Because You'll Never Meet Me

Two teenage boys%E2%80%94separated by geography and unusual disabilities%E2%80%94forge an unlikely friendship in this epistolary story from debut author Thomas. Verbose and energetic, Ollie lives as a hermit: encountering electricity triggers his epileptic fits. Moritz is a humorless German boy born with no eyes, a weak heart that requires a pacemaker, and a superhuman ability to use echolocation to see. The two may be eccentric outcasts, but their conflicts, heartbreak, and eventual bond form a relatable and engaging narrative despite their farfetched backstories. Most of the time the setup works, although the boys%E2%80%99 penchant for writing lengthy direct quotations from other conversations can stretch the bounds of an already improbable story. The dual plots coalesce like yin and yang, a roller coaster of role reversals that sees both boys struggling with typical teenage problems in an absurdist landscape. While Ollie is closed off from the world and longs to see mundane things like a humidifier, Moritz has seen and knows too much. The two inevitably (and rewardingly) balance each other out as their first real friends. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. Agent: Lana Popovic, Chalberg & Sussman. (June)