Miriam Gershow’s debut novel, The Local News, is a peek into the life of a teen that would be unremarkable if it weren’t for the fact that her older brother disappeared while walking home from the park. While some think Danny intentionally left home, the family believes he was kidnapped. They appear on the news, work with the police, and eventually hire a private investigator to pursue the numerous crazy leads that pour in. Lydia becomes very involved with the private investigator’s hunt for answers while her parents completely fall apart. Just how disconnected the parents have tuned out is illustrated throughout The Local News. In the first few pages, unlicensed Lydia drives around to put up missing posters—her parents don’t even realize how frequently she takes the car, but then they also don’t notice when the refrigerator is empty. Later on, when the private investigator is at the house, he’s appalled at the smell coming from the brother’s room. No one has done any housekeeping. Despite her fractured home, Lydia stays on track and pursues many typical teenage interests as the search for Danny continues.
Although The Local News was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award, I didn’t find it the slightest bit interesting. Lydia is a nerdy teenager who would be utterly boring if it weren’t for the fact that her brother is missing. Even with the missing brother, Lydia does not rise to the level of a protagonist one would root for. She remains a shallow girl with little social skills and evokes no sympathy. The pace is tedious, but then the ending is rushed and unnecessarily tries to wrap up Lydia’s life for the next ten years. The Local News was not an enjoyable read and provided little entertainment.
For more information on the author, visit her website: .
- Author Website: http://www.miriamgershow.com
- Publisher: Spiegel & Grau
- Date of Publication: February 2010
Miriam is also a past Ask a New Author panelist. Check out her expert and honest writing and publishing advice here.
