One Degree of Freedom by Taryn Hutchinson, tells the story of Adriana Nicu, a fifteen-year-old living in the sheltered world of Bucharest, Romania, in the year of 1987. Living under Communist rule, citizens of Bucharest live with the government's eyes and ears on them every moment of the day. Adriana's future, which will involve becoming an engineer, is locked in against her will. During a visit to her aunt's apartment, Adriana walks through a wardrobe into a hidden room filled with stacks of forbidden novels. As her family begins to unravel, her life strangely parallels those of her novels' heroines. These stories bring light into the darkest of circumstances. Adriana's childhood loyalties and her belief that God doesn't exist are called into question as her circumstances force her to rethink things she once believed were certain. Paperback, 314 pages. Ages 13-18
