Trust Exercise by Susan Choi is a highly acclaimed coming-of-age novel that deals with the struggles of youth against the pressures of society. The novel follows Sarah and David, two high school students growing up in 1980s America. As the novel opens, Sarah and David are in the throes of their first year at the prestigious Performing Arts High school. As their lives slowly intertwine, they dive deeper into the labyrinth of adolescence.
The story unfolds through the lens of Sarah, and readers get to observe her unraveling of events through her teenage eyes. As Sarah begins to gradually come to terms with her own identity, she is forced to confront the dark underbelly of this new world around her. In the school’s trusting environment, Sarah encounters a teacher who she believes to be kind, yet who she discovers uses inappropriate tactics with her and her classmates. Sarah is torn by a complicated knot of emotions, as part of her recognizes a danger, yet at the same time, the alluring nature of the “trust exercises” between her and her teacher keep her in his grip.
At the same time, Sarah is navigating friendship dramas and a newfound urge to act out in inappropriate ways as she strives to grow up too fast and keep up with a newfound circle of friends she barely knows. As the tension between Sarah and her teacher grows, the ripple effects reach out to the entire group of students. But the novel isn’t just about Sarah. As readers follow Sarah and David, they gradually come to learn about the heartaches and secrets of the other students and their families and the dynamics that intertwine within this small group.
As the story progresses and readers discover the harrowing truth behind the veil of innocence, they are pulled further and further into the complicated web of emotions and relationships that the teenage years can bring. Along the way, Sarah realizes that the only way to truly be true to oneself is to embrace the uncomfortable moments in life and rise above the restrictive power structures that shroud human relationships.
Ultimately, Trust Exercise by Susan Choi is an exploration of learning to trust oneself in an era of rapid change and development. It explores sorrow and self-discovery, and portrays an honest look at the complications of growing up, through the lens of adolescent eyes. The book will be sure to stay with readers long after they close the pages and make them reflect on their own experiences, and those of the teenagers that grace the pages of this stunning coming-of-age novel.
