Irises 12+

About this book

TWO SISTERS: Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D. -- if her family will let her go. Mary wants only to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state, and how to get along in all their uneasy sisterhood.

THREE YOUNG MEN: Then three men sway their lives: Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own.

ONE AGONIZING CHOICE: Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it's Mama's life that might divide them for good -- the question of *if* she lives, and what's worth living for.

Irises is Francisco X. Stork's most provocative and courageous novel yet.

Reviews

Praise for Marcelo in the Real World:
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for Teens
An ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults

"Brisk, brilliant, unsentimental." -- Robert Lipsyte, The New York Times Book Review

“Stork delivers a powerful tale populated by appealing (and decidedly unappealing) characters and rich in emotional nuance.” -- Kirkus, starred review

“Shot with spirtualism, laced with love, and fraught with conundrums, this book, like Marcelo himself, surprises.” -- Booklist, starred review

Praise for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors:

"[An] openhearted, sapient novel about finding authentic faith and choosing higher love."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Stork's latest marks him as one of the most promising young adult authors of the new decade." -- The Horn Book, starred review

“Complicated yet ultimately endearing characters are a Francisco Stork standard. His latest novel doesn't disappoint.” -- Chicago Sun-Times

"An intricate, engaging story, with the occasional parallel to Don Quixote." -- The Denver Post