Sections
Written by Clare Vanderpool, Navigating Early is a touching novel, whose narrative is constructed by a surplus of parallels and allegories. The frequent mix of fantasy and reality, however, doesn’t quite land, as it relies heavily on bizarre coincidences to work.
The story takes place in 1945, following a trip two boys undertake through a forest in Maine. Jackie, the protagonist, is a 13-year-old boy who has just lost his mother and is put in a military school by his father. There, he meets a weird boy named Early Auden, and a friendship starts. During Christmas, Early invites Jackie to go on an adventure with him. Jackie, feeling alone, accepts.
Although Jackie is the [...]