What I Was by Meg Rosoff

In 1960s England, a young boy is sent to a boarding school for troubled teens on the coast of the cold and tempestual sea.  As he nears his death decades later, he reflects on his time spent at this school and the life-altering events that occured there.

Awkward and alienated, the narrator has a history of trouble relating to peers.  When he is enrolled at St. Oswald's, this trend continues until he encounters the mysterious Finn, an orphaned and solemn youth living alone on an island off the shore.  What unfolds thereafter is a one-sided relationship where Finn is viewed as a near god, but the narrator is rarely regarded at all.

The hero's determination to win Finn's affection causes their relationship to grow into something deep and difficult to understand, while his presence amongst his schoolmates wanes.  His obsession with this enigmatic acquaintance forces him to change himself, becoming more and more akin to Finn.  The consequences of his secret love have a ripple effect on not only him and his future, but on all those he comes into contact with.

I know this review is vague, I know it's unspecific.  But that's because that's how this whole book feels.  There is no solid information, there is no concrete idea, and while this lack of direction usually irks me when it comes to books, Rosoff was able to make it work.  The mystery of Finn and his connection with the main character is borderline erotic and sometimes uncomfortable, and it is these seemingly out of place emotions that make the book intriguing. 

One thing I've gotta say: the ending of this novel is highly unexpected.  There is a twist so astounding that it makes you want to go back and reread the story with a keener eye and the end in mind.  I praise Rosoff for this, because without this conclusion the book would have been too unguided to enjoy.

Overall...I liked this book.  I liked it, you might not, and that's just how it goes.  Check it out if ya wanna.  Happy reading!