A Heart in a Body in the World

A Heart in a Body in the World is a young adult novel by Deb Caletti, published in 2018. The novel is a work of contemporary realism and is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book.

Plot Summary

The novel follows the story of Annabelle Agnelli, a high school senior living with her mother Gina and her brother Malcolm in Seattle, Washington. Annabelle is a talented cross-country runner, a strong student, and popular at her school. One evening Annabelle is picking up food at a restaurant when an intoxicating man makes a flirtatious comment and tries to grab her arm. Triggered by this incident, Annabelle takes off running until she is several miles from her house. This gives Annabelle the idea to run across the country, from Seattle to Washington, DC. When Annabelle finally calls her mom, Annabelle explains that she is not coming home; instead, she gets a room at a nearby hotel. The novel follows Annabelle as she completes her cross-country run.

Nine months before the novel begins, Annabelle was at a party when she witnessed a violent incident involving a former friend and classmate, whom Annabelle refers to only as “The Taker.” Throughout the novel the details of this storyline are revealed through flashbacks and intrusive memories, as Annabelle remembers the events leading up to this incident. Through Annabelle’s memories, the reader learns that The Taker was a new student at Annabelle’s high school, and the two became friends in their Mixed Media Art class. Annabelle had recently broken up with her boyfriend Will. Annabelle invites The Taker into her friend group. However, it quickly becomes evident that The Taker has a crush on Annabelle. Sometimes Annabelle enjoys the attention and flirts back, but she tells The Taker they are just friends. Even though The Taker is friendly, he displays many odd behaviors that make Annabelle uncomfortable.

At the school’s winter dance, Annabelle dances with The Taker and feels his erection against her. Later, The Taker begins showing up outside Annabelle’s car after school and insists on a ride home. For Annabelle’s birthday, The Taker gets concert tickets for himself and Annabelle, saying they’re going to meet his friends from his part-time job, implying that the outing is not a date. At the concert, The Taker’s friends never show up. After the concert, The Taker and Annabelle kiss in The Taker’s car, but Annabelle tells him it shouldn’t have happened because they are just friends. Later, Annabelle wonders if The Taker’s friends from work really exist or if The Taker made them up.

Eventually, Annabelle and Will, her ex-boyfriend, get back together. Annabelle avoids telling The Taker about Will. When The Taker finds out, he becomes extremely jealous. The Taker writes Annabelle a 13-page letter saying she hurt him and begins calling her late at night. Annabelle finally tells The Taker to leave her alone. At the end of the school year, Annabelle’s friend Geoff throws a party. Geoff tells The Taker he is not invited, and The Taker says his family will be out of town anyway. At the party Annabelle and her best friend Kat realize they are wearing identical outfits. Annabelle goes upstairs to use the bathroom and hears a popping noise downstairs. When she comes downstairs, she sees The Taker with a rifle and Will and Kat, who have both been shot. The Taker mistook Kat for Annabelle. Because of this horrific incident, Annabelle experiences post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety throughout the novel.

Annabelle plans to stay in motels and bed and breakfasts at night while running across the country during the day. However, on Annabelle’s second night, her Grandpa Ed shows up with his RV. Grandpa Ed offers to drive alongside Annabelle, and the two of them will sleep in his RV at night. Annabelle’s brother Malcolm decides he will be Annabelle’s logistics coordinator and maps out her route. Malcolm teams up with Annabelle’s friends Zach and Olivia. Zach creates a GoFundMe account and raises money for Annabelle, while Olivia becomes Annabelle’s publicist and designs a T-shirt and a social media page, and schedules interviews for Annabelle with reporters and speeches at clubs and colleges.

One night at a state park, Grandpa meets another older woman, Dawn Celeste, who is traveling across the country in her camper with her grandson Luke Messenger. Luke is the same age as Annabelle, but Annabelle avoids meeting him, still nervous around boys her age.

The next day is Annabelle’s birthday. After Annabelle’s run, Annabelle and Grandpa go out to dinner at a local restaurant. Gina, Gina’s boyfriend, two of Gina’s friends, and Malcolm drive out from Seattle to celebrate Annabelle’s birthday. Grandpa also invites Dawn Celeste and Luke. Among other gifts from friends and family, Gina gives Annabelle a medal of Saint Christopher, and Luke gives Annabelle a cassette player to listen to while she runs.

A couple days later Annabelle meets with a local high schooler who writes an article about Annabelle for her school paper. Annabelle feels uncomfortable and nervous during the interview, but the student reporter writes an inspiring and positive article about Annabelle. The article gets the attention of some locals, and soon people are meeting Annabelle along her route to cheer her on. Annabelle is also offered dinner and a night’s stay in a hotel in town from the mayor and local businessowners. As more and more people hear about Annabelle’s journey, she is invited to speak at clubs, colleges, and interviews with local reporters. She is also treated to barbeques, restaurant dinners, and hotel rooms at various stops along her journey.

Two weeks after the article in the high school newspaper, a waitress warns Annabelle and Grandpa that it’s going to storm. However, the sky looks clear, so Annabelle decides to run that day anyway. The storm arrives suddenly, but Dawn Celeste and Luke show up in their camper and rescue Annabelle. Dawn Celeste explains that Grandpa Ed had to stop for repairs after a tire blew out and asked Dawn Celeste and Luke to look after Annabelle for a few days. Annabelle realizes Grandpa and Dawn Celeste have been in touch this whole time.

Finally, Annabelle, Dawn Celeste, and Luke meet up with Grandpa at a Hutterite community, a group similar to the Amish, who have allowed them to park their RVs on their land for the night. That night two Hutterite women call Annabelle outside and show her a video Malcolm filmed of Annabelle and posted online without her knowledge. In the video Annabelle is in a hotel room on one of their stops and states that she is running simply because she has to do something. The video has thousands of views. The Hutterite women find the video inspiring.

When Annabelle is just past her halfway point, she waves to a trucker on a lone road. As the trucker waves back, a deer runs into the street and the truck hits it and kills it. Triggered by the violent scene, Annabelle stays in bed in the RV for three days. Annabelle calls her therapist Dr. Mann, who notes that it is the one-year anniversary of the shooting. Eventually, thanks to encouragement from her friends and family, Annabelle gets up and continues running.

Locals continue to show their support for Annabelle. Twice, women come up to Annabelle and express their anger at The Taker. Later, Annabelle is gifted tickets to a local water park. At the water park people show up wearing the red T-shirts Olivia designed on behalf of Annabelle’s run. Grandpa also invites Dawn Celeste and Luke. Annabelle has a lot of fun at the water park and continues to develop her friendship with Luke. Luke and Annabelle joke about their grandparents’ budding romance.

Luke and Dawn Celeste continue to follow Annabelle and Grandpa along their journey. Annabelle makes it all the way to Chicago, where Gina, Malcolm, Olivia, and Zach all fly in, and they spend a few days visiting tourist attractions. After Chicago, Annabelle makes it to Pittsburgh, where Olivia has scheduled her to give a speech at Carnegie Mellon. Annabelle is very nervous for the speech but eventually gets onstage, speaks about the shooting, and shares how angry and sad she is that it is so easy to buy a gun. The audience applauds, and Annabelle realizes they share in her anger and grief.

Finally, Annabelle makes it to her destination, Washington, DC. Annabelle speaks to senators, the Gun Violence Task Force, and students at local colleges. A few days later Annabelle meets with the plaintiff in the court case against The Taker to prepare for the trial. Over the next few weeks, Annabelle speaks at the trial and at the sentencing hearing, where The Taker is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

Annabelle and Luke begin to date. Annabelle lives in Seattle, while Luke attends college in Portland. One weekend Luke takes Annabelle to see a wolf tree at a national park. The tree is ugly but survives despite the odds. The novel ends with a message of hope.