Book review - XL

Title: XL
Author: Scott Brown
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Noggin by John Corey Whaley
                      Nick and June Were Here by Shalanda Stanley
Rating:

thought-provoking

Summary (provided by publisher): Will Daughtry is a late bloomer--at least, that's what everyone tells him. On his sixteenth birthday, Will is just shy of five feet, and he is bitterly resigned to being tiny forever. His only comforts are his best friend and stepbrother, Drew (6'3"), and their pal Monica (5'10"), the girl Will's been quietly pining for since fifth grade. Everyone else literally overlooks him. But with them, he feels whole. That is, until things take an unexpected turn, and he realizes he's really and truly on his own.
That's when he starts to grow. And grow fast. Astonishingly fast. For the first time, Will's happy with his stature, and the world's at his feet (for a change). People see him differently; more important, he sees himself differently. But the highest heights come with some low, low lows, and his most precious relationships suffer excruciating growing pains. Will has to figure out what to do with himself--and all of this new "himself" he never expected to have.

My opinion: At first blush, it seems like the vehicle for change Brown is using is a simple one: Will begins to grow and it changes his relationship with is brother and his best friend. But as the plot progresses, we realize that the issues that come to light have been simmering for years, things they've all been pushing down and his change in stature causes them to reevaluate the balance of power between them and address those old issues. It's an intriguing exploration that is clearly paralleled in the gorillas. In both situations, Brown shows how a small change can have a devastating impact on an environment. The ending is somewhat ambiguous, creating a source for discussion and potentially for frustration.

More information: XL releases March 26.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.