Sixteen-year-old figure skater Madz Monroe flees SuperEdge Rink and her demanding coach, leaving on the locker-room mirror a lipstick manifesto that questions the purpose of her intense training. Determined to heal her aching body and spread her wings beyond the rink, she’ll close this chapter of her life by taking her final skating test. Easy enough if her wealthy parents didn’t cancel her credit card.
A deal with her cute landscaper solves the money problem, sparks a crush, and leads Madz to make promises beyond the deal. However, when a medical crisis forces her into hibernation, she faces a major dilemma: how does she keep promises while hiding her illness and herself?
Whirling through medical and social abysses, Madz opens her eyes to a world of suffering and unsung heroes. If she fights hard enough, she’ll survive. But to heal, she must figure out who she is beyond the rink and find the answer to the question she posed on the locker-room mirror.
Finalist
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: With a heartwarming story and charming characters, this sparkling YA novel has it all: an adorable romance, elite sports action, and authentic life events that get in the way of these perfect plans.
Prose: Maddaleni balances the serious nature of the content with natural and warmly engaging prose.
Originality: Maddaleni successfully combines a large variety of story elements into a cohesive and moving page-turner about love, loss, and understanding others.
Character/Execution: Madz is a compelling character dealing with unique, genuine issues in a realistic way. The choices she makes throughout the novel, although frustrating at times, remain believable and true. Notably, Maddaleni also writes convincingly and engagingly about the coach and athlete relationship.
Blurb: A bubbly and shining story that encompasses the best of what the YA genre has to offer. Quickly paced and beautifully executed, The Beauty of a Spiral will excite and engage readers of all ages.
Date Submitted: August 14, 2023
