Somehow, somewhere, perhaps in an alternate universe, I have seen this story before. Actually I think I may have seen the film. Or perhaps even seen a documentary about the film. However this is most definitely in an alternative universe, because I've just watched the trailer and the real actors playing the characters just do not match up to the ones that are playing these roles in my head.
When I first picked up this book I noted the publishing date and thought to myself "meh.... 2005, it's (less than) 10 years old! Popular today, tomorrow to be replaced by something else..." but now that I'm well into the story I think I might have been a little mistaken. This is not just another teen trash novel. This is worthy of high praise. A veritable Stand By Me for generation Z (or are we back to A again, I haven't really kept up with the lettering...).
I love stories about geeky youth set in boarding schools. I was a geeky youth placed and went to two boarding schools. I never actually boarded but there was a part of me that REALLY wished I had. I think this was also the same part of me that wishes I had to wear glasses. It was certainly the part of me that decided from one school to the next that I would forever be known as "Kyle". In fact, it was Kyle who attended, as a day student, the schools that had boarders.
I remember once a young girl came up to me in a Ballarat restaurant and spoke to me as if she knew me. I was a little shocked because I was engaged in conversation with the Director of my show. He turned to me later and said "Why did she call you Carl?". Well that's the Australian accent for you. Kyle/Carl. Nowadays if people don't call me by my own name, they call me David. I used to love it when they had just met me because I used to reply "Oh no, you are mistaking me for my lover." This used to get some of the finest looks. Now if it happens I don't even draw attention to it. At least it starts with "D".
Days Left: 363
Books Left: 100
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