Review Detail

THE DEEPEST ROOTS by Miranda Asebedo is a young adult novel set in the world on Cottonwood Hollow, Kansas, a place where girls have special abilities. Rome is a Fixer. She can repair cracked phone screens, cars, frayed wires, and every other kind of object. Unfortunately, she can’t Fix the amount of money in her bank account, which is a problem if she wants to stay in her trailer with her mother. When Rome finds out there may be a chest of expensive valuables buried somewhere in her town, Rome and her friends set out on a treasure hunt. What they find though is unexpected and worth more than they could have imagined.

I haven’t read such a good a novel about friendships since SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS. Rome, Lux, and Mercy are close. They’ve been friends since childhood. They’ve even taken a blood oath. However, they have their secrets that begin to weasel their way between them. These problems the girls face make them feel like real people, even in a magical realism novel. Despite their differences, how fiercely they support and take care of one another is admirable.

Jett is such a dreamy love interest. He’s a respectful gentleman and almost too perfect. The only annoying aspect of his relationship with Rome is when she pushes him away. It’s tiring how many times Rome blames him for being from the rich part of town, but I like that Rome eventually realizes the problem is stemming from her own prejudice. It is a great reminder for us readers to check in with ourselves and evaluate what we are projecting onto others.

Even minor characters leave major impressions in this book. Most notable is Red, Rome’s boss. He’s rough on the edges, but steps into Rome’s life as a protective father figure. He reminds us to take chances on people when they’re trying to do better and he reminds us that not all family is related by blood.

Overall, the success of THE DEEPEST ROOTS lies in the relationships between people. That is what drives the plot and that is what makes this book stand out.