Goldengrove (2008)

After her gorgeous older sister Margaret drowns, 13-year-old Nico must endure the stages of grief alongside her parents, who are devastated and depressed. Nico finds a confidant in Margaret's heartbroken boyfriend — a high school senior — and can't pull away, even as their secret friendship verges on the inappropriate. Though Francine Prose takes her time setting up Goldengrove, the coming-of-age story is still a page-turner, thanks to its wholly identifiable, and perfectly flawed, young heroine. A–

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