Hello! I’m finally here to give my review of Phil Stamper’s new book, as discussed in Monday’s author interview. **And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources. You can also visit the description of this video by booktuber Jess Owens, which has links to several additional resources about global events.**
In my previous post, I had a chat with YA author Phil Stamper, whose sophomore novel As Far as You’ll Take Me comes out this February. He talks about what he loves most about getting to write queer stories, how his mindset has changed since the release of his debut novel, and where he would go if given a one-way ticket to anywhere in the world (if you’d like to see his answers, see the blog post here). I have been following Stamper for a bit on social media, so when his second book was announced, I was immediately drawn in by the premise. I love books set in London and musical elements always make me geek out (if I can understand the references, I’m still a bit of an amateur). I was approved to read an early copy on NetGalley, and since it’s less than a month until the book’s release I’m here to share my thoughts.
Marty feels trapped by his hometown of Avery, Kentucky. So, when he graduates high school a year early, he hatches a plan with the help of his cousin, Shane, to spend time in London, England, under the guise of studying at the Knightsbridge Academy of Music. With his oboe and his dreams of freedom, Marty boards the plane and doesn’t look back. From the outside, his life looks like a perfect fantasy: in the span of a few weeks, he’s made new friends, he’s getting closer to his first ever boyfriend, and he’s even traveling around Europe. But when his façade starts to wither, Marty wonders if he truly belongs, and if he’ll ever find a place that feels like home. *content warning for disordered eating, religious-motivated homophobia, anxiety, and outing without consent*
As someone who has both been a band geek in middle/high school and has gone to London to study abroad, this book had so much I could relate to. I was especially excited to see Gloucester tube station make an appearance, as that was my go-to station during my stay. Back to the book, I found several important topics woven intricately throughout the story. To start, when arriving in London Marty is finally able to explore his identity freely, away from the judging and watchful eyes of his family and closed-minded town. He develops a crush on the first guy he meets, Pierce, and perhaps makes some lousy decisions, but he comes into his own, figures out “feelings” and “firsts,” and explores his new-found independence. Marty also undergoes a friendship breakup, which I don’t think I’ve encountered much in my reading. Megan’s relationship with Marty is considered toxic, and it takes Marty separating himself from her and being on his own (and new strangers hearing stories and pointing out unkind behavior) for him to truly realize the emotional harm she had cause, and conclude that he deserves to be treated better, especially by someone who he considered a best friend. I also appreciated the discussions regarding Marty’s religious parents – we learn from diary entries sprinkled throughout the book that Marty’s coming out did not go well (and being near London pride around the time of his Knightbridge audition didn’t help), and Marty suffered some pretty hefty consequences because of it. However, due to events that occur back in Kentucky, they truly begin to realize how much their actions, or at the time inactions, were affecting Marty negatively, and we see growth. The past cannot be rectified in a day, but making changes so the ones you love know you care and are supportive is a step in the right direction. I did have a few issues with pacing, and thought some things happened too abruptly, as the main action of the story happens over the course of just a few weeks. I also wish some of the side characters were developed a bit more – I found Shane an interesting perspective, and most of the time Marty is just jealous of his cousin’s success in comparison to his lack thereof. I guess the main critique is that I wish it was longer so we could have explored the cast of characters better.
At it’s core, As Far as You’ll Take Me is a sweet and simple story of a teen boy who escapes to find freedom in a foreign country and, with the help of family and friends, discovers more about himself in the process. If you enjoyed Phil Stamper’s debut, The Gravity of Us, I think you’ll be a fan of his sophomore novel. As Far as You’ll Take Me is set to be released on February 9th, 2021, which is less than a month away, so if you’re interested I highly recommend preordering to support the author (and if you’d like to help out a local indie at the same time click here to find one near you) or picking up a copy for yourself when it’s released. I highly recommend. *Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Places to find As Far as You’ll Take Me:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Phil Stamper’s site
Bloomsbury
Thoughts About Things 