THE FRACKING KING

Nick Podehl brings a sophomoric tone to the story of Winston Crwth, an awkward teen with an uneven academic record and a passion for Scrabble and wordplay. This defining passion lands Crwth a Dark scholarship to the prestigious Hale School for Boys in Pennsylvania. Dark money from fracking operations in Pennsylvania and elsewhere funds the school. Podehl captures Winston's divided emotions and aloof cynicism. Although the story is populated with a quirky cast of characters as well as descriptions of the sobering realities of fracking, limited character development causes it to drag. A.S. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2014]