'Sweethearts' is complex, intricate

SWEETHEARTS, by Sara Zarr, Little, Brown, 217 pages, $16.99. (young adult)

Sara Zarr is a Salt Lake resident whose excellent debut novel, "Story of a Girl," was nominated for a National Book Award. Her second novel, "Sweethearts," focuses on Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick, who grew up together but then he "disappeared" or died, she thought, until she was almost through high school.

By then she is transformed from "a fat girl ... the loner and reject" into Jenna Vaughn, the cute, popular girl who even has a cute boyfriend, improbably named Ethan. Her mother is happily remarried and she lives in a different house. She seems to be riding high, but inside she feels sometimes overwhelming insecurity.

Besides, she thinks she has missed Cameron and their childhood together — but it was such a miserable time for her that the return of Cameron brings back her misery. He is a symbol of how life used to be. Yet, he has changed; he stands over 6 feet, he has stubble and speaks in a low voice.

Predictably, her self-confidence slips away.

The problems of insecurity and the relationships of girls and boys are ubiquitous. Even when Jenna knows she looks different and is considered popular, she sees two pretty girls pass Ethan in the hall, then look back at her as if thinking that she is undeserving of this nice-looking boyfriend.

When Ethan learns about Cameron, Jenna, her friend Steph and Ethan all talk about it online. Realistically, even online the conversation is tense, and Jenna finds herself lying to Ethan about Cameron.

This is a rather complex, intricate story for a young adult novel, but Zarr is very comfortable with dialogue and ingenious with description and the development of characters. Like "Story of a Girl," an adult could enjoy this book probably as much as a teenager.

High school, for most of us, is such a major experience that we never forget, so there is more than enough here with which any reader could identify. Zarr is a natural writer with a varied and effective vocabulary, and she injects just enough humor to make the story light again when it gets too serious.

Even though this is not really a "message" novel, there seems much a teenage reader could learn about self-confidence, social interaction and integrity in relationships. And Zarr is a talent.

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E-mail: dennis@desnews.com