The Fragile World

September 29, 2014
DeBoard’s second novel (after The Mourning Hours) explores revenge and redemption through the eyes of a grieving family. Daniel Kaufman—musical prodigy, honor student, and all-around nice guy—is killed in an apparent hit-and-run collision shortly after he begins his freshman year at Oberlin. Five years later, the Kaufman family has completely fallen apart. Daniel’s father, Curtis, can’t shake his obsession with the man responsible for Daniel’s death; mother Kathleen has deserted the family and moved from Sacramento to Omaha; and anxious younger sister Olivia keeps meticulous track of every irrational fear that crosses her mind. Shortly after learning that Daniel’s killer has been released from prison, Curtis has a breakdown, and he and Olivia pack up the car and hit the road for what she thinks is an impromptu father–daughter road trip. But Curtis has an ulterior motive—he thinks he’s figured out what will finally set things right for the Kaufmans. Although the highway is dotted with stock characters and routine plot twists (naturally, the car’s transmission breaks down in the middle of nowhere), DeBoard deftly navigates a complicated father-daughter relationship through alternating first-person narratives. Tension builds as Curtis inches ever closer to his perceived destiny; readers will be guessing until the last page.

October 15, 2014
A seemingly perfect family is shattered when the eldest child, Daniel, is killed in a bizarre road accident in DeBoard's (The Mourning Hours, 2013) second novel.When a late-night phone call informs the Kaufmans of the tragedy in Oberlin, Ohio, the remaining family members follow differing paths of grief. The story is told from the perspective of teenage daughter Olivia, who's developed a myriad of anxieties, and father Curtis, a high school teacher who's unable to accept that this horrifying accident might truly have been just an accident. While wife and mother Kathleen focuses on moving on after the event she sees as "a freak thing," Curtis is swallowed by his anger and grief. The marriage splits, and Kathleen moves back to her childhood home in Omaha, while Curtis and Olivia tailspin in Sacramento. Five years after the accident, Curtis receives a letter that the man responsible for Daniel's death has been released from prison early. When a school activity results in a frightening episode with Curtis refusing to leave the roof, all while Olivia deals with the consequences of her deteriorating academic record, it's time for a change of scenery. Taking a leave of absence with the promise that Olivia will keep up with her schoolwork, Curtis hatches a shaky plan to enact revenge, setting off on a road trip with Olivia in tow. While Curtis plans his encounter with his son's killer, Olivia uses the time in the car as an opportunity to confront her crippling phobias. There are plenty of tender father-daughter moments along the way, which serve as an interesting contrast to Curtis' inner turmoil as he struggles with his sense of duty to Daniel. A thoughtful and often surprising examination of family life after a tragedy.

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