To Never Know
To never know. Three little words that can mean so many different things to so many different people. In Thomas Duffy’s novel To Never Know, the life of Steven Lewis is chronicled from his senior year in high school to becoming an adult. The story starts off in a New York with a glance between Steven and the new girl in his class Kelly. Little is said between the two but both wonder what the other might be like. However, graduation comes and goes and the answers to their questions remained unanswered as they go their separate ways. Once finished with college, and unsure what to do with his life, Steven follows his parents as they move to Florida but thoughts of Kelly never leave his mind. He sends her a letter that is never answered, but she still remains present in his thoughts. Then 9/11 happens, as does the opportunity for Steven to return to New York and possibly reconnect with Kelly. As he returns to New York he finds that life is not as it was when he left and nothing is as easy as he thought it was going to be. A chance encounter with Kelly’s mother leads him to finally attempt to make contact with her, only to learn that that opportunity has changed as well. As Steven remains in New York, he makes new personal connections with Nancy, the on/off girlfriend, and Kelly’s mother and also reconnects with his parents. Where Steven will end up and how he will get there…only he knows. However, finding out will be the key.
To Never Know is a touching, heartwarming, and heartbreaking novel about growing up and learning to carry on when you aren’t sure how. Duffy shares this message through the characters in his story. From Steven’s uncertainty about his personal and professional future to Kelly’s mother’s ability to move forward after an unimaginable tragedy, each character is written so that their emotions are raw and real. Though the topic is told in such a way that it feels real, at times the staccato nature of the writing during the dialogue interrupted the flow and pace of the novel. To Never Know is a 4 star novel that is that is concise, heartfelt, and enjoyable.
Author | |
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Star Count | 4/5 |
Format | Trade |
Page Count | 206 pages |
Publisher | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |
Publish Date | 2016-08-11 |
ISBN | 9781536898385 |
Bookshop.org | Buy this Book |
Issue | December 2016 |
Category | Modern Literature |
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