Helpful Score: 1
Reviewed by YA Librarian Elizabeth for TeensReadToo.com
Molly is in love/obsessed with her chemistry partner, Mark - but Mark has a girlfriend.
Mark lives on a farm, he is an artist, he cheats off Mallory's tests, doesn't show up for plans when he says he will, and basically is unavailable and constantly mysterious - which makes Molly's crush hard to bear.
Molly does not have many friends and is considered nerdy. She is going to Columbia college in New York City in the fall to study physics.
When an unexpected opportunity arises and Molly sees Mark vulnerable, a true friendship sparks between them.
Everything changes when Molly goes to college and meets two rich, glamorous New York City girls. They teach her about fashion and makeup and expose her to the party scene of New York. She also gets her first boyfriend and begins to forget about Mark. Meanwhile, Mark is having problems living back in Minnesota, and comes to New York to visit Molly - and soon everything she believed in is turned upside down.
A great read, filled with well-defined, lovable characters. You really feel for Molly and Mark and their struggles, and it will keep you guessing as to what will happen with everyone. A great story for those who like reading about the emotions of first love, first disappointments, and the friends who play a big role in your development.
Molly is in love/obsessed with her chemistry partner, Mark - but Mark has a girlfriend.
Mark lives on a farm, he is an artist, he cheats off Mallory's tests, doesn't show up for plans when he says he will, and basically is unavailable and constantly mysterious - which makes Molly's crush hard to bear.
Molly does not have many friends and is considered nerdy. She is going to Columbia college in New York City in the fall to study physics.
When an unexpected opportunity arises and Molly sees Mark vulnerable, a true friendship sparks between them.
Everything changes when Molly goes to college and meets two rich, glamorous New York City girls. They teach her about fashion and makeup and expose her to the party scene of New York. She also gets her first boyfriend and begins to forget about Mark. Meanwhile, Mark is having problems living back in Minnesota, and comes to New York to visit Molly - and soon everything she believed in is turned upside down.
A great read, filled with well-defined, lovable characters. You really feel for Molly and Mark and their struggles, and it will keep you guessing as to what will happen with everyone. A great story for those who like reading about the emotions of first love, first disappointments, and the friends who play a big role in your development.
Author Brian Malloy triumphs with this keenly observed study of two social outliers, exceptions from the mainstream high school experience who's symbiotic relationship gradually evolves because of the girl Molly's first unrequited romantic attachment to the boy, Mark. Despite this, their friendship grows and evolves after they both graduate and eventually continue seeing each other in NYC, where the intelligent Molly is evolving with new sophisticated college friends who broaden her outlook about others and herself. There are some big changes and heartaches in store, many misapprehensions and adjustments that will happen, subtiley changing the trajectory of their lives, families, and futures. It is a year of dawning transitions that will be deep and lasting and Molly's account of them is a pleasure to read.
