I have just finished reading Empress of the World by Sara Ryan and there are two things that really stood out for me in this wonderful coming-of-age romance. First, the novel is set at a summer program for gifted students which means all sorts of fascinating kids are thrown together on a college campus for the express purpose of pursuing their academic interests. These interests cover the gamut from computers to composing to archaeology, which is the course the book's protagonist is focused on. Here is how Ryan introduces Nicola who is taking "field notes" in her new journal during the first day's orientation:

hypothesis: taking an actual class in archaeology will serve to confirm nicola lancaster in her lifelong dream of becoming an archaeologist.

So "Nic" is interested enough in archaeology to want to attend a summer class on the subject but she is not certain that it is what she really wants to do. She's looking for some confirmation of her dream. As someone who drifted aimlessly through the a college degree while trying to figure out what the hell I really wanted to do, I was really interested by the idea of high school kids being given the opportunity to "get their feet wet" in this way. Justina Chen Headley did something similar with the setting for her first book (which I highly recommend) Nothing But the Truth and a Few White Lies. I am sure programs like this must have existed back in the 80s but my high school counselors spent all of their time catering to about five students (I kid you not) and the rest of us had no clue. Ryan's setting alone is going to be wildly appealing to curious teen readers - whether they are interested in history, theater or math as - she allows her characters to have a wide range of interests (and anyway who doesn't think archaeology in particular isn't at least a little bit cool?) (Thank you Indiana Jones.)

The other aspect of the book that really hit home for me was the confusion over relationships. Ryan has written a novel about two girls who fall in love which for Nic is an unexpected surprise. She spends no small amount of time over thinking her attraction to Battle (the name is explained in the opening pages) and wondering what it makes her (lesbian? bisexual? both? neither?). As pretty much every teen girl in the world over thinks every attraction they have, this is typical and easily identifiable for readers, straight or gay. (Lesbian teens in particular will adore it.) But Ryan goes beyond that however by having the friendships in the novel become complicated, the attractions between several of the teens move from hot to cold and back again (this reminded me of a line in That 70s Show on how no one can keep track of who is dating who), the relationships between the teens and their parents (who visit for Parents Day) are all over the place and Battle in particular has a sibling relationship that troubles her deeply. (This is explored indepth in the book's sequel, The Rules for Hearts which I reviewed last year.) (Incidentally, it is due out in pb in January.) While Nic and Battle's romance anchors the book, the many other relationship which swirl around them are just as compelling. Oddly that makes me consider that while romance is central to the book's plot, Empress of the World is not a teen romance - it's much more than that and can be appreciated on multiple levels.

I will have a formal review of Empress of the World in the next month or so (probably my December column but I'm not sure yet) but I wanted to write about it here in a "you should read this book!" sort of way. There was much about Nic, Battle, and their friends Katrina, Isaac and Kevin that I could identify with and many ways in which I wish my teen self had been able to explore the world more than I did before it got serious - and expensive. While the world Ryan creates for her characters is not easy or perfect (or without some emotional pain), it is open to possibility. In some ways that makes her books read as fantasies but only if you don't let yourself take the leaps of faith that her characters do - only if you hide away from chances that just might change your life.