The Rise and Fall of the Gallivanters

Gr 9 Up—It's the early 1980s in Portland, OR, and girls are disappearing without a trace. Punk protagonist Noah believes that he knows who's to blame. In what seems to be threads of magical realism, he discovers a mysterious David Bowie look-alike, Ziggie, who helps him uncover and work to defeat the Marr, a "toxic darkness" that threatens the girls in the city as well as his best friend Evan. Only music seems to stop the Marr, and Noah hopes that by playing at the battle of the bands being held in the sinister PfefferBrau Haus, he may be able to save his friend. As Noah delves deeper into his memories of his abusive father, his friendship with Evan, and his relationship with the girls in his band, the Gallivanters, he uncovers answers he wasn't expecting. These answers include the location of the missing girls, the secret to his own psychological mysteries, what is really wrong with Evan, and maybe the key that will help him deal with it all. This engaging story of friendship, mystery, music, and romance illuminates the vivid life of a complex teen. Noah's voice is authentic and draws readers into the narrative and its specific time and place as he copes with abuse, mental illness, and the loss of a close friend. Readers experience and discover along with Noah, and, after a roller coaster of emotions, are ultimately left with hope.