Fans of the Impossible Life

Starred review from June 29, 2015
Scelsa debuts with an evocative novel about finding friendship, love, and oneself, as well as the pain that often accompanies the journey. When Jeremy, a shy artist who has kept to himself after a humiliating incident at school left him scarred and vulnerable, meets Mira and Sebby, two sophomores with troubled pasts, the three form a strong bond. Mira, who is struggling to tame debilitating depression, makes Jeremy feel a profound sense of belonging, while his attraction to Sebby, an openly gay foster kid, ignites a passion he’s never known. But Sebby’s demons, Mira’s self-doubts, and Jeremy’s insecurities begin to seem too much for the trio to bear, and their world of shared laughter and easy camaraderie starts to crumble. Scelsa alternates among the perspectives of these three characters seamlessly, allowing readers to feel their raw emotions and deep emotional needs. Themes of betrayal, forgiveness, and resilience resonate strongly, while the characters’ stories are so beautifully told and their struggles so hauntingly familiar that they will stay with readers long after they have finished the book. Ages 14–up. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House.

July 15, 2015
Failed by the institutions and adults who rule their lives, three stressed-out teens rely on their friendship to overcome-or at least survive-abuse, depression, and homophobia. Having been brutally outed by classmates, Jeremy dreads returning to St. Francis Prep, but at a teacher's urging, he reluctantly starts an art club. His first recruit is Mira, whose crippling depression last year landed her in a hospital psych ward. There, she met Sebby, who'd been savagely beaten by school homophobes. Their bond became a lifeline for each; now their friendship nourishes Jeremy. Whether it can replace adult support is another matter. Jeremy's the child of supportive, emotionally mature dads. Mira's the biracial daughter of a workaholic black lawyer and white stay-at-home mom; her high-achieving sister's at Harvard. Their high expectations weigh heavily on Mira. Orphaned, openly gay Sebby has endured multiple foster placements. He lacks a safety net. Terrified to return to school, he lies about where he spends his days to his foster mother. Well-intentioned but unfit to parent a gay teen, she threatens to send him to a group home. Constrained by his teacher role, Peter-the adult best-equipped to offer support-can do little as stresses mount. Rounded characters large and small, drawn with insight and empathy, drive the plot. Buoyant writing and wry humor balance the pathos in this powerful debut, a moving tale of friendship as refuge and shield against a hostile world. (Fiction. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-This debut novel is the story of three friends: Mira, Sebby, and Jeremy. Each have been struggling through life, feeling alone, broken, and unworthy of being loved or saved. Mira is starting a brand-new school, after spending time in the hospital, and is not sure how she will make it through the day without her best friend Sebby. Jeremy sees Sebby and Mira, and just wants to belong with them. Together, they bring one another out of their dark periods and make the world seem brighter. But the brightness is only on the surface. Will their relationships be strong enough to withstand their secrets-from each other, their parents, and their teachers? Full of quirks, just like the characters, this book will resonate with many readers. LGBTQ identities are embraced in this work. Right on trend with its alternating narrators, this work is also told in a melody of points of view-first, second, and third are mixed throughout, which for some readers might prove disjointed. VERDICT So much more than a love triangle novel, Scelsa's debut is filled with teens discovering how to handle life's situations.-Stephanie Charlefour, Wixom Public Library, MI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2015
Grades 9-12 What to make of this fraught story of three troubled teens who are best friends? There is Jeremy, frightened and ashamed, who tells us his story in the first person; there is Mira, depressed and suicidal, whose story is recounted in third person; and there is Sebby, deeply troubled and self-hating, whose story is presented in second person. The two boys, Jeremy and Sebby, are in love with each other and, in a different way, in love with Mirawho returns their feelings. Can things possibly end up all right? Perhaps. But then, almost arbitrarily, Sebby discovers drugs, and the fabric of the three kids' lives begins unraveling. Scelsa's inarguably well-written debut tells these stories with mixed success: though she has created characters about whom readers will care very much, they seem set up to fail to infuse the narrative with pathos, which comes dangerously close, at times, to bathos. Though not for every reader, this charged story will please those who enjoy being deeply engaged emotionally.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)