Beyond the Screen Door

Beyond the Screen Door by Julia Diana Robertson tells the sad and, at times, intriguing story of Nora Lee Sutter. Nora Lee is special and has the ability to see people that others cannot. Raised in a house with an abusive father, her mother does all she can to protect Nora Lee, even when she is pregnant and subject to his rage. An ominous message to Nora Lee from her unborn brother and a warning not to leave Betsy’s house is ignored, resulting in the tragic death of her unborn brother. Now, her only sense of a normal life comes from the family of her best friend, Joanne. Joanne is one of four girls in her family and walks to her own beat. While her father finds no harm in it, it drives her mother crazy. As both Nora Lee and Joanne grow, life changes for the good and bad. Nora Lee’s father leaves and her mother finds new hope for life. Joanne cuts her hair and starts dressing like her father while learning to work at his garage – feeling more comfortable in her skin than she ever had. Close as both girls are feelings, curiosity and experiences test their friendship and question what limits or barriers there may be and if they should be crossed. Growing up is tough. Growing up when you see ghosts and question who you really are makes it even tougher. At the end of the day, no matter what side of the screen door you stand on, you can never truly be sure what is happening on the other side.

Robertson weaves a tale that encompasses both the supernatural and coming of age in a way that makes for a very interesting story. The story lines for both take turns as the main part of the story and seamlessly switch places so that you don’t miss a beat with what is going on with the characters in the book. Some subject matter is intense, which leads me to recommend this book for young adult readers that are a bit older. However, Beyond the Screen Door is a book that will leave readers wondering why and wanting more.