Haverford, Maine, is a town that's easy to overlook. So is Robert Carter, an eighth-grader who's been a target for the class bully. That is, until the first day of school when a new kid appears- Nathan Tilly. Nathan is fearless, impetuous, and obsessed with kites and flying. As Robert and Nathan become friends, they're drawn into each other's worlds, where they both witness unexpected tragedy and learn that all families harbor secrets. When summer arrives, both boys work at the local amusement park owned by Robert's family, and it's there that Robert and Nathan begin to learn some harsh truths about family, desire and revenge. Honest and heartfelt, with echoes of novels by Wally Lamb and John Irving, Setting Free the Kites is both a poignant coming-of-age story and a moving family drama that explores the terrible costs of misplaced hope. From the author of the "lyrical and compelling" (USA Today) novel A Good American comes a powerful story of two friends and the unintended consequences of friendship, loss, and hope. For Robert Carter, life in his coastal Maine hometown is comfortably predictable. But in 1976, on his first day of eighth grade, he meets Nathan Tilly, who changes everything. Nathan is confident, fearless, impetuous-and fascinated by kites and flying. Robert and Nathan's budding friendship is forged in the crucible of two family tragedies, and as the boys struggle to come to terms with loss, they take summer jobs at the local rundown amusement park. It's there that Nathan's boundless capacity for optimism threatens to overwhelm them both, and where they learn some harsh truths about family, desire, and revenge. Unforgettable and heart-breaking, Setting Free the Kites is a poignant and moving exploration of the pain, joy, and glories of young friendship.