[Welcome to the EL Book Introductions series. These posts are all short (<180 words) introductions/reviews of books in the EL library. They focus on telling you what we think will be interesting for you, a college student and English learner, so use them to help you find the right book for you. You can also use the tags to find books about topics you might be interested in.]
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Meet Adrian, a teenager trapped in a boring town with strict parents and catholic schooling. Like many young people, he struggles to find out who he is. He experiences rejection by his mother, classmates, and even his best friend as he explores a hidden romance with another boy at his school.
There are relatable themes here, but this book may also be a window into the heart and mind of someone who is very little like you. With very few people who accept him for who he is and nobody to listen to his story, Adrian is pushed to his emotional limits. The story climaxes with an homage to Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, reminding us that these themes are nothing new.
My two cents: The gentle art style reflects the “perfect” surface of Adrian’s life, hiding imperfections just as he hides his inner struggle.
