As Far As You'll Take Me

December 14, 2020
Seventeen-year-old Marty Pierce is a rule follower who googles everything in advance to avoid surprises. He’s also “pretty good at lying”—first to keep his sexuality a secret from his religious, homophobic parents, and now to craft an elaborate escape plan from his “suffocating” life in Kentucky. His folks think he’s headed to a summer music program in London, but he’s actually planning to use the three months to secure a professional oboe gig. A chronic worrier, Marty has a lot to cope with in London, even without constant fear that his lies will be found out: he’s busking to make ends meet, stressing about his body image, and navigating relationships, including a diverse new friend group, his domineering best friend back home, and a possible first boyfriend. Stamper (The Gravity of Us) alternates the plot with sections of the diary that Marty kept on an earlier, mishap-filled trip. Stamper piles problems on Marty both in London and at home, but the book’s real strength is Marty’s complexity: even when his anxiety flares up, he finds ways to maintain his mental health and cope with the things that threaten his dreams. Ages 13–up. Agent: Brent Taylor, Triada US.

An audiobook narrated by Michael Crouch is always a treat, and this one is no exception. Marty arrives in London with his oboe and his dreams, looking for a fresh start and a place where he can be openly gay away from his conservative hometown. He soon makes new friends and even falls in love, but he also has to deal with anxiety, unhealthy relationships, and the challenges of being away from home. Crouch's narration is vulnerable and authentic; he sounds just like a 17-year-old queer kid who is figuring himself out. His portrayal of Marty's nervousness concerning dating, sex, and friendship is particularly poignant. Simply and beautifully narrated, this audiobook is a love letter to music and a celebration of the courage it takes to live authentically. L.S. � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine