Eleanor and Park tells the story of two outsiders who fall in love. A romance that happens under unfavorable circumstances. Despite everything, their love shows a bond between two misfits who are meant for each other. This story, set in 1986, is one that incorporates pop culture, music, and comics into their relationship. Unlike typical romance novels that generally depict a “happily-ever-after”, Eleanor and Park is a book that also explores issues in society such as discrimination, bullying, self-image, and domestic violence. Eleanor, apart from having to adjust to her new school and dealing with new-found bullies, faces constant terror at home from her alcoholic stepfather. On the other hand, Park’s upbringing is one that is secure, with a stable family and companionship. However, he struggles to relate and to find a place where he really belongs. Follow how their unlikely friendship progressively blooms into a special relationship.
Finding Audrey is a story of a teenage girl, Audrey, who is suffering from social anxiety disorder. Her experiences with bullies are one of the factors that led to her disorder, driving Audrey to virtually become her own prisoner mentally. Though she establishes steady progress with Dr. Sarah, when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she develops a connection that is unlike anything she has ever felt before. Audrey can talk to with Linus and let her guard down; as their friendship grows, a sweet romantic relationship between them develops, one that aids in Audrey’s path to recovery. This uplifting piece will inspire readers with the author’s portrayal of the raw experiences of a teenage girl.
Where Rainbows End (later called Love, Rosie after its movie adaptation) is a heart-warming romance novel that examines the definition and attainability of true love. This story is told through emails, letters, and instant messages between the two main characters, Rosie Dunne and Alex Stewart. Rosie and Alex have been best friends ever since they first met at the age of five. Their story is one that shows two people’s shared moments in life, wrong decisions, missed chances, and eventually their different paths in life. Despite their different lives, they manage to find their way back to each other. This modern take on a romance story poses the question for readers to explore the question, do we really only get one shot at true love?
Me, and Earl, and the Dying Girl can be seen as a twist on the John Green novel, The Fault in Our Stars. This book tells the story of a senior, Greg, whose strategy in going through school consists of avoiding deep relationships and blending in. The only true friend he has is his companion with whom he makes short films with, Earl – whom Greg merely considers to be more of a “co-worker” than a best friend. His views on friendship and life completely changes, however, when he starts spending time with Rachel, a girl in his class who has been diagnosed with cancer. This heartwarming piece centered on the life of a teenager is one that will take readers on a roller coaster ride with the somewhat perfect blend of humor with the sad human truth within the story.
Slaughterhouse 5 is one of the most well-known books by Kurt Vonnegut. Written as an anti-war book, Kurt depicts his experiences as a World War II prisoner who went through the Dresden bombing. Going against what would be considered a traditional approach to his account of history, Kurt chooses to approach it by choosing to utilize time travel as a narrative device, making the story a science fiction. Incorporating his experiences in the war, Slaughterhouse 5 tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, the main character who has come “unstuck in time” – capable of traveling through time to points in time and the things that happen in his life – from being kidnapped by aliens to the firebombing of Dresden. Slaughterhouse 5 still stands as one of the most well-known and influential books in classic literature.
