Ally North's life is shattered by abuse at the age of eleven, but she refuses to fit the stereotype of a beautiful victim. By turns she is intelligent and funny, psychotic and violent. Cognizant of her symptoms of schizophrenia, she tries to control them with alcohol and drugs. It's never wise to fight a passionate tomboy, and she finds support in her devoted father, Davey, and in her ex-teacher friend, Steve Hussy. "Mangled characters living out their dead-end love affair; thwarted at every possible turn by alcohol, drugs and mental illness. The writing is lean and savage: they talk a lot about breaking free but their story is like that last drink of the night - spiked with barbiturates." U.V.RAY: "A CIGARETTE BURN IN THE SUN"
