FICTION

THE TRACKS OF ANGELS by Kelly Dwyer (G. P. Putnam’s Sons: $22.95, 272 pp.) Although many first novels have essentially the same plot (young alienated person comes of age and reconciles with his or her painful past) perhaps it is not a negative thing. Perhaps a lot of writers need to tell that story before being able to access the other riches buried underneath their young alienated self. “The Tracks of Angels,” has many strengths. Dwyer’s style is engaging. She has an eye for the quirky detail, creates real likable characters, and handles an enormous issue without becoming polemical. Laura, the narrator, seems to have been through more than her share of bad luck, yet somehow never lapses into self pity. This is writing you can trust.