I'm the Same
by James Ungurait
Genre: Literary Fiction / LGBTQ
ISBN: 9798218312503
Print Length: 308 pages
Reviewed by Elena Bellaart
Kodak, a recent college graduate and writer from small-town Mississippi, has brought plenty of baggage with him to the coastal town of Alnwick, Oregon, where he has just begun a yearlong writing fellowship. Haunted by a terrible event in his past—one that still gives him nightmares—Kodak is slow to open up, skeptical of the intentions of seemingly-friendly townspeople.
But the persistent kindness of local bookshop owner Olivia and a magnetic connection with Olivia's best friend Quinn eventually prompt Kodak to reveal the tragic car accident that killed his dearest friends in high school. And this isn't Kodak's only burden; his mixed-race identity has caused many neighbors in Mississippi to shun him, leading him to expect similar treatment from others. Watching Kodak learn to trust in the love and acceptance shown him by new friends makes for a moving story rife with feeling.
The novel's depiction of the contrasting landscapes and climates of Oregon and Mississippi is particularly enjoyable. The Oregon vistas of oceans, mountains, and waterfalls are captured beautifully. And though Kodak expresses ambivalence toward the landscapes of his home, depictions of the quieter beauties of the South are particularly stirring: "the rolling hills and soft sunsets, the endless songs sung by the bugs on summer evenings, the humid air that holds you together."
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