Me and You by Niccolo Ammaniti, translated by Kylee Doust
This short novel focuses on a young man, with most of the story taking place when he was a teenager, over a week. Lorenzo Cuni is not socially adept. He has spent time watching his peers and trying to mimic their behaviour to fit in, with limited success. He isn't picked on like he used to be, but he doesn't have any close friends.
On a weeklong school holiday, Lorenzo has told his parents that he was invited to go on a ski trip by fellow students, and now he has to figure out how to manage this. Setting up a spot in a storage space in his apartment complex basement that his parents never use, he stashes supplies and activities to occupy himself with during the week. But he must find a way to manage his mother's phone calls, and deal with an unexpected visitor, his half-sister.
The present day has him connecting once again with that sister, honoring the special connection they developed during this time, and recognizing how she helped him emotionally.
I found this book extremely poignant and really felt for the young Lorenzo as he tried to manage the expectations of those around him.
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