When I Was Older (Hardcover)

Sophie Merdinger is convinced that she’s a “wretched daughter, a nonexistent girlfriend, and a sister who can’t remember one tiny thing about her brother.” Two years ago her little brother, Erhart, died of leukemia, and Sophie finds her memories of him fading. And she can’t seem to forgive her father for having an affair while Erhart was dying. Added to all of this, Sophie is trying to handle the normal pains and confusions of adolescence. Enter Francis. With a dead mother, a teardrop tattooed on his face, and a curiosity that is almost nosy, he has a lot to teach Sophie about losing someone and saving memories. But things get confusing when Sophie realizes that Francis wants to be more than friends. Is she finally ready to let go of the past? In this memorable novel, Garret Freymann-Weyr presents us with the unique story of one girl’s attempt to understand life, death, and the time that passes in between.