THE MISDIRECTION OF FAULT LINES, by Anna Gracia, Peachtree Teen, April 2, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (young adult, ages 14 and up)
Three Asian American teens compete for top honors at an elite tennis tournament in The Misdirection of Fault Lines, by Anaa Gracia.
Alice is on her own for the first time. She has no coach. No friends. Not even clothes that meet the Bastille Invitational’s strict dress code. There’s only the steady drumbeat of guilt inside—pressure to make the tournament’s costly expense “worth it” in the wake of Ba’s unexpected passing. But will a win on court justify the price she paid to get here?
Violetta is Bastille’s darling: social media influencer, coach’s pet, and daughter of a former tennis star who fell from grace. Bastille is her chance to reclaim the future her mother gave up to raise her. But is that what she wants for herself?
Leylah hasn’t competed in two years, thanks to a back-stabbing ex-friend. Bastille is her last chance to prove she’s ready for a life of professional tennis. But will her fixation on past wrongs keep her from reclaiming her rightful place at the top?
One week at the elite Bastille Invitational tennis tournament will decide their futures. If only the competition between them stayed on the court. —Synopsis provided by Peachtree Teen
The Misdirection of Fault Lines may be about tennis, but any reader who has participated at an elite or semi-elite program —athletic, academic, arts or otherwise — will recognize the dedication, pain and passion needed to succeed.
In the case of The Misdirection of Fault Lines, you see those efforts from the alternating perspectives of Alice, Violetta and Leylah. Each girl is smart, devoted and misunderstood. As their stories unfold, themes of trauma, addiction, class and racism come to the foreground. It’s natural to be drawn to one narrator over another, but each girl’s story — in the end — is messy and compelling and makes you want to know more.
Author Anna Gracia’s voice is youthful and confident. She unflinchingly speaks to her audience with bravado and heart.
Sensitivity note: Drug use, crass language, allusion to sex and inappropriate behavior by an adult are all present.
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