This is a hard short story to review not because it’s a bad read- it’s the complete opposite! - but it’s hard to put into words how moving this book actually is.
But I’ll try anyway :P
I won’t lie- if you look at the cover, it essentially tells you the story of the novella! But DO NOT let that put you off- because this story will hit you in the feels!
It revolves around Tess and her pondering “what if”- the pandemic provided her with both an opportunity and also an impediment to her falling in love with Charlie, who before the world fell to shit with covid lockdowns, were friends at a school in Melbourne. But alas, Tessa ends up going viral but with a major difference to her song that she originally performed and written for Charlie and Charlie ends up relocating to Brisbane.
In the space of around 71 pages, Will Kostakis takes us on a journey that not only explores ones true self and sexuality, but also the aspect of internet viral sensations and the aftermath, as well as providing us another opportunity to see if Tessa gets the girl.
I’m sure we’ve all been there with our own love lives- the passion and the confusion, especially if you were an LGTBQIA teen trying to come to terms with yourself. Kostakis is a nuanced writer who writes so well, it’s not just the things that’s written on the page that moves you, it’s also the things that are implied.
I solidly recommending this short story to you- it’s a heart-warming read by the end that’s for certain.