“Resonance” is an action-packed and emotional follow-up to Erica O’Rourke’s 2014 young adult novel, “Dissonance.” In this sequel (still set in a version of the Chicago area) we see main character Delancey Sullivan as she attempts to find her love, young Simon, as well as navigate between the Consort (for whom her parents work) and the Free Walkers (a fringe group whose goal is to expose the lies the Consort has been spinning).
As “Dissonance” established, Del is a Walker and therefore able to move through the seemingly endless number of parallel worlds. “Resonance” explores this idea even further and investigates the mechanics of what happens when Walkers leave Echoes (Echoes are versions of people from the Key, or original, world that exist in the parallel worlds) and spoiler alert: the outcome isn’t good. With its focus on the technicalities involved in Walking, “Resonance” can, at times, become bogged down in world jargon. However, this is balanced against other, emotionally grounding aspects of the book, namely Del’s evolving relationship with her grandfather Monty, her parents, and the boy she loves, Simon.
In fact, the characters are the reason I love “Resonance.” O’Rourke gives everyone, even characters who only exist on a few pages, a reason to motivate their actions and beliefs. And this is what makes the book such a vibrant and interesting read; it is full of vibrant and interesting characters.
Even Del, the hero of this book, is constantly unsure who to trust and turns inward, time and time again, and allows how she feels to dictate her actions. This means she isn’t always making the best choices or, at the very least, the most thoughtful ones; but it does mean she is always being true to herself. That, I think, is ultimately what makes her admirable as our young hero. Perhaps we could all do well to trust our gut over what we are told a bit more.
If you liked O’Rourke’s “Dissonance,” you will enjoy the way that story and characters carry on in “Resonance.” If you haven’t read the first book, well, the good news is you now have twice as much story in which to get lost. (Kim Steele)
“Resonance” By Erica O’Rourke Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 448 pages, $18.99
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