Innocent Until Proven Guilty

That's one of the fundamental principles of our justice system, that you are innocent until proven guilty.  But I wonder about those high profile cases, the ones that are all over the news, the ones where everyone seems to have made up their mind before a trial date is even set.  Katie Leigh is able to attend one of those trials.

Jen Bryant's The Trial is told from the perspective of Katie Leigh, a restless adventurer stuck in a middle of nowhere town where nothing exciting ever happens.  Katie satisfies her need for adventure through magazine clippings and newspaper articles, even working in the newspaper office, just waiting to be old enough to have a real adventure of her own.

Charles Lindbergh is an American hero but that didn't protect him from tragedy.  His baby was kidnapped then later found dead.  Years later they have a suspect and the trial takes place in Katie Leigh's middle of nowhere, nothing exciting ever happens town.

Historical fiction is a favorite genre of mine and Katie Leigh has exactly the kind of spunk I love from a lead.  However, this book is written as a series of free verse poems.  Long time readers of the blog will know that this is pretty much a deal breaker for me.  The story was well told but it just feels so fragmented I can' t sink into the story.

Finding adventure...that's kids stuff.