A reactor at a nuclear power plant in Vermont has exploded, killing Bill and Mira Shepherd, leaving their teenage daughter Emily an orphan. What's worse is that the townspeople -- and eventually everyone else -- are blaming Bill for the catastrophe. It doesn't take long for Emily to decide she can't let people know who she is because she would be a pariah-by-association. She becomes a street kid, with everything you would imagine that entails.
At one point she meets a 9-year-old homeless boy and becomes somewhat of a surrogate mother to him.
The rest of the story deals with how Emily decides to get on with her life, and I don't want to give any of that away.
I should also add that this book is so compelling that I read it in one day.
You can listen to my talk with Chris Bohjalian here.
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