A Very Fine Line

Susan Merskey is freelance writer in London, Ontario.

It is late in 1941. Thirteen-year-old Rosalind Kemp, the youngest in a
large family of sisters, is living a comfortable life in a small town in
Ontario. She is active, artistic, and searching for her place in life,
when she discovers she has second sight—but is this a gift or a curse?


In a chance meeting with her unmarried great aunts—something that her
mother would have liked to prevent—Rosalind learns more of the family
lore about her so-called gift. Shocked and horrified, she wants no part
of it and does everything she can to suppress it. She must break away
from the fate that awaits her as the seventh daughter of a seventh
daughter. Only after her mother hires a young, male tutor, who arouses
Rosalind’s passionate side for the first time in her life, does
Rosalind come to understand that in order to live life fully, she must
come to terms with all the parts of herself, whether she likes them or
not.

This fast-moving story combines suspense, excitement, comedy, insight,
and a highly polished writing style. Johnston is clearly able to draw
readers into the shoes of her heroine, the creating a true page-turner.
This is Johnston’s sixth novel for young adults. In 2003, she was
honoured with the Vicky Metcalf Award for her contribution to literature
for young people. Highly recommended.