"When I was little I believed in Jesus and Santa, spontaneous combustion, and the Loch Ness monster. Now I believe in science, statistics, and antibiotics."
So says seventeen-year-old Zac Meier during a long, grueling leukemia treatment in Perth, Australia. A loud blast of Lady Gaga alerts him to the presence of Mia, the angry, not-at-all-stoic cancer patient in the room next door. Once released, the two near-strangers can't forget each other, even as they desperately try to resume normal lives. The story of their mysterious connection drives this unflinchingly tough, tender novel told in two voices.
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“Narrators Kristin Condon and Nicholas Mondelli voice the title characters, two teens residing in adjacent rooms of a cancer ward. The novel begins with Zac’s perspective, and Mondelli brings a world-weary yet hopeful quality to Zac’s voice as he recovers. His pacing is slow and measured, highlighting his feeling of resignation toward his slow treatment. His calmness contrasts with his description of Mia, who is angry, stubborn, and prone to fits of shouting. When Condon later narrates Mia’s perspective, she reveals surprising vulnerability in an internal monologue that adds dimension to her complex character. Condon and Mondelli give thoughtful and subtle readings.”
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