The big T by Clancy Steadwell is the best boy coming-of-age story I’ve read. The World Outside by Rosalind Stanley is the best girl-coming-of-age story I’ve read. Rachel’s story bounces between then and now, which means you’re piecing things together as you read. It made for an interesting shift in the standard narrative.Â
The World Outside is one of those stories where you forget you’re reading at all, and you empathize so fully with the characters you find yourself in grief or happiness when they are. These types of media can be dangerous for me because I find myself empathizing so much I’m worn out by the end, and if it ends on a sad note, it can leave me in a funk. The years of up and down that you read in this story were the sort that lingered in my psyche. There was one instance where my mouth actually was hanging open. I was putting myself into the scenarios encountered by characters, thinking about what I’d do, how I would react. It was especially interesting to read the reactions of the girl in the relationship. I could envision these things unfolding and it was somewhat enlightening to see this girls perspective, her justifications and reasons. This novel is free here on Substack and absolutely worth a read.Â
