Litani

In 1984, teenage Frankie Jubilee is forced to move in with her estranged mother, Linda, in Litani, Minnesota. When Frankie arrives in Litani, she realizes something is off. There are no children playing outside, and her neighbors are very standoffish. She soon discovers that the town is in danger. A satanic ring is terrorizing local children, and throughout the story, Frankie learns more about damaged Litani and her father’s history with the strange town.

Litani focuses on the victims of child abuse and can be hard to read at times. Frankie was a great protagonist, and her tendency to uncover the truth was compelling. Her friendship with Crane was depicted very well. Yet, the character of her mother was difficult to believe. Her interactions with Frankie seemed overly scripted, and at times she overshared.

Although the book was engaging, the plot was a bit messy and had abrupt transitions. For instance, the police knew that something disturbing was going on at the brewery, but crimes continued to happen there with no intervention. Towards the end, I wasn’t as invested in the result. Overall, this was a good book but not a must read.