X in Flight.

Darleen R. Golke is a high-school teacher and librarian in Winnipeg.

The first novel of a planned XYZ trilogy, X in Flight revolves around 17-year-old X (Xenos) alternating his first-person account of events with Cat’s third-person voice and Ruby’s second-person voice. X, “gorgeous, freakishly beautifully made,” according to Cat, addresses his reflections to Ruby, who attracts him although he has been dating and sleeping with Cat for a few years. He dislikes being different, the only “100 percent mulatto” at his high school, a talented golfer with concentration issues, part of a modern family consisting of a hippie mother and little brother; he feels trapped by his ordinary life until he briefly discovers the ability to fly.

Rebellious, in-your-face Cat specializes in risky behavior, the antithesis of her perfectly adjusted twin sister, but struggles with hidden demons common to many young adults. Quiet and well-behaved Ruby, by contrast, considers herself invisible, her whole life influenced by the childhood loss of her mother in a fire and the control of her father, a psychiatrist, well-known author, and ladies’ man. Rivers manoeuvres the plot among the three voices to culminate in a dramatic climax that brings the three disparate characters and voices together.

Graphic—at times dark—and multi-layered, the novel presents a cornucopia of teen issues revealed through the three young peoples’ accounts of grappling with their lives. The isolation each feels stands revealed as they present their personal psychological profiles. X finds some release in golfing, Cat acts out to get attention and hide her unhappiness, and Ruby writes to release her frustrations and fears. Using the fantasy element of X’s ability to fly allows Rivers to contrast his “grounded” world to the freedom flying affords him. The novel concludes on an encouragingly hopeful note and mature readers will accept the realistic language and action with equanimity. Highly recommended.