From the Publisher
Since her dad died three years ago, 18-year-old Julie has been having ongoing conversations with an imagined professional wrestler, the Masked Man, who lives in her head. . . . One of the joys of this terrific, character-driven novel is watching these lives intersect. . . . Julie’s grief for her dead father gives a poignancy that adds depth to her character and is never maudlin. . . . The engaging tone of this terrific novel is spot on, while Bliss demonstrates a welcome gift for dialogue. . . . The feel-good novel of the year.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Julie’s wryly funny, self-deprecating, and authentic narrative voice, the wide cast of eccentric but realistically drawn characters . . . and the beautiful, unshowy writing will keep readers going all the way to the auspicious end. A smart, poignant meditation on losing someone you love and living with the loss.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Bliss writes incisively about grief, approaching a weighty topic with empathy, grace, and genial humor. Sweet, caring relationships—parental, platonic, and romantic—add to the uplifting tone.” — Publishers Weekly
“Bliss ably balances humor, poignancy, and raw grief, emphasizing that mourning looks like all sorts of things.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Julie is a well-imagined, strong female lead, and the portrayal of her humor and strength is balanced with the way she navigates grief, loss, and love. Complex and thoughtfully constructed. . . . This book reminds readers that grief is not a one-size-fits-all process, and it opens a window into the world of professional wrestling and its fandom. A unique and moving portrait of grief and love.” — School Library Journal
JUNE 2024 - AudioFile
The trials and tribulations of a young person's senior year in high school can make for a gripping listen. Add the loss of a father at the start of high school, as well as the voice of a professional wrestler making occasional snide remarks that only our heroine, Julie, can hear, and you have the makings of an entertaining and heartwarming story. Joy Nash does a great job voicing both teen Julie, who is finding her way, and "the Masked Man," a professional wrestler whom Julie and her dad were huge fans of. What could have been a schlocky listen is instead a chuckle-inducing performance that will certainly resonate with anyone who is in high school or who has survived those tumultuous years. J.P.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2024-02-17
The complicated nature of grief and an unusual path to understanding life through the lens of pro wrestling mania are explored in this novel about a St. Paul, Minnesota, teen whose father died three years ago.
Eighteen-year-old Julie and her mom have escaped the emotional fog that overtook them when their beloved dad and husband died unexpectedly, but the gaping hole he left is still a constant in their lives. Julie struggles to like the new guy her mom is seeing, even though she truly wants her to be happy. In addition, she still leans heavily on the conversations she has in her head with the Masked Man, a professional wrestler she and her dad followed as part of their dedication to the sport (her mom found it all a bit embarrassing). This emotionally honest, touching work of contemporary fiction is grounded in the details of Julie’s life, such as the world of professional wrestling, the Mall of America, and her obsession with Orange Julius (where her earnest, wildly endearing best friend, Max, works). Julie’s wryly funny, self-deprecating, and authentic narrative voice, the wide cast of eccentric but realistically drawn characters whom she begins to let in as the story progresses, and the beautiful, unshowy writing will keep readers going all the way to the auspicious end. Major characters are cued white.
A smart, poignant meditation on losing someone you love and living with the loss. (Fiction. 13-18)
