Twenty-Four Seconds From Now

Starred review from July 22, 2024
Reynolds (Long Way Down) astounds in a sweetly hilarious story of two Black teens preparing to take a huge first step in their relationship. Twenty-four seconds before this book’s start, 17-year-old Neon Benton and Aria, his girlfriend of two years, were kissing on Aria’s bed. Now, Neon is hiding in Aria’s bathroom, lamenting the complications of opening a condom and unlatching a bra as he nervously anticipates their “first time.” In frank stream-of-consciousness prose, Reynolds rewinds the teens’ heartfelt romance to showcase its development in reverse: 24 hours before, Neon was avoiding his homework by scrolling through videos he’d recorded of his classmates. And 24 days earlier, Neon was strolling the neighborhood with Gammy and the family dog, Denzel Jeremy Washington. As events roll backward, Neon has conversations with numerous richly wrought supporting characters, including his effervescent musician friend Dodie and his open and loving sister Nat, all of whom regale Neon with their thoughts on sex and love (with varying degrees of embarrassment and enlightenment for Neon). Sex-positive messaging encourages vulnerability in personal exploration as well as open conversations about bodily autonomy and consent. Authentically tapping into the way teens think, Reynolds delivers a mighty exaltation to Black love in this moving story of one boy’s growth and the community that fosters it. Ages 14–up. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties.