Hahn, Mary Downing. As Ever, Gordy. Clarion, 1998. ISBN 0-3958-3627-1. $15.00. 184 pp. A 5+ FI Reviewed by Tom Wright This is Hahn’s third book in a series that started with a somewhat autobiographical sketch of time and place in her childhood. Her first offering, Stepping on the Cracks, received acclaim for its depiction of World War II home-front life in America. Hahn has moved away from period pieces in the sequels. This story has little to do with the time period, but it has everything to do with Gordy Smith and his struggle to survive as a healthy human being in the face of an abusive family and continual dislocation.” As Ever, Gordy begins with Gordy responding to the first stable and supportive environment he has lived in. This stability is short-lived, however, as his Grandmother dies and he must return to his hometown to live with his struggling brother. This relocation brings back old friends, enemies, and habits. Hahn does an admirable job of telling a tale of a young man fighting to break a cycle of self-destruction. Told in Gordy’s voice, the reader can feel the heartbreak and fear that confront this young boy. Hahn adds a romantic interest to the story and adroitly handles it as a way to show Gordy’s efforts (successful and unsuccessful) to communicate with the opposite sex. This is definitely a worthwhile read.
