This novel/memoir, written in free-verse by celebrated children`s author Robert Cormier, tells the story about a boy named Eugene. On the day of his twelfth birthday, Eugene ponders about his life in Frenchtown--memories of suicides, murders, family secrets locked away and never talked about, and other mysteries that surround him. Most importantly, Eugene thinks a lot about his father, and wonders if his father truly loves him. A Publisher`s Weekly Best Book of 1999.