What Happened to Sophie Wilder

This is a well-told story about Sophie and the man who loves her from afar: her on-again, off-again boyfriend Charlie. Through the differing perspectives, Christopher Beha explores the purpose of art, the struggle to transition from college student to adult and meet the expectations of others, the way we romanticize other people and lifestyles, and the way Catholicism can simultaneously save while making someone feel damned.

That's a lot packed into a relatively short novel, but Beha does it well, delving into the themes without lingering on them too long or beating the reader over the head with them. It's a story driven by character more than plot, so it's only as good as its characters. While the supporting characters are rather flat, the characters of Sophie, Charlie, and a third character I won't name (spoiler) are compelling enough to make this a good read.