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ethanplail 's review for:
True Letters from a Fictional Life
by Kenneth Logan
True Letters from a Fictional Life was one of the few books I revisited this year. What I appreciate most about the story and characters is that they feel realistic. The main concept, that the main character (a high school student) writes letters on paper to people as a way to clear his mind (but not to send) is a little forced at time. But the book as a whole works very well in my opinion. Two things that stuck out to me about True Letters is that (1) the main love interest is a very well rounded character and you can understand the attraction the main character has for him. This is not like to many books that tell you A found B attractive and felt X. It does a great job of showing the source of that attraction. Basically, good job showing not telling. (2) the kind of pressure the main character feels to be in the closest seems realistic and relatable. This may be shaded by my own life experience, but his fears are more about being viewed differently by his family and friends. Less about the idea of being kicked out or something. While many gay teens face that kind of pressure, I feel many people fear coming out for different reasons and it is nice to see an honest and relatable look at a different type of worry.