“SHANNON LIKE THE RIVER. WILL YOU PLEASE BE MY FRIEND?”― Chloe Walsh, Binding 13

Binding 13 is an emotional roller coaster of a novel. Don’t let the teenage main characters fool you—this book tackles some very heavy and difficult themes.

Set in Cork, Ireland, the story incorporates elements of Irish culture that enhance the narrative rather than distract from it. The book contains a significant amount of dialogue, which works well as a way to understand the characters through their interactions rather than through direct description. My one frustration with the dialogue is that the author sometimes has a scene play out and then has each main character recount the same event to a friend. As a result, the reader experiences the same scene multiple times. While this does help deepen our understanding of the characters, it can also feel repetitive.

The story centers on 15-year-old Shannon, who is physically abused by her father, and 17-year-old Johnny, whose life has revolved around rugby for as long as he can remember. Both characters face extreme situations involving abuse and identity struggles. While these circumstances are more severe than what most people experience—at least one would hope—the characters are still relatable. Everyone reaches moments in life when their identity is questioned, whether it’s related to gender, politics, sexual orientation, religion, or vocation. Watching Johnny attempt to process who he is beyond rugby feels particularly authentic. Shannon’s journey is equally compelling; at some point, when facing hardship, everyone must decide whether to fight or flee, and then live with the consequences of that choice.

Overall, the story is well done and ends on one heck of a cliffhanger. Could it have been shorter? Probably. Some of the repeated dialogue could have been trimmed. I also wouldn’t necessarily market this as a romance. While the relationship between Johnny and Shannon is central, the book is more about understanding and processing complex emotions than about the relationship itself.

Despite its length and occasional repetition, I would still recommend this book—and I will definitely be picking up the sequel.