Stay (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Stay Deborah Stevenson, Editor Caletti, Deb. Stay. Simon Pulse, 2011. [352p]. Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-4424-0373-4 $16.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-4424-0375-8 $9.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 8–12. It may look like a casual family vacation, but Clara and her father have traveled to a small coastal town for a non-casual reason: to hide Clara from her ex-boyfriend, Christian. The story of Clara and Christian’s romance unfolds in interspersed flashbacks, following the trajectory of their relationship from passionate startup to [End Page 365] his development of disturbingly overcontrolling tendencies and then his stalkery refusal to let go when Clara finally heartbrokenly cuts things off. Now Clara’s settling in to her new home, even finding a possible new romance with a sweet local guy, but she’s disturbed that Christian keeps getting hold of her updated cell-phone numbers—and eventually discovers where she is. While there are some atmospheric, even gothic touches to the story (Clara works in an old lighthouse at the edge of the pounding surf, and she discovers a terrible family secret her father has hidden from her since childhood), they blend effectively, not cheaply, with a psychologically valid chronicle of a relationship that’s crazy hot in the bad way and the terrific struggle it can be to move on from it. Caletti is, as always, a smart, classy stylist who manages to richly color secondary characters and relationships as well as the star turns, and the pace rolls along briskly as the tension ramps up. Girls who’ll never read de Becker’s landmark The Gift of Fear will absorb many of that title’s key important points about controlling partners here, and readers in general will find this a gripping exploration of multiple kinds of relationships. Copyright © 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois