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Product Description
JAMES AND ALEX have barely anything in common anymore—least of all their experiences in high school, where James is a popular senior and Alex is suddenly an outcast. But at home, there is Henry, the precocious 10-year-old across the street, who eagerly befriends them both. And when Alex takes up running, there is James’s friend Nathen, who unites the brothers in moving and unexpected ways.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
So, two sibling who have drifted apart. Cliché, right? Right. I'd agree with that statement. But for some reason, I really enjoyed this book and the cliché didn't bother me at all. It's a testament to Wilson's storytelling and writing that a book where not an awful lot happens outside of the two main characters and their relationship with each other is so very readable. I think that it helps that the story is told from alternative viewpoints each chapter and that weeks can go past between sections. This passing of time helps with the readability and keeps the novel concise at not even three hundred pages.
James is the older brother, a straight A student with athletic talent (tennis, not football. HURRAH!), who is greatly looking forward to leaving the boring town he grew up in, where everyone knows everyone else's business. In particular, he wants to leave behind the incident concerning his brother.
Alex, on the other hand, is an average student living in the shadow of James. He is ostracised by all of his schoolmates, and his brother, after drinking Pine Sol at a party in a botched suicide attempt. The only friends he has for most of the book are Henry, the ten year old from across the street, and Nathen, James's friend and Alex's running mate.
The two main characters were incredibly well written, both with their issues. I didn't always like the characters or their behaviour but nor did I hate them. I understood why carried out such actions, particularly James's failure on several occasions to stand up for Alex. The character growth and development was well done and not over-written. Alex's transformation into shy and introverted after being abandoned by his classmates, to comfortable in his own skin after joining the track team and making new friends was a joy to read. James's growth was more subtle than Alex's because he had less `issues' than his brother but it was no less important and he became much more likeable as the story went on.
There was only really two important secondary characters: Henry and Nathen. Again, both were solidly written and three dimensional. In fact, all of the characters were realistic with their own little stories to tell.
The part I liked most was the budding relationship between Alex and Nathen. There was no coming out story creating unneeded drama. No angsty brooding or bouncing between will they or won't they accept themselves. They liked each other and that was that. End of. Now, I like a good angsty read but it was refreshing not to have that.
Oh, and a bonus point for the parents actually being a part of their children's lives! This can be such a rarity in YA...
This is a good, solid read, with a slightly slow start to it. However, it does pick up as the story goes on. It was a very insular book, focusing tightly on James and Alex, but this didn't stop me from enjoying the story told.
James is the older brother, a straight A student with athletic talent (tennis, not football. HURRAH!), who is greatly looking forward to leaving the boring town he grew up in, where everyone knows everyone else's business. In particular, he wants to leave behind the incident concerning his brother.
Alex, on the other hand, is an average student living in the shadow of James. He is ostracised by all of his schoolmates, and his brother, after drinking Pine Sol at a party in a botched suicide attempt. The only friends he has for most of the book are Henry, the ten year old from across the street, and Nathen, James's friend and Alex's running mate.
The two main characters were incredibly well written, both with their issues. I didn't always like the characters or their behaviour but nor did I hate them. I understood why carried out such actions, particularly James's failure on several occasions to stand up for Alex. The character growth and development was well done and not over-written. Alex's transformation into shy and introverted after being abandoned by his classmates, to comfortable in his own skin after joining the track team and making new friends was a joy to read. James's growth was more subtle than Alex's because he had less `issues' than his brother but it was no less important and he became much more likeable as the story went on.
There was only really two important secondary characters: Henry and Nathen. Again, both were solidly written and three dimensional. In fact, all of the characters were realistic with their own little stories to tell.
The part I liked most was the budding relationship between Alex and Nathen. There was no coming out story creating unneeded drama. No angsty brooding or bouncing between will they or won't they accept themselves. They liked each other and that was that. End of. Now, I like a good angsty read but it was refreshing not to have that.
Oh, and a bonus point for the parents actually being a part of their children's lives! This can be such a rarity in YA...
This is a good, solid read, with a slightly slow start to it. However, it does pick up as the story goes on. It was a very insular book, focusing tightly on James and Alex, but this didn't stop me from enjoying the story told.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
James, a high school senior, intelligent and a leading member of the school tennis team, popular at school, his main concern this year is acceptance at his chosen college. He is starting to tire of his home town Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and beginning to see his friends for what they really are, the good or the shallow. He looks forward to next year and making a new start in a new place.
Alex, a high school junior, a year younger than his brother James, bright without excelling like James, now almost friendless following the near fatal and embarrassing incident of his own making at a party at the beginning of term. His one friend is Henry, the weird ten year old lad with vivid red hair from across the street.
Since Alex's incident relations between him and James have been rather awkward, although not as bad as between Alex and his old friends all of whom have deserted him. The story follows the two boys over the course of the academic year: James' guilt at the rift that has developed between his brother, Alex's growing friendship with Henry, James' girlfriends, and Alex being befriended by James' Nathan who persuades to him join the the cross country team.
Nathan, another senior, is Alex's saviour in more ways than one. Nathan's father is from India, his mother English; a close friend of James he is kind, caring and gentle; the occasion he meets Alex when they are both out running marks the start of a new friendship, and for Alex a very different one when eventually Nathan very gently and tenderly seduces him in the showers, much to Alex's delight - the two boys embark on close, intimate but secret relationship.
James has his own problems to contend with, the break up with Clare, his short but disastrous courtship with Alice; and of course his worries about Alex. Both boys worry too about Henry, and the mysteries surrounding him.
Since his friendship with Nathan Alex has been much happier, his family including James are proud of him, but then something happens that threatens to bring it all down. James recognising that something is wrong makes the effort to reestablish his close relationship with Alex, and to do what he can to help.
What They Always Tell Us is a beautiful story about brotherly love and acceptance, about the goodness of genuine kind hearted people. The two brothers are decent boys; over the course of the year they discover who their real friends are, but more importantly they establish a true bond of brotherly love.
It is for the most part well written, perhaps on occasion dwelling a little too much on the humdrum of daily life with little real purpose other than establishing the routine of these comfortably off privileged families. But the characters are well developed, Nathan is delightful, and contrasts with their less ambitious home-boy friends, Alex's ex-friends are shown up in their true less than admirable colours.
Despite the few shortcomings I loved this book, especially the developing relationship between Alex and Nathan, and the strength of the bond between James and Alex and how it is finally achieved
Alex, a high school junior, a year younger than his brother James, bright without excelling like James, now almost friendless following the near fatal and embarrassing incident of his own making at a party at the beginning of term. His one friend is Henry, the weird ten year old lad with vivid red hair from across the street.
Since Alex's incident relations between him and James have been rather awkward, although not as bad as between Alex and his old friends all of whom have deserted him. The story follows the two boys over the course of the academic year: James' guilt at the rift that has developed between his brother, Alex's growing friendship with Henry, James' girlfriends, and Alex being befriended by James' Nathan who persuades to him join the the cross country team.
Nathan, another senior, is Alex's saviour in more ways than one. Nathan's father is from India, his mother English; a close friend of James he is kind, caring and gentle; the occasion he meets Alex when they are both out running marks the start of a new friendship, and for Alex a very different one when eventually Nathan very gently and tenderly seduces him in the showers, much to Alex's delight - the two boys embark on close, intimate but secret relationship.
James has his own problems to contend with, the break up with Clare, his short but disastrous courtship with Alice; and of course his worries about Alex. Both boys worry too about Henry, and the mysteries surrounding him.
Since his friendship with Nathan Alex has been much happier, his family including James are proud of him, but then something happens that threatens to bring it all down. James recognising that something is wrong makes the effort to reestablish his close relationship with Alex, and to do what he can to help.
What They Always Tell Us is a beautiful story about brotherly love and acceptance, about the goodness of genuine kind hearted people. The two brothers are decent boys; over the course of the year they discover who their real friends are, but more importantly they establish a true bond of brotherly love.
It is for the most part well written, perhaps on occasion dwelling a little too much on the humdrum of daily life with little real purpose other than establishing the routine of these comfortably off privileged families. But the characters are well developed, Nathan is delightful, and contrasts with their less ambitious home-boy friends, Alex's ex-friends are shown up in their true less than admirable colours.
Despite the few shortcomings I loved this book, especially the developing relationship between Alex and Nathan, and the strength of the bond between James and Alex and how it is finally achieved
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is not just a great coming out story. It taps perceptively and movingly into family relationships and Martin Wilson uses a clever idea to do so. Brothers James and Alex may have a seemingly disfunctional relationship following Alex's suicide attempt. But the emotional dislocation of their ten-year old neighbour, Henry, who does not know who his own father is, feeds an unconscious realisation that their own awkward relationship, and a classically teenage intolerance of their parents, are nonetheless rooted in the security of abiding love. And it is that stability that allows Alex to develop his attraction and love for his friend Nathen without guilt, albeit not without pain. Wilson conveys brilliantly the ability of James and Alex to feel profoundly while not having the experience to analyse and categorise what it is they are feeling. He is also pitch-perfect in his portrayal of the parents who, to their sons, are irritating and embarassing but whose unfailing love and support are as essential as it they are unacknowledged, save by the occasional subtle but significant gesture. This understatement of emotion is one of the book's most attractive traits. Let's hope Martin Wilson's first book is not his last.
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What They Always Tell Us
The book arrived today in its usual well package mode. I am looking forward to reading this book and putting a review up on my blog.What They Always Tell Us
Published 18 days ago by D. McFarlane
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
We all have read stories about two siblings who at first get along and then quickly drift apart... with their outcome up to the author. Read more
Published on 6 Nov 2009 by TeensReadToo
OK, but not great or bad or disappointing - just nothing really!
Hmmm, not sure what to say about this book... I mean, there's huge pressure being the first reviewer because it could have a direct impact in whether you decide to purchase. Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2009 by R. L. Judd
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