A Short History – for obvious reasons – and part of me feared that this would be like numerous books I’ve read before. Thankfully, this was a deceptive read.
Initially I was unsure how interested I would be in our main narrator, Matt, being neither interested in basketball nor interested in how it feels to be in love with your best friend but not able to tell them. However, I quickly warmed to him. There’s a gaucheness to him that he tries to cover up, but he is not a stereotypical arrogant jock…this is a very warm-hearted young man who often gets things wrong, doesn’t always say the right thing and who has the ability to mess things up without even speaking.
I couldn’t help but feel for him being in love with this ‘next door neighbour’ whom he’s known for years, and who is treated almost like an extra member of the family. This could have been really exciting if we’d had passages from Tabby’s point of view, though that would – inevitably- run into problems further into the novel.
Within pages I found myself getting under Matt’s skin. I laughed out loud, cringed at his awkward moments and truly loved the dynamics between the pair. This was a chance to see what someone’s thinking (even though, on occasion, we might have been better not knowing.)
As the story unfolds Matt is having to come to terms with the realisation that Tabby fancies someone else, a senior, who is actually a really nice guy. They can still be friends, but things are changing. You get the idea. It hurts.
Matt treats Tabby rather shabbily on occasion, and even takes her friendship for granted. While I wanted there to be some form of relationship between them, I sensed that we were not going to get that resolution. However,when the carpet was pulled from under me I was stunned. Shocking, heart-breaking but truly a great read.
I’ve already recommended this to many students. Thanks NetGalley for letting me read it early!