You, Me, and Infinity

Love and heartbreak prove transformative experiences for an introverted Seattle teen who struggles to connect with others in this emotionally potent novel about healing. When anxious high school junior Margaret Vittorio meets Mars Zevon Rivers, the teens unexpectedly bond over astronomy, music, and the Golden Record, a time capsule launched on the 1977 Voyager probe. But as their love grows, so too does Margaret’s anxiety, prompting her to keep their relationship a secret out of fear that her sexist father’s volatile temper and her mother’s eating disorder will push Mars away. At the same time, she reflects on their deepening romance and inventories her boyfriend’s possible red flags—until tragedy strikes, compelling Margaret to take to heart Mars’s life motto about trusting in the restorative power of connection. Swoony romance segues into poignant reflections on grief via Margaret’s fervent first-person narration. Chapters open with catalogs of objects stored in the Golden Record, eventually shifting to lists of items meaningful to Mars and Margaret’s relationship. This intimate book by Caletti (True Life in Uncanny Valley) contains multitudes: come for the movingly voiced, starry-eyed joy, but keep tissues on standby for the gut-wrenching moments in between. The protagonists cue as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (June)