Leah on the Offbeat

YA romance 

     Leah, protagonist of Becky Albertalli's Leah on the Offbeat, attended her first prom well before high school.  She was a fetus in her mother's womb.  As a high school senior she lives with her single mom in a town where her peers live in lavish homes with established married parents.  

     Her mother dates.  She's getting serious with her current boyfriend and trying to get Leah to spend time with them.  Leah wants nothing to do with that.

     It's drawing close to the end of Leah's senior year.  People are learning what colleges they've been accepted to and making plans for the next chapter of their lives while celebrating (often with mixed feelings) the culmination of their about to end one.

     Leah's tight friends group is planning to go all out--limos and all--for the prom.  But in the weeks leading up to it conflicts unexpectedly flare up.  Morgan, devastated by being rejected by her family's alma mater, tells Leah that Abby was accepted because she's Black.  Abby breaks up with long term boyfriend, Nick, because she doesn't want to miss out on the full college experience by trying to carry on a long distance relationship.

     Abby and Leah will both be going to University of Georgia.  When they decide to go for the campus tour together some of her friends want Leah to somehow get Abby to change her mind and reverse the breakup.

     What those friends don't know is that Leah is bi and experiencing feelings toward Abby...

     ...feelings that may be reciprocated...

     ...and the clock is ticking down.  In Leah's words, 

     "Holy shit.  We're graduating.  We have--what--five weeks of normalcy, and then the whole world resets."

On a purrrsonal note, this is a feeling not limited to people about to graduate high school.  Barring a major upset (somehow COVID has made my plans for the future feel more conditional) I'm getting my masters degree in May.  To paraphrase Leah, "Holy shit.  I'm graduating.  I have--what--9 1/2 months of normalcy, and then the whole world resets."  Actually my challenge is bigger than that of my classmates.  There is only one school 🏫 I can work at.  Unlike my unmarried peers, I can't move to Alaska or Idaho or wherever.  And not being able to drive means that Bangor's fine institutions of higher education would make for an untenable 4 hour a day commute even though Bangor is next to Veazie.  Actually an impossible commute since last bus 🚌 out of Bangor leaves at 5:15.  (Jules)

She'll get a job at UMaine.  No doubt in my mind.  (Tobago)

Tobago, might you be a bit biased?  (Jules)

Who?  Me?  (Tobago)

A great big shout out goes out to all who are helping me gain skills and create an awesome resume.  

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

     

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