Eighteen year-old Andy Logan has finally made it to his first year of college, but not without some struggle. As he tries to settle in this new environment, he cannot help but recall the events and experiences that have led him there. It is in these recollections that we meet a vast array of people—those who had either helped Andy along the way or had threatened his hope to escape. These are the stories of his hope to escape. These are the stories of his great-uncle, the one person who seemed to understand him; his father, who domineering presence and unwavering anger were the rules, not the exceptions; and Evan, an older boy who became his first true love. Rarely does a writer capture the essence of the journey from a child to adult so acutely. Cart's dazzling novel is a potent reminder of the pain and the euphoria that come from growing up and how we remember our family, friends, and first loves.