A well-written but melodramatic he-said, she-said epistolary retrospective of an unhealthy relationship.
Talented teen Los Angelenos recall their toxic romance in this angst-y breakup story.
Aspiring high school artist Natalie and filmmaker Dan (both white) are over when the story starts, but through a series of letters, Nat reminds Dan of all the ways (or at least the titular 16) he broke her heart. At their first meet-cute in a coffee shop, 17 months earlier, Nat and Dan instantly connect. Their witty banter and palpable chemistry seem to mark the start of an epic romance, but Nat’s wealth, art-world connections (her mom is a “semi-famous painter”), ambition, and undeniable genius intimidate “Public School Boyfriend” Dan. “Sexy, scary, manic, messy” Nat, meanwhile, grows jealous of Dan’s obviously devoted mixed-race best friend, Ruby, and his text flirtations with gorgeous, white classmate Arielle. The chapters switch points of view and timelines, with text transcripts between various characters interspersed. Nat’s letters flash back to such relationship milestones as her first kiss with Dan, their first time in bed, first fight, first “hate-fuck,” etc. After reading each letter, Dan offers reflections (or refutations) in the present, the juxtapositions revealing both to be unreliable narrators. Readers may have to reread a chapter’s time stamp to keep up, and it’s occasionally tedious to revisit the same moment again and again. A frustratingly abrupt denouement won’t satisfy readers hoping for a cathartic redemption.
A well-written but melodramatic he-said, she-said epistolary retrospective of an unhealthy relationship. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: July 25, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-241872-2
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
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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