Tripping Back Blue

There's nothing pretty about drug addiction, but a new drug called indigo, named for the powder's lovely hue, would suggest otherwise. Indigo allows users to experience their happiest memory, complete with physical mementos, such as a kitten's soft fur or a teacup. Phineas 'Finn' Walt, a drug dealer with a penchant for bird-watching, and his twin sister, Faith, live in a trailer with their abusive father and alcoholic mother. Determined to fund Faith's college dreams, Finn sees dollar signs when he discovers indigo, but the fallout may be deadly, and his own drug use is escalating. When a powerful drug czar sets his sights on indigo, Finn is desperate to protect his source, as well as a girl named Stacey, who has connections to the drug. Storti's debut, written in Finn's voice, is a coming-of-age story wrapped in a cautionary tale. Finn treats girls like playthings and manipulates his friends into drug-dealing, yet his desire to rise above his circumstances makes for an undeniably entertaining story with a hopeful conclusion.--Publishers Weekly

'How did I get to this point? In the beginning it was all so harmless.' Finn is determined to get his twin sister, Faith, out of their dead-end town, even if it means dealing drugs for college money. Smart, smooth, and a gifted problem solver, he nevertheless falls prey to the lure of his own wares, graduating from weed to heroin. One morning, bird-watching in the cemetery (his secret hobby), he sees an elderly woman sniffing brilliant blue powder from a gravestone. Curious, he samples it after she leaves and experiences a magical high, reliving his best memory. Finn persuades Orah to share the substance, which he names 'indigo.' Big money is finally within his grasp. But when a big-time dealer gets word of indigo, Finn finds himself in real danger. Even worse, he may have dragged his elderly friend and her beautiful granddaughter with him. Substance abuse is at the center of this story, in the form of Finn's abusive, alcoholic father, drug deals, detailed descriptions of using, and the elaborate mystique around indigo. Elements of 'magical realism' (indigo grows from the bones of Orah's deceased family members; users sometimes bring back a physical souvenir of their memory) are not fully explored. Finn seems resigned to his slippery slope to addiction, and readers are left unsure of his future. Nevertheless, he is an appealing character, with his loyalty to Faith, his passion for bird-watching, and his affection for Orah. Drugs, sex, and language make this most suitable for older readers.--VOYA

'Life hasn't been exactly generous' to Phineas 'Finn' Ward. A study in contrasts, Finn is a tough-as-nails street guy who finds secret solace in birdwatching, and a drug addict and dealer driven by hopes of earning enough to send his sister to Harvard. Finn sees opportunity for big bucks when he observes a fellow birder named Orah snorting a deep-blue substance that transports users to the happiest memories of their lives. But he's not the only one onto the drug. So is a big-league dealer and the police officer who is charged with cleaning up the town. Strange developments ensue as Finn learns to harvest the drug they call 'indigo' from the tomb of Orah's ancestors. Not for the fainthearted, Tripping Back Blue snares attention, thanks to the complexity of its deeply flawed but fascinating narrator.--Star Tribune

A teen who deals drugs to pay for his twin sister's college tuition is introduced to a mysterious hallucinogen he's never before encountered. High school senior Finn, with a scar on his face that 'distinguishes [him] from every other white dude, ' is a master at charming his way into and out of most situations. Though he's highly intelligent, with an almost-encyclopedic knowledge of nature, particularly of ornithology, he's developed a rough exterior that allows him to finesse his way in school, with girls, and in the drug world. Though it's for the benefit of his sister, Faith, who has been accepted to Harvard, he tries to keep his dealing a secret from her. As the novel progresses and Finn begins not only selling heroin, but using it, he falls for Stacey, whose grandmother has access to an otherworldly substance he dubs indigo; using it as well, he begins to lose himself. This unusual and distinctive tale of family violence, addiction, and hope is fascinating, and the back story of indigo is richly imagined and compelling. Finn's tough-talking dialogue occasionally feels a bit over-the-top for a teen, such as when he angrily refers to Stacey as 'sweetheart, ' 'babe' and 'darlin' ' all in the space of two paragraphs, but he is an authentically complex and likable narrator. An emotional and original debut novel that will hook older teen readers and young adults.--Kirkus Reviews

Finn is a drug dealer who is trying to earn enough money to get his sister out of their dead-end town, Dammerstown, and on to an Ivy League life at Harvard. He doesn't do drugs, but he doesn't live an easy life, either. His only solace is a kind of meditative bird-watching, but it's not enough for a full escape. When Finn discovers a new drug, indigo, that can take him vividly back to happier times, he becomes addicted and his life starts to spiral out of control. This is a gritty novel, full of swearing, references to sex, and, of course, lots of drug abuse, best for mature high school students. Fans of A.S. King's Everybody Sees the Ants (Little, Brown, 2011) will enjoy the realistic descriptions and true-to-life dialogue. It has a touch of magic, reminiscent of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Little, Brown, 2011), but is not as fantastical as Taylor's work. Chapters leave cliff-hanger endings for a faster pace that entertains readers. VERDICT: Recommended for high school and public library collections.--School Library Journal

Seventeen-year-old Finn and his twin sister, Faith, have grown up in a trailer full of neglect, mental illness, and abuse. Both bright and driven, the siblings are entrepreneurs: Faith with niche handicrafts, and Finn with dealing any drug he can get his hands on. When he stumbles upon indigo, a powerful hallucinogen that evokes vivid memories, and Orah, the intriguing elderly woman who knows its provenance, he is equally entranced by the drug's effect on him and the potential selling it has to send Faith to college. As his drug business increases, so do the complications in his life. He draws the unwanted attention of dangerous drug lords, falls in love with the daughter of a police officer, loses Faith's confidence, and sinks deeper into his own addiction. Hand to teens on the edge of new-adult readership who seek a gritty, twisting, high-stakes plot overlaid with pensive, well-crafted language.--Booklist Online