Citrus County

Read from Monday, February 13th to Wednesday, February 15th

Citrus County, by John Brandon.  This is a small book that I picked up awhile ago from the Museum of Unnatural History where I volunteer.  It was published by McSweeneys.  It is a quick story, dark most of the time, about a county in the backwoods of Florida.  In Citrus County, there are three main characters.  Shelby and Toby are middle school students, and Mr. Hibma is one of their teachers.  Shelby is bright, talented, with lots of promise.  She lives with her father and younger sister, and they are new to town.  Toby is a brooding, deeply troubled, quiet rebel.  He likes to take long walks by himself, and he lives with an abusive, alcoholic uncle deep in the woods.  Mr. Hibma is a young teacher, who skates by, sticks to himself, and prides himself on not trying very hard.  He is always harassed by one of the other, older, preachy teachers.

Of course, Shelby falls in love with Toby, and follows him around town.  But Toby realizes he is different, a villain, and knows he has to do something.  He kidnaps Shelby's little sister and keeps her locked in a bunker deep in the woods.  There is a big panic and search in town, but Toby's secret is kept for a couple of months.  Shelby works to get through it, even though it is with Toby by her side.  Mr. Hibma meanwhile is forced to coach the basketball team, while he harbors and almost goes through with a plan to murder the other annoying teacher.

Finally, Toby's guilt is too much for him and he goes to release the girl, but she has finally escaped.  Police converge on Toby's house, but his uncle decides to make a stand and he is arrested as the kidnapper.  Toby, an orphan, is adopted by Mr. Hibma, who is the only adult to take an interest in the kid.  Shelby's family is reunited, and it is a generally happy, although strange, ending.  This was kind of a bland, easy book, that I got through in just two days.  Not really something that will stick with me.  I don't really feel like spending too much time on the review. Three out of five stars.