Ferguson, Mark Andrew. The Lost Boys Symphony. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2015.

A debut book that is hard to summarize simply - the story of Henry and Val and Gabe. So much of their story should appeal to the young, the college student. These kids who have known each other for much of their lives are embarking on a new journey - together - at Rutgers. Val and Henry are involved romantically, but Gabe does not appear to be an awkward third. They seem to have a friendship that works for them. They are independent, free to explore new facets of themselves. But, as happens, Val wonders after an academic year, if she is truly living the life that she imagined for herself. She leaves Henry, and so too Gabe, to try out a new place and maybe discover a new Val. The impact on Henry is more than profound. Always somewhat solitary, a percussionist who spends countless solo hours in the practice room, he seems to lose contact with reality. Gabe is concerned, but he’s 19, missing Val himself, and not entirely sure what do for Henry. Henry ultimately returns to his childhood home with his mother until he “escapes” and disappears. Enter 80 and 41. They claim to be older versions of Henry, trying to help change the course of this mental illness plagued future. The book begs the question. What is real what is fantasy? What is mental illness? But ultimately these Henrys invade the life of not only Henry at 19, but Val and Gabe as well, and certainly they are not controlling events in the way that they wish.

A crazy good read that transcends genres and age labels (although I have some former students who are now in college who will definitely hear about this one from me). I love the music element that infuses the book, from the language Ferguson uses to the chapter titles to the means by which the Henrys transcend time. It hearkens to me the movie August Rush and the way that August becomes transfixed by the music he hears all the time in the world around him. While August harnesses the music for something good, in this novel, it nearly becomes torture for these kids. I love the complex layers upon layers that Ferguson creates with his narrative. At first I felt a bit like I needed a graphic organizer to keep all of the seemingly disparate stories straight, but like a good music composition the pieces build and fit together to a sort of AHA! moment. I love the complex characters. I remember college when I felt like I wanted to invent a new me, to experience life through different lenses while hanging onto the familiar. As a much older adult, I can surely relate to the idea of confronting my younger self in an effort to head off some future heartache. Oh, the lectures I could give myself. Living these experiences through the perspectives of all these characters creates an amazingly full story.

This is not a story for the faint of heart. The experiences are real; the language sometimes raw. Mental illness and all of the damages and hurts can can entail is examined unflinchingly and sometimes uncomfortably. Ferguson is somewhat relentless. Nonetheless, I will likely read it again, just to see what I missed as I pressed to the conclusion. Really good book.

Through Netgalley the publisher provided me with an ARC of this novel for an honest review.