Stray Voltage — Eugenie Doyle

Ian Daley lives with his father, mother, and older brother on a dairy farm in northern Vermont. Times are hard for small farmers and they only get harder when a winter ice storm brings down the power lines and stray voltage gets loose on the farm, randomly shocking humans and animals alike, putting the cows off their milking. Then, one day, Ian's Mom leaves. Ian doesn't know where she's gone or for how long. Ian's dad, always gruff and non-communicative, becomes morose, while his brother checks out. Ian's loneliness grows and grows as he struggles with his mother's abandonment, his own divided loyalties, and his evolving sense of self.
Eugenie Doyle's compelling debut novel lovingly portrays life on a small farm, celebrating its inherent vales and revealing its stark beauty.