Trust Exercise A Novel
Trust Exercise A Novel by Susan Choi, published by Henry Holt and Company on May 5, 2020, is a literary work that delves into the lives of students at a competitive performing arts high school in the early 1980s. The narrative follows two freshmen, David and Sarah, as they navigate their intense passion for acting and their burgeoning romance, all under the watchful eye of their charismatic teacher, Mr. Kingsley. The story explores the complexities of adolescence and the pressures of artistic ambition within a tightly-knit community.
Readers will find a rich exploration of themes such as coming of age and the interplay between fiction and truth. As the plot unfolds, the seemingly insulated world of the school is disrupted by external realities, leading to a series of events that challenge the characters’ perceptions and relationships. The book’s structure invites reflection on the nature of memory and the reliability of personal narratives, culminating in a surprising conclusion that reshapes the reader’s understanding of the characters’ experiences. With 272 pages, this edition offers a thought-provoking journey through the intricacies of youth and the responsibilities of adulthood.
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WINNER OF THE 2019 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
“Electrifying” (People) • “Masterly” (The Guardian) • “Dramatic and memorable” (The New Yorker) • “Magic” (TIME) • “Ingenious” (The Financial Times) • “A gonzo literary performance” (Entertainment Weekly) • “Rare and splendid” (The Boston Globe) • “Remarkable” (USA Today) • “Delicious” (The New York Times) • “Book groups, meet your next selection” (NPR)
In an American suburb in the early 1980s, students at a highly competitive performing arts high school struggle and thrive in a rarified bubble, ambitiously pursuing music, movement, Shakespeare, and, particularly, their acting classes. When within this striving “Brotherhood of the Arts,” two freshmen, David and Sarah, fall headlong into love, their passion does not go unnoticed—or untoyed with—by anyone, especially not by their charismatic acting teacher, Mr. Kingsley.
The outside world of family life and economic status, of academic pressure and of their future adult lives, fails to penetrate this school’s walls—until it does, in a shocking spiral of events that catapults the action forward in time and flips the premise upside-down. What the reader believes to have happened to David and Sarah and their friends is not entirely true—though it’s not false, either. It takes until the book’s stunning coda for the final piece of the puzzle to fall into place—revealing truths that will resonate long after the final sentence.
As captivating and tender as it is surprising, Susan Choi’s Trust Exercise will incite heated conversations about fiction and truth, and about friendships and loyalties, and will leave readers with wiser understandings of the true capacities of adolescents and of the powers and responsibilities of adults.
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