“You have to live your life, not just survive it.”
— Adam Thorn reflecting on his struggles with identity and self-acceptance.
Archivist's Choice
Release
Patrick Ness (2017)
Genre
Fantasy / Young Adult / Romance
Reading Time
287 min
Key Themes
See below
Track Your Reading
Sign in to track this book
Adam's perfect Saturday collapses as his relationships change and he discovers more about himself, while a vengeful ghost from the lake emerges, connecting their lives in one destructive day.
Synopsis
Adam Thorn wakes up on a Saturday, a normal summer day, not knowing his life will change. He deals with his strict religious parents, his gay friend Angela, and his first boyfriend Linus. At the same time, a ghost awakens from a nearby lake. This ghost, Tara, a young woman murdered decades ago, starts a destructive search, causing strange things to happen in town. Adam's day includes his part-time job, a tense meeting with his ex-boyfriend Martin, and an awkward family dinner where his older brother returns. Meanwhile, the ghost's power grows, leading to a violent event at Angela's party. Adam must face his secrets, his family's biases, and his growing feelings for Linus during the chaos. The ghost's goal is justice and peace, like Adam's desire for honesty and acceptance. In a big confrontation, Adam tells his parents a secret, choosing his own way. Both Adam and the ghost find freedom: Adam by being himself and the ghost by finding resolution and moving on.
Reading time
287 min
Difficulty
Medium
Pacing
Moderate
Mood
Introspective, Melancholy, Hopeful, Ethereal
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy coming-of-age stories that blend realistic teenage struggles with a subtle, yet impactful, supernatural element. You appreciate nuanced explorations of identity, family, and first love, particularly within a religious context.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer fast-paced, action-driven fantasy, or if you're looking for a straightforward horror story. The supernatural elements are more symbolic than central to the plot.
Plot Summary
A Day Begins: Adam's Morning and a Ghost's Awakening
The book starts on a Saturday morning with Adam Thorn, seventeen, waking up in a suburban American town. He expects a day of work at Burger Barn and a party at his friend Angela's house. Adam hides his sexuality, having a secret relationship with his ex-boyfriend, Linus. His family life is difficult; his Christian parents are often critical, especially his mother, and his older brother, Joe, is usually absent. Meanwhile, in another part of town, Katherine, a young woman murdered and thrown into a lake years ago, begins to stir. Her spirit, restless, starts to appear, pulled by an unknown force.
Work, Secrets, and Lingering Doubts
Adam's shift at Burger Barn shows his daily struggles. He works with his best friend, Angela, who doesn't know his secret life, and other co-workers. Adam constantly feels pressure to act 'normal,' and he fears his parents finding out about his sexuality. He texts Linus secretly, planning to meet later. His work tasks are mixed with his thoughts about his desires, guilt, and wish for acceptance. The story sometimes shifts to Katherine, who is slowly becoming aware and powerful, her presence causing small disturbances in the world, though most people do not see them.
Linus's Revelation and Adam's Confusion
After work, Adam meets Linus, expecting their secret relationship to continue. However, Linus says his family is moving to California in a few days. This news shocks Adam, who has relied on Linus as his only way to be himself. Linus's leaving means the end of their secret affair and, more deeply, the possible loss of Adam's only connection to his identity outside his parents' expectations. Adam feels betrayed and abandoned, wondering about his future and how he will cope without Linus, which makes him feel more isolated and upset.
A Troubled Home and a Brother's Return
Returning home, Adam faces his parents' usual religious criticism and passive-aggressive judgment. His mother, especially, criticizes his choices and appearance. The tension in the house is clear, fueled by Adam's inner conflict and his parents' strict beliefs. Unexpectedly, his older brother, Joe, arrives home. Joe, who has been largely absent, represents both freedom and failure to Adam. His return adds another layer to Adam's already difficult family dynamics, bringing up old resentments and unspoken truths about their childhood and parents' influence.
Angela's Party and New Connections
Adam goes to Angela's party, hoping to forget his problems, but Linus's departure weighs on him. The party is a typical teenage gathering, with music, dancing, and alcohol. Amidst the activity, Adam meets Ethan, a new kid who is openly gay and confident. Ethan's self-assurance interests Adam, showing a clear contrast to his own hidden life. Their conversation starts a new, tentative connection, hinting at a different kind of relationship for Adam, one possibly built on honesty and acceptance, but also making him very aware of his own fears.
The Ghost's Growing Power and a Violent Manifestation
Throughout the day, Katherine's presence grows stronger. She has flashes of her past, parts of her murder, and a strong desire for something she cannot name. Her emotional distress affects the world around her, causing objects to move and strange things to happen. Her power reaches its peak in a violent event at the lake where she died, attracting other spirits. She is not just a passive ghost but an active force, trying to understand her death and what her existence means, leaving a trail of spectral destruction.
Confrontations and Revelations at the Party
As the party continues, Adam has a tense talk with Joe. Joe, sensing Adam's sadness and perhaps understanding more than he shows, offers some vague advice and a subtle warning about their parents. The interaction is full of unspoken history and resentment. Later, Adam finds himself drawn to Ethan again. Adam starts to tell Ethan about his struggles and his sexuality, a big step for him. Their conversation deepens their connection, with Ethan offering understanding and a sense of shared experience that Adam badly wants.
The Ghost's Purpose Revealed
Katherine's journey reaches a key point as she puts together the memories of her death. She remembers being with a boy, and the terrible realization that she was murdered, not by a stranger, but by someone she knew. She discovers she is not alone in the spirit world; there is another ghost, a boy named Martin, who was also murdered and whose spirit is connected to hers. Katherine realizes her goal is not just revenge, but to understand their shared tragedy and perhaps find a way to move on, or to help Martin find peace.
Adam's Confession and a New Path
Near the end of the party, Adam, encouraged by his connection with Ethan and the emotional impact of Linus's leaving, makes a big decision. He pulls Angela aside and, with difficulty, tells her he is gay. Angela, at first surprised, responds with firm acceptance and support, confirming their friendship and giving Adam a deep sense of relief. This confession is a huge step for Adam, freeing him from his secret and letting him live more honestly. He realizes how important honesty is and how strong true friendship can be.
Resolution and Release
The night ends with Adam feeling free and hopeful. He has taken important steps towards accepting himself and letting others into his true life. He and Ethan kiss, meaning a new start. While his relationship with his parents is still not resolved, Adam has found inner strength and outside support. At the same time, Katherine and Martin, having faced the truth of their deaths and their murderer's identity, find peace. Their connected spirits, having finished their journey, finally find a way to move on, suggesting that 'release' can come in many forms, for both the living and the dead.
Principal Figures
Adam Thorn
The Protagonist
Adam moves from a state of fear and secrecy to one of self-acceptance and openness, finding strength in new relationships and the courage to confess his truth.
Katherine
The Secondary Protagonist (Ghost)
Katherine's ghost awakens, pieces together the mystery of her murder, and ultimately finds peace and release with another spirit.
Angela
The Supporting
Angela remains a steadfast friend, ultimately providing Adam with crucial emotional support and acceptance.
Linus
The Supporting
Linus's departure forces Adam to confront his hidden life and seek new connections.
Ethan
The Supporting
Ethan provides Adam with a new perspective on self-acceptance and a potential new romantic connection.
Adam's Mother
The Supporting
Her rigid beliefs remain a source of conflict for Adam, pushing him to seek freedom from her expectations.
Adam's Father
The Supporting
His quiet disapproval reinforces Adam's need to find his own path away from familial judgment.
Joe Thorn
The Supporting
Joe's return highlights the family's fractured dynamics and subtly encourages Adam's own journey towards independence.
Martin
The Mentioned
Martin's spectral presence helps Katherine understand her past and find peace.
Themes & Insights
Identity and Self-Discovery
The main theme is Adam's struggle to accept his gay identity in a conservative place. He deals with what society expects, his parents' disapproval, and his own self-doubt. His journey involves letting go of secrets and fear to be authentic. Katherine's ghost journey to understand who she was and how she died, ultimately defining her identity after death, mirrors this. Both characters want to understand and accept who they truly are, in different ways.
“He just wanted to be normal. Whatever that was. He just wanted to be himself. Whatever that was.”
Release and Freedom
The title 'Release' describes a varied theme. For Adam, it means freedom from his secret, the ability to openly express his sexuality, and the emotional relief that comes with acceptance. For Katherine, it means freedom from her earthly ties, understanding her death, and the peace of moving on from her ghost existence. The theme looks at different types of freedom—emotional, physical, and spiritual—suggesting that freedom is a process of letting go and accepting truth.
“And it was a release. Like a long, held-in breath. A sigh, but bigger, much bigger. A breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.”
Love and Connection
The book explores different kinds of love and connection: Adam's secret romance with Linus, the growing connection with Ethan, and the strong friendship with Angela. These relationships show people's need for closeness, understanding, and acceptance. The ghost connection between Katherine and Martin also shows this theme, proving that even after death, beings look for companionship and shared understanding to find peace. The theme stresses that real connection, built on honesty and empathy, is important for personal growth and healing.
“He knew, he just knew, that love was a thing that happened, not a thing you chose. And if it happened, it happened. And if it was real, it was real.”
Family and Expectation
Adam's relationship with his Christian parents forms a major theme. Their expectations, based on their religious beliefs, create huge pressure and guilt for Adam, forcing him to hide who he is. His distant brother, Joe, also shows the complexities of their family. This theme examines how family and societal expectations affect a person's identity and the struggle to create one's own path when those expectations conflict with personal truth. It questions how unconditional love works in such families.
“The weight of his parents' love, his parents' God, his parents' expectations. It was a physical thing, sometimes.”
The Seen and the Unseen
This theme appears in the two-story structure. Adam's story shows the visible, real world of human experience, while Katherine's ghost story looks at the unseen, spiritual world. The way these two worlds interact, though indirectly for much of the book, suggests there are forces and realities beyond what we immediately see. It explores how hidden truths (Adam's sexuality, Katherine's murder) can have a big impact, whether acknowledged or not, blurring the lines between the ordinary and the supernatural.
“There were things you saw, and things you didn't. And sometimes the things you didn't see were more real.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
Dual Narrative Structure
Alternating chapters between Adam's and Katherine's perspectives.
The novel employs a dual narrative, alternating between Adam Thorn's story in the present day and the spectral awakening and journey of Katherine, a murdered ghost. This device allows for parallel exploration of themes like identity, release, and hidden truths. Adam's human struggles with sexuality and family are grounded in reality, while Katherine's supernatural quest for understanding adds a layer of mystery and symbolic depth, suggesting that both the living and the dead seek resolution and freedom. The alternating perspectives create a sense of impending climax, building tension in both storylines.
The 'One Day' Timeline
The entire main plot unfolds over a single Saturday.
Adam's entire storyline, from waking up to going to sleep, takes place over the course of a single Saturday. This compressed timeline intensifies the emotional stakes and forces rapid character development. It creates a sense of urgency, as Adam is confronted with multiple life-altering events (Linus's departure, meeting Ethan, confessing to Angela) within a short period. The single-day structure highlights how quickly lives can change and how pivotal moments can unfold in seemingly ordinary timeframes, underscoring the novel's themes of sudden revelation and release.
The Ghost as a Metaphor
Katherine's ghost symbolizes Adam's hidden self and repressed desires.
Katherine's ghost storyline, while a literal supernatural element, also functions metaphorically for Adam's internal struggles. Her hidden existence, her yearning for recognition, and her eventual 'release' parallel Adam's closeted life, his desire to be seen, and his own journey towards freedom. The ghost represents the unseen, repressed aspects of self that demand to be acknowledged and understood. Her violent manifestations can be seen as externalizations of Adam's own internal turmoil and the destructive power of keeping one's true self hidden.
Internal Monologue and Stream of Consciousness
Extensive use of Adam's thoughts and feelings to convey his inner turmoil.
The narrative heavily relies on Adam's internal monologue and stream of consciousness, providing deep insight into his fears, desires, and conflicts. This device allows the reader to experience Adam's constant battle between his true self and the persona he presents to the world. It reveals his guilt, his longing for connection, and the oppressive weight of his family's expectations. This intimate access to his thoughts makes his journey of self-discovery profoundly personal and relatable, highlighting the psychological burden of living a hidden life.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.”
— Adam grappling with difficult decisions about his relationships and future.
“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world, but you do have some say in who hurts you.”
— Adam contemplating the nature of pain and vulnerability in relationships.
“The world doesn't end because you're sad.”
— A moment of harsh reality as Adam faces his emotional turmoil.
“Maybe we're all just stories in the end.”
— Reflecting on the interconnectedness of lives and experiences.
“Fear is a habit. So is courage.”
— Adam learning to confront his fears and build bravery.
“You can't unlove someone. You can't unremember.”
— Adam dealing with the lasting impact of past relationships.
“Sometimes the truth isn't what you want it to be.”
— Facing uncomfortable realities about oneself and others.
“We are all just trying to find our way home.”
— A philosophical moment about the search for belonging and purpose.
“The past is a ghost that haunts us all.”
— Reflecting on how previous experiences shape present actions.
“Love isn't something you earn. It's something you give.”
— Discussing the nature of love and relationships.
“You can't change the world, but you can change your corner of it.”
— Encouraging personal responsibility and impact.
“Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for help.”
— Highlighting the importance of vulnerability and support.
“We are all broken in some way. That's how the light gets in.”
— Finding beauty and strength in imperfections and struggles.
Quiz
Test Your Knowledge
Ready to see how well you understood this book? Take our interactive quiz with 10 questions.
10
Questions
~5
Minutes
?
Best Score
Key Questions (FAQ)
'Release' follows Adam Thorn, a gay teenager in a small town, over one pivotal Saturday in summer. As Adam navigates a breakup with his boyfriend, Enzo, pressure from his religious family, and a job at a grocery store, his life unravels while a ghost rises from a lake across town, causing destruction as she searches for something. The novel intertwines Adam's realistic struggles with a supernatural fantasy element, exploring themes of identity, freedom, and release.
About the author
Biography coming soon.
