Books › Criss cross
Criss cross
First published 2005 · 368 pages
A hazy, poetic snapshot of a small-town summer where everything and nothing happens all at once.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting on a porch during a long, humid summer evening, watching fireflies and waiting for your life to begin. It is a deeply meandering, unconventional experience that abandons traditional plot in favor of capturing the exact, awkward frequency of early adolescence. The narrative drifts effortlessly between different teenagers' minds, utilizing haiku, sketches, and fragmented thoughts to build a mosaic of shifting identities and missed connections. The prose is gentle, wry, and intensely observant, elevating the mundane details of a 1960s small town into something quietly profound. It will absolutely delight readers who prefer mood over momentum, offering a wistful, sun-dappled space to reflect on the beautiful, confusing ache of growing up.
- Mood
- nostalgic
- hazy
- wistful
- sun-dappled
- Tone
- gentle
- observant
- wry
- introspective
- quirky
- Pace
- meandering
- Themes
- the awkwardness of adolescence · fleeting connections · searching for meaning · shifting identities · the passage of time
- The writing
- Playful, fragmented, and deeply poetic, blending traditional narrative with haiku, illustrations, and shifting perspectives to capture the scattered nature of teenage thought.
- The arc
- Moves from a restless, vague yearning for something to happen toward a quiet, comforting acceptance of oneself and the subtle beauty of ordinary moments.
- Who it's for
- Readers who appreciate quiet, character-driven stories and do not mind a plot that drifts like a lazy summer afternoon.
Content notes
- mild adolescent angst
About the book
Teenagers in a small town in the 1960s experience new thoughts and feelings, question their identities, connect, and disconnect as they search for the meaning of life and love.
Description from Open Library.
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