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“A triumph of love and dignity.”
— Stephanie Perkins, New York Times bestselling author
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A book you won't be able to resist or forget. The Southern boy in me savored every syllable and the reader in me fell in love with every page.
— John Corey Whaley, National Book Award finalist and Printz Award winner
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A triumph of love and dignity.
— Stephanie Perkins, New York Times bestselling author
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Move over, John Green; Zentner is coming for you.
— The New York Public Library
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Will fill the infinite space that was left in your chest after you finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
— BookRiot.com
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A story about friendship, family and forgiveness, it's as funny and witty as it is utterly heartbreaking.
— PasteMagazine.com
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A brutally honest portrayal of teen life . . . [and] a love letter to the South from a man who really understands it.
— Mashable.com
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I adored all three of these characters and the way they talked to and loved one another.
— New York Times Book Review
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A new voice to savor.
— Kirkus, Starred
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[T]his sepia-toned portrait of small-town life serves as a moving testament to love, loyalty, faith, and reaching through the darkness to find light and hope.
— PW, Starred
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Pens would run dry if readers were to underline extraordinary sentences--the kind that are so true, or funny, or beautiful that they clamp hearts. . . . [An] extraordinary YA debut.
— Shelf Awareness, Starred
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The third-person narration manages to convey distinct flavor for each deeply personal and introspective storyline, so each character emerges as an authentic individual, flawed yet lovable, and readers will find themselves drawn by the heartstrings into their complex lives.
— The Bulletin, Starred
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Thorough characterization and artful prose allow readers to intimately experience the highs and lows of these three friends .... Recommended for fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell.
— SLJ
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“A story about friendship, family, and forgiveness, it’s as funny and witty as it is utterly heartbreaking.”
— Paste Magazine
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“Three narrators deliver the alternating voices of three protagonists…Ariadne Meyers renders the wit and confidence of Lydia… Michael Crouch portrays Dill’s disguised passion for Lydia and…Ethan Sawyer contrasts Travis’ gentle, dreamy nature with the menacing tone of his demeaning father. All the narrators deliver nuanced, engaging depictions, which strengthen as the characters grow and their relationships evolve. Listeners will be engrossed by their disturbing stories. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile
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“Pens would run dry if readers were to underline extraordinary sentences—the kind that are so true, or funny, or beautiful that they clamp hearts…[An] extraordinary YA debut.”
— Shelf Awareness (starred review)
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“Zentner explores difficult themes head on—including the desire to escape the sins of the father and the fragility of happiness—while tempering them with the saving grace of enduring friendship.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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“Characters, incidents, dialogue, the poverty of the rural South, enduring friendship, a desperate clinging to strange faiths, fear of the unknown, and an awareness of the courage it takes to survive, let alone thrive, are among this fine novel’s strengths. Zentner writes with understanding and grace.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
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“Each character emerges as an authentic individual, flawed yet lovable, and readers will find themselves drawn by the heartstrings into their complex lives.”
— Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
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“Explores many issues common with teenagers today—bullying, life after high school, and the coming together and breaking apart of high school friendships. Thorough characterization and artful prose allow readers to intimately experience the highs and lows of these three friends.”
— School Library Journal
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“Zentner…[reveals] complex issues that range from struggles with faith to abuse to grief.”
— Booklist