In Sight of Stars: A Novel, by Gae Polisner
Seventeen-year-old Klee’s father was the center of his life. He introduced Klee to the great museums of New York City and the important artists on their walls, he told him stories made of myths and magic. Until his death.
Now, forced to live in the suburbs with his mom, Klee can’t
help but feel he’s lost all the identifying parts of himself―his beloved
father, weekly trips to the MoMA, and the thrumming energy of New York City. That
is until he meets wild and free Sarah in art class, with her quick smiles and
jokes about his “brooding.” Suddenly it seems as if she’s the only thing that
makes him happy. But when an act of betrayal sends him reeling, Klee lands in
what is bitingly referred to as the “Ape Can,” a psychiatric hospital for teens
in Northhollow.
While there, he undergoes intensive therapy and goes back
over the pieces of his life to find out what was real, what wasn’t, and whether
he can stand on his own feet again. Told in alternating timelines, leading up
to the event that gets him committed and working towards getting back out, Gae
Polisner’s In Sight of Stars is a gorgeous novel told in minimalist
strokes to maximal effect, about what makes us fall apart and how we can put
ourselves back together again.
“An intense, sometimes graphic, totally heartbreaking
portrait of a character who will keep pages turning.” - Booklist,
Starred Review
"In Sight of Stars deals with mental health,
Vincent Van Gogh, family and recovery; all told in some of the most beautiful
prose you will probably ever read. As far as I'm concerned, [this novel] is the
equivalent to “Starry Night Over the Rhone,” making Gae Polisner the Vincent
Van Gogh of young adult fiction." - Teen Reads
"In the vein of Ned Vizzini's It's Kind of a Funny
Story, Polisner's short novel destigmatizes mental illness, emphasizing
that everyone needs a little help sometimes. Readers will laugh, cry, and ache
alongside Klee as they follow his recover. In a sea of recent contemporary
novels about teens with mental illnesses, this one stands out for its strong writing,
likable protagonist, and overwhelmingly positive messages." - School
Library Journal
"An unapologetic and wry story about a teen finding his
way out of a personal crisis." - Kirkus Reviews
