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4.0 out of 5 stars
Delicate tale of friendship, Mar 22 2004
Patricia McKillip is best known for her delicate, ornate fantasy novels. But early in her writing career, she also took a side-trip into young adult fiction in "The Night Gift." It's a bittersweet little story about friendship, love, and the lives of a small group who are changed as they work for a friend.The ugliness of his life -- and his room -- prompted Joe Takaoto to try to commit suicide. Now he's returning home from the hospital. His sister Barbara teams up with her friends Josclyn and Claudia to help make sure he doesn't harm himself again. When they stumble across a decrepit old house, they know what to do -- they will beautify a room in the house for him, painting it and filling it with fish, shells, and other things. When the girls sneak a baby redwood down from the Basin, they meet handsome Neil, who gives them a ride back. Josclyn nurses a secret crush on Neil, and for awhile, she believes that he likes her too. But when he learns who Neil really likes, a rift is formed in their group. And when Joe returns to see the room, the group learns the truth about friendship and giving -- and receiving -- love. "The Night Gift" is not a typical coming-of-age novel. There are plenty of realistic problems that aren't dealt with melodramatically (suicide, dropping out of school, first love), and McKillip's deft touch keeps things from ever getting cheesy or overemotional. The climax of the book is as quiet, delicate and saddening as anyone could hope for. Her usually lush language is a little more toned down, but it springs out in descriptions of nature -- shooting stars, trees, and the decorated room. And her sense of atmosphere is also excellent. Joe, in some ways the focal point of the book, only appears in one scene, but his presence hangs over the entire book, save a few scenes that are all about an angsty love triangle. Josclyn is a good protagonist, a frustrated student who faces losing a first love that wasn't really hers. Neil, the object of her affection, is a genuinely nice guy, not a heartbreaker; her brother Brian is a sardonic dropout with a heart of gold, and Claudia is the "outcast" with her low confidence. However, some of the supporting characters like the parents and Barbara could have used a bit more fleshing out. Patricia McKillip avoids the traps of a typical young adult novel in "Night Gift", with her sober looks at being a teenager, being a friend, and giving love and help to people who most need it. A quietly uplifting story.
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