Weave a Circle Round: A Novel

All Freddy wants is to be ordinary. Now her mother’s remarried and is never home. Then there’s her geeky deaf step-brother Roland who she doesn’t get along with. When new neighbors move in next door, Freddy, Roland, and her mystery-loving little sister are dragged into the bizarre lives of Cuerva Lachance and Josiah. When Roland demands she stay away from Josiah, she’s driven to find out why. The last thing she expected is to find herself stuck thousands of years in the past with only Josiah to trust. She knows there’s more he hasn’t told her, secrets that threaten to change her future.

Reminiscent of A Wrinkle in Time, the story weaves off a linear path, playing with time and the laws of gravity, with eccentric and unpredictable characters who embrace order and chaos. She does whatever she can to avoid being seen as weird, even maintaining a disconnected presence at home, contrasting with her siblings, who embrace what makes them different. Mel indulges in her obsession with mysteries while Roland is comfortable with his deafness and the games he makes up. Then there’s Josiah, who’s a wrecking ball to Freddy’s life, forcing her into the limelight with his antics and into the wacky timeline of his life, which delightfully blends history and mythology. Weave a Circle Round is unexpected and brilliant, fully embracing its absurdity with dazzling success.