The Tragedy Paper (304 Pges)

Elizabeth Laban has written an amazing book on so many levels! It has two voices speaking to the reader. One of the two belongs to Tim, an albino student, at a prestigious eastern prep school. His albinism is important and as the reader takes in the text, s/he learns why a complete lack of pigment could be a problem for an adolescent. I had no idea that eye problems could develop as a result of being an albino. I was not surprised that Tim felt uncomfortable with himself and they way people reacted to him. The second voice belongs to Duncan, who is a year younger than Tim, and who "inherited" Tim's room for his senior year. It is a tradition that each year graduating seniors leave a "treasure" for the student who will be the next to live in his room. These treasures vary from a bottle of booze to a dinner at a local restaurant and some that are just plain silly. Duncan enters his room to discover that Tim has left him a stack of CD's to listen to, in which he learns all the facts leading up to the tradition of the senior stunt. The story weaves in romance, mystery, and the pressure of the senior paper. This paper's theme is (and has been for years) Tragedy. Students have read various Shakespearean tragedies, and have discussed the various qualifications for a tragedy to be called such. Throw in a slightly obnoxious senior boy who takes on the organization of the senior stunt. How this turns into a night of horror, is the culmination of this remarkable book.