I hadn't heard of The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart before, but while I was browsing Amazon.com I noticed it got fantastic reviews. Also, the cover is purdy. (Reminded me of this). So when I spotted a cheap bargainous copy on sale, I had to take a look!
When the teenage Cameron moves to a new town and meets Sonia, Sonia literally saves her life, and the two quickly become the best of friends, with a close, unshakeable bond they assume will last forever. But then Sonia does something that Cameron can't forgive, and she abandons Sonia and their friendship, never to return.
But then... Cameron's boss, the reclusive elderly author Oliver Doucet, who she lives with and cares for, suddenly dies. With no more ties in the world, and a present that Oliver posthumously asks Cameron to give to Sonia, Cameron sets out on a reluctant road trip...
Flashbacks alternate with the present day storytelling as Cameron goes on a quest to find Sonia and what happened between them years ago (and why) is revealed. I was equally interested in the present day story and the past, and the two blended seamlessly together. I couldn't wait to find out what had happened between Cameron and Sonia, and what would happen next. I wasn't disappointed, although maybe I would have liked the ending to have been a bit more conclusive, but it was realistic, kind-of happy, and in one way, rather surprising.
Anyone who knows what it's like to have an all-consuming friendship, to lose a friend, to be jealous of a friend's boyfriend, to be in love with a friend's boyfriend or to ponder the nature of life (so that's pretty much everyone, then) will find something to relate to in this book. And if you're anything like me, you'll probably shed a tear or two, too.
It's a story of friendship, loss, grief, forgiveness and re-creating your past, and it's terrific.
Rating: 5/5
Like this? Try The Girls by Lori Lansens.
