To the Resurrection Station

Belinda Smith is a student on New Hope, vague on future plans but happy with her classes, her roomate and her small well-lit room full of flowers. Her happy existence suddenly changes, as her guardian takes her out of school and into the derelict family mansion. Strange adventures ensue, including her encounter with the native humanoid tribes, an old robot, and a number of quirky phenomena. The protagonist is not particularly heroic, but very likable. Just as she--or her companions start to slide into a template (like a plucky young heroine)--the author skewers the stereotype, but in a very believable, human way. The adventures that ensue are frequently unbelivable, yet that is a part of the plot. There is no grand conflict; instead it's a series of adventures with amusing and sometimes touching aspects. There are plenty of light-hearted references, often ironic, to literature, psychology and metaphysics. The lack of a central plot is a weakness, but the characters--they are not heroes--are engaging, and so is the book. --inotherworlds.com