When Gretchen and Phoenix first see each other, she is terrified by his resemblance to a stranger who attacked her and left her changed forever. Phoenix is a Salvadoran refugee seeking asylum after horrific gang violence drives him and his younger brother to flee, and he is stung by her reaction, which cements his feeling that he is an outsider who can never belong.
But Grace seeks Phoenix out later to apologize, and the two begin a tentative friendship (and later romance) as they help each other navigate the treacherous terrain of healing.
The Radius of Us does a great job balancing serious issues (PTSD, anxiety, gang violence, immigration issues) with the more familiar day-to-day teen issues of breaking up, falling in love, and being a good friend to your friends. The larger challenges that Phoenix faces (fleeing gang violence, seeking asylum, trying to be reunited with his brother who was detained as an unaccompanied minor) are addressed with realistic sensitivity. This book has a lot to offer for readers of all interests.
The Life of Pi talks about a boy who gets separated from his parents in the ocean and has to live with a tiger on a small boat. He faces these challenges and had to get out of his comfort zone in order to survive, like being a carnivore instead of a vegetarian. I was surprised on how I was eager to read and not get bored even though half of the book is just on a boat with a boy and a tiger. I recommend a 4.5 stars for its meaning behind the story.
