Sunday 7 November 2010

Holding Still For As Long As Possible

Finished November 7
Holding Still For As Long As Possible by Zoe Whittall
Set in Toronto in late 2005 and early 2006, this book speaks from three voices. Josh is an EMS worker, a transsexual man, and a shy man. Amy is Josh's partner of 5 years, a budding filmmaker, and a confident woman. Billy is recovering from the fame of her teens, prone to panic attacks, and coming out of a seven year relationship. All these characters are in their mid-twenties. Amy and Josh's relationship is coming down from its high, and they are both unsure of whether they want it to continue or not. As Josh becomes interested in Billy, the love lives of these young people become more complex and angst-ridden.
The use of EMS calls as part of the plot adds interest and an extra layer (although I did wonder what happened to these people), letting us see the important, yet transitory role EMS played in the victims' lives.
The voices of the three characters came through nicely and I had a real sense of where they were coming from, and how they felt. The uncertainty of life for twenty-somethings was really part of the story, and took me back to my own twenties.
I really liked this book and found the characters very interesting and realistic.

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