Trance
In K. L. Denman’s engrossing Hi-Lo novel Trance, a perfectionist teenager loses control.
Kira has a tight handle on her life and on her best friend Brigid’s psychic powers. When a horrible accident leaves Brigid’s client dead, Brigid is trapped in the past with the client’s ancestor. The key to saving Brigid rests with the late client’s biological family, so Kira digs into their past in order to save her friend.
Kira’s guilt over letting Brigid down drives her single-minded focus to get her back, which is portrayed through Kira’s negative self-talk after the accident. Because neither Kira nor Brigid has siblings, they think of each other as sisters, and Kira’s loneliness without her is explored in depth. And Brigid’s mother is untrustworthy, adding an additional obstacle for Kira. Kira’s yearning for her friend is palpable, and through her thoughts and memories, Brigid is fully realized. One example is when Kira reflects on Brigid’s altruistic desire to help others with her powers despite the risk it poses to herself.
The accessible prose services the book’s breakneck speed. The language is straightforward, thought-provoking, and often beautiful, as with the thematic line: “I don’t think I’ve inherited any lingering trauma. But what about the ripple effects of it?”
Action and intrigue dominate the novel, which features constant excitement and shifting momentum from beginning to end. Each chapter reveals both a clue and a new question to propel the story forward, with just enough twists to keep the mystery fresh throughout. Once the mystery is solved, Kira allows herself to slow down, reflecting on all that she’s learned in the bittersweet yet satisfying conclusion.
Trance is a captivating novel about the myriad lasting impacts of generational trauma.
Reviewed by
Leah Block
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
