Line #1 Literature/BackRoads

Context Literature / BackRoads

Go To


1	The debut novel by American author ''Creator/TawniODell'', the story revolves around Harley Altmyer, a teenager who takes care of his three younger sisters. Published in 2000, the book was an Oprah's Book Club release.
2
3	In 2018, it was adapted into a film directed by and starring Alex Pettyfer, alongside Creator/JulietteLewis, Creator/RobertPatrick, Jennifer Morrison, and Nicola Peltz.
4	----
5	!! Tropes featured in this novel include:
6
7	%%* AbusiveParents: Harley's dad. Subverted when Harley comments that he wants to hit his sister, and he realizes it was "nothing personal." Also serves as a FreudianExcuse for many of the family's problems, particularly Amber's attraction to abusive guys.
8	%%* AdultsAreUseless: Pretty much all of them.
9	%%* BringMyBrownPants
10	* BrotherSisterIncest: [[spoiler:Harley and Amber, at the very end, although it's hinted that they had a sexual relationship when they were younger.]]
11	%%* DepartmentOfChildDisservices: Harley attends court-ordered therapy, but it doesn't seem to help much.
12	%%* DysfunctionalFamily: And how!
13	* HollywoodNewEngland: The story is set in rural Pennsylvania, but much is made of the class difference between the working-class Altmyers and their wealthy neighbour, whose father owns most of the land nearby.
14	* InMediasRes: Harley is already at the police station, talking about what got him there.
15	* LikesOlderWomen: Subverted. Harley sort of falls into his affair with the mother next door, but he claims his life is "lousy with women."
16	* ParentalAbandonment: His father was murdered by his mother [[spoiler: not really]]. When visiting her in prison, Harley gets the impression that she's relieved to be there, stripped of her parental duties.
17	* ParentalFavoritism: Misty is clearly her dad's favourite, though the possibility of sexual abuse is hinted at.
18	* PromotionToParent: Harley. He's offered a choice: He can be "an ADULT with dependents, or an ORPHAN with nobody."
19	%%* StacysMom: Harley meets his crush because his youngest sister is friends with the woman's daughter.
20	%%* TheWoobie: Poor, poor Harley. And the youngest, most innocent member of the family, six-year-old Jody.

Context Literature / BackRoads