Not About a Boy

Gr 9 Up–Hollis’s powerful and compassionate debut novel is an intimate and nuanced portrayal of a resilient and troubled young woman’s journey toward self-acceptance. Seventeen-year-old Amélie Cœur has lost hope after several failed adoptive placements have left her feeling disillusioned and resentful. She desperately wants to believe she will someday belong somewhere and be accepted for who she is. However, negative thoughts quickly remind her that “everything that has ever made me happy has broken my heart.” Through insightful and clever dialogue, Hollis draws readers into Amélie’s mind, enabling them to become invested in her search for happiness. Amélie’s life begins to change for the better when she is unexpectedly placed in a pre-adoptive home where she is wanted and loved. However, mental health issues, past unresolved trauma, a new romantic relationship that she both wants and fears, and a twin sister of whom she has no memory transform Amélie’s desire to “simply belong somewhere” into a complicated journey that she must navigate through to survive. Teenage life is sympathetically depicted with its angst, humor, and silliness. Adults are both caring and imperfect, sending the message that no one has all the answers. The excellent exploration of Amélie’s mental health struggles is heartrending in its intensity and authenticity, with the only caveat being that mental health diagnoses, such as depression and borderline personality, could've been clarified more to further readers’ understanding.