The Roof Over Our Heads

November 15, 2022
All the world--including a childhood home--is a stage! Finn, a White 17-year-old, has a lot going on in his life: His blended family--consisting of his lesbian mothers, White Lula and Black Nomi, and his gay biracial college-age brothers, Andre and Kendrick, who are identical twins--is putting on an "interactive play meets murder mystery meets escape room" in their Victorian home, the Jorgensen House. The house is owned by the Beauregard Theatre and was a pet project of the former artistic director, who supported Lula's plan to use the basement for set and prop storage while turning the upper floors into rental space for weddings and events. With the previous director's passing, the new person is looking to trim the budget and sell the home. If that's not enough, Finn is also trying to woo drama student Alexa, deal with complicated feelings about former friend Jade, and score a place in his high school's acting lab, which he hopes will help him with his college goals. It's a lot--and there's more! A leaky roof, a cancer scare, a hidden treasure, and various actors' individual issues all make their ways into a complicated plot that also addresses racism, sexuality, and privilege. The novel may appeal to those who enjoy the stress and chaos of an opening night, but for others it could feel like an overstuffed reading experience that doesn't offer enough space to reflect on all the content. Overwhelming and breathless. (sources) (Fiction. 13-18)

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February 1, 2023

Gr 8 Up-Finn's family is made up of theatre lovers. When their historical home is on the verge of being sold, Finn's family and friends present an immersive Victorian murder mystery theatre experience to raise funds for the house. Memorizing lines, dealing with a new crush, and avoiding his former friend, Jade, are making Finn's efforts to prove his theatrical worth in the immersive play difficult. As Finn's desperation grows, multiple disasters strike, threatening to crumble everything his family has worked for. Kronzer's sophomore novel combines a riveting theatre experience with a dash of heart, creating an amusing read. Like theatregoers, readers may need to suspend disbelief as the short "tech week" time frame has characters learning blocking, Victorian manners, and script revisions in a nearly too-good-to-be-true manner. However, leaning into the fun of it all makes for an almost comedy of errors as Finn and his family work together. The larger cast leads to less page time for several strong secondary characters, which may disappoint some readers. Lovable Finn struggles with belonging, driving the serious side of the story forward, as he explores his connections with the others. Overall, the bigger picture of recognizing and loving your strengths is effectively delivered as Finn learns to completely open up to his moms and brothers. Finn is white. Jade is Black. Author's note includes sources. VERDICT A theatrical spectacle that will entertain stage and historical home fans alike.-Emily Walker

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Starred review from January 1, 2023
Grades 8-11 *Starred Review* Seventeen-year-old Finn and his theater-obsessed family are about to realize the lifelong dream of one of Finn's moms: a limited run of a murder-mystery play set in the Victorian mansion they call home. The roof may be caving in, but hopefully the play will inspire a revenue stream and delay plans to sell the place. But things get off to a rocky start and rapidly go downhill, creating stress for Mama Lulu, a recent cancer survivor, and Finn, who's trying to maintain the Victorian vibe, impress his drama teacher, score points with his crush, get away from pesky Jade and her stupid idea about some hidden treasure, and deal with his paralyzing inability to remember his lines. Then comes an amazing opportunity: PBS wants to film a performance and sponsor a dinner . . . for a thousand dollars a plate. Will Finn be able to hold things together? Will Finn finally get to be with the girl he really loves? Most important, will Finn ever be able to follow his own dreams? (Spoiler alerts: yes, yes, and yes). Expect nonstop action, rounded characters, secrets, schemes, and sweet affirmations of unconditional family love.

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