Title: As Far As You’ll Take Me
Author: Phil Stamper
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Publication date: February 9, 2021
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Summary
London is Marty’s chance to finally be himself, away from his small hometown in Kentucky. He gets there with just his oboe and his summer savings, ready for an adventure. In London, he no longer has to hide his sexuality from his parents, and he’s free to explore without their judgement.
At first, his new life seems perfect: he’s made friends, he has a new boyfriend, and he gets to travel around Europe. But beneath the surface, Marty is struggling. He’s barely spoken to his parents, his anxiety is progressively getting worse, and his savings are quickly depleting with no job in sight. Will he be able to work through it to finally feel at peace in his new home?
Review: As Far As You’ll Take Me
Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this to review! Gravity of Us was a standout for me last year, so I was super excited to read Stamper’s follow up novel. And it definitely didn’t disappoint!
This book excels in the way it portrays anxiety and panic attacks. Marty struggles with this a lot in the book, and I really appreciated the way Stamper included it in Marty’s story. It felt authentic and true to what happens in real life.
The relationships are also where this book excels. This is definitely a character driven book, as it’s more about Marty’s journey than where he’s going. The relationships throughout help propel him on this journey. He has struggles with his best friend back home, realizing their relationship wasn’t what he thought it was. He also jumps into his first romantic relationship, which isn’t what it seems on the surface. Both of these experiences help Marty get to where he is at the end of the book, becoming a stronger person.
One of the reasons this isn’t getting 5 stars from me is due to the way the text deals with eating disorders. While Stamper nails anxiety and panic attacks on the head, Marty’s struggle with eating feels like it was a little brushed under the rug. The two do go hand in hand, and I wish that Marty’s eating disorder was given a little more page time in the book. He seems to get over it rather quickly, despite his continual struggles with anxiety.
Despite that, I had a difficult time putting this book down. Stamper has created a story that is filled with music, found family, and learning your place in the world. It definitely grabs onto your heart and doesn’t let go.
4/5 stars
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