“A surprise is rarely a stranger, but a faceless patient who’s been reading across from you in the waiting room the entire time, his head hidden by a magazine but his orange socks in plain view, as well as his gold pocket watch and frayed trousers.” Part 3, Chapter 35: The Secret Garden
I’m trying to decide if I liked this book. There are aspects of it I loved, and aspects of it that were middling. On the whole, the ending felt sudden and not a little unearned. I don’t regret the ride, but the park job left something to be desired.
This is the story of college freshman Blue Van Meer, reflecting back on her mad cap senior year of high school. After the death of her mother, Blue’s father Gareth can’t seem to bear being in one place more than a few months. After years of transience and impermanence, her father finally decides it’s time to settle down for one whole academic year. What follows is sort of Brickmeets The Secret History (Donna Tartt). There’s at least one murder, an insular cabal of teenagers, and a mystery that Blue, as the outsider, must crack.
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