SPROUT
by Dale Peck
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (2009)
Although essentially about a new kid in town befriending a fellow misfit and their unexpected discovery of deep feelings for each other, the book begins with a dry and witty sense of humor and whimsy, eventually taking a darker turn with real emotional gravitas.
It’s a bit of a twisted romance, ala Heavenly Creatures, but it always retains a genuine (if damaged) quality. I certainly didn’t know where it was going, and it kept me turning pages (and a little afraid on occasion), wondering how their budding and slightly unstable romance was going to end.
No graphic sex scenes, a light-handed literary feel, and the novel maintains a surprising innocence despite its darker moments. You can’t help but feel for the characters, wishing there was someone to show them a light at the end of the tunnel.
If you’re wondering… sprout refers to the main character perpetually dying his hair a shocking color of green, just like the cover indicates.
~Shephard
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