, 2012
ISBN-13: 9780140070200
Source: Review (see review policy)
Rating: B
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)