Could I Talk to You?

Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers

Why did I read it?

So I'm supposed to read an award winning book for my Young Adult Lit class. Easy enough, right? Unless you're me. lol. I was shelving some books, and one said "Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award." Thought, cool, award winner, check! Only after getting half way through did I realize it was referring to the author, Aidan Chambers, not that particular book, Dying to Know You.

What happened?

Young man, Karl, walks into an aging author's office and asks for his help. Karl has a girlfriend, named Fiorella, who wants him to write about himself. Problem is, Karl has dyslexia, and writing about himself is pretty much hopeless. So, to please his girlfriend, who he really, really likes, Karl asks her favorite author to help him write to her.

That is at least how the book starts. Karl and the author soon find that they have a lot in common, look at the world in a similar way, and can help each other in ways they don't know quite yet.

What did I like or not like?

I really, really liked this book! It wasn't what I was expecting at all, and it was pleasantly awesome. While the book is written from the perspective of the author (the author in the story, not the perspective of Aidan Chambers, but it might be some of that as well), we never find out the author's name because the book is really about Karl. The author slowly learns more about himself and Karl throughout the book, and the discoveries are hopeful, encouraging, and very truthful.

In addition to a great storyline, the setting is also interesting. The story could take place anywhere, but it happens to take place in England. But, the author doesn't come out and say that. You just get hints and tips in some vocabulary they use and places they reference. It was surprising and cool.

This book is also chock full of little bits and pieces of very wise sounding things. The author in the story has lived a pretty long life, and it shows in the wisdom he has. I enjoyed a couple of the quotes so much, I'm probably going to share them on my Facebook profile.

P.S. There is some sporadic cussing throughout the novel, and some sexual content and discussions.