Just as sweet—and sadly, just as fleeting—as a pack of Oreos.
Nineteen-year-old Simon and his boyfriend navigate their first year of college while struggling to maintain their newly long-distance relationship.
In this epistolary novella, Simon Spier is at it again—but now, he’s at Haverford College, and Blue, his boyfriend of two years, is in New York City. As they settle into their new college lives, Simon and Blue, along with Leah, Nick, Abby, Garrett, and Taylor, keep in touch via email in endearing, occasionally gossipy group threads and poignant private conversations. Infused with Albertalli’s signature humor and heart and arranged chronologically (complete with time stamps), topics range from roommates, parties, and classes to identity, agency, and the future. New readers beware: Practically every page contains a spoiler for the preceding novels, including Blue’s name and several other characters’ queer identities. Unfortunately, the individual characters’ voices at times do not feel distinct from one another; nevertheless, fans of the Simonverse will laugh, cry, and swoon over the hilarious and tender exchanges between their favorite characters. The story affirms long-term, long-distance love and friendship, addressing the complicated feelings that come from navigating new environments. Race is never mentioned in this installment; readers of previous books will be aware that the characters are White and Black.
Just as sweet—and sadly, just as fleeting—as a pack of Oreos. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 30, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-304812-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2020
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
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
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