Rafael Fannen is a 14-year old boy who has won a minority scholarship to Our Lady of the Woods, an all male Catholic college preparatory school. Winning the scholarship quickly turns into a nightmare, as Rafe has to deal with the racism of his fellow students. Things quickly spin out of control when he is targeted by a vicious bully. When Rafe decides to fight back and take control of his life, the lives of everyone around him will change. But none more than his own. "Gidney has crafted a beautifully assured and insightful debut novel detailing the heightened surreality and emotionalism of teenage life. This book is full of heartbreak, humor, and most importantly a deep humane sense of empathy."— William Johnson, editor, Lambda Literary Review and publisher of Mary Literary Quarterly "Craig Gidney's debut novel, Bereft, shows the vicious and often violent underside of junior high with boys being hurting each other every way they can to see who survives and who doesn't. Gidney gets it right-the sexual tensions, bullying, surprising friendships. Rafe is a character everyone can relate to." - Greg Herren, 2011 Moonbeam Award Gold Medal recipient for Sleeping Angel