SOURCE: “To Bury the Violence,” in Belles Lettres, Vol. 10, No. 2, Spring, 1995, p. 11.

In the following review, Schwartz praises Phillips's Shelter and calls the character of Carmody “[the one weakness in the book.”]

Jayne Anne Phillips's stunning new novel, Shelter, is a rich blend of sensuous symbolism, lush natural description, and dreamy water imagery that successfully weaves four separate narratives into a single compelling story. Within the secluded world of a West Virginia girls' summer camp, Phillips brilliantly captures the private world of adolescence, the kingdom of nature, and the deep bonds of sisterhood and friendship. Camp Shelter in the summer of 1963 is the setting for five children's loss of innocence and a surprising act of violence. The narrative moves seamlessly between its main characters: 15-years-old Lenny Swenson, a poised and curious adolescent on the brink of maturity; Alma, her pensive, secretive younger sister; Buddy Carmody, a young local...