Natalie by no means knew something was improper together with her mother and father’ marriage, not to mention that they have been on their strategy to divorce. However right here it’s, Christmas Day, and Natalie’s mother and father have sat her down and instructed her the trustworthy fact: Their household isn’t any extra. Dad’s shifting out, Mum is promoting the home, and Natalie will likely be on her personal, off to school. She does her greatest to maneuver ahead, supported by greatest associates Zach and Lucy and buoyed by flirty exchanges with Zach’s horny older brother, Alex. Alex and Natalie’s romantic involvement unfolds in a method that will really feel acquainted, however what units this novel aside is the braveness this requires on Natalie’s half. Natalie’s early adolescence concerned extraordinarily heavy durations and cystic zits on her face and physique that induced bodily and emotional ache and left scars. The fixed nervousness this induced led her to keep away from leaving the home and invited unsolicited recommendation from friends and harassment from strangers. Natalie’s struggles with internalized self-hatred in addition to knee-jerk judgment towards women with flawless pores and skin imply her bodily relationship with cool, common Alex is determined by real belief. Younger individuals, particularly those that know the ache of feeling unattractive in an age of social media, will resonate with this sympathetically instructed journey. All characters appear to be white.
