The Unfortunates

Gr 9 Up—Grant Franklin Tavish V is in a living nightmare: trapped underground and lost in a cave with dwindling supplies of food, water, and batteries for his flashlight. Yet, in that very horrific circumstance, he experiences moments of friendship more honest than he ever has before. Grant is racked with guilt over an accident he caused. His rich, politician father managed to pull some strings and avoid jail time for his son, but this very lack of consequences is only adding to Grant's remorse. Grant's self-hatred festers to the point that he decides to utilize his solo caving trip—a Tavish tradition and rite of passage—to stage his suicide as an accident. But when he meets four teens from a poor district who are also trapped in the cave, he starts to change his mind. However, there is something else in the cave, and it's hunting them. Liggett weaves a short, exciting thriller full of twists. Not only does the plot shift frequently, but so does the overall message of the book. What starts off as a realistic exploration of teenage guilt turns quickly into a horror story, and unsuccessfully conveys messages about privilege and inequity. Experienced readers of thrillers may see the finale coming, but this straightforward narrative will appeal to reluctant readers.