Remedy

by Eireann Corrigan

Overview

Cara's been sick all her life . . . but in this case the cause might be more shocking than the cure. A creepy, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller perfect for fans of true crime.

It's a mystery - why is Cara so sick? It feels like she's been sick all her life . . . but she and her mom have never stayed in one place long enough for doctors to really understand what's happening to her. Now, at fourteen, Cara is tired of being tired, and sick of being sick. She's trying to get better . . . but it's only getting worse.

Unable to afford the care she needs, Cara's mom starts a Caring for Cara campaign online. The money starts pouring in. But something's not right to Cara. And the harder she looks, the less she understands.

From Eireann Corrigan, the spellbinding author of Creep and You Remind Me of You, Remedy is the gripping story of a girl solving the mystery of her own health . . . before it's too late.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338630961
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	670,886
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Eireann Corrigan is the author of the poetry memoir You Remind Me of You, and the novels Splintering, Ordinary Ghosts, The Believing Game, Creep, and Accomplice, which Publishers Weekly called "haunting and provocative" in a starred review. She lives in New Jersey.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Creep:

"Fans of adolescent mysteries with a more domestic slant won't be disappointed." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The creepy house moments land well." — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for The Believing Game:

"Corrigan serves up a psychologically complex and devastatingly credible tale of exploitation and betrayal among a particularly vulnerable set of teens." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A resolute and satisfying ending. Ultimately, this is a novel for mature teens who will appreciate the subtle nuances of manipulation." — School Library Journal

Praise for Accomplice:

* "Corrigan delivers an addictive cautionary tale in this twisted unraveling of mean girl machinations... haunting and provocative." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Complex, heart-wrenchingly plausible...the story flows from secrets to lies, from a few harsh words to terrible accusations, and from supreme innocence to soul-sucking guilt . . . This tension-filled story will entice readers." — Booklist

"A dark page-turner with a satisfying resolution." — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

05/01/2021

Gr 7 Up—Fourteen-year-old Cara Wakely has been sick her entire life and has a rare autoimmune disease that prevents her from having a typical teenage life—going to school, going to parties, even having any friends. Her mother Shaylene, who is her only semblance of a friend, is at her beck and call. Shaylene has all the notes, medications, prescriptions, and according to herself, qualifications to provide at-home care for Cara. As Cara grows up, her absences in school become an issue, and she and her mother are faced with backlash and accusations regarding Cara's illness. Begrudgingly, Shaylene accepts Cara's requests for a tutor. Xavier, aka Science Kid, aids Cara with her schoolwork, and with tools to understand what her sickness really might be and how to advocate for herself. Readers are taken on a roller-coaster ride of emotions, where feelings of sympathy are mixed with mystery and intrigue into how Cara's life has turned out the way it has. Corrigan's prose seamlessly creates a feeling of unease in readers, without a way to pinpoint its source, and she paints credible, deep, and complex characters. The book feels as real as the news story it echoes, and the tension is palpable to the very end. Cara is white and Xavier is Black. VERDICT Recommend to readers who enjoyed Nicola Yoon's Everything, Everything, Veronica Roth's Carve the Mark, and Rachael Lippincott's Five Feet Apart, or those who like to read fiction based on true accounts.—Cat Miserendino, Meadowdale Lib., North Chesterfield, VA

School Library Journal

2021-01-26
High school freshman Cara has been suffering from a severe, debilitating chronic illness since third grade.

She’s missed so much school that she’s way behind and struggling to catch up. Her seemingly caring mother, Shaylene, records videos for her social media channel that not only offer detailed information about Cara’s health struggles, but recently have been used to raise large amounts of crowdsourced money to—supposedly—pay for specialized health care. Now Dr. Eric, a new medical professional, has come on the scene with a different, even more intrusive care plan. After Cara is befriended by Xavier, a clever classmate afflicted with sickle cell anemia, she discovers that her mother is monitoring their text messages. Xavier’s belief that Shaylene is inappropriately interfering and controlling inspires Cara to take a fresh look at her relationship with her mother—and the care she provides. Although there are tiny hints that Cara’s mother has a frightening role in her illness, Xavier is the one who suggests the possibility of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Cara decides to test that possibility, leading to a breathlessly scary confrontation and a satisfying affirmation of her unbroken spirit and emerging maturity. Characters are believably depicted, although Shaylene’s downward evolution, under Dr. Eric’s guidance, is perhaps a bit too facile. Most main characters are White; Xavier is African American.

Chilling and mostly frightfully believable. (Thriller. 12-15)

Kirkus Reviews