Often, we think our own story is the most tragic, until we hear someone else's. 7th grader Mysti Murphey is constantly narrating her own life and imagining the stories of those around her as a means of escaping her difficult reality. As if dealing with bullying, losing her best friend, and completing group projects wasn't enough, her mother has agoraphobia (debilitating anxiety) and her father is in a coma after falling from a tree. Mysti handles each new twist in the story of her life with as much grace as a 7th grader can muster by caring for her younger sister, rising above her mother's fears to venture out and buy groceries for the family, and making the most of her best friend, Anibal's transformation to a cool hipster that doesn't include her. Rama Khan is introduced into the narrative of her life just in time. She grounds Mysti in her factual interpretation of the world and gives her an outlet when she has no one else.
Mysti's confidence grows by way of small victories throughout the story; in turn, she's more resilient when faced with difficulties. Ultimately, her mother and father do improve, though, the story is not tied up nice-and-neat, leaving the reader with the realization that there will always be obstacles in life. We, like Mysti, must find it within ourselves to overcome and learn from them.
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