THIS IS OUR PLACE

A character-driven book translated from Portuguese about making your home where your heart is.

Told in timelines set decades apart, the novel follows the lives of three teen residents of 8 Sunflower St. in the fictional rural Brazilian city of Lagoa Pequena. Expressing itself in a delightful voice, the narrator is the house itself; through it, readers get to know Ana, Greg, and Beto. In the 2000 storyline, Ana is a lesbian with a girlfriend who still hasn’t worked up the nerve to come out to her dad. Just when things are starting to look up, she finds out that they are moving to Rio de Janeiro for his new job. In 2010, Greg is sent to his aunt’s house while his divorcing parents work through things. Awkwardly, the person he feels closest to is the young woman who works as his plastic surgeon father’s personal assistant. But in this new place, Greg meets someone new: Tiago, another gay teen who may or may not fit into his plan of finally having his first kiss. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic starts, and Beto is stuck with his mother and sister, navigating his complicated relationships with them. He’s also trapped in a city he hates for the narrow gender roles the residents perpetuate. The reflective stories offer different perspectives on the lives and struggles of the protagonists, with heartfelt moments that readers who appreciate quiet books will enjoy.

A sweet, introspective story about queer teens.