Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development.

He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. But bad-boy Rusty is appealing, as are the folks they meet along the way, and Rusty and Honor's romantic banter is satisfying.Ī somewhat fluffy read about non-fluffy issues.Ī teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas. And Honor dismisses supposed best friend Lilah all too easily. The debit card Honor borrowed from her brother is just too convenient. Honor's Aunt Gina, her guardian, has an unbelievably accommodating parenting style.

Some parts of the plot are unsatisfyingly glib. That, along with Rusty's memories of their shared past, makes Honor realize that she may have been wrong about a number of things. Rusty’s version of how Finn decided to join the Marines-a decision that led to his death in Iraq-is quite different from what Honor believes is true. The road trip that ensues takes the two from Texas to California and from antagonism to intimacy. Disreputable and usually drunk, her brother's former best friend, Rusty, jumps in the car to go along. Opening it, she finds tickets to a favorite musician’s farewell concert and decides it is imperative that she attend. Honor, an orphan, is shocked to receive a letter from her soldier brother right after his funeral. A road trip brings two collateral victims of the war in Iraq together.

In honor by jessi kirby