Book Review: What I Was

While looking at the alternative audio selections at a library in a town a bit further off, I happened upon this YA novel by Meg Rosoff, What I Was. I have read a few other Meg Rosoff novels and although she tends to hold a more liberal perspective than I do, I've somewhat enjoyed her novels. The best thing about this novel? The stunning prose. The writing was absolutely beautiful, from the first lines to the closing one.

Here's the enticing book blurb from the back cover of the audio version:

"In this beautifully crafted and heartbreakingly poignant coming-of-age tale, an older man recounts the story of his most significant friendship - that with the nearly feral and completely parentless Finn, who lived alone in a hut by the sea,

"As a boy suffering the constrictions and loneliness of boarding school in East Anglia, the young narrator idolizes Finn and spends as much time at his beachside hut as possible, hoping to become self-reliant and free. But the contrast between their lives becomes ever more painful, until one day, the tables turn and everything our hero believes to be true explodes - with dire consequences."

I enjoyed listening to this novel. Ralph Cosham, the British narrator, did an excellent job of conveying the intense emotions and communicating the rich language. If I had been reading the novel in paper form, I would have wanted to jot down especially beautiful passages. The ending took me by surprise and was a delightful conclusion to a tale of longing and desire. Although this novel wouldn't appeal to everyone, I am glad to have read it for the exposure to such fine writing.