Irises
Scholastic Inc | ISBN 9780545151351 Hardcover
304 Pages | 5.78" x 8.55" | Ages 14 & Up
TWO SISTERS: Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D.—if her family will let her go. Mary wants only to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state, and how to get along in all their uneasy sisterhood.
THREE YOUNG MEN: Then three men sway their lives: Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own.
ONE AGONIZING CHOICE: Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it's Mama's life that might divide them for good—the question of if she lives, and what's worth living for.
Irises is Francisco X. Stork's most provocative and courageous novel yet.
Raves & reviews:
Praise for Irises
*"Stork demonstrates his customary skill in creating memorable and multidimensional characters in a story that leaves lingering, contemplative questions regarding death, survival, and love" —Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"Although Irises covers deep topics, its slow, graceful pace never feels ponderous or overwhelming. It offers readers much to reflect on, even as its protagonists do the same." —School Library Journal
"[Stork] has written a heart-wrenching, thought-provoking novel that forces Mary and Kate—as well as readers—to face difficult questions about life and death...They find no easy answers, nor will the reader, but watching them navigate all of these issues is insightful, instructive, and rewarding." —Booklist