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The Sidekicks
Ryan, Harley, and Miles are very different people--the swimmer, the rebel, and the nerd. All they've ever had in common is Isaac, their shared best friend.When Isaac dies unexpectedly, the three boys must come to terms with their grief and the impact Isaac had on each of their lives. In his absence, Ryan, Harley, and Miles discover things about one another they never saw before, and realize there may be more tying them together than just Isaac. In this intricately woven story told in three parts, award-winning Australian author Will Kostakis makes his American debut with a heartwarming, masterfully written novel about grief, self-discovery, and the connections that tie us all together.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published March 2, 2016
About the author
Will Kostakis
15 books333 followersHi. A teacher-librarian yelled at me to update this, so here goes. Time to talk about myself in the third-person.
Will Kostakis is an absolute delight.
In the past, he has written everything from celebrity news stories that score cease and desist letters, to tweets for professional wrestlers.
Nowadays, he’s best known (but not particularly well known) for his award-winning YA novels.
His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just nineteen. His second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year and Australian Prime Minister’s Literary awards, among others. The Sidekicks was his third novel for young adults, and his American debut. It went on to win the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award. Most recently, Will has applied his trademark style to the fantasy genre, with Monuments and its sequel, Rebel Gods.
As a high school student, Will won Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year for a collection of short stories. He has since contributed to numerous anthologies, including the ABIA Award-winning Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology.
An advocate for young readers and writers, Will was awarded the 2020 Maurice Saxby Award by the School Library Association of New South Wales for service to children’s and young adult literature.
Will Kostakis is an absolute delight.
In the past, he has written everything from celebrity news stories that score cease and desist letters, to tweets for professional wrestlers.
Nowadays, he’s best known (but not particularly well known) for his award-winning YA novels.
His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just nineteen. His second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year and Australian Prime Minister’s Literary awards, among others. The Sidekicks was his third novel for young adults, and his American debut. It went on to win the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award. Most recently, Will has applied his trademark style to the fantasy genre, with Monuments and its sequel, Rebel Gods.
As a high school student, Will won Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year for a collection of short stories. He has since contributed to numerous anthologies, including the ABIA Award-winning Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology.
An advocate for young readers and writers, Will was awarded the 2020 Maurice Saxby Award by the School Library Association of New South Wales for service to children’s and young adult literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
May 9, 2016
4.5 stars
February 21, 2016
I managed to not shed a tear the entire time and then the last page broke me. I NEED MORE
April 28, 2016
► For once my 3 stars rating is actually a good thing, because this review could go three ways.
● It could go like this : Will Kostakis's writing hooked me right away by offering such a believable and discreetly hilarious (yes, that's totally a thing) voice to Ryan, the character who gets the first POV in The Sidekicks, whose grief is the first we experience, and whose narration made me hope for a 5 stars rating. Yes, the guy was that good. Not necessarily original, though, and I read enough glbt books to recognize the regular patterns of a coming-out story, but it's all the more impressive that I could connect instantly with him anyway. So, yeah. I loved Ryan the swimmer and the manner the issue of loss was explored.
● It could also go like this, though : While original and well-executed, the way the story is built can be confusing at first. Indeed if three POV there are, they don't alternate, not really, but the book is separated into three parts, each of them related by a different character : Ryan the swimmer, Harley the rebel, and Miles the nerd. They all have someone in common, Isaac (Zac), whose death shatters their life even if they don't express their grief in the same way. Here's my problem : while Will Kostakis did a very good job at relating the same period of time three times in creating three distinct voices without never appearing redundant (really, bravo, that's impressive), we need to connect with the three main characters for the story to work.
Needless to say, I didn't.
After having loved Ryan's part, I felt myself slowly disengaged from the story, first because Harley never really woke my interest, and then because I just didn't liked Miles at all. See, there's nothing really wrong with his voice - perhaps I read too many books featuring a nerd for my own good, but he never, ever, created any emotion in me apart from annoyance. It's all Ryan's fault, really. Harley and Miles just didn't live up to the expectations he created. No matter how well-written and original the narration was, no matter how interesting the subject at hands was, it didn't pull me in, and both Harley and Miles appeared really stereotypical to me.
Here goes nothing.
● But sadly, it could also go like this : There's something to be said about a book dealing with loss and grief that never manages to affect you in an emotional way. That something is : this is so fucking aggravating. Honestly, I don't think it's asking for too much when we deal with the death of a teenager. I should be sad. I should feel bad. I should give a damn, for fuck sake! I tried, I swear. I attempted to crumble my face (fail), frowned in concentration to make my eyes water (also, fail), thought about all the reasons for why that story should make me tear up, but nothing, nada, rien. What a shame.
► In any case, I will definitely check out Will Kostakis's other works, because despite my complaints, The Sidekicks stays a good book and shows a wonderful potential.
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July 19, 2018
Ugh this book made me silently cry to myself on the subway. It was beautiful and painful. Thanks A LOT Will Kostakis
May 30, 2015
This book is sitting heavily on my heart right now. I just finished The Sidekicks - one minutes and thirteen seconds ago - and I'm experiencing all the feels. This book was honest, heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. Written from three perspectives from three friends you watch how people deal with grief and loss but most of all how the overcome the loss of something so important to them.
Will Kostakis is an amazing writing and damn you for making me cry! Warning, this book is a real tear jerker. It's definitely one of the books that will stay with me for a long time. Wether that be because of how relatable The Sidekicks is to me or how well written and well told this book is. The characters are all so...human. They have flaws, differences and personalities that clash but it truly is what makes this book as great as it is.
I wish that this book had gone on forever (As if my heart could have even handle that!) because I could not get sick of Harley's wit, Miles's thoughts or Ryan's strength. Will Kostakis is a must-read author and The Sidekicks is one of the best contemporary books I've read yet.
5 our of 5 stars!
Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me out this review book! :)
Will Kostakis is an amazing writing and damn you for making me cry! Warning, this book is a real tear jerker. It's definitely one of the books that will stay with me for a long time. Wether that be because of how relatable The Sidekicks is to me or how well written and well told this book is. The characters are all so...human. They have flaws, differences and personalities that clash but it truly is what makes this book as great as it is.
I wish that this book had gone on forever (As if my heart could have even handle that!) because I could not get sick of Harley's wit, Miles's thoughts or Ryan's strength. Will Kostakis is a must-read author and The Sidekicks is one of the best contemporary books I've read yet.
5 our of 5 stars!
Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me out this review book! :)
January 29, 2017
When Isaac dies unexpectedly, Ryan, Harley and Miles realise that they have nothing in common and that really, they're not friends at all. They only hung out together because of Isaac.
The book is effectively broken into three, each part told from the perspective of one of the three from the time they find out Isaac is dead. Each story builds upon the next, so Ryan's story ends with something that happens about half way through Harley's story, and Miles' story goes for several days more than Harley's.
I liked all three of the narrators, but I don't think any of the three particularly stood out to me. Ryan is a sweet jock, struggling with the loss of the only person (other than his boyfriend) that he's out to. Harley is.......sort of a hot mess, but the kind who manages to be endearing? And Miles is an adorable little squish who very much reads as being on the autism spectrum without it ever being explicitly stated.
Anyway, I understand why a lot of people thought this was repetitive, because you do cover a lot of the same ground. But I LOVED that we got to see the same situation from multiple perspectives. Admittedly, the essay writing business thing got old pretty damned fast, but the rest was wonderful. Hands down my favourite part was the ending. ALL OF THE FEELINGS.
The book is effectively broken into three, each part told from the perspective of one of the three from the time they find out Isaac is dead. Each story builds upon the next, so Ryan's story ends with something that happens about half way through Harley's story, and Miles' story goes for several days more than Harley's.
I liked all three of the narrators, but I don't think any of the three particularly stood out to me. Ryan is a sweet jock, struggling with the loss of the only person (other than his boyfriend) that he's out to. Harley is.......sort of a hot mess, but the kind who manages to be endearing? And Miles is an adorable little squish who very much reads as being on the autism spectrum without it ever being explicitly stated.
Anyway, I understand why a lot of people thought this was repetitive, because you do cover a lot of the same ground. But I LOVED that we got to see the same situation from multiple perspectives. Admittedly, the essay writing business thing got old pretty damned fast, but the rest was wonderful. Hands down my favourite part was the ending. ALL OF THE FEELINGS.
December 4, 2016
The Sidekicks is a magnificent male narrative exploring the harrowing loss of a friend through grief, reflection and remembrance. It's often the quiet, unassuming reads that effect us most, it was beautiful. Isaac is a charismatic young man who the reader connects with through the memories and stories of his peers after his tragic passing. Three young men with one common factor, Isaac.
Ryan is The Swimmer, an Olympic hopeful who's athleticism has afforded him a privileged position within the school. Ryan and Isaac shared a wonderful friendship based on trust, Isaac having kept Ryan's confidence until the very end. Ryan is gay and isn't yet comfortable sharing his sexual preferences with his peers for fear of persecution. Ryan often refers to himself as the third person, Ryan Patrick Thomson, Olympic hopeful and seen as a popular athlete with very little to offer academically.
Harley is The Rebel, he self medicates with alcohol and his friendship with Issac was seemingly based upon addiction and dependence. Harley is a border at Barton House, his mother paying for his tuition after returning to the United States and abandoning him and his father. Underneath the coarse facade, Harley is deeply grieving the loss of his friend, rousing feelings of his mother's abandonment and returns home to his father.
Miles is quietly intelligent and is now reflecting on his friendship with Issac, believing that their friendship was just one of convenience. Months before Issac died, the two formed a partnership to create a short film in which Miles was praised but is now obsessing over the hours of filming between takes, isolating himself within the media room and piecing together their friendship with a series of broken scenes.
Ryan, Issac and Miles are three distinct individuals, all reeling over the loss of their friend. Their grief was palpable.
Time is pulling is apart. With every second that passes, the space between us widens. Today, I saw him yesterday. In a few days, it will have been last week. Then, last month. And there is nothing I can do to keep time from wedging more of itself between us. It is inevitable.
My heart. The Sidekicks is an honest, captivating and illumination of the male narrative of the many facets of grief, self doubt and the intricacy of male friendships. It was incredible. I enjoyed how the narrative was three separate, although interconnecting viewpoints surrounding the loss of Issac. I felt Ryan was the more engaging character, his narrative of losing the only person who he had confided in, the pressure of being an athlete and the casual homophobic slurs overheard from teachers and peers alike added to his anguish.
The Sidekicks is magnificent. Poignant, endearing and bittersweet, Will Kostakis is a remarkable author creating a narrative with a quiet intensity and conviction. I loved it. Immensely.
Ryan is The Swimmer, an Olympic hopeful who's athleticism has afforded him a privileged position within the school. Ryan and Isaac shared a wonderful friendship based on trust, Isaac having kept Ryan's confidence until the very end. Ryan is gay and isn't yet comfortable sharing his sexual preferences with his peers for fear of persecution. Ryan often refers to himself as the third person, Ryan Patrick Thomson, Olympic hopeful and seen as a popular athlete with very little to offer academically.
Harley is The Rebel, he self medicates with alcohol and his friendship with Issac was seemingly based upon addiction and dependence. Harley is a border at Barton House, his mother paying for his tuition after returning to the United States and abandoning him and his father. Underneath the coarse facade, Harley is deeply grieving the loss of his friend, rousing feelings of his mother's abandonment and returns home to his father.
Miles is quietly intelligent and is now reflecting on his friendship with Issac, believing that their friendship was just one of convenience. Months before Issac died, the two formed a partnership to create a short film in which Miles was praised but is now obsessing over the hours of filming between takes, isolating himself within the media room and piecing together their friendship with a series of broken scenes.
Ryan, Issac and Miles are three distinct individuals, all reeling over the loss of their friend. Their grief was palpable.
Time is pulling is apart. With every second that passes, the space between us widens. Today, I saw him yesterday. In a few days, it will have been last week. Then, last month. And there is nothing I can do to keep time from wedging more of itself between us. It is inevitable.
My heart. The Sidekicks is an honest, captivating and illumination of the male narrative of the many facets of grief, self doubt and the intricacy of male friendships. It was incredible. I enjoyed how the narrative was three separate, although interconnecting viewpoints surrounding the loss of Issac. I felt Ryan was the more engaging character, his narrative of losing the only person who he had confided in, the pressure of being an athlete and the casual homophobic slurs overheard from teachers and peers alike added to his anguish.
The Sidekicks is magnificent. Poignant, endearing and bittersweet, Will Kostakis is a remarkable author creating a narrative with a quiet intensity and conviction. I loved it. Immensely.
March 19, 2016
Actual rating: 4.5
Dudes, dudes. Get on this one.
Isaac is the glue that holds his #squad together, and when he dies all that's left is a nerd, a rebel, and a swimmer. They have nothing in common, except for their grief.
First and foremost, I loved all the characters. Obviously Harley was my favourite, but there was so much about Miles to love and Ryan! They were beautifully well rounded and just amazing characters.
I really liked the way grief was experienced differently by all the characters. Grief isn't simple, it's not one size fits all. And the three boys definitely find their own ways to deal with the death of their best friend.
I was so proud that I'd managed to get through the book tear-free, until I hit the last two pages. Not only did I get legitimate goosebumps, but there were tears man.
God damnit, Kostakis!
Dudes, dudes. Get on this one.
Isaac is the glue that holds his #squad together, and when he dies all that's left is a nerd, a rebel, and a swimmer. They have nothing in common, except for their grief.
First and foremost, I loved all the characters. Obviously Harley was my favourite, but there was so much about Miles to love and Ryan! They were beautifully well rounded and just amazing characters.
I really liked the way grief was experienced differently by all the characters. Grief isn't simple, it's not one size fits all. And the three boys definitely find their own ways to deal with the death of their best friend.
I was so proud that I'd managed to get through the book tear-free, until I hit the last two pages. Not only did I get legitimate goosebumps, but there were tears man.
God damnit, Kostakis!
November 28, 2024
✰ 3 stars ✰
“Live, love and be remarkable.”
Credit for creating three distinct perspectives for three very different individuals. Credit for capturing a unique way in which three so-called friends who once only ever associated with one another because of their link to one person who tragically lost his life is no longer with them each dealt with his death. Credit for making those who once felt that they were only ever The Sidekicks in his life, to finally mapping out a path that was entirely theirs. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
For why else would a swimmer, a rebel, & a nerd even have remotely in common, aside from being in the same Year 11 and sharing a few classes? It is that connection that they once shared with sixteen-year-old Isaac that draws them together still. 🫂 That in the way they dealt with the shocking news of his death, too, did they finally understand that even if he was no longer here, it did not mean their friendship had to fall apart. And that perhaps, Isaac never considered them just side pieces to his story; that he did see them as people he trusted and enjoyed spending time with.
“...wondering if he and I really were friends.
‘Isaac?’ I ask out loud. ‘Were we actually friends?”
I'm sorry, this is a confusing start to a review. Essentially, this is the story of three friends who grieve the loss of their friend in their own respective ways. It is the discovery of what happens to their said friendship after his death that matters. 💔 ‘People change. People surprise us.’ How different circumstances have them see each other in a new light and realize that as much as they felt a distance towards each other when he was alive, there always existed a close bond between the four of them - and still does - even now.
In the events that unfolded for each of them - Ryan, Harley, Miles - they grew as individuals and strengthened their friendship. 🫂 For being a friend is looking out for each other, having your back, protecting and supporting through the good times and the rough ones without hesitation. A sidekick jumps in to help without asking. And for various reasons, they showed their worth. A testament to the bond that still was palpable, even if they did not realize it, that 'they can become their own heroes' - or that they had always been. 🩵
“The world is a dark place when you’re hiding something.”
And in the steady progress in which they realized the potential of still being friends, it was also a way for each of them to channel their own grief in their own ways. Regret, remorse, sadness and the sheer frustration that somehow, inadvertently they had failed each other by not speaking up when it could have mattered. 'Grief trumps ignorance, but curiosity trumps grief.' 😢 It felt vividly honest in that respect; their anger over that sentiment, as well as their desire to right the wrong done. Life cannot come back; but, at least, even to provide a morsel of comfort of closure to someone who desperately needs it. Why wouldn't someone do their best to have the chance to say good-bye to what is lost or even say the thing that hits the hardest - 'I miss you.' 🥺
I did like how each of the three had their own voice. The author did a great job in depicting their different personalities and behavioral skills. I was not, however, a fan of showcasing each of their perspectives for certain scenes, because it kind of took a step back in the story. 😕 I get the reasoning, but it just delayed the story from unfolding. I also felt that certain plot points were left undeveloped that I felt was a disservice to them; but, in the event that life does go on, I suppose it seems realistic enough. The ending 'epilogue', if you want to call it that, was so oddly written that rather than feeling some sense of closure to it, I was perplexed. Maybe I just was waiting for the feels to hit, but it just - didn't. 😞
“Last year, I had to edit out all the filler between takes. Now, the filler is all I want.”
But, it had its beautiful and bittersweet moments '– raw, honest and unedited'. The writing carried me till the end. I felt a certain amount of growth from the characters. Portraying grief is always a challenge as we all grieve differently; but even when the hurt was silent, the pain left behind echoed vividly in their thoughts and expressions. It was a different approach, which worked well for them, and I felt good at how certain points worked out. So, all in all, not entirely an unfortunate miss. 🌸
“Live, love and be remarkable.”
Credit for creating three distinct perspectives for three very different individuals. Credit for capturing a unique way in which three so-called friends who once only ever associated with one another because of their link to one person who tragically lost his life is no longer with them each dealt with his death. Credit for making those who once felt that they were only ever The Sidekicks in his life, to finally mapping out a path that was entirely theirs. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
For why else would a swimmer, a rebel, & a nerd even have remotely in common, aside from being in the same Year 11 and sharing a few classes? It is that connection that they once shared with sixteen-year-old Isaac that draws them together still. 🫂 That in the way they dealt with the shocking news of his death, too, did they finally understand that even if he was no longer here, it did not mean their friendship had to fall apart. And that perhaps, Isaac never considered them just side pieces to his story; that he did see them as people he trusted and enjoyed spending time with.
“...wondering if he and I really were friends.
‘Isaac?’ I ask out loud. ‘Were we actually friends?”
I'm sorry, this is a confusing start to a review. Essentially, this is the story of three friends who grieve the loss of their friend in their own respective ways. It is the discovery of what happens to their said friendship after his death that matters. 💔 ‘People change. People surprise us.’ How different circumstances have them see each other in a new light and realize that as much as they felt a distance towards each other when he was alive, there always existed a close bond between the four of them - and still does - even now.
In the events that unfolded for each of them - Ryan, Harley, Miles - they grew as individuals and strengthened their friendship. 🫂 For being a friend is looking out for each other, having your back, protecting and supporting through the good times and the rough ones without hesitation. A sidekick jumps in to help without asking. And for various reasons, they showed their worth. A testament to the bond that still was palpable, even if they did not realize it, that 'they can become their own heroes' - or that they had always been. 🩵
“The world is a dark place when you’re hiding something.”
And in the steady progress in which they realized the potential of still being friends, it was also a way for each of them to channel their own grief in their own ways. Regret, remorse, sadness and the sheer frustration that somehow, inadvertently they had failed each other by not speaking up when it could have mattered. 'Grief trumps ignorance, but curiosity trumps grief.' 😢 It felt vividly honest in that respect; their anger over that sentiment, as well as their desire to right the wrong done. Life cannot come back; but, at least, even to provide a morsel of comfort of closure to someone who desperately needs it. Why wouldn't someone do their best to have the chance to say good-bye to what is lost or even say the thing that hits the hardest - 'I miss you.' 🥺
I did like how each of the three had their own voice. The author did a great job in depicting their different personalities and behavioral skills. I was not, however, a fan of showcasing each of their perspectives for certain scenes, because it kind of took a step back in the story. 😕 I get the reasoning, but it just delayed the story from unfolding. I also felt that certain plot points were left undeveloped that I felt was a disservice to them; but, in the event that life does go on, I suppose it seems realistic enough. The ending 'epilogue', if you want to call it that, was so oddly written that rather than feeling some sense of closure to it, I was perplexed. Maybe I just was waiting for the feels to hit, but it just - didn't. 😞
“Last year, I had to edit out all the filler between takes. Now, the filler is all I want.”
But, it had its beautiful and bittersweet moments '– raw, honest and unedited'. The writing carried me till the end. I felt a certain amount of growth from the characters. Portraying grief is always a challenge as we all grieve differently; but even when the hurt was silent, the pain left behind echoed vividly in their thoughts and expressions. It was a different approach, which worked well for them, and I felt good at how certain points worked out. So, all in all, not entirely an unfortunate miss. 🌸
April 25, 2018
A book about sidekicks. Sidekicks who lost their central figure in tragic accident. Story of how they try to find a balance, new friends, sorrow and lost.
The it hits me...
I am also a sidekick who lost in the book. Half through it, I give up!
The it hits me...
I am also a sidekick who lost in the book. Half through it, I give up!
May 21, 2015
Hey, Kostakis, I need more.
Will Kostakis, the winner of the 2014 Gold Inky Award for The First Third (which I adored - read my review here), returns this year with The Sidekicks, a tale of three different boys -- Ryan, the Swimmer; Harley, the Rebel; and Miles, the Nerd -- whose mutual friend Isaac suddenly dies, and the ramifications Isaac's death has on each of them at school, at home, and on who they were when he was there and who they then become without him.
Where The First Third was about the loss of a who held a cultural family together and wanted everyone to be happy, The Sidekicks is about the loss of a best friend who firmly held others' secrets guarded, a friend who was trusted and respected, a friend who was a brother.
Upon reading The Sidekicks, I expected the book to be told through alternating chapters, as is usually done in YA with more than one POV; however, and to my pleasure, the book is in fact three novellas that wonderfully overlap to give the reader a stronger insight into the personal and individualistic inner workings of Ryan, Harley, and Miles over the course of an extensive timeline. All three deal with a different emotional and personal struggle following Isaac's passing. Yet the over-arching development is of each of them no longer being separate 'sidekicks' to Isaac but becoming a group of friends to continue their friend's legacy.
The Sidekicks is a touching novel about mateship and strength in times of struggle and the bonds that will not be forgotten. I was disheartened upon finishing as I desperately wanted more – I specifically wanted more of Ryan, whose section of the novel (which was 'the first third' ha ha ha) stood out the most to me, his voice the most authentic. Perhaps it was the order the three perspectives were told that inadvertently established a hierarchy of... 'attraction', you could say. But that's not to say I didn't like Harley and Miles, because I did. All three had an important role to play in The Sidekicks and it is through Will's writing that a 'symbiotic triangle' emerges by the end.
I did have issues with the establishing scene heading lines throughout Miles's portion as it was mostly written in normal prose save for some flashbacks and the telling of what happens in Miles's films, and there was 'morning/afternoon' and not the standard 'day/night'; but then this method separated Miles's story from the previous two just as Harley's was made distinct with messages because Ryan before him didn't own a phone.
This book is smart. This book is brilliant. The Sidekicks is everything.
Will Kostakis, the winner of the 2014 Gold Inky Award for The First Third (which I adored - read my review here), returns this year with The Sidekicks, a tale of three different boys -- Ryan, the Swimmer; Harley, the Rebel; and Miles, the Nerd -- whose mutual friend Isaac suddenly dies, and the ramifications Isaac's death has on each of them at school, at home, and on who they were when he was there and who they then become without him.
Where The First Third was about the loss of a who held a cultural family together and wanted everyone to be happy, The Sidekicks is about the loss of a best friend who firmly held others' secrets guarded, a friend who was trusted and respected, a friend who was a brother.
Upon reading The Sidekicks, I expected the book to be told through alternating chapters, as is usually done in YA with more than one POV; however, and to my pleasure, the book is in fact three novellas that wonderfully overlap to give the reader a stronger insight into the personal and individualistic inner workings of Ryan, Harley, and Miles over the course of an extensive timeline. All three deal with a different emotional and personal struggle following Isaac's passing. Yet the over-arching development is of each of them no longer being separate 'sidekicks' to Isaac but becoming a group of friends to continue their friend's legacy.
The Sidekicks is a touching novel about mateship and strength in times of struggle and the bonds that will not be forgotten. I was disheartened upon finishing as I desperately wanted more – I specifically wanted more of Ryan, whose section of the novel (which was 'the first third' ha ha ha) stood out the most to me, his voice the most authentic. Perhaps it was the order the three perspectives were told that inadvertently established a hierarchy of... 'attraction', you could say. But that's not to say I didn't like Harley and Miles, because I did. All three had an important role to play in The Sidekicks and it is through Will's writing that a 'symbiotic triangle' emerges by the end.
I did have issues with the establishing scene heading lines throughout Miles's portion as it was mostly written in normal prose save for some flashbacks and the telling of what happens in Miles's films, and there was 'morning/afternoon' and not the standard 'day/night'; but then this method separated Miles's story from the previous two just as Harley's was made distinct with messages because Ryan before him didn't own a phone.
This book is smart. This book is brilliant. The Sidekicks is everything.
August 14, 2015
I have read this three times, and I have cried at a different bit each time, so yeah, I am a fan.
Update Feb 26: This book is finally about to be released. Megan has posted my review at Children's Books Daily.
There's also a competition to win some copies. Woo.
Update Feb 26: This book is finally about to be released. Megan has posted my review at Children's Books Daily.
There's also a competition to win some copies. Woo.
March 23, 2016
3.5 stars
OHHH BOY this book made me cry many many tears. I liked it a lot more than I expected to. We follow three main characters, all boys in high school, who are trying to cope with the death of their friend. Isaac, the friend who died, was the glue that held their little group together and without him the characters realise they don't have a whole lot to talk about. The whole book is about grief, family and friendship. I really enjoyed it.
There was one thing I didn't like about this book and that was the repetition. We have three perspectives and they kind of cover the same stuff which I wasn't crazy on because it doesn't really contribute anything new to the story. It was kind of frustrating to read the same moment three times but also it didn't ruin the book for me.
Still definitely recommend this book. A great example of how powerful Aussie YA books can be (and why they deserve more love overseas). Also I met the author yesterday and he is seriously so charming and likeable.
OHHH BOY this book made me cry many many tears. I liked it a lot more than I expected to. We follow three main characters, all boys in high school, who are trying to cope with the death of their friend. Isaac, the friend who died, was the glue that held their little group together and without him the characters realise they don't have a whole lot to talk about. The whole book is about grief, family and friendship. I really enjoyed it.
There was one thing I didn't like about this book and that was the repetition. We have three perspectives and they kind of cover the same stuff which I wasn't crazy on because it doesn't really contribute anything new to the story. It was kind of frustrating to read the same moment three times but also it didn't ruin the book for me.
Still definitely recommend this book. A great example of how powerful Aussie YA books can be (and why they deserve more love overseas). Also I met the author yesterday and he is seriously so charming and likeable.
June 23, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
March 26, 2016
I didn't quite expect this book to get to me in the way it did. The characters all had their own flaws, and differences, but this just made them feel so real that it was like I knew the personally.
Kostakis has done such an amazing job with this one, especially with the ending - I had goosebumps. I don't quite know how, but it was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, and I'd even go so far as to consider it a feel-good novel.
Kostakis has done such an amazing job with this one, especially with the ending - I had goosebumps. I don't quite know how, but it was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, and I'd even go so far as to consider it a feel-good novel.
November 11, 2015
‘The Sidekicks’ is the new young adult book from Australian author Will Kostakis.
Will is the author of fantastic 2013 book ‘The First Third,’ which went on to win the prestigious Gold Inky Award in 2014 (in which teen readers chose the shortlist, and selected the winner!). So, Will’s third book and first after ‘The First Third’ (wow, tongue-tied) was a most-anticipated fare … and I’m happy to say, it absolutely lives up to high reader-expectation.
The book is in fact three linked novellas – from the points of view of three boys after the tragic death of their mutual friend (and actually, Isaac is the only thing these boys have in common). The book opens with Ryan, ‘The Swimmer,’ and sets up a lodestone scene the next two boys will come back to – when they’re called into the Principal’s office to learn of Isaac’s death the night before.
From there we see how each of these boys – Ryan, Harley, and Miles – cope with the death of Isaac, and how he fit into each of their lives … and maybe, how they can each fit into each other’s lives as they embark on this new normal, without the glue that held their tentative friendship together.
Ryan refers to himself, with little ego, as; ‘Ryan Patrick Thomson, Olympic hopeful.’ He’s a minor celebrity at his private Catholic school, and is well aware that his currency on the swim team grants him certain leeway, which his mother (as Head of the English Department) is quick to counteract. Ryan also has a boyfriend that nobody – except Isaac – had any idea about. In a candid discussion with sympathetic teacher Mr Collins, Ryan confronts the idea that in only letting his best friend know the truth about his sexuality, he has compartmentalized his life;
‘I didn’t want to leave my legacy to one person, and risk it being lost. I gave as much of myself to as many people, so that when they put all those pieces together, that would be the mark I left on the world.’
I will say that of all the boys, Ryan’s novella was the most powerful and there may have been a slight dip in the action when his chapter concluded. There was just so much nuance there, particularly when his sexuality was at logger-heads with the casual homophobic rhetoric he was hearing from his fellow students, and even the teachers at his Catholic school – all of which added to his paranoia, and wish not to come out to his friends and family. That being said, once I got over my reader-grief at losing Ryan as narrator, I could really appreciate what each boy’s point of view bought to the story – and in many ways, how they each helped to build a picture of who Isaac was.
Each novella – Ryan, Harley and Miles – takes a different look at grief. For Ryan, it’s coming to grips with the loss of the person who knows you best – right down to your biggest secret. In many ways, the book is about a certain degree of selfishness is one’s grief, when we look at how the loss of someone affects us, as individuals. This is also partly because Isaac was a bit of an enigma to all his friends, as we see each of them had a very different relationship and connection to him, he played a very unique role/function in each of their lives – as people tend to do in high school, when you’re more likely than ever to be narrowed into your most public ‘persona’.
For ‘The Rebel’ Harley, he and Isaac (or ‘Zac’ as he insisted on cooler calling him) found mutual ground in partying and getting wasted. With Zac’s death, Harley is forced to confront feelings of guilt, and also abandonment – a feeling he can’t help but connect to Zac’s departure, since Harley is still combating feelings of rejection since his American-born mother moved back to the States – making Harley feel as though he and his father were merely an uninteresting stop-over in her life.
Harley is someone who has tried not to get close to anyone for fear of rejection, but with Zac’s death comes the stark realization that he craves affection, from the very people he insists on pushing away – one of whom is his friend, a girl named Jacs, who has her own thoughts on Harley’s attempts at keeping his distance;
‘… Growing up, he’d say we spend our lives wrapping rubber bands around people. Some bands are so tight that you can feel them pulling you together. Some are loose and stretch for miles, there’s so much give you hardly notice them. But you’re still connected, and sooner or later …’ She releases the band and it snaps back into her wrist.
Miles, ‘The Nerd’, triggers a mystery sub-plot in the book when, immediately after learning of Isaac’s death, he rushes to the dead boy’s locker to retrieve a mystery bag … Miles’s chapter plays around with form, and is often laid out like a screenplay. This is partly because of how he and Isaac connected, as both were in a young filmmakers programme at school. But it’s also a way for Miles to candidly discuss his emotions that don’t come easily, and there’s certainly suggestion here that he’s somewhere on the spectrum.
Something I loved about this book was that, in many ways, Will Kostakis has taken the cliché male characters that sometimes appear in YA books (and pop-culture, or society generally), and made them multi-dimensional, relatable and real. The prosaic ‘Breakfast Club’ labels of The Swimmer, The Rebel, and The Nerd feel very tongue-in-cheek, and what’s clever is how Kostakis breaks them down to normality and humanity – takes them beyond the label of ‘Sidekicks’, and makes them the heroes of their own stories.
Harley, arguably, is what that marvelous parody Twitter account ‘Brooding YA Hero’ is poking fun at. Miles feels like he could be akin to all those nerd-lite characters John Green loves to write, those who could be built with a John Green Plot Generator. While Ryan reads like the perfect tick-box ‘Book Boyfriend’, outwardly designed for girls to swoon over. But those are what they’d be if broken down to their most basic traits – The Swimmer, The Rebel, and The Nerd – the faces they show the world are not all that they are … and the book is really about how grief confronts them, and frees them.
I’ve often said that I crave contemporary YA books in which male characters are actually allowed to show their emotions, in a plot that’s not cloaked by quest or end-of-the-world catastrophe. ‘The Sidekicks’ is exactly why I crave those sorts of stories – in a book that shows the honesty and intimacy of male friendship and complicated friendship groups. A book in which the seemingly typified male characters are so much more than the sum of the parts they’re often broken down to, by various pop-culture portrayals and societal expectations. This book – like the multi-layered, and nuanced characters – shows grief to be a prism with many sides. It’s devastating and devastatingly funny, and just makes me excited for whatever Will Kostakis writes next.
Will is the author of fantastic 2013 book ‘The First Third,’ which went on to win the prestigious Gold Inky Award in 2014 (in which teen readers chose the shortlist, and selected the winner!). So, Will’s third book and first after ‘The First Third’ (wow, tongue-tied) was a most-anticipated fare … and I’m happy to say, it absolutely lives up to high reader-expectation.
The book is in fact three linked novellas – from the points of view of three boys after the tragic death of their mutual friend (and actually, Isaac is the only thing these boys have in common). The book opens with Ryan, ‘The Swimmer,’ and sets up a lodestone scene the next two boys will come back to – when they’re called into the Principal’s office to learn of Isaac’s death the night before.
From there we see how each of these boys – Ryan, Harley, and Miles – cope with the death of Isaac, and how he fit into each of their lives … and maybe, how they can each fit into each other’s lives as they embark on this new normal, without the glue that held their tentative friendship together.
Ryan refers to himself, with little ego, as; ‘Ryan Patrick Thomson, Olympic hopeful.’ He’s a minor celebrity at his private Catholic school, and is well aware that his currency on the swim team grants him certain leeway, which his mother (as Head of the English Department) is quick to counteract. Ryan also has a boyfriend that nobody – except Isaac – had any idea about. In a candid discussion with sympathetic teacher Mr Collins, Ryan confronts the idea that in only letting his best friend know the truth about his sexuality, he has compartmentalized his life;
‘I didn’t want to leave my legacy to one person, and risk it being lost. I gave as much of myself to as many people, so that when they put all those pieces together, that would be the mark I left on the world.’
I will say that of all the boys, Ryan’s novella was the most powerful and there may have been a slight dip in the action when his chapter concluded. There was just so much nuance there, particularly when his sexuality was at logger-heads with the casual homophobic rhetoric he was hearing from his fellow students, and even the teachers at his Catholic school – all of which added to his paranoia, and wish not to come out to his friends and family. That being said, once I got over my reader-grief at losing Ryan as narrator, I could really appreciate what each boy’s point of view bought to the story – and in many ways, how they each helped to build a picture of who Isaac was.
Each novella – Ryan, Harley and Miles – takes a different look at grief. For Ryan, it’s coming to grips with the loss of the person who knows you best – right down to your biggest secret. In many ways, the book is about a certain degree of selfishness is one’s grief, when we look at how the loss of someone affects us, as individuals. This is also partly because Isaac was a bit of an enigma to all his friends, as we see each of them had a very different relationship and connection to him, he played a very unique role/function in each of their lives – as people tend to do in high school, when you’re more likely than ever to be narrowed into your most public ‘persona’.
For ‘The Rebel’ Harley, he and Isaac (or ‘Zac’ as he insisted on cooler calling him) found mutual ground in partying and getting wasted. With Zac’s death, Harley is forced to confront feelings of guilt, and also abandonment – a feeling he can’t help but connect to Zac’s departure, since Harley is still combating feelings of rejection since his American-born mother moved back to the States – making Harley feel as though he and his father were merely an uninteresting stop-over in her life.
Harley is someone who has tried not to get close to anyone for fear of rejection, but with Zac’s death comes the stark realization that he craves affection, from the very people he insists on pushing away – one of whom is his friend, a girl named Jacs, who has her own thoughts on Harley’s attempts at keeping his distance;
‘… Growing up, he’d say we spend our lives wrapping rubber bands around people. Some bands are so tight that you can feel them pulling you together. Some are loose and stretch for miles, there’s so much give you hardly notice them. But you’re still connected, and sooner or later …’ She releases the band and it snaps back into her wrist.
Miles, ‘The Nerd’, triggers a mystery sub-plot in the book when, immediately after learning of Isaac’s death, he rushes to the dead boy’s locker to retrieve a mystery bag … Miles’s chapter plays around with form, and is often laid out like a screenplay. This is partly because of how he and Isaac connected, as both were in a young filmmakers programme at school. But it’s also a way for Miles to candidly discuss his emotions that don’t come easily, and there’s certainly suggestion here that he’s somewhere on the spectrum.
Something I loved about this book was that, in many ways, Will Kostakis has taken the cliché male characters that sometimes appear in YA books (and pop-culture, or society generally), and made them multi-dimensional, relatable and real. The prosaic ‘Breakfast Club’ labels of The Swimmer, The Rebel, and The Nerd feel very tongue-in-cheek, and what’s clever is how Kostakis breaks them down to normality and humanity – takes them beyond the label of ‘Sidekicks’, and makes them the heroes of their own stories.
Harley, arguably, is what that marvelous parody Twitter account ‘Brooding YA Hero’ is poking fun at. Miles feels like he could be akin to all those nerd-lite characters John Green loves to write, those who could be built with a John Green Plot Generator. While Ryan reads like the perfect tick-box ‘Book Boyfriend’, outwardly designed for girls to swoon over. But those are what they’d be if broken down to their most basic traits – The Swimmer, The Rebel, and The Nerd – the faces they show the world are not all that they are … and the book is really about how grief confronts them, and frees them.
I’ve often said that I crave contemporary YA books in which male characters are actually allowed to show their emotions, in a plot that’s not cloaked by quest or end-of-the-world catastrophe. ‘The Sidekicks’ is exactly why I crave those sorts of stories – in a book that shows the honesty and intimacy of male friendship and complicated friendship groups. A book in which the seemingly typified male characters are so much more than the sum of the parts they’re often broken down to, by various pop-culture portrayals and societal expectations. This book – like the multi-layered, and nuanced characters – shows grief to be a prism with many sides. It’s devastating and devastatingly funny, and just makes me excited for whatever Will Kostakis writes next.
March 2, 2016
this book is sitting on my heart and mind right now, such a wonderful book loved every minute!
March 7, 2017
4.8/5 Stars
The Swimmer:
Ryan is the first point of view we hear from, he's a sweet average teenage boy with a talent for swimming. Being recognised for fast lapped times it's predicted he's going to make the olympics when he's called into the office we learn of his best friends death.
Ryan is a character I completely fell for, he has a close relationship with his Mum who is head of the english department at school and a secret relation ship with Todd his boyfriend. Ryan hasn't come out just yet and now that he's dealing with the grief of losing Isaac and his sort of acquaintances at school he starts thinking about life more.
“You don't know how long you have, do what makes you happy. Live. Love and be remarkable.”
The Rebel
Harley's story starts at the same point of Ryan but diverges quickly, after flashing back to the night before were he last saw Zac he goes to the other boys and asks what actually happened. Harley retreats from Sydney and goes back to his Dads for some alone time, a few bottles of red wine and a messed up barista job later he's back and ready to Sydney and tell Zac's parents the truth about what happened that night.
The Nerd
Miles is the last POV and one of my favourites an extremely bright kid and high achiever, he has a really easy and believable relationship with his parents and is all together a bit up tight.
Miles has been watching old footage from a movie he made with Isaac and in doing so starts to think about their friendship and what it really was. Miles over thinks and gets understandable upset but in the end the show must go on.
This book is so Australian, so full of feelings, so full of family and friendships, it's messy and fun, it's sad and hopeful. I absolutely loved every point of view, everyone in the story minor characters included and how the plot flowed.
The Swimmer:
Ryan is the first point of view we hear from, he's a sweet average teenage boy with a talent for swimming. Being recognised for fast lapped times it's predicted he's going to make the olympics when he's called into the office we learn of his best friends death.
Ryan is a character I completely fell for, he has a close relationship with his Mum who is head of the english department at school and a secret relation ship with Todd his boyfriend. Ryan hasn't come out just yet and now that he's dealing with the grief of losing Isaac and his sort of acquaintances at school he starts thinking about life more.
“You don't know how long you have, do what makes you happy. Live. Love and be remarkable.”
The Rebel
Harley's story starts at the same point of Ryan but diverges quickly, after flashing back to the night before were he last saw Zac he goes to the other boys and asks what actually happened. Harley retreats from Sydney and goes back to his Dads for some alone time, a few bottles of red wine and a messed up barista job later he's back and ready to Sydney and tell Zac's parents the truth about what happened that night.
The Nerd
Miles is the last POV and one of my favourites an extremely bright kid and high achiever, he has a really easy and believable relationship with his parents and is all together a bit up tight.
Miles has been watching old footage from a movie he made with Isaac and in doing so starts to think about their friendship and what it really was. Miles over thinks and gets understandable upset but in the end the show must go on.
This book is so Australian, so full of feelings, so full of family and friendships, it's messy and fun, it's sad and hopeful. I absolutely loved every point of view, everyone in the story minor characters included and how the plot flowed.
October 30, 2016
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I'm so glad I finally read this book! I loved The First Third and how it offered a relatable male perspective. The Sidekicks primarily features the aftermath of Isaac's death and his three friends dealing with grief in their own different ways. As they weren't really friends beforehand, they find out how they fit in with each other after he's gone.
I loved how the book took us through three perspectives, with each of their stories finishing before the other began. Ryan is a swimmer who is afraid of coming out and being written off as the "gay guy", Harley is the bad boy whose grief has hit him hard, and Miles is the nerd who can't quite cope with Isaac's death. Each of the stories are quite impactful and really hit me hard, especially with how they dealt with it so differently. They really don't know what they are left with, but having each other to grieve with kind of bound them together in a way.
It was also interesting how each of the perspectives were told so differently - Ryan's perspective was written really well, being smart and studious. Then we go into Harley's pov which was my least favourite, because of all the short sentences and the slang and grammar which wasn't perfect, to capture how he is like as a bad boy (who has a good heart). Miles was interesting, splitting his flashbacks between the past and present into neat blocks in time and showing some of the dialogue from a video that he filmed of the group. It was a really creative way of telling the story.
While I liked the concept behind three unlikely guys forming a friendship over grief, I also found some of the characters difficult to connect with, especially since we only hear from them once in the book. In particular, I didn't really connect with Harley because his perspective was so hard to get into for me. I liked Ryan's perspective the best because of everything he was dealing with, from his mum being a teacher, to his sexual orientation and resulting romance and also the grief with Ryan. I felt like the rest of the character perspectives kind of stunted a bit, because there was less complexity in their stories.
I also liked how the story came together in the end and how the last few pages wrapped things up nicely. Overall, another impactful, diverse and important Aussie YA book from a great author.
Check out Happy Indulgence Books for more reviews!
I'm so glad I finally read this book! I loved The First Third and how it offered a relatable male perspective. The Sidekicks primarily features the aftermath of Isaac's death and his three friends dealing with grief in their own different ways. As they weren't really friends beforehand, they find out how they fit in with each other after he's gone.
I loved how the book took us through three perspectives, with each of their stories finishing before the other began. Ryan is a swimmer who is afraid of coming out and being written off as the "gay guy", Harley is the bad boy whose grief has hit him hard, and Miles is the nerd who can't quite cope with Isaac's death. Each of the stories are quite impactful and really hit me hard, especially with how they dealt with it so differently. They really don't know what they are left with, but having each other to grieve with kind of bound them together in a way.
It was also interesting how each of the perspectives were told so differently - Ryan's perspective was written really well, being smart and studious. Then we go into Harley's pov which was my least favourite, because of all the short sentences and the slang and grammar which wasn't perfect, to capture how he is like as a bad boy (who has a good heart). Miles was interesting, splitting his flashbacks between the past and present into neat blocks in time and showing some of the dialogue from a video that he filmed of the group. It was a really creative way of telling the story.
While I liked the concept behind three unlikely guys forming a friendship over grief, I also found some of the characters difficult to connect with, especially since we only hear from them once in the book. In particular, I didn't really connect with Harley because his perspective was so hard to get into for me. I liked Ryan's perspective the best because of everything he was dealing with, from his mum being a teacher, to his sexual orientation and resulting romance and also the grief with Ryan. I felt like the rest of the character perspectives kind of stunted a bit, because there was less complexity in their stories.
I also liked how the story came together in the end and how the last few pages wrapped things up nicely. Overall, another impactful, diverse and important Aussie YA book from a great author.
Check out Happy Indulgence Books for more reviews!
February 29, 2016
Will Kostakis keeps getting better and better. His latest, The Sidekicks, subtly and carefully navigates the world of teenage boys on the cusp of adulthood. Ryan, Harley and Miles seemingly have only one thing in common - Isaac - and when he dies, their fragile relationships teeter on the edge of oblivion. Can a swimmer, a bad boy and a nerd really be friends?
I love this quote from Will about The Sidekicks - "It’s mostly a book about the fear of closets, and why teenagers in real life have to stay in the closet." If you want to hear more about The Sidekicks from Will, check out this link, Will's Blog, and in the meantime, get yourself to a library or bookstore and buy this terrific book.
I love this quote from Will about The Sidekicks - "It’s mostly a book about the fear of closets, and why teenagers in real life have to stay in the closet." If you want to hear more about The Sidekicks from Will, check out this link, Will's Blog, and in the meantime, get yourself to a library or bookstore and buy this terrific book.
January 4, 2017
Such a quick and fun read! It started off a little slow, but I really enjoyed the characters and loved their interactions. I loved how it showed how people deal with grief in different ways, and how hard it can be to move on after losing someone so close.
May 14, 2017
guess who's crying,,,,
January 17, 2017
I loved everything about this book. The beautiful style, all three point of views, the characters, the story. When I was reading this book I felt like I was reading truth and this is what has stayed with me the most. It's an important book and I hope schools embrace it and add it to their libraries and curriculum.
February 27, 2016
“How was your afternoon?
“No one died, so it was a big improvement on my morning.”
I find it difficult, at times, to write a review for a book I’ve really liked. Sometimes it’s hard to pin down exactly what it is that made it such a favourite of yours – all you want to do is put down a whole lot of adjectives in shouty capital letters and be like ‘READ THIS NOW’.
Jamie Cummins and I started at Barton House the same time, I remember sitting next to him at Year Seven orientation. They must have orientated him one way, and me another, because our paths have hardly intersected since.
This is an underrated gem, people, and it needs more ratings on goodreads, stat. If you need further convincing, then let me say that this book gave me major Jellicoe feels – and you all know that’s one of my favourite books of all time. I don’t know what they have in the water Down Under, but Aussie authors seem to knock it out of the park, time and time again.
Can I say it’s not as bad as I thought it would be? Mostly, it isn’t this huge sadness. It’s a constant, sort of, hollowness in my chest. An acknowledgement of an absence.
The Sidekicks consists of three novellas, each from the perspective of a different dude – friends of the now-dead Isaac. But they don’t repeat exactly the same events from a different perspective – which would be incredibly boring – but rather fill in the gaps and provide insight into each character’s grieving process and personality, while remaining true to the plot thread of the novel.
I’m the gay one now. I don’t want them to look at me and see a rainbow, but is it any better that they look at me and see a lie?
The book just manages the perfect combination of dark humour and wit amidst the more serious incident of a student’s death indirectly resulting from substance abuse, and the issues facing each of the friends he left behind. It had me cackling at some points. And it also portrayed some real heartfelt moments that punched you right in the feels, without crossing into cheesy or melodramatic territory.
Ah, Harley’s world-famous benders. He drinks for one day, but disappears for two because the myth maketh the man.
It was the small gestures that really did it; the small ways you show that you care – Harley rushing to Ryan’s home to warn him when his secret is made known to the whole school, Miles taking steps to ensure that one of Harley’s steps to penance comes about, Harley making sure that Miles gets his deserved inclusion in Isaac’s memorial tributes…
“You’re either going to be one of those billionaire media moguls, or a very successful white-collar criminal.”
“Thanks…I think?”
I loved Ryan’s mom and their relationship, her utter supportiveness. I loved Harley and his blossoming relationship with Jacs. I loved the gentle teasing of Miles’ parents.
“I think I want to become Harley’s friend.”
Mum stifles a laugh. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it?
“Harley is a Neanderthal in a private school uniform.”
“You were always hard on him.”
“He is more flammable than methylated spirits. He is a pharmacy with a pulse. His grammar is appalling.”
There were a few things that bugged me – Miles sounded a bit too much like a robot at times, Harley’s section was written the way he spoke – so “should of” instead of “should have”, which sounds petty but jarred me a bit from the reading experience. But these are minor nuisances compared to the overall brilliance of the novel. Yes, brilliance. It’s simple in its own way, a book I’d classify as “Quiet YA”, but it was cleverly done, with realistic depictions of teenage males, a diverse set of issues, and a few gut-punching moments of heartbreak, hope and humour.
“This ends now. We’re breaking bread.” The waiter gets to us before Thommo’s had time to peruse.
“Do you have bread?”
“We have croissants.”
Thommo blinks. “We’re breaking croissant.”
“One croissant?” the waiter asks.
“With three plates.”
“They’re very small.” He mimes the croissant’s size.
“Then bring small plates,” Thommo says.
***
“No one died, so it was a big improvement on my morning.”
I find it difficult, at times, to write a review for a book I’ve really liked. Sometimes it’s hard to pin down exactly what it is that made it such a favourite of yours – all you want to do is put down a whole lot of adjectives in shouty capital letters and be like ‘READ THIS NOW’.
Jamie Cummins and I started at Barton House the same time, I remember sitting next to him at Year Seven orientation. They must have orientated him one way, and me another, because our paths have hardly intersected since.
This is an underrated gem, people, and it needs more ratings on goodreads, stat. If you need further convincing, then let me say that this book gave me major Jellicoe feels – and you all know that’s one of my favourite books of all time. I don’t know what they have in the water Down Under, but Aussie authors seem to knock it out of the park, time and time again.
Can I say it’s not as bad as I thought it would be? Mostly, it isn’t this huge sadness. It’s a constant, sort of, hollowness in my chest. An acknowledgement of an absence.
The Sidekicks consists of three novellas, each from the perspective of a different dude – friends of the now-dead Isaac. But they don’t repeat exactly the same events from a different perspective – which would be incredibly boring – but rather fill in the gaps and provide insight into each character’s grieving process and personality, while remaining true to the plot thread of the novel.
I’m the gay one now. I don’t want them to look at me and see a rainbow, but is it any better that they look at me and see a lie?
The book just manages the perfect combination of dark humour and wit amidst the more serious incident of a student’s death indirectly resulting from substance abuse, and the issues facing each of the friends he left behind. It had me cackling at some points. And it also portrayed some real heartfelt moments that punched you right in the feels, without crossing into cheesy or melodramatic territory.
Ah, Harley’s world-famous benders. He drinks for one day, but disappears for two because the myth maketh the man.
It was the small gestures that really did it; the small ways you show that you care – Harley rushing to Ryan’s home to warn him when his secret is made known to the whole school, Miles taking steps to ensure that one of Harley’s steps to penance comes about, Harley making sure that Miles gets his deserved inclusion in Isaac’s memorial tributes…
“You’re either going to be one of those billionaire media moguls, or a very successful white-collar criminal.”
“Thanks…I think?”
I loved Ryan’s mom and their relationship, her utter supportiveness. I loved Harley and his blossoming relationship with Jacs. I loved the gentle teasing of Miles’ parents.
“I think I want to become Harley’s friend.”
Mum stifles a laugh. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it?
“Harley is a Neanderthal in a private school uniform.”
“You were always hard on him.”
“He is more flammable than methylated spirits. He is a pharmacy with a pulse. His grammar is appalling.”
There were a few things that bugged me – Miles sounded a bit too much like a robot at times, Harley’s section was written the way he spoke – so “should of” instead of “should have”, which sounds petty but jarred me a bit from the reading experience. But these are minor nuisances compared to the overall brilliance of the novel. Yes, brilliance. It’s simple in its own way, a book I’d classify as “Quiet YA”, but it was cleverly done, with realistic depictions of teenage males, a diverse set of issues, and a few gut-punching moments of heartbreak, hope and humour.
“This ends now. We’re breaking bread.” The waiter gets to us before Thommo’s had time to peruse.
“Do you have bread?”
“We have croissants.”
Thommo blinks. “We’re breaking croissant.”
“One croissant?” the waiter asks.
“With three plates.”
“They’re very small.” He mimes the croissant’s size.
“Then bring small plates,” Thommo says.
***
February 6, 2017
When you equate the way someone loves to something you don't like, you betray your limited vocabulary.
Three guys that had in common their best friend and nothing beyond that. But what happens when he dies? Do they move on from being the sidekicks and become the main characters of their movie, or just never cross paths again?
A similar concept to what History is all you left me by Adam Silvera has to offer, so I had very high expectations. But jumping into this book right after reading the other one made me lack the whole spectrum of emotions that I felt towards characters from HIAYLM and that characters felt towards each other.
I have an indisputable reason for saying this and I feel like this shortfall was a direct consequence of the book's format. The Sidekicks is written from three perspectives and the events described are mostly the same. We start off with Ryan, the swimmer, the lgbt character, the coming out story arc, who was the best part of this novel, the most real character we get and to whom I could easily connect to and care about. That means that he raised the bar for the two characters that followed and they definitely did not surpass it, nor did they reach it.
My interest in this book began declining with each character. I didn't feel much for Harley, whereas I was quickly irritated by the last perspective's format and therefore, by Miles.
With this being said, I do appreciate the story. Even though it wasn't an outstanding read for me, it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it at all. It's just probably going to end up in the void of 3 star ratings.
Do more. You don't know how long you have, do what makes you happy. Live, love and be remarkable.
This is not a finale. This is the pilot of the spin-off.
Three guys that had in common their best friend and nothing beyond that. But what happens when he dies? Do they move on from being the sidekicks and become the main characters of their movie, or just never cross paths again?
A similar concept to what History is all you left me by Adam Silvera has to offer, so I had very high expectations. But jumping into this book right after reading the other one made me lack the whole spectrum of emotions that I felt towards characters from HIAYLM and that characters felt towards each other.
I have an indisputable reason for saying this and I feel like this shortfall was a direct consequence of the book's format. The Sidekicks is written from three perspectives and the events described are mostly the same. We start off with Ryan, the swimmer, the lgbt character, the coming out story arc, who was the best part of this novel, the most real character we get and to whom I could easily connect to and care about. That means that he raised the bar for the two characters that followed and they definitely did not surpass it, nor did they reach it.
My interest in this book began declining with each character. I didn't feel much for Harley, whereas I was quickly irritated by the last perspective's format and therefore, by Miles.
With this being said, I do appreciate the story. Even though it wasn't an outstanding read for me, it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it at all. It's just probably going to end up in the void of 3 star ratings.
Do more. You don't know how long you have, do what makes you happy. Live, love and be remarkable.
This is not a finale. This is the pilot of the spin-off.
February 29, 2016
Read this review @ my blog Wonderless Reviews
I read this right after I finished The Raven King and it helped my hangover so much. I was desperate for more books focusing on friendship and the fact that this was about a group of boys and would probably make me cry was enough for me to decide to read it next. I also love supporting Australian YA. There are so many amazing Aussie YA books out there and I want them to get the recognition they deserve!
The Sidekicks is about a group of guys (Ryan, Harley and Miles) who are all trying to deal with the death of their best friend, Isaac. Ryan, Harley and Miles aren't really friends with each other. The boys only common denominator was Isaac and now they have to try and navigate a world without him, whilst dealing with their own individual issues.
Ryan, Harley and Miles all have their own perspective in the book. The Sidekicks is divided into sections - not chapters. Normally this would have bothered me, but it worked really well for this book. Each section read like a short story or novella and everything came together beautifully at the end. I know this might make a few people hesitant, but I actually think this book wouldn't have worked as well with chapters because it would have disrupted the flow of the story. The sections all connect and overlap in a way that is anything but repetitive. I actually found the style really refreshing.
I'm not sure how but Will Kostakis managed to make an off page friendship seem completely 100% genuine and believable in three or four pages. I hadn't seen Isaac's friendship between any of the boys, but boy did I feel it. I was crying on page five. Their grief was so real. I felt the pain every single one of them was feeling.
All three boys have such an unique voice and personality. Their respective sections all have their own writing style, but it doesn't disrupt anything. Admitedly, I did have a bit of trouble with Miles' section because it was written in script format, but it 100% made sense for his character so I didn't mind.
It was so interesting seeing how they faced the problems they were dealing with. Ryan was trying to deal with coming out (and I thought it was handled brilliantly), Harley (who was my favourite and who gave me serious Ronan vibes) was dealing with an absent mother and feeling responsible for Isaac's death and Miles was worried that he was never really Isaac's friend at all. I loved going on the journey with them as they tried to work out just who they were without Isaac. I loved seeing Ryan, Harley and Miles challenge their labels and also learn to accept themselves. You really got to see them figure things out and they all had such brilliant character development. I loved watching the friendship between the three of them grow as they came together to try and deal with their loss. I also loved that Isaac felt like a main character because of how he lived on in the memories of each boy.
I loved that this book didn't have absent parents (and the one parent that was kind of absent was handled brilliantly) and we even got to see their relationship with various teachers. It made the whole thing seem so much real. There was no contrived and convenient romances.
The main thing I loved about this book was how it dealt with grief. It showed that everyone experiences it differently and there's no right or wrong way. To be a bit personal my nana passed away in 2014. I was extremely close with her, she helped raise me. It's something I still struggle with every day. Reading this book has definitely helped me be okay with my own grief. I'm allowed to miss her, but I know I need to still try and keep living.
This book will make you laugh and cry with it's perfect balance of wit and heartwarming moments. You truly see how much the boys care about each other and how much they cared about Isaac. It's such an incredible friendship.
And the ending, oh boy. I'm not going to spoil anything, but I'll just say that this quite possibly one of my favourite endings ever. It was perfect. I cried and had goosebumps. It was so fitting.
I honestly can't recommend this book enough especially if you're a fan of beautiful, coming of age contemporaries that feature well developed characters and wonderful friendships. The Sidekicks is brilliant, smart and so important. I never wanted it to end.
P.S. Just in case you needed some more convincing there was a Harry Potter reference.
Also, Will Kostakis is hilarious and you should definitely watch this interview he did with Chami @ ReadLikeWildFire.
I read this right after I finished The Raven King and it helped my hangover so much. I was desperate for more books focusing on friendship and the fact that this was about a group of boys and would probably make me cry was enough for me to decide to read it next. I also love supporting Australian YA. There are so many amazing Aussie YA books out there and I want them to get the recognition they deserve!
The Sidekicks is about a group of guys (Ryan, Harley and Miles) who are all trying to deal with the death of their best friend, Isaac. Ryan, Harley and Miles aren't really friends with each other. The boys only common denominator was Isaac and now they have to try and navigate a world without him, whilst dealing with their own individual issues.
Ryan, Harley and Miles all have their own perspective in the book. The Sidekicks is divided into sections - not chapters. Normally this would have bothered me, but it worked really well for this book. Each section read like a short story or novella and everything came together beautifully at the end. I know this might make a few people hesitant, but I actually think this book wouldn't have worked as well with chapters because it would have disrupted the flow of the story. The sections all connect and overlap in a way that is anything but repetitive. I actually found the style really refreshing.
I'm not sure how but Will Kostakis managed to make an off page friendship seem completely 100% genuine and believable in three or four pages. I hadn't seen Isaac's friendship between any of the boys, but boy did I feel it. I was crying on page five. Their grief was so real. I felt the pain every single one of them was feeling.
“How was your afternoon?"
“No one died, so it was a big improvement on my morning.”
All three boys have such an unique voice and personality. Their respective sections all have their own writing style, but it doesn't disrupt anything. Admitedly, I did have a bit of trouble with Miles' section because it was written in script format, but it 100% made sense for his character so I didn't mind.
It was so interesting seeing how they faced the problems they were dealing with. Ryan was trying to deal with coming out (and I thought it was handled brilliantly), Harley (who was my favourite and who gave me serious Ronan vibes) was dealing with an absent mother and feeling responsible for Isaac's death and Miles was worried that he was never really Isaac's friend at all. I loved going on the journey with them as they tried to work out just who they were without Isaac. I loved seeing Ryan, Harley and Miles challenge their labels and also learn to accept themselves. You really got to see them figure things out and they all had such brilliant character development. I loved watching the friendship between the three of them grow as they came together to try and deal with their loss. I also loved that Isaac felt like a main character because of how he lived on in the memories of each boy.
I loved that this book didn't have absent parents (and the one parent that was kind of absent was handled brilliantly) and we even got to see their relationship with various teachers. It made the whole thing seem so much real. There was no contrived and convenient romances.
The main thing I loved about this book was how it dealt with grief. It showed that everyone experiences it differently and there's no right or wrong way. To be a bit personal my nana passed away in 2014. I was extremely close with her, she helped raise me. It's something I still struggle with every day. Reading this book has definitely helped me be okay with my own grief. I'm allowed to miss her, but I know I need to still try and keep living.
"Time is pulling us apart. With every second that passes, the space between us widens. Today, I saw him yesterday. In a few days, it will have been last week. Then, last month. And there is nothing I can do to keep time from wedging more of itself between us. It is inevitable."
This book will make you laugh and cry with it's perfect balance of wit and heartwarming moments. You truly see how much the boys care about each other and how much they cared about Isaac. It's such an incredible friendship.
And the ending, oh boy. I'm not going to spoil anything, but I'll just say that this quite possibly one of my favourite endings ever. It was perfect. I cried and had goosebumps. It was so fitting.
I honestly can't recommend this book enough especially if you're a fan of beautiful, coming of age contemporaries that feature well developed characters and wonderful friendships. The Sidekicks is brilliant, smart and so important. I never wanted it to end.
P.S. Just in case you needed some more convincing there was a Harry Potter reference.
Also, Will Kostakis is hilarious and you should definitely watch this interview he did with Chami @ ReadLikeWildFire.
March 16, 2016
Contemporary novels are driven by their characters, by the intrinsic humanity we as readers are able to find in the paper construct of a novel. In lines of black ink, and in the images our mind conjures from these pages, our soul reaches out to a person that doesn't even exist - and in-between real and imaginary, we learn a little something about our own humanity.
THE SIDEKICKS by Will Kostakis achieves everything a great contemporary should, and does it with the signature flair of an author who is early in a career that's surely going a long, long way.
The overall premise of THE SIDEKICKS echoes Patrick Ness' 2015 novel, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, in that the characters we follow are not intended to be the 'main' character. Kostakis' latest novel centers around three teenagers in a well-to-do Australian High School called 'Barton College'. They are three boys who only know eachother via a mutual friend, Isaac, who has died recklessly as the result of a suspected drug or alcohol overdose.
It's a stark and abrupt beginning, but surprisingly, the book isn't as dark as the initial premise might suggest. THE SIDEKICKS is very much about grieving and moving on after the loss of a loved one, but never in a particularly depressive way - it approaches the subject matter with a brutal kind of honesty, and more often than not, some light-hearted comedy.
The three characters are distinctly different from eachother, and yet - as Kostakis himself admits - they are stereotypes with a subverted twist. They each cope with the loss of Isaac in their own way, and learn that they had very different relationships with their supposed 'best friend'.
Ryan - 'the Swimmer' - is the prodigal Olympic hopeful, an egotistical and dedicated swimmer who barely has a purpose outside of freestyle. His mother is the Head of English at Barton College, and he harbors a personal secret of being gay, which dominates and cripples his life. Ryan's homosexuality has been the subject of heated real-world debate, particularly in Catholic schools in Australia. In the context of providing an educated review, there are gay components to the novel, but this is far from a 'gay novel', and Kostakis' own passion and fears come shining through in Ryan's terror about coming out.
Harley - 'the Rebel' - is a troubled teen from a broken family, spending most of his free time drinking and selling recreational drugs - but subverting the usual delinquent trope, Harley has a heart of gold shining through. Harley is almost directly responsible for Isaac's death, and his crippling guilt is a central theme of his narrative. His narrative includes some clever grammatical imperfections (like should of instead of should have) that really help the reader slip into his mind.
The last character, Miles, is 'the Nerd' - obsessed with grades and rejecting underage drinking and partying; he seems the least likely to be Isaac's friend. In fact, most of his arc consists of him struggling to understand if Isaac ever was his friend - or whether he was just another 'Sidekick'. I associated with parts of Miles' story, particularly the way he is shunned for not drinking - it serves as a direct contrast to Harley's deliberately illegal drinking.
These three stories are woven together, but told through three separate novellas. The characters' paths crossover and connect multiple times, expertly handled and most definitely worthy of a re-read just to get the timelines straightened out, particularly when you see a scene told from the other persons' perspective a hundred pages later.
THE SIDEKICKS stumbles a little with the plot. Most contemporaries have a character-driven plot, but aside from the foggy goal of 'getting over Isaac dying', none of the main characters are aiming for anything in particular. This might be because I'm not a regular contemporary reader; the early subplot of Miles and Isaac selling black-market essays looked like it would become a promising storyline, but instead it hangs in the background while the three characters process their chaotic lives.
The Good
The Bad
The Verdict
4/5 Stars
THE SIDEKICKS by Will Kostakis achieves everything a great contemporary should, and does it with the signature flair of an author who is early in a career that's surely going a long, long way.
The overall premise of THE SIDEKICKS echoes Patrick Ness' 2015 novel, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, in that the characters we follow are not intended to be the 'main' character. Kostakis' latest novel centers around three teenagers in a well-to-do Australian High School called 'Barton College'. They are three boys who only know eachother via a mutual friend, Isaac, who has died recklessly as the result of a suspected drug or alcohol overdose.
It's a stark and abrupt beginning, but surprisingly, the book isn't as dark as the initial premise might suggest. THE SIDEKICKS is very much about grieving and moving on after the loss of a loved one, but never in a particularly depressive way - it approaches the subject matter with a brutal kind of honesty, and more often than not, some light-hearted comedy.
The three characters are distinctly different from eachother, and yet - as Kostakis himself admits - they are stereotypes with a subverted twist. They each cope with the loss of Isaac in their own way, and learn that they had very different relationships with their supposed 'best friend'.
Ryan - 'the Swimmer' - is the prodigal Olympic hopeful, an egotistical and dedicated swimmer who barely has a purpose outside of freestyle. His mother is the Head of English at Barton College, and he harbors a personal secret of being gay, which dominates and cripples his life. Ryan's homosexuality has been the subject of heated real-world debate, particularly in Catholic schools in Australia. In the context of providing an educated review, there are gay components to the novel, but this is far from a 'gay novel', and Kostakis' own passion and fears come shining through in Ryan's terror about coming out.
Harley - 'the Rebel' - is a troubled teen from a broken family, spending most of his free time drinking and selling recreational drugs - but subverting the usual delinquent trope, Harley has a heart of gold shining through. Harley is almost directly responsible for Isaac's death, and his crippling guilt is a central theme of his narrative. His narrative includes some clever grammatical imperfections (like should of instead of should have) that really help the reader slip into his mind.
The last character, Miles, is 'the Nerd' - obsessed with grades and rejecting underage drinking and partying; he seems the least likely to be Isaac's friend. In fact, most of his arc consists of him struggling to understand if Isaac ever was his friend - or whether he was just another 'Sidekick'. I associated with parts of Miles' story, particularly the way he is shunned for not drinking - it serves as a direct contrast to Harley's deliberately illegal drinking.
These three stories are woven together, but told through three separate novellas. The characters' paths crossover and connect multiple times, expertly handled and most definitely worthy of a re-read just to get the timelines straightened out, particularly when you see a scene told from the other persons' perspective a hundred pages later.
THE SIDEKICKS stumbles a little with the plot. Most contemporaries have a character-driven plot, but aside from the foggy goal of 'getting over Isaac dying', none of the main characters are aiming for anything in particular. This might be because I'm not a regular contemporary reader; the early subplot of Miles and Isaac selling black-market essays looked like it would become a promising storyline, but instead it hangs in the background while the three characters process their chaotic lives.
The Good
Emotionally-charged narrative that focuses on the separate methods of grieving, releasing the loss of a loved one, and moving on in a constructive way, living your life to the fullest.
The Bad
Occasionally stumbles on plot, and leaves a few too many details about Isaac's death vague; Isaac's relationship with Ryan seems barely present compared to Miles and Harley, which is a little jarring.
The Verdict
An emotional gut-punch as three teenagers who had the same best friend must learn to live without him, face their personal demons, and forge proper friendships with eachother, built on the foundation of their shared grief and loss.
4/5 Stars
September 13, 2016
If you take any John Green book take out the melodramaticness and characters that act 60years older than their age and the inaccurate representation of teenage lives. You'd get this beautiful piece of work.
For ONCE there was a character that mentions that being a teenager isn't all about doing drugs, drinking alcohol, and getting in trouble.
It had some really beautiful analogies like the egg baskets, that was my favourite.
I wish it had a different cover, like it's pretty, but I don't think it fits the book very well.
For ONCE there was a character that mentions that being a teenager isn't all about doing drugs, drinking alcohol, and getting in trouble.
It had some really beautiful analogies like the egg baskets, that was my favourite.
I wish it had a different cover, like it's pretty, but I don't think it fits the book very well.
June 6, 2018
You know those times when someone tells you that a book or an author is fully and properly amazing and you need to get to it and get involved with their books and you completely expect that you are going to love their book? And you then feel bad because you liked it just fine, but you didn't love it to bits. This was that book.
July 26, 2017
Actual rating is 3.5
The Sidekicks tells a story of three Aussie teens who lost their best friend and now have to deal with grief and their new life. What complicates everything that all three of them are not friends with each. They don't like each other at all.
It seems like the Swimmer, the Rebel and the Nerd do not have much in common.
I enjoyed reading the book, but I can't say it was a mind-blowing experience. The book is solid, good plot, good characters and writing. But for me it lacked a spark.
I liked the composition of the story. The way all three povs weaved gradually into a bigger picture.
Characters were well-drafted. I admit my favorite is Miles, mostly because I like the change from me almost hating him to me being endeared to the boy.
Isaac, the boy who died, seemed kind of like a big jerk in flashbacks. I don't like him much.
I like the way the grief was handled here, I think the author portrays the story and its development realistically. I like the concept of "sidekicks" bonding together and starting their own "spinoff", as would Miles say.
I appreciate the way the closeted character was treated. Even though, Ryan's coming out was accidental, nothing violent or homophobic followed. Bless us with small mercies. I'm glad that trope is slowly dying down.
I wish we could see more of Scott and his mother reviving their relationship, I hope they've done it.
All in all, The Sidekicks was good read, but not particularly impressive.
The Sidekicks tells a story of three Aussie teens who lost their best friend and now have to deal with grief and their new life. What complicates everything that all three of them are not friends with each. They don't like each other at all.
It seems like the Swimmer, the Rebel and the Nerd do not have much in common.
I enjoyed reading the book, but I can't say it was a mind-blowing experience. The book is solid, good plot, good characters and writing. But for me it lacked a spark.
I liked the composition of the story. The way all three povs weaved gradually into a bigger picture.
Characters were well-drafted. I admit my favorite is Miles, mostly because I like the change from me almost hating him to me being endeared to the boy.
Isaac, the boy who died, seemed kind of like a big jerk in flashbacks. I don't like him much.
I like the way the grief was handled here, I think the author portrays the story and its development realistically. I like the concept of "sidekicks" bonding together and starting their own "spinoff", as would Miles say.
I appreciate the way the closeted character was treated. Even though, Ryan's coming out was accidental, nothing violent or homophobic followed. Bless us with small mercies. I'm glad that trope is slowly dying down.
I wish we could see more of Scott and his mother reviving their relationship, I hope they've done it.
All in all, The Sidekicks was good read, but not particularly impressive.
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