Jean Louise, or JL as she likes to be called, is having a difficult sophomore year. Her father is living at the other end of the country, in California, temporarily for his job. JL and her mother stayed home in Long Island. Her boyfriend Max is two years older and has a bit of a reputation at school. But that’s just the beginning of her struggles.
Her best friend Aubrey is spending her time with other classmates. JL doesn’t know if it’s because of something she did or not, but she spends her time thinking of the years they spent as best friends and misses Aubrey terribly. Although JL has Max, it’s not the same as having your lifelong best friend by your side through tenth grade.
And on top of all that, her mother is not adjusting well to her father being so far away. She is seeing a mental health professional, but no one besides JL knows just how bad her mother has gotten. Between her strong meds and her grief, she leaves JL to her own much of the time.
To help JL feel better about her father leaving, her Nana got her some butterflies to raise. Instead of more Monarch butterflies like JL had raised and released last time, she and her Nana chose some tropicals for JL to raise in her bedroom. The fragility of the Glasswings and the Jezebels give JL a sense of beauty and wonder as they emerge from their chrysalis and learn to fly, growing into breathtaking butterflies in the tank in her bedroom. But they also bring out her feelings of vulnerability, as she knows that their lives are so short.
JL spends her days trying to survive high school, trying to figure out what it is that she wants, and hoping that her family doesn’t disintegrate in front of her eyes. But she also knows that caterpillars have to come completely apart in the chrysalis in order to become one of those beautiful butterflies she loves so much.
Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me is a poignant coming-of-age story of an isolated teenager who needs to find her wings. Beautifully written and achingly honest, it is a powerful story that brings back the vulnerability of being in high school. Author Gae Polisner tells this story with all the intensity of those first love feelings and the insecurity of sitting alone at the cafeteria at lunch.
Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me is a beautiful, heart-wrenching reminder of how difficult being a teenager can be, but JL’s transformation from a confused kid to a self-directed young adult is a beautiful journey, and despite having dropped a tear or two along the way, I’m so glad I went on this trip. It’s a truly lovely YA story of strength, beauty, and personal growth.
Galleys for Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me were provided to me from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.