The many half-lived lives of Sam Sylvester

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Title :

The many half-lived lives of Sam Sylvester / Maya MacGregor.

Title:

The many half-lived lives of Sam Sylvester

Author:

MacGregor, Maya

Format:

Books

Physical Description:

350 pages ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

ISBN:

9781635923599

9781662620423

Production / Publication Information:

New York : Astra Young Readers, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, [2022]

Summary:

An autistic nonbinary eighteen-year-old moves to a new town and school with the support of their loving father and finds friends in an LGBTQ-plus club, but they all must come together to solve the decades-old murder of a teenage boy and confront the demons lurking in Sam's past.

Target audience note:

Ages 12+.

Language:

English

Genre:

Novels.

Subject Term:

Murder -- Fiction.

Gender identity -- Fiction.

Sexual orientation -- Fiction.

Autism -- Fiction.

Adoption -- Fiction.

Single-parent families -- Fiction.

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Material Type	Library	Call Number	Item Barcode	Location
Book	Searching... Amesbury Public Library	YA FIC MACGREGOR	32114002723519	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Burlington Public Library	YA MACGRE	32116003895568	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Chelmsford Public Library	Y/FIC/MACGREGOR	31480011611768	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Groton Public Library	YA MACGREGOR	37003701983414	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Hamilton-Wenham Public Library	Y MAC	30470001996718	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Haverhill Public Library	YA/MACGREGOR M	31479007544942	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Littleton - Reuben Hoar Library	YA F MACGREGOR	39965002406691	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Lowell - Pollard Memorial Library	YA FIC MACGREGOR	31481005664359	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Middleton - Flint Public Library	Y MACGREGOR	32126001870356	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... North Andover - Stevens Memorial Library	TEEN MACGREGOR	31478010203785	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... North Reading - Flint Memorial Library	YA FIC MACGREGOR	31550002493390	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Rockport Public Library	YA FIC MACGREGOR	32129002517059	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Rowley Public Library	YA FIC MAC	32130001028072	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Tewksbury Public Library	TEEN FICTION MACGREGOR	32132003330936	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Topsfield Town Library	YA MACGREGOR	32133002635630	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Tyngsborough Public Library	YA/MACGR	32137002170993	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... West Newbury - G.A.R. Memorial Library	YA MAC	32135001559943	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Westford - J.V. Fletcher Library	YA F MACGREGOR	31990005176438	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Wilmington Memorial Library	TEEN MACGREGOR	32136003638081	Searching... Unknown

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On Order

Summary

"Look no further for your next favorite read, because The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester has it all- a gripping murder mystery that will keep you turning pages, ghosts, romance, and a treasure trove of queer characters with depth and heart. Here's something rare-a suspenseful story that also feels like a hug." -Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series

In this queer contemporary YA mystery, a nonbinary autistic teen realizes they must not only solve a 30-year-old mystery but also face the demons lurking in their past in order to live a satisfying life.

Sam Sylvester has long collected stories of half-lived lives-of kids who died before they turned nineteen. Sam was almost one of those kids. Now, as Sam's own nineteenth birthday approaches, their recent near-death experience haunts them. They're certain they don't have much time left. . . .

But Sam's life seems to be on the upswing after meeting several new friends and a potential love interest in Shep, their next-door neighbor. Yet the past keeps roaring back-in Sam's memories and in the form of a thirty-year-old suspicious death that took place in Sam's new home. Sam can't resist trying to find out more about the kid who died and who now seems to guide their investigation. When Sam starts receiving threatening notes, they know they're on the path to uncovering a murderer.But are they digging through thepast or digging their own future grave?

The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester explores healing in the aftermath of trauma and the fullness of queer joy.

Reviews (4)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 7 Up--Sam Sylvester is haunted by the stories of teens who died before turning 19. After surviving a violent hate crime in Montana, Sam, a white 18-year-old nonbinary autistic person, feels an even stronger kinship with those teens whose lives ended early. The only living person that Sam has ever trusted is their adoptive father, Junius, who is Black. When the fiercely protective Junius moves the two of them to Astoria, OR, for a fresh start, it feels like Sam might finally be able to escape their traumatic past and find a home in this inclusive community. At school, Sam meets some other queer kids and forms an immediate bond with Shep, who identifies as cisgender bisexual Latina. Aside from the spark of attraction they feel for each other, Sam and Shep are drawn together by their shared obsession with the teen who died under mysterious circumstances in Sam's house back in the 1980s and are determined to solve the cold case. However, the person who has gotten away with murder for the last three decades is equally determined to stop them, no matter what it takes. This vibrantly written debut novel masterfully blends a suspenseful and satisfying paranormal mystery with a sweet and tender love story. Nearly all the main and secondary characters identify as LGBTQIA+ and are fully developed with their own quirks and arcs. VERDICT Highly recommended for older middle school (due to some strong language) and high school readers who love a spine-tingling and romantic character-driven story.--Leighanne Law

Publisher's Weekly Review

MacGregor's exhilarating debut follows white nonbinary 18-year-old Sam Sylvester, who is autistic, as they try to make a new life in Oregon after surviving a harrowing hate crime in their Montana hometown. Despite unwavering support from their father and burgeoning friendships at their new school, Sam can't shake the feeling that they won't live to be 19--which they consider the threshold between childhood and adulthood--like the dead children whose stories Sam collects and honors. Upon learning that a teenage boy named Billy supposedly died of anaphylactic shock 30 years ago in their new house, Sam and Latinx new friend Shep endeavor to prove it wasn't an accident. But after receiving mysterious threatening notes recalling recent trauma, Sam worries that the clock is running down toward their seemingly inevitable demise. Sam's intimate developing relationships and outwardly bright future provide respite and optimism, even as they battle internal fears for the future. Heavy themes of early death, trauma, and violence are inextricably woven into the history of both the town and various characters, exhibiting myriad paths toward healing and justice. Equal parts delicate and devastating, MacGregor's thought-provoking prose, evocative settings, and vividly characterized cast combine to provide a hopeful look at survival and closure. Ages 12--up. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary. (May)

Kirkus Review

A top-notch blend of contemporary fiction and mystery with a satisfying conclusion. Sam Sylvester is an 18-year-old White nonbinary autistic person who just moved with their dad to a small Oregon town after experiencing a hate crime in Montana that almost killed them. Sam, who was in foster care as a child, has never really felt a connection with anyone but their Black adoptive father before, but as soon as they move to Astoria, things start to change. They meet other queer kids, like Shep, a brown Latina who's bisexual and who quickly becomes their closest friend and biggest ally. The two have something in common other than queerness: They're both very intrigued by Sam's new house, where someone called Billy Clement died 30 years ago. The town considers it a tragic accident, but Sam and Shep are not so sure. Blending and transcending genres, the book's beautiful storytelling and the rich voice of the prose at times evoke poetry. This captivating story centers a memorable, relatable protagonist surrounded by a lovable ensemble cast. The central mystery is gripping and fast-paced, but the book never fails to give all the characters motivations and backstories, making even the tertiary characters feel lived-in enough to be believable. Most of the central characters are on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. A thrilling debut featuring lovable and well-developed characters. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

After a traumatic hate crime, Sam--white, nonbinary, and autistic--moved with their single Black adoptive father to the small town of Astoria, Oregon, where they're finally able to meet other queer teenagers, like Shep, their pretty neighbor who quickly becomes their closest friend. After learning of the 30-year-old unsolved murder of a teenager named Billy, Sam and Shep believe that Sam's new house might be figuratively haunted by ghosts of the past, and they become determined to prove that what happened to Billy was not accidental. This brings out the ghosts of the town, forcing Sam to decide what they're willing to pay in order for the truth. While the central mystery surrounding Billy's death makes for a page-turner with truly chilling moments, MacGregor stays focused on the characters, filling the story with a deeply lovable cast of characters and nailing the realities faced by Sam. Readers will leave this poetic book feeling that Sam and the people surrounding them are completely real, along with the ghosts of Astoria.

Excerpts

Just then, Shep comes weaving through the tables with her tray, looking harried. We have US history together right after lunch, and this is the first I've seen her all day. "Aidan," she says, sliding her tray over next to Sky's. "Will wonders never cease?" "Hey, just because you made friends first doesn't mean I can't," Aidan protests. He has the bewildered look on his face of someone who's used to their friendship being currency, not a bounced check. The cafeteria is at its peak crowd level, and the noise level rises like a tide in the bay outside. Principal Frankel walks by with a banana in her hand. She pauses beside us. "Afternoon, Sky, Shep. Billy, good to see you making new friends." I stare up at her, but I don't think she realizes what she just said. Aidan looks confused. "Who's Bi--" Shep's jaw is hanging open, her eyes glued to Principal Frankel. "Sam's awesome!" Sky says brightly, raising his half pint of chocolate milk into the air. "New student extraordinaire. Even Aidan likes them, and he's usually more interested in balls." That snaps Shep out of her stare when she realizes what Sky just said, and Sky looks like he wants to crawl inside his milk carton and die of embarrassment. Weirdly, Aidan doesn't. Respect. Principal Frankel, though, goes a paler shade of white and gives a tight nod, walking away with strides so straight she looks like she turned to wood. I can't help watching her retreat ing figure and wondering what just happened. I do not for one minute think her reaction had anything to do with Sky saying "balls." I don't really look like Billy. He was shorter and way blonder than my dingy, dishwater natural hair. Scrawny where I'm tall and toned. Different faces. Maybe I just brought up the memories of him. But the fact that both I and Principal Frankel have looked at my face and seen Billy is chilling. The cafeteria feels colder. "Who the eff is Billy?" Aidan says, jolting me back to the table. "Nobody--" Shep starts. "Billy Clement," I say at the same time. "That kid who died in Sam's house a bazillion years ago?" Sky says dubiously. Aidan shakes his head in a I don't know what the hell you're saying way. "What kid?" "You moved here, what, three years ago?" Shep asks, looking resigned at having to explain rather than discuss what Principal Frankel just did. "This kid who died in 'eighty-nine. Supposedly an accident, but we think it was murder, never solved." "No way," Aidan says. He looks at me. "In your house? Oh, shit, you live in that house? Someone said it was haunted or something one day when we were walking into town, but I just thought they were messing with me." "Yeah." I don't know what else to say. Aidan's looking at me as if having someone die in my house increases my coolness quotient, and it grosses me out a bit. Me, the macabre morbidity magnet. The bell rings out just as a crack of thunder makes every one jump. Saved. Excerpted from The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya MacGregor All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.