This isn't a novel, it's a romance. That's what the prologue tells us...the difference being "a romance is more like a fable...it traffics in ideals, mysteries, and obsessions...novel comes from the Italian for "new little story"...and this is about the oldest thing in the world. Love"
Set in modern day Brooklyn NY Izzy moves to the neighborhood with her parents and twin brother.
Tristian lives there with Aunt. Also on the block is Tristan's cousin Marcus.
Tristian plays chess, like just about Master level chess. Marcus uses this to hustle in the park for money betting on the matches.
It sort of works, no one really gets hurt and Tristian loves the game...until the day Tristan beats Hull and Hull loses his shit...this sets in motion a retelling of the old poem/story Tristan & Isolde.
Tristin and Izzy meet and fall in love....Marcus thinks he likes her too and doesn't know about them so wants Tristan to help him "get with her". Another local, a girl named Brianna, Izzy's only friend at her new school, has a crush on Marcus....Tristan is a bit scared of Marcus so they don't tell him right away, kind of hoping that he will get bored and move on...Oh and Izzy is White and Tristan is Black....
With escalating race issues, this is around the time Eric Garner's killer wasn't charged, as the background for their budding love, Shannon writes a story, a tale as old as time, that is also fresh and new and relevant. It is beautiful and heartbreaking....I loved it.
(Finished July 11, 2019)
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