One could say the novel won me over with its “normality”. Yet, What They Always Tell Us grew on me as I felt I began to know the characters better and better with each chapter, and then I found myself wanting to see how it all tied together in the end. Being used to reading adventure books filled with plot twists or that feature uncommon themes, I was initially afraid that I would be bored by a narrative presented in the manner of a television teen drama queen soap opera. The author wrote it true to life, with little or no pretense, controversy or sensationalism. Teenagers reading the book, especially those in the US, will find it easy to associate with one or more of the characters in the book. One gets a pretty good idea of what’s inside the mind of a teenager – with all the typical ingredients: a struggle to fit in, a desire to be appreciated (loved), school and aspirations for the future …etc.
“A kid friend is better than nothing.” – that’s what James thinks about their unusual friendship.Īs far as character development is concerned, Wilson leaves little to be desired. He is a sensible and smart kid who manages to strike up a friendship with Alex. And he’s not even in middle school yet.”Īn intriguing character in the book is 10-year-old Henry who suddenly moves into a nearby house with his mother.
“It dawns on Alex that Henry is sort of a younger version of himself-an outcast, a misfit. The first person narrative by the two brothers (16-year-old Alex and the slightly older James) ensures that anyone looking for a kid’s eye view of the world and a recollection of Coming-of-Age experiences will not be disappointed. Its narrative is character driven and, while it includes coming-out themes with regards to one of the brothers, the duality with which the story is presented provides something of interest for everyone.Īuthor Wilson presents the life of the two brothers in parallel, having each chapter devoted to one of them so that the reader is able to get a grasp of their own subjective take on the events that happen to them and their lives as a whole. What They Always Tell Us by Martin Wilson is an interesting young adult’s novel which focuses on the family life and rite-of-passage of two brothers who live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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