 
|
Brent Runyon, author of The Burn Journals, has written a
brutally honest and heart-wrenching tale in his latest release, Maybe,
a novel that deals with death, brothers, sex and interpersonal relationships.
This is a story of Brian, a young man whose home life is haunted by his older brother’s death from drinking and driving. Brian and his parents have moved to a new location, yet they still preserve the older brother’s room. As Brian adjusts to
a new high school, he begins to make friends and explores relationships with girls.
Maybe is written as if it were a journal, viewing a small slice of this young man’s life through his eyes. The author effectively relays the day-to-day life of today’s teens, including swearing, drugs, drinking and dating – however, these areas are handled tastefully and realistically. We see how impressionable youth are. For instance, when Brian is asked if he is gay, he begins an inner dialogue of “…am I gay? Do I look like I’m gay?…”
Readers watch Brian discover his inner self while he deals with raging hormones. I was pleased to see that Brian learns that there can be intimate relationships without tensions and sexual pressures involved.
Brent Runyon is not only an author; he is also a regular contributor to public radio, including
This American Life. His experiences with teenage angst and attempted suicide must have given him a special edge when it came to writing this book. I sincerely enjoyed the author’s writing style and frankness.
This book will appeal to teens because they won’t feel like they are being lied to
with its realistic storyline and use of language that teenagers can relate to.
|
|
Maybe