In Sight of Stars: A Novel

Seventeen-year-old Klee's father was central to his life, introducing him to New York City's museums and great artists, and sharing stories of myths and magic. After his death, Klee is forced to move to the suburbs with his mother and feels he has lost the defining parts of himself—his father, trips to the MoMA, and the energy of New York City. Then he meets Sarah in art class, a free-spirited girl whose quick smiles and jokes about his "brooding" make him happy. When an act of betrayal occurs, Klee is admitted to a psychiatric hospital for teens in Northhollow, referred to as the "Ape Can." While there, he undergoes intensive therapy and examines the pieces of his life to determine what was real and whether he can rebuild himself. Told through alternating timelines—leading up to his commitment and working toward his release—the novel explores what causes us to fall apart and how we can reassemble ourselves.