Nicholas Hall

Nicholas Hall (Nick) is the book’s central character, its protagonist and narrator. He is in middle school (grade eight, going into grade nine), fanatical about soccer (playing it both live and online) and, as the story begins, on the cusp of engaging in some significant transformations in his life. Over the course of the narrative, he engages in what appears to be his first romantic relationship; discovers some painful truths about the state of his parents’ marriage; and develops the courage to face both his biggest fears and his biggest hatreds. His overall journey manifests one of the narrative’s most important themes, the experience of coming of age – that is, the movement from an experience of innocence and youthfulness to an experience of knowledge and increased maturity.

Over the course of the narrative, as the result of what seems to be several unexpected encounters and...