The Gap Year

Traditionally, a gap year is a year taken by a young adult after secondary school and before starting college. However, in Bird's latest novel, the title alludes to the break in a mother-daughter relationship during the daughter's senior year of high school. Single mom Camilla feels her daughter, Aubrey, beginning to pull away from her, especially after Aubrey embarks on a romance with classmate Tyler. Add in the sudden reappearance of Aubrey's father, who years ago left the family to join a cultlike religion (it might sound familiar to fans of certain Hollywood types), and gaps in this family open and close at blinding speed. The narrative alternates between Camilla's current perspective over the course of a few days and Aubrey's retelling of the previous year. This technique makes for a compelling read and builds to a satisfying and surprisingly tender conclusion.