At the Edge of the Universe--"Like I give a steaming corn-filled pile what those inbred sociopaths say about me"

Title: At the Edge of the Universe

 Author: Shaun David Hutchinson

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Weird things are happening in Ozzie's world.  First, Tommy, Ozzie's best friend and boyfriend, has disappeared--from the world and from everyone's memories but Ozzie's. Ozzie then makes a startling discovery:  the universe is shrinking, and he's the only one who realizes it. Meanwhile, Ozzie's parents are divorcing, and Ozzie begins to have feelings for his new physics lab partner, Calvin, who is keeping a dangerous secret.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): First, let's talk characters. Dustin, is the stoner valedictorian, who has a shot at a scholarship.  Lua, a gender-fluid character, plays in a band and is one of my favorite YA characters ever (seriously, Hutchinson? Write a book from Lua's POV, please).

Calvin used to be a promising wrestler on an academic track but has dropped off the wrestling team and become a loner who self-harms. Trent Williams is the closet-case bully who has a thing for Lua, maybe. Ozzy's brother Warren is soon to join the military, which scares Ozzie.  Ozzie's parents are divorcing but still live in the family house until it sells. Tommy and Ozzie's relationship is told in a series of nostalgic flashbacks.  The characters were outstanding, all of them.

The plot . . .well, it was ok. I did not buy Ozzie's premise that the universe was shrinking until well into the halfway point of the book. In fact, I was much more interesting in reading about Lua's band and Calvin's unabashed, almost clinical-sounding, explanations of self-harm. I wanted to know what happens to the abusive wrestling coach and more about the gay club they all attended.

Then I remembered, oh yeah, sci-fi, but it seemed that Ozzie was thrown into a parallel universe to learn a lesson? The resolution of the shrinking universe was dissatisfying and frankly, not very memorable. However, I LOVE the characters so much, I would read an entire book  about them eating shawarma together.


This book is on the 2018 Rainbow Book List.


My overall takeaway:  Worth reading for the characters alone! In fact, I was so interested in knowing more about the characters that I did not care much about the plot.

EDIT: Upon reflection, I should probably check-out the book again and see if the plot makes more sense upon re-reading.


My favorite quotes: 

• "Like I give a steaming corn-filled pile what those inbred sociopaths say about me, Ozzie.  People like them are the reason the gene pool needs a lifeguard" (hardback edition, pg. 37).
    
• "My friend's already a little overstimulated.  Any more caffeine and he may rack up a body count" (pg. 125).
    
• "Feelings are intangible . . . you can't see them, can't touch them.  You can hurt and no one would know.  But physical pain is real.  You can see blood and broken bones.  It's simple in a way feelings are not, and cutting makes the abstract pain of feelings substantial" (pg. 154).
    
• "Being in love with someone is knowing that no matter what you show them, no matter what you've done, they'll never reject you" (pg. 279).
     

 Other reviews: Common Sense Media and The Well-Thumbed Reader


 This book is available in the Greensboro Public Library.