"There are plenty of graphic, but beautifully wrought sex scenes in this book about a queer teen trying to find some freedom for himself in a small American town and with his deeply religious family." * The Guardian *

" "Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway meets Judy Blume's Forever" is as good a pitch as I've heard this year, and this beautifully crafted, complex novel which Ness calls his most personal yet, does not disappoint. [...] Told with real tenderness, it's a brilliant portrayal of the intensity of a teenager's inner life." * The Bookseller *

"[a] subtle, heartfelt story of love and friendship in small-town America." * The Guardian *

Ness once again demonstrates his profound understanding of the complexities of being a young adult, and of the human condition more generally ... Heartbreaking, intense and acutely honest, this novel casts a subtle spell of hope. * LoveReading4Kids, Joanne Owen *

It's signature Ness in many ways, particularly in how it sensitively and maturely deals with the horrors - and the ecstasies - of teenage life. [...] Based loosely on ness' own experience growing up, it's here that the novel really shines; Adam's insecurities and struggle with his parents' beliefs are heartbreaking. Ness' fictional worlds are littered with fantastic characters: Adam I a wonderful addition to the panoply. * List.co.uk *