The Closest I've Come
Books | Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Physical & Emotional Abuse
3.6
(53)
Fred Aceves
A Kirkus Best Book of 2017 * A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year * An ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults SelectionRead the book Morris Award finalist Sonia Patel called "a brilliant, subtle debut," and Kirkus hailed as "heart-wrenching, funny, hopeful, and not-to-be-missed" in a starred review!The Closest I’ve Come is a must-read from talented first-time author Fred Aceves, in the tradition of Walter Dean Myers.Marcos Rivas yearns for love, a working cell phone, and maybe a pair of sneakers that aren’t falling apart. But more than anything, Marcos wants to get out of Maesta, his hood, away from his indifferent mom and her abusive boyfriend—which seems impossible.When Marcos is placed in a new after-school program, he meets Zach and Amy, whose friendship inspires Marcos to open up to his Maesta crew, too, and starts to think more about his future and what he has to fight for. Marcos ultimately learns that bravery isn’t about acting tough and being macho; it’s about being true to yourself.The Closest I’ve Come is a story about traversing real and imagined boundaries, about discovering new things in the world, and about discovering yourself, too.
AD
Buy now:
More Details:
Author
Fred Aceves
Pages
317
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published Date
2017-11-07
ISBN
0062489879 9780062489876
Community ReviewsSee all
"Definitely a well written book!"
Jonathan Kent
"As someone who has worked in child welfare and is familiar with stories like these, it’s so interesting to see it from the perspective of someone who has lived it, despite the book being a work of fiction.
This coming-of-age YA really made me reflect on how unfortunate the reality is for boys of colour living in impoverished areas. It seems like they hardly have choices unless there’s one person constantly pushing you (sometimes that person being yourself) to do better. Marcos is a relatable character in many aspects, but he kinda ****** me off when he expected Amy to just magically reciprocate the feelings he had for her. Then again, his reaction is pretty realistic for a teenage boy. That said, this made for a good casual read, and I enjoyed it for the most part. "
Sara SoDeezy
"Life is a b!t@c% in this novel. Lol!"
Belarmino Ortega