For Clare and Liz, it's just two girls against the world. They've been best friends for a long time, but when Ethan moves into their camp, things become different.
Clare has never met anyone like Ethan. He is so talented and special. In the short time they've known each other, he's changed Clare's life and she can't imagine him not being there.
I wasn't really sure I'd enjoy this book so I was surprised at how much I ended up liking it. This isn't a story about romance. Ethan and Clare do care for each other very much and even seem to be in love, but the story is about so much more than that.
I think Ethan's character is very interesting. I'm going to make the next part a spoiler for those who haven't read the book yet.
At one time in the book, Ethan tells Clare that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. When he was young and spending time at his grandma's after the death of his sister, there was a piano there. At the piano was a teenage boy. Ethan and him become friends. Only Ethan can see him. And this teenage boy wants to teach Ethan how to play the piano and to play the piece he wrote since he never got to before he died. This is achieved with Ethan playing the piece for a big audience, but his friend is there, clapping and crying because people are enjoying the piece he wrote. Ethan felt bad for taking the credit and told everyone that his friend wrote it, but only Ethan could see him.
After revealing this, he is sent to a mental hospital and diagnosed with schizophrenia. I am a paranormal investigator and have researched the paranormal for years. It is my belief that schizophrenia isn't a mental illness, but rather, a person is able to see spirits all the time, where as most other people aren't. For whatever reason, this person is open to the spirit world and that's why they see/hear things others can't.
I think it is interesting that the author made a character like this and throughout the book, there is no definite answer if whether he is just seeing things, that the person he is seeing is not real. Actually another character does see this person Ethan has been seeing. I think the author wanted readers to make their own opinion about whether what Ethan was seeing was real or not.
I liked Clare too. She wasn't perfect, but did her best to be understanding and caring. The few times she got mad I felt were understandable, even if her anger was a little much.
The story is about friendship, trust, friendship and love. It is also about being understanding, about accepting those who are different. It's a really good story. One that I think is unique. I really liked it and I'm happy to have read it.
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