The Wicker King

Description

Written in vivid micro-fiction with a stream-of-consciousness feel and multimedia elements, The Wicker King explores a codependent friendship fraught with madness, love, and darkness. When August learns that his best friend, Jack, shows signs of degenerative hallucinatory disorder, he is determined to help Jack cope. Jack's vivid and long-term visions take the form of an elaborate fantasy world layered over our own-a world ruled by the Wicker King. As Jack leads them on a quest to fulfill a dark prophecy in this alternate world, even August begins to question what is real or not. August and Jack struggle to keep afloat as they teeter between fantasy and their own emotions. In the end, each must choose his own truth.

K. Ancrum grew up in Chicago, Illinois, under the illusory rigor of the Chicago public school system. She attended Dominican University to study fashion merchandising, but was lured into getting an English degree after spending too many nights experimenting with hard literary criticism and hanging out with unsavory types, like poetry students. Currently, she lives in Andersonville and writes books at work when no one is looking.

"Ancrum delves into the blurry space between reality and madness. A haunting and provocative read that will keep teens riveted." --School Library Journal "Teen fans of moody psychological horror will be entranced." --Booklist "Give this to readers who like complex, experimental fictions about intense relationships that acquire mythic resonance." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "An eerie piece of realistic fiction whose characters revel in intense emotions." --Kirkus Reviews "An eerie and mesmerizing thriller that questions the space where reality and perception overlap, The Wicker King is a spine-tingling read that will have you riveted." --Caleb Roerhrig, author of Last Seen Leaving and White Rabbit