The Great Unknowable End Author:Kathryn Ormsbee We All Looked Up meets Breaking Amish in this quirky, moving novel about the lengths we?ll go to make dreams our dreams come true from the author of Tash Hearts Tolstoy. — In another life, Stella Kay Mercer would be on her way to NASA, but this Stella is not going anywhere. After her mother takes her own life, and her older brother Craig abandons... more » them to join the local hippie commune and starts calling himself Phoenix, it falls on Stella to keep what?s left of her family together. She belongs in Slater, Kansas, taking care of her little sister and helping their father pay the bills. The only thing Stella has to look forward to are the secret letters she?s been writing to her brother for two years.
Aspiring musician Galliard was born and raised in Red Sun and up until assignment day, he?s never felt the need to take advantage of Crossing?a short period of time for the adolescents of the commune to experience the Outside before they must make their choice to stay forever. After all, Red Sun has plenty of good music and tolerant people that actually accept his Tourette?s, unlike people on the Outside (or so he hears). He doesn?t think he?s missing anything good? until his dream assignment of resident artist is given to newcomer Phoenix. Commitment wavering, Galliard steps out for the first time in his life and runs into Stella, the girl he?s been writing to in the guise of her brother Phoenix for the past two years.
Meanwhile, odd things start happening?like mysteriously dead animals, excessive pink lightning, and a strange holographic countdown over the town hall that matches the one that suddenly appears on her foot. As the strange events escalate and put everyone in danger, the two teens form an uneasy friendship. Stella holds out hope that Galliard can help her see her brother again, who she needs now more than ever. And as Galliard gets to know Stella, and the Outside, he knows that before he can choose Red Sun once and for all, he must tell her the truth about the letters and how Phoenix really feels about his family?if the earth doesn?t swallow up the whole town of Slater first.« less