"Before Wings" by Beth Goobie

I knew nothing about this book by Canadian Beth Goobie other than the fact that it has shown up on multiple recommended lists for teens.  This being said, it took me a long time, a really long time, to figure out what it was about.  In many ways, it is an "atmosphere" novel -- the images and prose are lyric and striking with the "action" of the story being somewhat less important.  There is Adrien, a snarky, surly teenage girl dealing with a big health issue, the ultimately stereotypical summer camp run by Adrien's stoic, distant aunt, the roomate who is a complete opposite to Adrien and a cute boy named Paul.  There is also a bully, a lot of mayflies, some ghosts and a little "magical realism."  So, it is a book that is many things.  Because it was well-written, I was able to keep moving through it even though Adrien's behavior made me want to smack her from time to time (maybe that is just a thing with 15 year-olds ... felt the same way when Harry Potter turned 15).  At one point, I did think that Adrien would have been more appealing as a protagonist if it were first-person narration instead of third-person -- at least then we could know the thought processes driving this (w)itchy young lady.  On a small note, I wasn't wild about the cursing/smoking aspects of the novel, which seemed to be inserted, rather than organic.  The big problem, for me, is that the different threads never really pulled together as much as they just sat there.  As a realistic novel, it's good.  The characters are "alive" and complex and seem to go through the kinds of journeys that teens face, particularly in making friends.  As a romance, I guess it's fine.  I don't like romance and found this element of the tale to be predictable and sappy.  As a mystery, it's not really a "big resolve" as a "okay, so what?" (this is, in large part, because of an ending that seemed rushed and a bad guy that was fairly one-dimensional).  As magical realism, however, I was intrigued.  Adrien's interactions with the spirits was powerful, and, although inconsistent at times, was the most engaging part of the tale to me.  Paul's experiences were less interesting, and I liked his family and bike-riding sides a good bit more than the "scary dreams" he obsessed over.  So, in the end, it's not bad, it's not good ... I think you get out of it what you bring to it.