In a Nutshell: Universe-expanding friendship • Trust • Anxiety disorder
An uplifting coming-of-age novel about living with agoraphobia and the transformative power of true friendship.
Solomon hasn't left his house for three years, not since the panic attack that saw him strip down to his boxers and jump into the school fountain. He spends all his time inside, reading and watching Star Trek. Lisa, the girl who beams into Solomon’s life like a ray of sunlight, couldn’t be more different. She’s outgoing, gets great grades, and is adored by her handsome athletic boyfriend, Clark. When Lisa has to write a paper on her experience of mental illness as part of her college application, she immediately thinks of Solomon. Determined to “fix" him, she writes a letter asking him to be her friend. Against expectation, and partly aided by his flamboyant grandmother promising to pay for the pool he’s long hoped for, Solomon agrees to let Lisa into his life. As things turn out, they’re both completely comfortable in each other’s company, and Solomon soon feels ready to broaden his world further by meeting Clark, with whom he bonds over their shared geekery. But, as Solomon takes his first steps into the outside world, their three-way friendship is put under strain when Lisa begins to question her relationship with Clark, and when Solomon learns of Lisa’s original motivation for contacting him.
Brilliantly understated and sweetly humorous, this is one of those rare novels that casts a quiet, yet powerfully undulating spell over the heart. Reading it felt like spending quality time in the company of close friends.
| Primary Genre | Young Adult Fiction |
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