EW's GRADE
B-

Details Release Date: May 27, 2003; Writer: Sandra Newman; Publisher: HarperCollins

The Moffat family is beyond dysfunctional. Adopted daughter Chrysalis literally crawls out from under the bed to learn that her absentee dad, once a CIA bio-weapons specialist, rescued her from Central America as a child. When mom dies, the family's California mansion is left to Chrysalis' belligerent brother, Eddie, who turns it into a Buddhist institute led by a sham shaman named Ralph. Their postmodern lives are so twisted -- Ralph's step-sister has been entangled with both Eddie and his father -- that you get cramps. And there's no relief in the long passages formatted in a word processor's outline function: ''2.1 Friends could sit with Ralph for hours. 2.2 Friends passed the time as if it was cheap fuel.'' It's a needless crutch for Newman, who has a penetrating voice that could one day garner a devout following.

Originally posted Jun 27, 2003 Published in issue #716-717 Jun 27, 2003 Order article reprints

Add your comment

The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.

500 characters remaining
Advertisement