(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Take Bleed by Laurie Faria Stolarz, for instance. The book's about a group of kids, mostly high school juniors, who are floundering around one summer trying to fill the emptiness in their lives. Nicole Bouchard's spending her school-less days obsessing over Sean O'Connell, who just happens to be going out with her best friend, Kelly Pickerel. Meanwhile, Kelly's in California, conveniently forgetting to call Sean while she sneaks out to meet the 21-year-old ex-con she's been secretly writing to for the last 5 years. Maria Krito's got only one thing on her mind: cutting. Just like her mother's boyfriend uses Maria to get what he wants, she uses other people to help her feel something. Anything. The problem is, not everyone wants to pierce her flesh with a safety pin. So, she convinces them. Derik LaPointe's a player, Joy just wants to be loved, and poor Sadie Dubinski - she wants to be accepted so badly that she's willing to do anything, even cut Maria, just to belong. And then there's Mearl Aremian. No one knows what to make of her, least of all herself. As the kids' paths cross and re-cross one sweltering summer in Salem, Massachusetts, they're lives become increasingly more interesting.

The back cover of this book offers very little in the way of story description, which makes sense since the novel itself has no discernable plot. Unfortunately, this aimlessness makes the whole book seem kind of ... pointless. I mean, yes, it's illuminating in some ways and yes, it kept me reading and, yes, I cared about the characters (some of them, anyway), but, overall, it's a depressing read that doesn't offer much in the way of hope or positivity. The writing's solid, but that just isn't enough in this case - I wanted plot, I wanted purpose, I wanted some kind of powerful message. And none of that shows up in Bleed. Bummer.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Chet's just starting to feel comfortable in Elm Hills when he hears some shocking news: A shark is attacking people on New Jersey's coast. It's a scary thought, even though Chet lives about 20 miles from the ocean. Uncle Jerry says the stories must be a hoax - sharks don't attack humans. Chet's not so sure. Especially when he spies a triangular fin sticking out of the water in the creek. Nobody believes there could be a shark in Elm Hills. No one but Chet, who's about to go head-to-head with the sharp-toothed beast.

(Image from Indiebound)

Ever since the tragedy struck, people have been finding their own ways to cope. Kevin Garvey, mayor of the small town of Mapleton, would like to forget about the whole Rapture-ish mess and go back to the life he used to know and (mostly) enjoy. That's impossible now, though. His wife, 46-year-old Laurie Garvey, has joined up with the Guilty Remnant, a group that lives communally and whose members act as silent reminders of those missing from their communities. His college dropout son has followed a polygamous cult leader to who-knows-what part of the country. As for his 17-year-old daughter, she hasn't left in a physical sense, but her good-girl personality has certainly taken a leave of absence. Kevin's not sure how to salvage what's left of his own life, let alone help his beloved hometown recover from its loss.

Just as Kevin struggles to comes to terms with what has happened, so do the other members of his family. As time wears on, each must examine his or her own faith, resolve and commitment to their chosen causes. Each must answer the question (Why, why, why?) for him/herself. Each must face his/her grief and pain in his/her own way - and each must face the consequences of his/her own actions. By doing all this, maybe, just maybe, they can move on into a future that seems less certain than ever.

Considering the great question on which the book hinges, you might think Tom Perrotta's new novel, The Leftovers, would spend some time actually solving the mystery of what happened to all the people who disappeared. Not so. Because the novel really isn't about those who vanished, it's about those who didn't. It's about the survivors - their guilt, their grief, and the ways they do or do not get on with their lives. And, really, that's all the book's about. It's rather plotless, actually, but I can honestly say I was never bored with it. The characters, flawed and confused though they may have been, kept me intrigued. Overall, though, I found The Leftovers depressing. The characters make selfish choices, which leaves the story with too little optimism or hope. All of which left me feeling disappointed and gloomy. It's a bummer because I enjoyed the book's premise, Perrotta's writing and the in-depth characterization that makes this novel so compelling. I guess I just wanted a little more from it.

(Readalikes: Um, I can't really think of anything. Can you?)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, sexual content, violence and depictions of underrage drinking and illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find