One Thing Stolen

Description

Something is not right with Nadia Cara. She's become a thief. She has secrets she can't tell. And when she tries to speak, the words seem far away. In Florence, Italy, with her epicurean brother, professor father, and mother who helps at-risk teens, Nadia finds herself trapped by her own obsessions and following the trail of an elusive Italian boy whom no one but herself has seen. While her father researches a 1966 flood that nearly destroyed Florence, Nadia wonders if she herself can be rescued-or will she disappear? Set against the backdrop of a glimmering city, One Thing Stolen is an exploration of obsession, art, and a rare neurological disorder. It is about language and beauty, imagining and knowing, and the deep salvation of love.

Beth Kephart is the award-winning author of nineteen books for readers of all ages, including You Are My Only, Small Damages, Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir, and Going Over. She teaches creative nonfiction at the University of Pennsylvania, where a large portion of this novel is also set.

"Lyrical. will appeal to readers who enjoy sophisticated works of fiction."-VOYA: Voice of Youth Advocates "One Thing Stolen will entrance readers."--Book Page "One Thing Stolen will entrance readers through the excellently portrayed bond between Nadia and her best friend, Maggie," --Book Page "An atmospheric and highly original story of mental illness, loss, and love."--Amazon.com's Omnivoracious "Takes readers to the heart of Florence and mental illness."--Shelf Awareness "One Thing Stolen is a masterwork-a nest of beauty and loss, a flood of passion so sweet one can taste it. This is no ordinary book. It fits into no box It is its own box-its own language." --Printz award winner A.S. King "An enigmatic, atmospheric, and beautifully written tale."--Booklist, starred review "Kephart's artful novel attests to the power of love and beauty to thrive even in the most devastating of circumstances."-School Library Journal "Rivetingly captures the destructive effects of mental and physical illness on a likable, sweet-natured teen."--Kirkus Reviews