Release

Release 
by Patrick Ness
HarperTeen, 2017, 277 pgs, Young Adult Fiction

Adam doesn’t have it all figured out, there’s plenty of drama in his quiet, small town life. This year alone he’s heading into his senior year but his best friend has decided to study abroad, he has a doting boyfriend and yet he can’t seem to get over his ex, and he comes from a devout religious family who doesn’t know he’d gay. Throughout all this, he’s learning to navigate the ups and downs that life will inevitably bring, to let go of what isn’t important, to stand up for himself when he should, and understand what makes relationships with other people- family, friends, and romantic interests alike- worth hanging on to.

This coming of age story is as sweet as it is timeless. Learning to understand and accept yourself, love others, and just make it in the world is hard no matter your age, and Adam and his charming, witty friends feel familiar, like they could have been my own friends, with similar concerns when I was a teen. The story was simple, but not boring, and the writing is fresh and funny. This book is a break from the author’s popular Science Fiction fare, but shows he can write outside that genre, and do it with aplomb.

RC