The Night Fox by Ashley Wilda (review)

Reviewed by: The Night Fox by Ashley Wilda Amanda Toledo Wilda, Ashley The Night Fox. Rocky Pond/Penguin, 2023 [336p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593618929 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593618936 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 7-12 Mired in the torpidity of depression, recent high school graduate Liz is dropped off by her mother at Raeth, a nature retreat in the middle of the mountains for teens in crisis, where Gale, warden and fellow teen, explains rules that include picking a new name and going outside once a day. Determined to get home fast, Liz picks the name Eli and heads out into the mist surrounding the house, only to find herself—quite literally. Past the fog each day the landscape of Raeth magically changes: once a calm creek, once a grit-warm desert, once a cave starred by glowworms. In each outing Eli comes face to face with a version of her past and potential future selves, all with exhortations to move on from her heartbreak. Vining throughout the novel are poems from Eli's diary recounting love and breakup with a boy from school, written with the believably fevered angst of a lovelorn teenager. It quickly becomes apparent that Eli's desolation springs from the fact that the boy does not share her belief in God, and she therefore cannot see them being together in this life if they cannot have eternity together. All the components of the story work, from the fantastastical setting to the poignant scenes of Eli grappling with distressing feelings. Readers will find complexity in Eli's navigating expanding beliefs and new experiences while staying true to a world view she feels certain of, especially in how she approaches the beliefs—or non-beliefs—of romantic partners. Sparingly few curse words, no violence, and chaste romance will make this a great fit for younger and older teens looking for a comforting read with high emotional stakes and a gratifying bit of magic. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois