A good, realistic story is ruined by a case of random melodrama. At the point of dramatic and emotional resolution, Weaver decides to kill a main character. Some readers may appreciate the pull on the heart strings, but dramatically, it does ring false. Realistic YA novels seem to fall into two camps, one celebrating the outsider, the other with more “normal” characters. This is one with “normal” characters. Readers from “alternative” cultures may not appreciate the characters' attitudes towards Gertrude's punk disguise. ( )