An issue-driven story that ably grapples with the harsh realities of adolescence.
In Tillit’s third YA series installment,a teenage boy realizes the true meaning of friendship and belonging after his defense of another person upends his school life.
The story follows 17-year-old Blake Dockins in the immediate aftermath of protecting his classmate Zonta Jones from being sexually assaulted by fellow football teammate Carlos, a teen he’d considered his friend, in the girls’ bathroom at school. Although he’s injured from the encounter, Blake is mostly concerned about how the incident will be seen by his peers. He made some racially insensitive comments in class several months ago and many classmates rightfully regard him with open disdain; he ruined his chances with his crush, Emma Tang-Lee, and soured his friendship with another girl. Some classmates reluctantly see him more positively after his intervention in the assault, but his wrestling and football teammates freeze him out for the same reason. Blake has long tried to keep his diagnosed autism a secret by working to fit in with his fellow athletes. However, he’s starting to have doubts about their sense of right and wrong. As Blake tries to repair his damaged relationships with peers outside sports, he may successfully make amends––and make a genuine friend or two. Tillit manages to cover a surprising amount of ground in this slim tome, not only developing Blake as a character but also subtly including references to previous installments without losing new readers. The cast of teens come from diverse backgrounds, and they also offer readers a peek into the diversity of thought that exists among today’s American youth as they deal with issues surrounding racism, sexual harassment, academic stress, drug abuse, housing insecurity, and more over the course of the series. Readers will likely find themselves engaged with Blake’s personal journey, and other characters’ plotlines are equally compelling, resulting in a gritty but hopeful coming-of-age novel.
Pub Date: April 17, 2023
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 186
Publisher: My Easy Read Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 30, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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