In James Bennett's I Can Hear the Mourning Dove 16-year-old Grace is trying to recover. Her father, with whom she was very close, is dead. She suffers from nightmares and hears her deceased father talking from the sky. After a suicide attempt, she's hospitalized under the care of her no-nonsense psychiatrist, where she tries to cope with her grief and deal with the stress of reality. After she's discharged, Grace still faces fear and depression, but with the help of an unexpected friend, she finally begins to cope, and ultimately, to trust. Most stories might stop there; the sick protagonist faces her fears with the help of an unanticipated friend, the sun shines, blah blah blah. But Bennett is a smart writer; his characters are emotionally complex and he does not back away from the stark reality of violence. This is where the book picks up. Grace is faced with more despair after she's assaulted by a gang of individuals she calls "the surly people." Back in the hospital, she finds rapport with a male patient named Luke, who's considered psychopathic. Again, Bennett's characters avoid the cliche of star-crossed lovers. It's not a love story, yet Grace and Luke find a kinship with each other; both are damaged and vulnerable. After Luke breaks out of the hospital, Grace is faced with the decision she is not prepared for. Ultimately, she conquers her immobilizing fear and anger and makes a conscious choice to reach out and take a risk to help Luke when he needs her most. The end is one of cautious hope.

I love this book for many reasons. The characters, both main and secondary, are well rendered; they're flawed and soulful and heartbreakingly real. Grace's fears are sensitively portrayed, and Luke is much more complex than a casual dismissal of a psychopathic diagnosis would suggest. This book is not for everybody, but for those who enjoy complex characters and understand the struggle with mental illness, this book will not disappoint. ( )