" "Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway meets Judy Blume's Forever" is as good a pitch as I've heard this year, and this beautifully crafted, complex novel which Ness calls his most personal yet, does not disappoint. [...] Told with real tenderness, it's a brilliant portrayal of the intensity of a teenager's inner life." * The Bookseller *<br />Intense, complex and bold, Ness sensitively explores how Adam grapples with what matters to him, how he frames himself (or not) in relation to others, trying to untangle the confusion and contradictory feelings of love and hate, hope and despair. Whilst this book is out there and rightly proud of being so, these are themes I think that will speak to (m)any (a) teenager, gay, straight or something else. Pretty no-nonsense descriptions of gay sex will probably provide an eye-opening and much-appreciated-by-many-a-young-person education akin to that gifted by many of Blume's books particularly in the 1970s and 80s. * Playing by the Book *<br />Release by Patrick Ness could become just as much of a pivotal text for gay teens and Judy Blume's Forever is for straight ones. * The Bookseller *<br />Based loosely on Ness' own experiences growing up, it's here that the novel really shines; Adam's insecurities and struggle with his parents' beliefs are heartbreaking. Ness' fictional worlds are littered with fantastic characters: Adam is a wonderful addition. * The List (Glasgow & Edinburgh) *<br />Ness once again demonstrates his profound understanding of the complexities of being a young adult, and of the human condition more generally ... Heartbreaking, intense and acutely honest, this novel casts a subtle spell of hope. * LoveReading4Kids, Joanne Owen *