This was an audiobook so I will be mentioning the performance by the narrators in my review.
We Contain Multitudes is told in letters back and forth between Jonathan "little Jo" Hopkirk and Adam "Kurl" Kurlansky.
When the story beings the boys don't know each other, they were just assigned in their respective English classes to be pen pals. Over the course of the letters we go along as they get to know each other and themselves. This is an extremely poignant and beautiful story about love, friendship, family, loss, pain, healing, and grief.
Jonathan is a sophomore. He lives with his father Lyle and his sister Shayna. He is quirky and lovely and sweet and gay. He is tormented at school by a group he calls The Butcher Boys. He plays the mandolin and has a tent in his bedroom that is inner sanctum. He loves Prince. He loves vintage clothes. He loves Walt Whitman. He loves.
Adam is a senior. He lives with his mother and his uncle/step-father. He played football and seems to get into fights, at least his face looks like he does. He thinks he isn't a good writer or an artist but his letters say otherwise. He has two older bothers and works for his uncle for the family roofing business after school. His mother married his father's brother after he died making Uncle Vic his step-father. And he has a secret.
Over the course of their letters they go from strangers to friends to being in love. Kurl's secret comes out and the effects show the signs of PTSD and he messes things up badly with Jo. Can they find their way? Can Kurl heal? Can Jo? What we do and say to the ones we love sometimes isn't very loving. How does a person make amends? How do we forgive? Can we let go of anger and move on to healing? This story tackles these questions with humor and tears and brutal honesty. It is beautiful even when it is ugly!!
Narrators Matthew Gouveia, Tony Kim really do an amazing job bringing Jo and Kurl to life. I cried and laughed and sighed and got lost in their words/voices. Brilliant!!
I loved this so much I and getting a print copy too!!
"Let us be together ever dauntless."
(Finished April 22, 2021)
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