MELT tells the story of two teenagers from opposite worlds who fall in love with each other despite how their circumstances threaten to tear them apart.
Poignant, moving, and riveting, the narrative switches seamlessly between both of their perspectives, capturing the angst of adolescence and young adulthood, while handling a heavy thematic element with incredible verisimilitude. Interwoven with key quotes from L. Frank Baum’s THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, MELT follows the journey of 17-going-on-18 Joey Riley and 16-year-old Dorothy as their romance parallels Dorothy’s adventure into the strange land of Oz towards courage and self-discovery.
Author Selene Castrovilla gives Joey and Dorothy two very authentic voices as they describe each moment of their relationship, from meeting each other to undergoing the obstacles brought about by their completely different backgrounds. Dorothy is the new girl in town and she immediately meets Joey and falls for his muscular and mysterious self. However, her first friend at school warns her that Joey’s known for doing drugs, drinking, and getting into fights. Despite his reputation, Dorothy still sees something in Joey that draws him to her. Joey also instantaneously notices Dorothy, likening her to the wide-eyed pristine and fragile porcelain dolls that his mother collected before his father forced her to pack them away. Their chemistry is clear, but the catch to the development of their relationship mostly stems from their lives at home. Dorothy’s parents are well-to-do therapists, owning the nicest house in the neighborhood. Joey’s father is a cop who comes home to abuse Joey’s mother in front of him and his two younger brothers every night. Castrovilla sets up this conflict in a brutally honest way, not flinching from depicting the violence that Joey has to witness each evening at the hands of his father. She tells Joey’s story in a style that’s similar to beat poetry, conveying the choppy and rough turmoil in his head. When Joey and Dorothy are alone for the first time and take a walk near water away from the rush of the city, Joey observes, “We didn’t say nothing for a while we just sat and looked at the sun the way it shined in patches over the ripples and the ducks the way they glided over the patches and the ripples so smooth and in a row and we breathed we breathed we breathed we breathed.” Both Joey and Dorothy are likable characters because of their distinct perspectives and how, despite the obstacles that they have to face together, they maintain the innocence of young love. They only and truly want what’s best for each other. Their major connection comes from how when they’re in the presence of each other, they both feel like the rest of the world and the weight of their problems, differences, and expectations melts away.
MELT is an incredibly quick read with two strong, unique characters at the heart of this powerfully moving narrative. The novel is very stirring and there are many moments of intense violence that might be uncomfortable and disturbing for younger readers.
MELT is impactful with its original love story about love’s enduring and inspirational power.
~IndieReader.