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This Is What I Want to Tell You
Friendship, love, and unexpected secrets
Nadio and his twin sister, Noelle, always had a unique bond. And somehow, Keeley Shipley fit perfectly into their world. But when Keeley spends the summer in England, she comes home changed, haunted by a dark memory. As she and Nadio fall in love, they try to hide it from Noelle, who's jealously guarding a secret of her own. Slowly, a life-long friendship begins to crack under the crushing weight of past trauma, guarded secrets, jealousy, obsession . . . and an unexpected love that could destroy them.
Nadio and his twin sister, Noelle, always had a unique bond. And somehow, Keeley Shipley fit perfectly into their world. But when Keeley spends the summer in England, she comes home changed, haunted by a dark memory. As she and Nadio fall in love, they try to hide it from Noelle, who's jealously guarding a secret of her own. Slowly, a life-long friendship begins to crack under the crushing weight of past trauma, guarded secrets, jealousy, obsession . . . and an unexpected love that could destroy them.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2009
8 people are currently reading
3314 people want to read
About the author
Heather Duffy Stone
4 books20 followersHeather is a counselor, a writer and a teacher and a traveler. Right now she is beginning an adventure across the country and writing at least one book. Her first novel, THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU, which is about falling in love for the first time and maybe getting a tattoo, was published by Flux in 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
April 5, 2009
Cross-posted from my
blog review
.
Woo, long review. Skip first three paragraphs (not counting this one) if you don't want a detailed description.
Nadio and Noelle are twins, but when it comes to their friend Keeley, the trio are more like triplets--inseparable since forever. But then Keeley goes to Oxford with her parents for an entire summer and for some reason, everything between the three changes. Noelle wants nothing to do with Keeley and even though they promised each other they'd talk every day, every time Keeley emailed her, Noelle never replied. The day Keeley comes back from Oxford (which is when the book begins), Noelle isn't there (on purpose) to greet her. She's out with Jessica, her new friend, to a party, where she meets Parker.
Meanwhile, Nadio comes back from his evening run and finds Keeley, who's recently returned from Oxford. He suddenly sees her in a new light, one thing leads to another, and the two end up kissing. This leads to a relationship between them, one that has its own issues, one they keep a secret from the ever-distancing Noelle. Noelle becomes enamored by Parker and he's her primary focus now that she doesn't have her two peers to keep her occupied.
The book unfolds in a way that explores the growing spaces between Nadio and Keeley, and Noelle, and what led them there. Noelle is angry at Keeley for having everything so easy and for complaining that she doesn't want to go to Oxford, that she doesn't want this or that, that she just wants to stay home. Keeley is hiding something that happened in Oxford from the both of them that accounts for the change both notice in her. And Nadio is hiding his inner conflict with his absent father figure: Who is the man and how does he fit into Nadio's life?
I know it doesn't seem like a lot happens in this book, or that it's nothing new. But the way things were spread out made me feel full at the end, like at the end of a satisfying meal. It's not what I would call a fun read, nor a light one. I wouldn't give it to any young readers who read up because this is the type of YA novel I just don't think they would get. And not because they are stupid, because they aren't--it's more that this wouldn't resonate with them, isn't relevant to them.
Nor is it a read for every occasion. I wouldn't recommend reading it at any time you're feeling impulsive or on the go--calmness and patience go a long way into appreciating this. I had a lot of moments when I was nodding along with the narrative, thinking, "That's it. That's totally it." (Although the voice was strange sometimes. Good strange. But strange all the same.) I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to pass this on to older readers and adults who enjoy YA.
That said, this is one of the most offbeat books I've read in a long time. It's written in a way I haven't come across yet in YA--where there are no quotations marks in the dialogue. (Which, no, I didn't have any problems with. I don't mind quirks like this, and the whole textual silence correlated with the theme and accentuated the poignancy of the overall product.) The text is indented when the characters speak, but there's no stylistic divide between what's being said and the tag that follows it. This makes it so I had to really focus to keep up.
Also, the writing just disappeared while I was reading. I don't know why, but there was no barrier between me and the characters and their lives. Seriously, this has never happened to me before, or if it has, I don't remember, which kind of defeats the purpose. I doubt I'll forget this, at any rate.
One thing that's been bugging me, though, is this: Nadio and Noelle both had their own POVs, but what we saw of Keeley was only through the both of them. This didn't hinder her development, don't get me wrong, but it struck me odd when this was essentially their--the three of theirs--story. One possible explanation is this:
Nadio and Noelle were conceived in Italy when their parents were seventeen and subsequently abandoned by their father. Their mom--Lace, as they call her--is supportive and present in their lives. Keeley's parents are scholars who place their academic life more than before her. In many ways, she felt like an antithesis to Nadio and Noelle; her and their lives were inversely proportional to each other. Where she has a lot of money, they had none. Where they have only one parent who goes the extra mile to fill empty paternal voids twice, she has two parents who are never there. Where they are twins, she is an only child . At one point Nadio refers to her as the sister without any siblings. So, maybe this was another one of the things one didn't have that the other two compensated for.
In any rate, a most unusual novel. Literary, maybe, in a way. I have a feeling it'll stick with me.
Woo, long review. Skip first three paragraphs (not counting this one) if you don't want a detailed description.
Nadio and Noelle are twins, but when it comes to their friend Keeley, the trio are more like triplets--inseparable since forever. But then Keeley goes to Oxford with her parents for an entire summer and for some reason, everything between the three changes. Noelle wants nothing to do with Keeley and even though they promised each other they'd talk every day, every time Keeley emailed her, Noelle never replied. The day Keeley comes back from Oxford (which is when the book begins), Noelle isn't there (on purpose) to greet her. She's out with Jessica, her new friend, to a party, where she meets Parker.
Meanwhile, Nadio comes back from his evening run and finds Keeley, who's recently returned from Oxford. He suddenly sees her in a new light, one thing leads to another, and the two end up kissing. This leads to a relationship between them, one that has its own issues, one they keep a secret from the ever-distancing Noelle. Noelle becomes enamored by Parker and he's her primary focus now that she doesn't have her two peers to keep her occupied.
The book unfolds in a way that explores the growing spaces between Nadio and Keeley, and Noelle, and what led them there. Noelle is angry at Keeley for having everything so easy and for complaining that she doesn't want to go to Oxford, that she doesn't want this or that, that she just wants to stay home. Keeley is hiding something that happened in Oxford from the both of them that accounts for the change both notice in her. And Nadio is hiding his inner conflict with his absent father figure: Who is the man and how does he fit into Nadio's life?
I know it doesn't seem like a lot happens in this book, or that it's nothing new. But the way things were spread out made me feel full at the end, like at the end of a satisfying meal. It's not what I would call a fun read, nor a light one. I wouldn't give it to any young readers who read up because this is the type of YA novel I just don't think they would get. And not because they are stupid, because they aren't--it's more that this wouldn't resonate with them, isn't relevant to them.
Nor is it a read for every occasion. I wouldn't recommend reading it at any time you're feeling impulsive or on the go--calmness and patience go a long way into appreciating this. I had a lot of moments when I was nodding along with the narrative, thinking, "That's it. That's totally it." (Although the voice was strange sometimes. Good strange. But strange all the same.) I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to pass this on to older readers and adults who enjoy YA.
That said, this is one of the most offbeat books I've read in a long time. It's written in a way I haven't come across yet in YA--where there are no quotations marks in the dialogue. (Which, no, I didn't have any problems with. I don't mind quirks like this, and the whole textual silence correlated with the theme and accentuated the poignancy of the overall product.) The text is indented when the characters speak, but there's no stylistic divide between what's being said and the tag that follows it. This makes it so I had to really focus to keep up.
Also, the writing just disappeared while I was reading. I don't know why, but there was no barrier between me and the characters and their lives. Seriously, this has never happened to me before, or if it has, I don't remember, which kind of defeats the purpose. I doubt I'll forget this, at any rate.
One thing that's been bugging me, though, is this: Nadio and Noelle both had their own POVs, but what we saw of Keeley was only through the both of them. This didn't hinder her development, don't get me wrong, but it struck me odd when this was essentially their--the three of theirs--story. One possible explanation is this:
Nadio and Noelle were conceived in Italy when their parents were seventeen and subsequently abandoned by their father. Their mom--Lace, as they call her--is supportive and present in their lives. Keeley's parents are scholars who place their academic life more than before her. In many ways, she felt like an antithesis to Nadio and Noelle; her and their lives were inversely proportional to each other. Where she has a lot of money, they had none. Where they have only one parent who goes the extra mile to fill empty paternal voids twice, she has two parents who are never there. Where they are twins, she is an only child . At one point Nadio refers to her as the sister without any siblings. So, maybe this was another one of the things one didn't have that the other two compensated for.
In any rate, a most unusual novel. Literary, maybe, in a way. I have a feeling it'll stick with me.
October 21, 2009
This Is What I Want to Tell You is a heartbreaking novel that stole my breath away as I read on through the night, the characters compelling me to finish their story without pause. At so many points in the novel I felt my chest constricting, my throat hurting like I wanted to cry but just couldn't. I was sad. I was angry. I was shocked. I was... butterflies. I found myself re-reading passages and pages just to take in the simultaneous pain and beauty of Heather Duffy Stone's words again and again. Told almost as a confessional in alternating viewpoints between 16-year-old twins Noelle and Nadio, This Is What I Want to Tell You is the story of all the things we want to say but can't -- the things we should've said but didn't. It's the story of once-impermeable bonds of friendship and loyalty stretching and breaking before our eyes, out of our control. It's the story of the loves and losses that shape our lives. But ultimately, This Is What I Want to Tell You is a story of survival; of finding that one reason to keep going. To love. To hope.
January 3, 2009
Although I was fortunate enough to read an ARC of this book some time ago, I couldn't jump right in to give it a review. It made such an impression on me that I was afraid, am still afraid, that anything I say won't possibly do it justice.
That said, I can't NOT review it, because it's a book that you could easily pass by. It looks like a lot of the YA books already out there. When you read the back, it even sounds like a lot of the YA books already out there. But trust me, this is a book unlike any other.
This is What I Want to Tell You follows brother and sister Nadio and Noelle through the months after a summer vacation that changes everything. The return of their mutual best friend, Keeley, from a summer abroad sparks changes that were already simmering, prompting Nadio to write letters to his father that he never mails. Told in alternating points-of-view (Nadio and Noelle's), the book illustrates the power of friendship, family, and the invisible ties that bind us even to those who are long gone. But it does it all with such grace, such simplicity, that you're left KNOWING the book had a profound impact on you but not quite knowing why.
My teenage daughter and her friend each devoured this book in under three hours straight. Yet, even as a 39-year-old, I can say that I will never, ever forget this book.
That said, I can't NOT review it, because it's a book that you could easily pass by. It looks like a lot of the YA books already out there. When you read the back, it even sounds like a lot of the YA books already out there. But trust me, this is a book unlike any other.
This is What I Want to Tell You follows brother and sister Nadio and Noelle through the months after a summer vacation that changes everything. The return of their mutual best friend, Keeley, from a summer abroad sparks changes that were already simmering, prompting Nadio to write letters to his father that he never mails. Told in alternating points-of-view (Nadio and Noelle's), the book illustrates the power of friendship, family, and the invisible ties that bind us even to those who are long gone. But it does it all with such grace, such simplicity, that you're left KNOWING the book had a profound impact on you but not quite knowing why.
My teenage daughter and her friend each devoured this book in under three hours straight. Yet, even as a 39-year-old, I can say that I will never, ever forget this book.
May 22, 2016
Not even worth the hour or so it took to read this. Not good. There wasn't an interesting moment of this book, and nothing I didn't predict.
"This guy is so perfect and I can't stop thinking about him and he ignores me all the time." Asshole. Drugs. Drinking. Rape. Where else could this go?
Also, the saying "my skin stood up." Stone used it twice. What does that even mean?
It's alright to not use quotation marks for dialogue in some cases. This was not one of those. It was horribly structured so at times it was hard to tell who was speaking, and if they were actually speaking, or thinking.
"This guy is so perfect and I can't stop thinking about him and he ignores me all the time." Asshole. Drugs. Drinking. Rape. Where else could this go?
Also, the saying "my skin stood up." Stone used it twice. What does that even mean?
It's alright to not use quotation marks for dialogue in some cases. This was not one of those. It was horribly structured so at times it was hard to tell who was speaking, and if they were actually speaking, or thinking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2008
This is one of those novels that, when I was finished, I wanted to hold it close and savor the little door it had opened for me. It's one of those books that makes me want to wait a long while before I open up another book because I don't want to lose the glow from this one. Some time back, I read a book called All Rivers Flow to the Sea by Alison McGhee and I felt the same way. That book has lodged itself deep inside me and THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU is doing the same thing.
I don't know what to tell you about the plot because the whole book was like a string I was following in the dark. I just trusted the voice and the author to get me to the end. It was this quiet, powerful thing. It's True and vulnerable and tender and just . . . SO achingly beautiful. It's all heart, wrapped up in this package of gorgeous language. You are a true wordsmith, Heather Duffy Stone. I am a huge fan after reading this gem of a debut, and I look forward whatever you write next.
I don't know what to tell you about the plot because the whole book was like a string I was following in the dark. I just trusted the voice and the author to get me to the end. It was this quiet, powerful thing. It's True and vulnerable and tender and just . . . SO achingly beautiful. It's all heart, wrapped up in this package of gorgeous language. You are a true wordsmith, Heather Duffy Stone. I am a huge fan after reading this gem of a debut, and I look forward whatever you write next.
March 4, 2018
A most unusual novel. Quiet and intense, two qualities enhanced by its stylistic silence, this is a book that grows, expands, by a millionfold from first page to last.
April 18, 2011
This book is about a girl named noelle who has a twin brother and a best friend kellie who she preety much grew up with. They were all best friends until keelie went away on vacation because her parents had to do this book thing about the lord of the rings. Once she came back things between her and noelle drifted away. Noelle meet this guy parker at a party his arms were covered in tattos. Kellie began daiting Noelles twin brother but she had her own dark secreats to hide. She ended up getting raped by a guy she meet while she was on vacation he was suppose to be her boyfriend but hurt her. She told Noelles brother and he felt like he had to protect her. Noelle lost her virginity to parker and one night when she went to parkers house because he invited her to his house party he broke up with her. Noelle went crazy she yelled at a teacher in her class about her having her sunglasses on so she tld da teacher off. The teacher called her twin brother and her brother got Kellie and went inti a private room in the principals office she tld her brother off and kellie becaus they were hiding their relationship from her. They were in shock Noelle ran out of school went to her house and attempted to kill her self but didnt sucide because her brother and kellie found her before it was to late and took her to the emergency. When she gopt out she got her self a job at a bakery which cooking by the way parker loved doing so anyways shes working their and one day parker shows up out of no were and she notices his new tattos but she tells him she has to go back to work and so yup that preety much was a good bye. Noelle got a tattoo she felt like she needed her own story branded on her to
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2010
I really wanted to like this one, but I felt like it was lots of style but even more cliché. Not entirely comfortable with how the sexual assault was handled either.
Also for being two sides of the same story, why did it basically sound like one big story, just hearing two POVs that basically supported the same facts? One twin said Keeley was different depending; Keeley seemed pretty much the same to me regardless. God, if you're going to use this style at least give me some unreliable narration or twisted understanding of events.
(read: 94)
Also for being two sides of the same story, why did it basically sound like one big story, just hearing two POVs that basically supported the same facts? One twin said Keeley was different depending; Keeley seemed pretty much the same to me regardless. God, if you're going to use this style at least give me some unreliable narration or twisted understanding of events.
(read: 94)
December 2, 2018
SIGH.
This was probably one of the most disappointing, anti-climatic books I've read.
I guess I partly have myself to blame, because I picked it up at random. I tried this thing where I literally picked up a book at the library without even looking at the description. I just thought the title, cover, and quote on the front sounded interesting. I started reading it, and then I finally looked at the description--it really hyped it up making it sound like it was going to be something really serious that happened to the main character, Noelle. A mystery that we were going to find out later.
Here's what happened: She liked a guy, and the guy didn't like her back.
That's it.
That's literally it.
But she's the victim star of the show.
MEANWHILE...her best friend Keely, aside from being the only likeable character in the book, is treated like complete shit by Noelle. I know what it's like; I've had fake whores like that as friends too in the past, who pretended one minute to care about me, then the next they stood me up, ignored me, treated me like I was nothing. Out of nowhere, after YEARS of pretending and lying to me and deceiving me. But that's not even the biggest thing..
The most insane, insane thing of all, is that while Noelle is getting all this pity and sympathy and main role in the book for suffering unrequited love (as if the REST of us haven't had that at least once in life), Keely, literally . She got , but that's just COMPLETELY glossed over and treated like nothing. Like nothing at all. Seriously. Fuck that shit.
Oh, and the book kept going back and forth from present tense to past tense. 🙄
This was probably one of the most disappointing, anti-climatic books I've read.
I guess I partly have myself to blame, because I picked it up at random. I tried this thing where I literally picked up a book at the library without even looking at the description. I just thought the title, cover, and quote on the front sounded interesting. I started reading it, and then I finally looked at the description--it really hyped it up making it sound like it was going to be something really serious that happened to the main character, Noelle. A mystery that we were going to find out later.
Here's what happened: She liked a guy, and the guy didn't like her back.
That's it.
That's literally it.
But she's the victim star of the show.
MEANWHILE...her best friend Keely, aside from being the only likeable character in the book, is treated like complete shit by Noelle. I know what it's like; I've had fake whores like that as friends too in the past, who pretended one minute to care about me, then the next they stood me up, ignored me, treated me like I was nothing. Out of nowhere, after YEARS of pretending and lying to me and deceiving me. But that's not even the biggest thing..
The most insane, insane thing of all, is that while Noelle is getting all this pity and sympathy and main role in the book for suffering unrequited love (as if the REST of us haven't had that at least once in life), Keely, literally . She got , but that's just COMPLETELY glossed over and treated like nothing. Like nothing at all. Seriously. Fuck that shit.
Oh, and the book kept going back and forth from present tense to past tense. 🙄
August 31, 2009
THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU was a so-so attempt at expressing the significance of a particular period in life for three friends. What it fails to do in terms of catching one’s attention, it makes up for in the blunt and often brutal writing style.
The most striking part of this book is the style in which it was written. It’s rather simple and blunt, and therefore evokes pain, secrets, and other appropriately dark qualities. The way it was written reminded me of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, with both of their abilities to convey difficult, gut-wrenching yet quietly overpowering feelings of adolescent loneliness.
That being said, the writing style was also what I liked least. It just seemed like too much at too many points in the story. From the very beginning of Nadio and Noelle’s narrations we get the sense that something monumental, something life-changing, has occurred to the three main characters—and yet the book never follows through on this potential. Instead, it wallows in the same feelings of teen-angst direness for most of the novel. These characters never get a break from their misery, and thus we readers don’t either, which can be immensely overwhelming and unsatisfying.
THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU is a difficult but potentially rewarding read. If you like your teen angst novels dark and mired in shoals of hopelessness, this could be for you.
The most striking part of this book is the style in which it was written. It’s rather simple and blunt, and therefore evokes pain, secrets, and other appropriately dark qualities. The way it was written reminded me of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, with both of their abilities to convey difficult, gut-wrenching yet quietly overpowering feelings of adolescent loneliness.
That being said, the writing style was also what I liked least. It just seemed like too much at too many points in the story. From the very beginning of Nadio and Noelle’s narrations we get the sense that something monumental, something life-changing, has occurred to the three main characters—and yet the book never follows through on this potential. Instead, it wallows in the same feelings of teen-angst direness for most of the novel. These characters never get a break from their misery, and thus we readers don’t either, which can be immensely overwhelming and unsatisfying.
THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU is a difficult but potentially rewarding read. If you like your teen angst novels dark and mired in shoals of hopelessness, this could be for you.
March 20, 2010
Oh god, this book was just devastating. Its like the book should have a big red sticker that says, "DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE A. SUICIDAL B. DEPRESSED C. ETC." I mean really. I didnt cry granted but I was like, "OMFG WHY!" Yeah, so not for those who are any of the listed above. Its a beautiful story. The dialog became a bit confusing here and there do to its unusual set up but all in all the book was just amazing. Okay so I did want to punch a few characters (hmm that seems to be a trend...) but I couldnt help it. Some of them were just simply infuriating. Okay and Ill admit I did look up a cookbook mentioned because Noelle said she wanted to learn what it was. So what judge me. I thought it was a date rape cookbook. Okay so I did become a little imaginative here and there but oh well. That was the beauty of the book. It left you wondering what it was that happened/what something was until the last chunk of the book. Gotta love books like that. Read it, I swear you wont regret it :) (unless or an A. B. or C.)
August 24, 2009
This book was really interesting. It really explores the confusion we feel in our teen years and the problem with the secrets we keep in moments of confusion. I really enjoyed reading from Nadio's point of view, he was private, mysterious and fascinating. The story got to me because they were all so confused and uncertain, that I could relate. And we all tend to keep things inside us, unsaid.
The writing was different, that felt nice. She uses dialog in an interesting way, but it did feel confusing at times. The plot was easy, it's a really short read. The characters were good, just regular teenagers with crappy problems. I always like books that explore the sibling relationship; in this case, Noelle and Nadio not only are sibling but twins. Which fascinates me.
For some reason I love the cover. It has a lot to do with the book. If you're a confused teenager you should read this or if you enjoy light reads and teen issues this may be a book for you.
The writing was different, that felt nice. She uses dialog in an interesting way, but it did feel confusing at times. The plot was easy, it's a really short read. The characters were good, just regular teenagers with crappy problems. I always like books that explore the sibling relationship; in this case, Noelle and Nadio not only are sibling but twins. Which fascinates me.
For some reason I love the cover. It has a lot to do with the book. If you're a confused teenager you should read this or if you enjoy light reads and teen issues this may be a book for you.
June 15, 2009
Reading this reminded me a bit of Francesca Lia Block's The Hanged Man, minus the magical elements. Stone explores how relationships change because of jealousy, secrets, and just plain growing up in easy-to-read prose. Something dark tints everything as the plot unfolds and the characters present their version of Junior Year. Decisions about sex are explicit in the book, but I liked the way Stone made these momentous choices more about the way physicality changes - or doesn't change - the underlying nature of affection and connection between teens. This was a good, moody read that wasn't melodramatically over the top.
October 6, 2009
This is a pretty powerful book about relationships, teenagers getting in over the heads, and teenagers trying to figure things out without getting much guidance. Of course that's how I see it as an adult. I would be curious to hear how HS teens would view it.
The really bad characters aren't physically present. There's a lot human error that occurs,as well. The only thing I didn't like was the rather loosely framed aftermath of one character's suicide attempt. Seemed as if the character was succeeding at figuring stuff out without a lot of professional help, and that didn't seem real to me.
The really bad characters aren't physically present. There's a lot human error that occurs,as well. The only thing I didn't like was the rather loosely framed aftermath of one character's suicide attempt. Seemed as if the character was succeeding at figuring stuff out without a lot of professional help, and that didn't seem real to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2009
This started out with great potential, but only went downhill almost from the start. Alternating narration between twins Noelle and Nadio, it describes inevitable changes that occur when you have an inseperable threesome and you're all growing up. There were conflicts and resolutions, but at the end, I was left with the feeling that it was all pointless.
April 19, 2010
not the best book, doesn't have a really big climax or anything so i found it kind of boring
October 23, 2010
Twins placing themselves apart from one another.
December 22, 2010
Told from two viewpoints, of a twin brother and sister. I found the brother's story much more compelling, and the sister's depression too quickly resolved.
April 18, 2013
Wasn't a big fan of this book, maybe I didn't get the twin attachment, or detachment in this case. Just didn't really keep my interest.
February 23, 2019
not what i had expected and didn't finish. i am sure this would be a good read for someone else but not I
March 16, 2021
Couldn't stand the protagonist.
February 12, 2018
Quick young adult read. Engaging and hard to put down. A little confusing with the lack of quotations when characters were speaking.
August 3, 2021
it was really good but made me really sad. i loved it tho and it’s a super easy read
Read
September 29, 2021pretty good
March 8, 2025
I found the girl twin so annoying
April 27, 2023
the ending could’ve been so much juicer but such a good book
July 27, 2010
Twins Nadio & Noelle has lived in the gatehouse on the professor's property all their lives. As children, they befriended Keeley, the daughter of the professor, and have been inseparable ever since. Keeley and Noelle have always been like two halves of the same person with matching mannerisms and behavior. Nadio was always along for the ride, but never up front and center stage.
After spending a summer all separated, the trio come back together to find that nothing is as is was when they left. Nadio spent his summer running alone and writing imaginary letters to his absentee father. Noelle found a new friend into new things and managed to fall hard for tattoo-covered fry cook Parker. Keeley is still reeling from her summer at Oxford and has an awful burden from that experience.
Each of these three are hiding the truth from one of the others and everything culminates when Nadio and Keeley admit that their feelings for one another are no longer strictly platonic. What will they do to persevere, what will they have to sacrifice to be happy, and can they all be happy together?
Heather Duffy-Stone has done an incredible job with this novel. Told in the alternating view points of the twins, This is What I Want to Tell You is unparalleled. I can't think of another book that handles this common and yet complex a situation. There are at least three different stories told in the narrative, but if you include the smaller characters, there are a few more. Each story has its own attributes and complexities and at the same time they're all standard issues that teens face every day. There's drugs, issues at school, peer pressure, sex, and heart ache at every corner.
I really felt as though I related to each of the characters on some level and that they were all meant to be recognizable. I'm sure you could place someone from your high school in each of these roles and better understand their situation. The writing style really lent itself to an omnipotent presence because when one chapter left off, the next picked up from a different point of view. I know that many books can accomplish this, but (for lack of a better explanation) this was just different.
The situations were believable, the characters superb, & the writing was, in a work, magical. I truly hope to see more from this writer. She knows her stuff well and if she can pull it off again, I'd place her in the same AMAZING category as Simone Elkeles & Jennifer Echols. While my library didn't own this one, I was able to InterLibrary Loan it from another institution. Let me reiterate, it was well worth it. Find out if your local library can do the same for you!
I leave you with a fabulous teaser quote from the book:
Why don't people ever see the way other kinds of love can wreck you? What about the way being left out of love can wreck you? p.148
After spending a summer all separated, the trio come back together to find that nothing is as is was when they left. Nadio spent his summer running alone and writing imaginary letters to his absentee father. Noelle found a new friend into new things and managed to fall hard for tattoo-covered fry cook Parker. Keeley is still reeling from her summer at Oxford and has an awful burden from that experience.
Each of these three are hiding the truth from one of the others and everything culminates when Nadio and Keeley admit that their feelings for one another are no longer strictly platonic. What will they do to persevere, what will they have to sacrifice to be happy, and can they all be happy together?
Heather Duffy-Stone has done an incredible job with this novel. Told in the alternating view points of the twins, This is What I Want to Tell You is unparalleled. I can't think of another book that handles this common and yet complex a situation. There are at least three different stories told in the narrative, but if you include the smaller characters, there are a few more. Each story has its own attributes and complexities and at the same time they're all standard issues that teens face every day. There's drugs, issues at school, peer pressure, sex, and heart ache at every corner.
I really felt as though I related to each of the characters on some level and that they were all meant to be recognizable. I'm sure you could place someone from your high school in each of these roles and better understand their situation. The writing style really lent itself to an omnipotent presence because when one chapter left off, the next picked up from a different point of view. I know that many books can accomplish this, but (for lack of a better explanation) this was just different.
The situations were believable, the characters superb, & the writing was, in a work, magical. I truly hope to see more from this writer. She knows her stuff well and if she can pull it off again, I'd place her in the same AMAZING category as Simone Elkeles & Jennifer Echols. While my library didn't own this one, I was able to InterLibrary Loan it from another institution. Let me reiterate, it was well worth it. Find out if your local library can do the same for you!
I leave you with a fabulous teaser quote from the book:
Why don't people ever see the way other kinds of love can wreck you? What about the way being left out of love can wreck you? p.148
December 29, 2010
This first part is just a rant, so you can skip to down the review if you'd like. Note: It will contain spoilers.
Okay *deep breath*...no quotation marks? Seriously? I googled it to make sure it wasn't just my copy, like there must be some mistake, but alas, it was just a very confusing attempt to do something different. That bugged the shit out of me during the first half of the book, and although I kind of got used to it, it adds nothing to the story and can only damage it. A great story that I could see giving 4.5stars, maybe even 5, but that one thing really messed it up for me. If you want to do something different, write in blue. Quotation marks are not optional. Honestly if this book was re-released with quotation marks, I would buy it. Maybe that's Stone's plan, I don't know, but it seems like kind of strange risk to take for no reward. If you believe in your story(which she definitely should) then why do that? Whatever, I can't tell you enough how much that annoyed me.
On to the story...
I really liked all the characters. Noelle surprised me a little bit with how easily and rapidly she went off the deep end and how quickly she turned cold towards Keeley, but it didn't happen in an unrealistically dramatic way and I was still sympathetic towards her.
Keeley is uncovered more and more during the book after starting as somewhat of a mystery, and as you read on, she seems to get stronger and stronger with every page.
Nadio was my favourite. I loved is imaginary, one-sided dialogue with his dad. All the questions he asked and how he struggled with trying the grow into the role of being a man, the only man, amongst the women in his life, feeling the need to protect Keeley and Noelle and how those feelings ran counter to each other.
It struck me how Noelle fell for a guy that was the American version of the father she never knew. I don't know if that's some Freudian thing or if it just shows how similar she is to her mother, but it was something I'm surprised Noelle herself didn't see.
I didn't really see that 'unique bond' that Noelle and Nadio are supposed to have, which was only suggested in glimpses, mostly at the end. They never seemed overly close and drifted apart immediately after Keeley went to England, like they had forgotten how to be around each other without her. When things started getting worse, they didn't even know how to talk to each other. Maybe it wasn't always like that but from what we were shown, they were no closer than regular siblings.
This book is more relevant than pretty much any other story I've read. The situations and characters are realistic, which makes it easy to put yourself in their shoes, if you don't already feel like they're in yours.
Overall, the story flowed and (apart from the quotation marks), I really did like it.
Okay *deep breath*...no quotation marks? Seriously? I googled it to make sure it wasn't just my copy, like there must be some mistake, but alas, it was just a very confusing attempt to do something different. That bugged the shit out of me during the first half of the book, and although I kind of got used to it, it adds nothing to the story and can only damage it. A great story that I could see giving 4.5stars, maybe even 5, but that one thing really messed it up for me. If you want to do something different, write in blue. Quotation marks are not optional. Honestly if this book was re-released with quotation marks, I would buy it. Maybe that's Stone's plan, I don't know, but it seems like kind of strange risk to take for no reward. If you believe in your story(which she definitely should) then why do that? Whatever, I can't tell you enough how much that annoyed me.
On to the story...
I really liked all the characters. Noelle surprised me a little bit with how easily and rapidly she went off the deep end and how quickly she turned cold towards Keeley, but it didn't happen in an unrealistically dramatic way and I was still sympathetic towards her.
Keeley is uncovered more and more during the book after starting as somewhat of a mystery, and as you read on, she seems to get stronger and stronger with every page.
Nadio was my favourite. I loved is imaginary, one-sided dialogue with his dad. All the questions he asked and how he struggled with trying the grow into the role of being a man, the only man, amongst the women in his life, feeling the need to protect Keeley and Noelle and how those feelings ran counter to each other.
It struck me how Noelle fell for a guy that was the American version of the father she never knew. I don't know if that's some Freudian thing or if it just shows how similar she is to her mother, but it was something I'm surprised Noelle herself didn't see.
I didn't really see that 'unique bond' that Noelle and Nadio are supposed to have, which was only suggested in glimpses, mostly at the end. They never seemed overly close and drifted apart immediately after Keeley went to England, like they had forgotten how to be around each other without her. When things started getting worse, they didn't even know how to talk to each other. Maybe it wasn't always like that but from what we were shown, they were no closer than regular siblings.
This book is more relevant than pretty much any other story I've read. The situations and characters are realistic, which makes it easy to put yourself in their shoes, if you don't already feel like they're in yours.
Overall, the story flowed and (apart from the quotation marks), I really did like it.
July 22, 2009
This is What I Want to Tell You is an emotionally charged read. It’s not just an everyday teenage book. The characters are excellent and really seem like teenagers- I really think they are able speak to readers and are very relatable.
The format of the writing is unusual. It’s more like how one write on the internet, in blocks and chunks, with the dialogue simply indented, no quotation marks. It’s different, but it works. It seems more informal, more jagged and unstructured compared to the usual format. It suits the storyline and the characters though. It suits the book, really.
The narration switches between Noelle and Nadio, the two twins. What I really wonder is why parents (or parent in this case, as there’s only the mom; the dad ditched before they were born) name twins with similar names. I would think that would get confusing and be easier to mess up, but it seems to happen all the time… It’s cuter I guess?
Anyway, I wasn’t all too fond of Noelle, but I could understand why she did things, and I could sympathize for her. She withdraws from her family and her best friend, Keeley, the beginning of her junior year, at the start of the book. She becomes wild and a little crazy, falling for an older guy.
Nadio falls in love with Keeley. Keeley has a past that isn’t revealed until towards the end. I didn’t think it was very original, her trauma, but whatever. Both Nadio and Keeley are complex characters that have strengths and weaknesses, as does Noelle.
I cried a lot, I won’t lie. At first I didn’t find the novel very engaging, but about 60 pages in, I couldn’t put it down. I read most of the book in less than two hours. My left ear went numb since I was pretty much just laying down for two hours on it, flipping page after page, completely absorbed in reading. While tears ran down my cheeks. And snot. Eventually I had to get up and wipe my face since I couldn’t stand it. But it’s that kind of book.
It’s emotional. The characters. The book. The feelings it evokes. Bottom line: It’s great- especially for a debut author. I’ll be looking forward to more by Heather Duffy Stone.
The format of the writing is unusual. It’s more like how one write on the internet, in blocks and chunks, with the dialogue simply indented, no quotation marks. It’s different, but it works. It seems more informal, more jagged and unstructured compared to the usual format. It suits the storyline and the characters though. It suits the book, really.
The narration switches between Noelle and Nadio, the two twins. What I really wonder is why parents (or parent in this case, as there’s only the mom; the dad ditched before they were born) name twins with similar names. I would think that would get confusing and be easier to mess up, but it seems to happen all the time… It’s cuter I guess?
Anyway, I wasn’t all too fond of Noelle, but I could understand why she did things, and I could sympathize for her. She withdraws from her family and her best friend, Keeley, the beginning of her junior year, at the start of the book. She becomes wild and a little crazy, falling for an older guy.
Nadio falls in love with Keeley. Keeley has a past that isn’t revealed until towards the end. I didn’t think it was very original, her trauma, but whatever. Both Nadio and Keeley are complex characters that have strengths and weaknesses, as does Noelle.
I cried a lot, I won’t lie. At first I didn’t find the novel very engaging, but about 60 pages in, I couldn’t put it down. I read most of the book in less than two hours. My left ear went numb since I was pretty much just laying down for two hours on it, flipping page after page, completely absorbed in reading. While tears ran down my cheeks. And snot. Eventually I had to get up and wipe my face since I couldn’t stand it. But it’s that kind of book.
It’s emotional. The characters. The book. The feelings it evokes. Bottom line: It’s great- especially for a debut author. I’ll be looking forward to more by Heather Duffy Stone.
June 11, 2009
Noelle and Nadio are twins. Noelle and Keeley are best friends. Keeley spends the summer in Europe with her family. This story is what happens after Keeley returns.
Upon her return, Keeley knows something is different with Noelle. Their friendship is not smooth anymore. There’s too much space between them and no words can be used to bring them together. Noelle finds a new friend, Jessica, while Keeley is away. It’s because of this friendship she meets Parker.
Parker is Noelle’s secret. She doesn’t speak of him with Nadio and certainly not with Keeley. As her feelings for Parker intensifies, Nadio and Keeley are starting a new love themselves. Keeley is conflicted with keeping their relationship a secret from Noelle. She’s also struggling with an event that occurred during the summer that can negatively impact her relationship with Nadio.
When Noelle discovers their relationship, she reacts in such a volatile way, that all parties will begin to question the closeness of their friendship.
I have to say, I wasn’t sure if I liked Noelle or not. She kept her relationship with Parker a secret, but yet was angry with Nadio and Keeley for keeping their relationship a secret. It wasn’t until I saw how scared she was of not having a chance to live, that I started to warm up to her.
Nadio has an interesting role in the story. Not only is he the twin brother and the best friend’s brother, he’s the man of the house. Nadio’s father left the family and Nadio isn’t sure how to be. He questions his feelings, he isn’t sure what to do and blames his father for this. He begins to write letters to his father as a way to figure out who he is as a son, a brother, a boyfriend and an individual. Nadio is conflicted with his new feelings for Keeley and his loyalty to his sister.
This Is What I Want to Tell You illustrates the repercussions on a relationship that is strained by jealousy and secrets.
Upon her return, Keeley knows something is different with Noelle. Their friendship is not smooth anymore. There’s too much space between them and no words can be used to bring them together. Noelle finds a new friend, Jessica, while Keeley is away. It’s because of this friendship she meets Parker.
Parker is Noelle’s secret. She doesn’t speak of him with Nadio and certainly not with Keeley. As her feelings for Parker intensifies, Nadio and Keeley are starting a new love themselves. Keeley is conflicted with keeping their relationship a secret from Noelle. She’s also struggling with an event that occurred during the summer that can negatively impact her relationship with Nadio.
When Noelle discovers their relationship, she reacts in such a volatile way, that all parties will begin to question the closeness of their friendship.
I have to say, I wasn’t sure if I liked Noelle or not. She kept her relationship with Parker a secret, but yet was angry with Nadio and Keeley for keeping their relationship a secret. It wasn’t until I saw how scared she was of not having a chance to live, that I started to warm up to her.
Nadio has an interesting role in the story. Not only is he the twin brother and the best friend’s brother, he’s the man of the house. Nadio’s father left the family and Nadio isn’t sure how to be. He questions his feelings, he isn’t sure what to do and blames his father for this. He begins to write letters to his father as a way to figure out who he is as a son, a brother, a boyfriend and an individual. Nadio is conflicted with his new feelings for Keeley and his loyalty to his sister.
This Is What I Want to Tell You illustrates the repercussions on a relationship that is strained by jealousy and secrets.
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