Dig. by A.S. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Shoveler carries his shovel everywhere he goes ,constantly being the new kid, while his mother moves them from town to town. The Freak with the seeming ability to move through space and time. CanIHelpYou? sells marijuana through the drive thru window at Arby's. Loretta the Ringmistress conducts her flea circus within her double wide trailer. Malcolm would enjoy first-class seats to Jamaica more if it wasn't for his father's cancer. All of these teenagers have little in common, besides being the outcast, until Marla and Gottfried Hemmings, the product of generational Pennsylvania potato farmers, enter their lives.

In A.S. King's surreal, dark, and brilliant book, these teenagers are sent on a journey of self discovery. They begin to dig at their families' histories to discover pain, racism, neglect, but also hope and connectedness. Dig begs the questions: does my family history make me who I am today? Can we overcome the sins of our descendants? Do we have the courage to face those transgressions and work towards forgiveness and reconciliation?

Dig is an excellent read for adults and young adults alike.

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