Touch

Francine Prose is a skilled novelist and the multi-perspective structure here is sophisticated, but the late plot twist that reframes the harassment allegation has divided critics for good reason — it risks muddying exactly the waters the book claims to illuminate about how abuse stories get distorted. Booklist loved it, Kirkus found it emotionally distant, and that split tracks with the reading experience. Mature high schoolers in a guided classroom context might get real value from it; as a standalone read for the lower YA range, it's a harder sell.