Sixth grader Lucy knows starting middle school will be complicated rather than eased by the presence of her older sister, eighth grader Gigi. The two don’t get along, having deep-seated jealousy and animosity that grew out of grief following the death of their dad (Black) a few years before. He was a fencing instructor and taught them both; now Gigi is vying for captain of the school fencing team, while Lucy has given up the sport. Each sister firmly believes that their father favored the other. Their mom (white) is overwhelmed by work and parenting on her own, and it feels to both sisters like she’s checked out, always telling them to resolve their disputes independently. When an argument in the school cafeteria leads to a public challenge, Lucy throws herself back into training, while Gigi works out a way to veil the duel as team tryout to disguise the sisters’ showdown. As they each prepare, the fighting and sniping continues, while flashbacks reveal what slowly brought them to this place of disconnection. A graphic novel with abundant information about fencing works as an introduction to the sport on one level, while exploring the complexities of grief as it impacts individuals and a family on another.A note from the author expands on the duality of (Ages 10-14)