An unusual look at love from Wersba (You'll Never Guess the End, 1992, etc.), whose upbeat, idiosyncratic explorations of happily-ever-after in such novels as Fat, A Love Story (1987, o.p.) finds a more sorrowful path here. Noli, a skinny, boyish girl, constantly fights with her mother, who would like her to appear more feminine. When angelic- looking, super-athletic, erudite TJ enrolls in her school, Noli is surprised at his bestowal of near-instant friendship on her. Their bond runs deep: He is forthright about his love for her, and about his disapproval of her budding alcoholism. Noli wants their relationship to be more physical, but TJ seems content, and only when an attempt to seduce him fails does she allow herself to know the truth: TJ is gay, and is—under parental pressure- -attempting to lead a straight life. Their split is violent and permanent: Several months later, Noli has a careful, cordial encounter with TJ, who longs to remain friends, but she cannot- -hers is a passionate love, not a platonic one. The encompassing emotions that complicate Noli's feelings for TJ run true, even while aspects of this graceful story are more burdensome than enlightening. Noli needs no drinking problems nor family troubles in her background to fall in love with TJ; readers will love him, too, even as they realize the reason he holds himself gently aloof. This isn't a perfect story, but its characters are perfectly human, and Wersba makes poetry of the arrival of unbidden love. (Fiction. 13+)
Pub Date: March 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-8050-4850-2
Page Count: 108
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1997
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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