The Beautiful Ruined World — Kent Nelson

Juliet Ruskin, married with a young child, finds herself troubled by the lies she's told her husband and the larger secret of her past. To cope, Juliet decides to write down her story, hoping to find forgiveness at the end. The story Juliet writes tells of the disintegration of a family who leave their seventeen-year-old daughter behind when they move across the country. Soon expelled from private school, the daughter has no place to go but to her parents' new house where the older couple have happily joined the local community. At a hearing of the county commissioners, the daughter's father hears of a proposed landfill near their home but finds his concerns rapidly silenced. Meanwhile, the daughter's mother—who has recently accepted the starring role in a play—begins behaving oddly and adapting behaviors of her volatile character. The only breath of fresh air the daughter has is Antoine, a Black exchange student from the Central African Republic. Finding his naivety charming, the daughter resumes hobbies she'd left behind and they quickly become friends. Unfortunately, Antoine finds himself a catalyst for trouble and racial hatred in the city while the daughter finds herself embroiled in things that will haunt her for years to come. When the story reaches its conclusion, and Juliet has written her sins, will she be able to find peace?