Derek’s review of The Go-Between > Likes and Comments
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Yes, it's a wonderful book. One of my favourites. :)
Terrific review, Derek. A favorite of mine!
This was a book I found at the library once and read it without knowing anything about it. I agree with your review.
When you're a child, the future always feels wide open, full of endless possibilities and I think some books are the first ones that make you realize the past can imprison you too. And this sounds like a novel that isn't just about a boy discovering the adult world, but also about the way memory keeps shaping a person across the years.
Also, the connection to Atonement and Brideshead Revisited instantly made me curious. Especially with Atonement, the loss of innocence begins not through some huge tragedy, but through a small misunderstanding that quietly ends up shaping an entire life. This book seems to carry that same emotional atmosphere.
And Derek, I honestly think the books that stay with us the longest are often the ones that work through this slow-growing feeling of loss inside a person.
Thank you for this review. Interestingly, I saw this title TODAY in The Guardian’s list just published of the 10-best-novels-of-all-time. Though not familiar with the book, it’s on my TBR list after your review, which I truly appreciate. Thank you!
You know what, I'll read this. I don't know how I missed so many other friends' reviews these last few years, everyone seems to love this on top of it, but you just succeeded in making me look; thanks!
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Liz
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May 13, 2026 12:17AM
Yes, it's a wonderful book. One of my favourites. :)
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Terrific review, Derek. A favorite of mine!
This was a book I found at the library once and read it without knowing anything about it. I agree with your review.
When you're a child, the future always feels wide open, full of endless possibilities and I think some books are the first ones that make you realize the past can imprison you too. And this sounds like a novel that isn't just about a boy discovering the adult world, but also about the way memory keeps shaping a person across the years.Also, the connection to Atonement and Brideshead Revisited instantly made me curious. Especially with Atonement, the loss of innocence begins not through some huge tragedy, but through a small misunderstanding that quietly ends up shaping an entire life. This book seems to carry that same emotional atmosphere.
And Derek, I honestly think the books that stay with us the longest are often the ones that work through this slow-growing feeling of loss inside a person.
Thank you for this review. Interestingly, I saw this title TODAY in The Guardian’s list just published of the 10-best-novels-of-all-time. Though not familiar with the book, it’s on my TBR list after your review, which I truly appreciate. Thank you!
You know what, I'll read this. I don't know how I missed so many other friends' reviews these last few years, everyone seems to love this on top of it, but you just succeeded in making me look; thanks!
