Nothing's Ever the Same

by Cyn Vargas

Itzel’s 13th birthday party starts in just about the unluckiest way possible—with her dad having a heart attack. In those frantic moments, the piñata, the frosted sheet cake, and the Styrofoam cups of orange soda are forgotten; the day’s highlights end up being CPR, an ambulance ride, and angioplasty. But when her father gets home from the hospital, his problems are far from over—and Itzel’s are just getting started. Nothing’s Ever the Same chronicles a young girl’s coming of age in Chicago—growing up as her family grows apart. Masterfully, Cyn Vargas gives us a touching, memorable, and universal story about a marriage on the brink and a teenager looking for love. It's a short book that packs a wallop; it’s also a beautiful meditation on dysfunction and forgiveness, and all the times in life to which we can never return. The New Chicago Classics are a disparate set of titles united around a common showcasing the city's up-and-coming literary talents as they produce enduring works. These excellent titles are destined to stand in the first rank of literature about the second city.

Genres: Fiction, Realistic Fiction

115 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2024

About the author

Cyn Vargas is an accomplished author and faculty member in short fiction at StoryStudio Chicago. Her short story collection, "On The Way," has garnered rave reviews from notable publications such as Shelf Awareness, Library Journal, Heavy Feather Review, and Necessary Fiction. The book has received several accolades, including being named one of Book Scrolling's Best Short Story Collections of All Time and earning recognition from Chicago Book Review and the Chicago Writers Association.

Cyn's writing has been featured in esteemed literary magazines including Split Lip Magazine, Word Riot, Chicago Reader Fiction Issue, Allium Magazine, and Hypertext Magazine, among others. She has been honored as a Top 25 Finalist and received Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train's Short Story Award for New Writers contests. Additionally, Cyn's work was selected as a Symphony Space Selected Short and was produced live on stage and made available as a podcast.

Beyond her writing accomplishments, Cyn is an esteemed member of the literary community. She serves on the Curatorial Board for the Ragdale Foundation and holds a position on the Board of Directors for Hypertext Studio. In recognition of her teaching excellence, she was voted Stories Matter Foundation's 2022 Instructor of the Year.

Cyn holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago and takes great pride in her heritage as a first-generation American with El Salvadoran and Guatemalan roots. Her upcoming novella, scheduled for release in spring 2024, will be published by Tortoise Books.

Reviews

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short book (under 200 pages) depicting a young teenage girl who experiences important family changes following her father's heart attack. She becomes closer to her friend Fred, discovers her father's extramarital affair, and navigates the fallout of her parents' disintegrating marriage. I enjoyed her narration and how she described things: her emotions, observations, and various environments. The writing style was easy and free-flowing and it was an interesting glimpse into this teenager's life crisis.

Thank you to the publisher Tortoise Books who provided an advance reader copy via Edelweiss.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good storytelling & a lighter take on some heavy stuff👌🏼

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written like a memoir, Cyn Vargas writes about Itzel. It’s literally about what the title says- “nothing is ever the same.” 


The book starts out when Itzel tells about her father’s heart attack. It wraps up with her parents divorce. Interspersed are her first feelings for a boy-and all that entails, as well as her emotions at seeing her dad cheat on her mom, her parents separation, and ultimate divorce. 


Vargas provides an in depth, relevant account of Itzel’s thoughts, confusion, anger and other emotions. 


It was a well written heartfelt book. I rated it four stars only because it was more memoir-like than a full on story. Just my personal preface, nothing to do with the writer's ability.   

[Mary C · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had a free afternoon then I would have finished this novella in one day. To say I was engrossed is putting it lightly. This book took me back to being Itzel’s age and feeling the awkwardness of adolescence combined with the upheaval of traumatic family experiences. While the book never goes into an explanation of Leo’s behavior after his heart attack and its effect on the family, that actually is what makes this book such an engrossing read. Children don’t always understand why adults act in the manner they do. Looking forward to reading another book by this fascinating author.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything is split now between Before the Heart Attack Dad and After the Heart Attack Dad.

After her dad suffers a heart attack at her 13th birthday party, Itzel's life is changed forever . . . and not for the better.

Vargas' writing is excellent, though I had trouble staying interested in the tale as told from Itzel's point of view. I think I'd have been much more interested in hearing her mom's side of the story.
All the same, I'll stick this in the library's young adult section, and recommend it to any youngsters whose parents are going through a divorce.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished the book and couldn't put it down. Itzel feels authentic, and her voice is so natural, making the story incredibly easy to get lost in. The way the author tells the story is just spot on. It flows smoothly. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you won't want it to end. In short,Nothing's Ever The Same is a gem of a read that sticks with you. Highly recommended!

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet, very quick read about a young girl who realizes something awful about her father, and how she deals with it. It was very simply written but captured how a young girl would react to the issue that she is going through.

[Ciara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this book 5 stars but it’s going to get a 4.5 from me because there was just one thing I didn’t like. This book is so small BUT it’s packed with a lot! The author did a fantastic job of keeping things interesting while talking about tough subjects and life lessons for the young main character. I picked this book up on a whim at my library and I’m so glad that I did! I love a coming-of-age story!

[Nikki Fields · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a quick read. It offered a sneak peak into a teenagers life when everything seemed to be flipped upside down.

[Jamelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Itzel is a teenage girl caught in adults' problems. After her father has a heart attack at her thirteenth birthday party, the fine cracks in her family begin to fissure. Heartbreaking yet simple.

[Rebecca Plaza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compact and emotional, with such a strong, young voice! It brought my own feelings of parent split up back to me in unexpected ways. A really good read!

[Melissa Seitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story!

[Nicole Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine. A different kind of read for me. It’s a short, concise slice of life where everything changes very drastically and suddenly for a teenage girl. I like the narrative of navigating change internally and externally but ultimately I didn’t find it that compelling.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars