Read more
From the Stonewall Honor-winning author of Like a Love Story comes a revelatory novel about the enclosed world of privilege and silence at an elite boarding school and the unlikely group of friends who dare to challenge the status quo through their writing. Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, Kathleen Glasgow, and Jandy Nelson, with crossover appeal for readers of Donna Tartt's The Secret History and Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep.
Beth Kramer is a "townie" who returns to her sophomore year after having endured a year of tension with her roommate, Sarah.
But Sarah Brunson knows there's more to that story.
Amanda Priya "Spence" Spencer is the privileged daughter of NYC elites, who is reeling from the realization that her family name shielded her from the same fate as Sarah.
Ramin Golafshar arrives at Chandler as a transfer student to escape the dangers of being gay in Iran, only to suffer brutal hazing under the guise of tradition in the boys' dorms.
And Freddy Bello is the senior who's no longer sure of his future but knows he has to stand up to his friends after what happened to Ramin.
At Chandler, the elite boarding school, these five teens are brought together in the Circle, a coveted writing group where life-changing friendships are born-and secrets are revealed. Their professor tells them to write their truths. But is the truth enough to change the long-standing culture of abuse at Chandler? And can their friendship survive the fallout?
About the author
Abdi Nazemian is the author of Only This Beautiful Moment—winner of the 2024 Stonewall Award and 2024 Lambda Literary Award—and Like a Love Story, a Stonewall Honor Book and one of Time magazine’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time. He is also the author of the young adult novels Desert Echoes, The Chandler Legacies, and The Authentics. His novel The Walk-In Closet won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction. His screenwriting credits include the films The Artist’s Wife, The Quiet, and Menendez: Blood Brothers and the television series Ordinary Joe and The Village. He has been an executive producer and associate producer on numerous films, including Call Me by Your Name, Little Woods, and The House of Tomorrow. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband, their two children, and their dog, Disco. Find him online at abdinazemian.com.
Summary
From the Stonewall Honor–winning author of Like a Love Story comes a revelatory novel about the enclosed world of privilege and silence at an elite boarding school and the unlikely group of friends who dare to challenge the status quo through their writing. Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, Kathleen Glasgow, and Jandy Nelson, with crossover appeal for readers of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History and Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep.
Beth Kramer is a “townie” who returns to her sophomore year after having endured a year of tension with her roommate, Sarah.
But Sarah Brunson knows there’s more to that story.
Amanda Priya “Spence” Spencer is the privileged daughter of NYC elites, who is reeling from the realization that her family name shielded her from the same fate as Sarah.
Ramin Golafshar arrives at Chandler as a transfer student to escape the dangers of being gay in Iran, only to suffer brutal hazing under the guise of tradition in the boys’ dorms.
And Freddy Bello is the senior who’s no longer sure of his future but knows he has to stand up to his friends after what happened to Ramin.
At Chandler, the elite boarding school, these five teens are brought together in the Circle, a coveted writing group where life-changing friendships are born—and secrets are revealed. Their professor tells them to write their truths. But is the truth enough to change the long-standing culture of abuse at Chandler? And can their friendship survive the fallout?
Additional text
"Nazemian writes from the fascinating perspective of being both insider and outsider to elite boarding school culture, and the novel pops with startling, painful details of hazing rituals and abuses of power. His world is inclusive but also brutal, celebratory and still interrogatory. Readers will want to debate this one long into the night."
Report
"Nazemian's novel is an uplifting and positive coming-of-age exploration of friendship, love, and creativity and how these things can help individuals heal and set themselves free to formulate their own legacies." - Horn Book Magazine
Praise for LIKE A LOVE STORY: "Nazemian paints a picture of late '80s queer life in New York City that's neither romanticized nor viewed as only tragic.... [His] latest will remind readers that first love is isolating and unifying, exhilarating and terrifying, and every paradox in between." - ALA Booklist (starred review)
"Three characters discover their inner truths at a time that sometimes feels apocalyptic for their community and loved ones.... The intense and nuanced emotions evoked by the characters' journeys help to give this powerful novel by Nazemian a timeless relevance." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"At the height of the 1980s AIDS crisis, three teens grapple with love and friendship.... [A] truly lovely romance to cherish. Deeply moving." - Kirkus Reviews
"A love letter to queerness, self-expression, and individuality (also Madonna) that never shies away from the ever-present fear within the queer community of late 80s New York, Like a Love Story made me feel so full--of hope, love, courage, pride, and awe for the many people who fought for love and self-expression in the face of discrimination, cruelty, and death. A book for warriors, divas, artists, queens, individuals, activists, trend setters, and anyone searching for the courage to be themselves." - Mackenzi Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
"Like a Love Story is a fresh and poignant narrative about friends, family, friends who become family, and a society that is not always compassionate to those who need it most. I love this book with my entire heart. What a gift Abdi Nazemian has given us." - Brandy Colbert, author of Stonewall Award winner Little & Lion
"While writing a classic school story, Nazemian does a superb job of giving his chief characters individual, idiosyncratic identities while also bringing the writing workshop to life.... [a] wellcrafted, memorable story whose sympathetic characters will resonate with readers. Professor Douglas would surely give it an A." - ALA Booklist (starred review)
"A compelling narrative that examines the realities of hidden abuse and the power of storytelling and unexpected friendship.... Will leave readers thinking about the naivete that comes with privilege and the value of listening to others." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Inspired by Nazemian's own boarding school experiences, this gripping story reads like an insider's exposé into abusive school cultures and trauma. Haunting truths and compelling storytelling make for an unforgettable, important read." - School Library Journal (starred review)
"Nazemian writes from the fascinating perspective of being both insider and outsider to elite boarding school culture, and the novel pops with startling, painful details of hazing rituals and abuses of power. His world is inclusive but also brutal, celebratory and still interrogatory. Readers will want to debate this one long into the night." - E. Lockhart, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
"The Chandler Legacies is a heartfelt meditation on the abusive structures that need us to be both oppressed and oppressors, and the found families that help us break ourselves free." - Laura Ruby, Printz Medal-winning author of Bone Gap
