Synopsis
Maybe it was bad karma. Maybe it was just bad luck. Whatever the reason, fifteen-year-old David was born defective. His bug eyes, pinched face, and hearing aids are obvious, but there is a secret David keeps from everyone, even his foster parents. Because of a thin layer of skin hidden under each arm, David can fly—well, glide is more like it. Terrified of doctors, wary of letting down his guard, David is determined to hide his secret at any cost. But then David meets Cheetah, a girl whose own defect doesn't diminish her spirit, and suddenly his life begins to take wing.
In this arresting new novel, Will Weaver creates an unforgettable character on the path to discovering that some blessings can be a curse—and some curses a blessing.
KLIATT
With his bugged-out eyes, pinched face and hearing aids, David looks different from his classmates—pretty much the kiss of death when you're 16. But little do they know how different David really is: the hearing aids are there to keep sounds out, and he has wings tucked under his arms, wings with which he can glide from great heights. Living with foster parents on a Minnesota hog farm, David has managed to keep his wings a secret from everyone. Then he meets Cheetah, a girl with epilepsy, and falls for her. When David is injured gliding from a cliff, his secret comes to light. Doctors offer plastic surgery to make him like every other teen—but some people believe he's an angel, and his ability to fly brings hope to terminal children at the hospital. In the end, David must decide whether his difference is really a defect, or a gift. Weaver, the author of Full Service and other books for YAs, offers up this intriguing, suspenseful parable for contemplative readers, who will find themselves empathizing with David and wondering what they would do. A good novel to start discussions.