Review: The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their love.

My Review:

This is an interesting story with good characterization, plot, and romance.  I was absorbed into this story completely, though I was more interested in Tim's story than Duncan's story.  

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

Tim had a particularly fascinating story that he tells through CDs that he left for Duncan.  I'm going to focus on Tim's story since it was the main storyline, and Duncan's story was more secondary to the overall plot.  Tim has lived his life being stared at because he is an albino.  In a crowd, his extremely pale skin and hair make him stand out from others.  Because he gets stared at so much, he doesn't stare at other people very much.  He never expects anyone to really like him for who he is, so he's surprised when that eventually ends up happening.  He clearly lacks self-esteem. 

I loved the romance in this book.  Tim and Vanessa were perfect together.  Their romance had to be kept a secret since Vanessa was dating Patrick, the most popular guy at Irving, and he wouldn't be happy if he found out.  Tim and Vanessa first met each other at the airport.  When their flight was delayed until the next day and Tim got a hotel room, Vanessa asked if she could come stay in the hotel room with him.  They didn't know then that they would be going to the same school.  They formed a connection playing in the snow and building igloos outside the hotel.  Once they got to Irving, it was harder for them to stay friends, but there were still sweet moments between them. 

The whole idea of the Tragedy Paper made an interesting premise.   It sounds like a very complicated paper, and one that I'm glad I don't have to write.  The idea of what a tragedy is was explored through the story.  Tim and Vanessa's tragedy was unexpected, and it was sad because it ended the relationship that I had rooted for.  I hope there's still hope for Tim and Vanessa to be together in the future, but I don't know if that's possible after all that they've been through.

If you like YA contemporary, read this book.

Katie