Page 83 of Resistance Training
It’s like an archeological dig. I’m obsessed. I stayed in last night, stayed up way too late with this book.
I know I have to say something I hate about it. The gimmick does overshadow the narrative, but I also don’t really care?
And I absolutely hate that it will always remind me of you.
Wait, that’s not right.
I hate that it will always remind me of how I hurt you.
And how you won’t forgive me for it.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Turtles
Dec 10, 2017, 3:27 a.m.
I finally got a chance to read the new John Green book.
I stayed up all night.
I don’t even care if I ever hear from you again, I just need you to read this book.
I say this as the only person you know, probably, who would ever encourage you to read a novel about two teenage girls. Or, idk, maybe you’ve started a whole new book club at Princeton with some skinny rich girl named Suzan with a Z, who has straight blonde hair and wears plaid skirts and headbands. If so, I hate her even more than I hate you.
But I still want you to read this book.
It’s just a beautifully written portrayal of anxiety and OCD and the patience needed in order to have a lasting friendship and how people struggle to connect with each other. There’s a mystery element that I just know you would say is underdeveloped and I also know you’d complain about how neatly things were wrapped up in the end. But the mystery gave it a structure. It’s really just about the characters.
Maybe I loved the missing person piece of it because of, you know, you being missing. So since you aren’t missing yourself, you might not be quite so intrigued by this. I also read Where’d You Go, Bernadette, but I knew you wouldn’t read that one even if I really wanted you to now. You would have a year ago, though.
That makes me sad.
But anyway.
Hi.
I wonder if you’ll be going home for the holidays.
I wonder where home is for you.
Now I’m getting mad at you again.
Read Turtles All the Way Down by John Green, you asshole.
I like UW well enough, but I still hate not talking to you and I hate you for not talking to me but I also miss you.
From: [email protected]
Subject: In the Woods
Mar 25, 2018, 8:17 p.m.
In the Woods by Tana French. Have you read it? I just tore through it. It’s another missing person book. Missing child. Unsolved mystery. I should probably stop reading these, it’s kind of depressing. But I guess it’s comforting to me, knowing there are others who have to deal with unresolved stories.
