At age 16, Lucy Tyla is abandoned by her irresponsible mother, who chooses a new boyfriend over her daughter. Left on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast with the grandmother she has never met but immediately loves, Lucy quickly searches for her father, and learns he is Tom Haley, now an internationally successful Haida carver. In the course of the novel, Lucy confronts this man, is embraced by his family and eventually by him, explores her own artistic talents, and deals with the discovery of her Haida heritage and what it means to be classified as “native” in society. Additionally, Lucy becomes pregnant after a drunken tryst with another high-school student and decides to keep her baby; despite her pregnancy, she graduates from high school and goes to UBC to get her education degree. Because of its young adult content, the novel is most appropriate for readers over 13.

Lucy’s perseverance will certainly have readers rooting for her. Her search for self and community makes a compelling and thoughtful story, and Razzell, author of Snow Apples, Salmonberry Wine, creates characters that are likable though underdeveloped. But at a slim 144 pages, Haida Quest tries to tell too many stories for its length, resulting in a narrative with loose ends and undeveloped plots. For example, Tom Haley’s transformation from angry, self-important artist to caring, responsible father is so sudden it rings false. The novel’s depiction of teen motherhood is similarly uncomplicated; Lucy gets so many good breaks and so rarely complains that having a baby at 17 seems almost easy. While Lucy’s success in spite of so many obstacles is heartening, her story lacks sufficient development to be entirely believable.