Gr 9 Up—Phyre wants to be an actress. As such, she is dramatic and self-involved. She is popular, but has a reputation for being cold and aloof because she never dates any boy for long. The 16-year-old has one longtime best friend, referred to, in an obvious plot device, as "You." In her theater studies class, Phyre comes under the spell of Mia, the student teacher. She becomes obsessed with the pretty young woman and lives for the time she can spend with her, oblivious to the effect it's having on her best friend. The story is told as a screenplay, and although the format fits the action, it also hinders it. Readers get no description or details beyond the most superficial. Phyre's crush ends as quickly as it begins. Much of the action is highly unlikely: Mia starts teaching the first day, there is no appearance of a supervising teacher, and many of Mia's actions would end her career before it began. The LGBTQ hook is weak; Phyre's crush on her teacher, her first on a female, seems to cause her little soul searching, and the failure to reveal the gender of "You" at the end is irritating. Although this novel is an easy read, it has little appeal for reluctant readers. Drama enthusiasts or girls questioning their sexuality may find it intriguing, but its purchase is strictly additional.—Suanne Roush, Osceola High School, Seminole, FL
Phyre, sixteen, falls hard for her theater instructor, who just happens to be a woman. Calin's novel contains all the staples of a love story--confusion, infatuation, unrequited love--without reductively forcing Phyre to ponder, "Am I a lesbian?" And without revealing the gender of Phyre's best friend and ultimate first love. While the outcome is entirely predictable, the restraint is refreshing.
Be the first reader to comment.
Comment Policy:
Comment should not be empty !!!