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Gray Matter: The Stranger
When the future feels like hands around your throat...
Stephen is no stranger to continuous change. The pandemic struck in his first year at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and the effects are lingering a little longer than he'd like. Now that he's an M3, the arduous study sessions, stressful clerkships, and hushed conversations with his preceptors have shaped him into a very different person—one his family doesn't recognize, and one he's not sure he likes.
He's leaned on his loved ones for guidance in the past, but the passage of time has changed them too. Every visit home leaves him searching fruitlessly for the simplicity of his younger years. And when tragedy strikes his best friend's family one summer, the agony of growing older comes to visit once again.
In the wake of grief, Stephen must face a version of himself he's never met before. And his future asks him to make a terrible choice: between the intoxication of familiarity and the anxiety of freedom.
Stephen is no stranger to continuous change. The pandemic struck in his first year at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and the effects are lingering a little longer than he'd like. Now that he's an M3, the arduous study sessions, stressful clerkships, and hushed conversations with his preceptors have shaped him into a very different person—one his family doesn't recognize, and one he's not sure he likes.
He's leaned on his loved ones for guidance in the past, but the passage of time has changed them too. Every visit home leaves him searching fruitlessly for the simplicity of his younger years. And when tragedy strikes his best friend's family one summer, the agony of growing older comes to visit once again.
In the wake of grief, Stephen must face a version of himself he's never met before. And his future asks him to make a terrible choice: between the intoxication of familiarity and the anxiety of freedom.
402 pages, Paperback
Published August 8, 2025
About the author
Jess Cantrell
6 books13 followersJess Cantrell is an author, illustrator, and art professor based in North Carolina. She wrote her Master of Fine Arts thesis on the role of believability in narrative art, and one day hopes to get her PhD in art history with a concentration in fandom culture in the 2010s. She's currently adapting her debut novel into a Webtoon and teaching drawing at High Point University.
★★★★★ = everyone should read this
★★★★☆ = solid book
★★★☆☆ = it was fine
★★☆☆☆ = this had some issues
★☆☆☆☆ = DNF
★★★★★ = everyone should read this
★★★★☆ = solid book
★★★☆☆ = it was fine
★★☆☆☆ = this had some issues
★☆☆☆☆ = DNF
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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February 22, 2026I wrote it and I think I did a better job on this one compared to the first one.
September 18, 2025
I had the honor of ARC reading this beautiful story and befriending its talented author. This review is my honest opinion and personal endorsement.
The Stranger takes a darker tone overall than The Student, but it appropriately reflects a season of life when stakes genuinely begin to feel so much higher: lifelong career decisions to make, family members aging, friendships growing strained or distant. It's the distinct tragedy of being a 20-something and Jess explores those feelings with appropriate weight and yet still manages to infuse the struggle with hope and optimism. The reliable warmth of love, the bittersweet tang of following through on your convictions, and the unmistakable joy of achievements earned through dedication.
Stephen and Grey's friendship remains a focal point but life is pulling them in different directions. Stephen is confronted with tough moral dilemmas as a medical student and as a friend/brother. I'm a registered nurse myself and I related so heavily to the constant tension between helping people through healthcare and shielding them from the greed and poor leadership often present in healthcare. And getting asked to give your opinion on family medical issues? Yep. Happens all the time. Hang in there, Stephen.
The writing itself feels very authentic and engaging even for a reader like me who doesn't really read contemporary fiction very often. Jess's commitment to realism pays off because the story feels so real I wonder if I could scroll my phone contacts and shoot them a text.
One element I especially appreciate is Stephen's battle with anxiety. I think many readers will find it relatable and even comforting (I sure did).
If you're still not convinced to give it a try, here's what you need to know:
🩺 It made me laugh and cry and gave me all the feels
🩺The characters feel intensely real and complex, even minor background characters
🩺 The pacing moves a little different than most modern fiction, with a bigger emphasis on characters and relationships, but there's a strong connecting thread throughout and it's never boring
🩺There are portrayals of cancer and end of life care, done gently and respectfully rather than feeling like some kind of cheap shock value plot element
🩺 Family relationships are a big focus and they're compex and realistic and just... very relatable on a number of levels
🩺 The medical student elements are 10/10 and if you're in med school you'll feel so seen, but even if you know nothing about medicine, it's never too detailed or over your head
🩺 There's a glossary AND historical notes??? Jess is a thorough queen 👑
If you enjoy fiction with heart, authentic characters and relationships, and meaningful storylines, don't miss this one.
The Stranger takes a darker tone overall than The Student, but it appropriately reflects a season of life when stakes genuinely begin to feel so much higher: lifelong career decisions to make, family members aging, friendships growing strained or distant. It's the distinct tragedy of being a 20-something and Jess explores those feelings with appropriate weight and yet still manages to infuse the struggle with hope and optimism. The reliable warmth of love, the bittersweet tang of following through on your convictions, and the unmistakable joy of achievements earned through dedication.
Stephen and Grey's friendship remains a focal point but life is pulling them in different directions. Stephen is confronted with tough moral dilemmas as a medical student and as a friend/brother. I'm a registered nurse myself and I related so heavily to the constant tension between helping people through healthcare and shielding them from the greed and poor leadership often present in healthcare. And getting asked to give your opinion on family medical issues? Yep. Happens all the time. Hang in there, Stephen.
The writing itself feels very authentic and engaging even for a reader like me who doesn't really read contemporary fiction very often. Jess's commitment to realism pays off because the story feels so real I wonder if I could scroll my phone contacts and shoot them a text.
One element I especially appreciate is Stephen's battle with anxiety. I think many readers will find it relatable and even comforting (I sure did).
If you're still not convinced to give it a try, here's what you need to know:
🩺 It made me laugh and cry and gave me all the feels
🩺The characters feel intensely real and complex, even minor background characters
🩺 The pacing moves a little different than most modern fiction, with a bigger emphasis on characters and relationships, but there's a strong connecting thread throughout and it's never boring
🩺There are portrayals of cancer and end of life care, done gently and respectfully rather than feeling like some kind of cheap shock value plot element
🩺 Family relationships are a big focus and they're compex and realistic and just... very relatable on a number of levels
🩺 The medical student elements are 10/10 and if you're in med school you'll feel so seen, but even if you know nothing about medicine, it's never too detailed or over your head
🩺 There's a glossary AND historical notes??? Jess is a thorough queen 👑
If you enjoy fiction with heart, authentic characters and relationships, and meaningful storylines, don't miss this one.
September 21, 2025
I've been lucky enough while reading this series to be essentially in the same stage of life as the main characters in each book.
Thus, I related highly to the stresses they found pressing down on their lives. Big questions of "what next?" There were definitely a few spots where I had to stop and just pause because the adversity felt so realistic.
This book also tackles the trouble of how our relationships change with the people we love as we grow older.
Every piece in this book feels like the logical next step in Stephen's story & growth.
10/10 recommend
Thus, I related highly to the stresses they found pressing down on their lives. Big questions of "what next?" There were definitely a few spots where I had to stop and just pause because the adversity felt so realistic.
This book also tackles the trouble of how our relationships change with the people we love as we grow older.
Every piece in this book feels like the logical next step in Stephen's story & growth.
10/10 recommend
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews