Book 1,069: The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King – Harry Trevaldwyn

Have you ever read a book and had a moment of “Oh shit, was this me in high school?” I thought this for a millisecond, and then I remembered a friend in our friend group and was like, “OMFG close call, I wasn’t quite this dramatic.

I loved the title of this one, so when the publisher reached out with a galley last October, I jumped at it.* It only took me five months to get to versus the much longer wait many of the others I’ve finished recently. This was the last one though, I’ve officially cleared my galley/ARC TBR pile.

Being fully honest, though it was a bit of a struggle to get into. I’m not sure if it was the main character giving too much MC energy or what, but it definitely took me a few chapters to get used to the over the top excessiveness of Patch. And once I did, his truly wholesomeness and obliviousness was endearing and adorable. As I was adding the quotes I highlighted at various places below I really felt that I could probably re-read it due to how much Patch matures throughout the story.

Of course if there’s a Jane Austen shoutout I’m definitely here for it:

I’ve brought a copy of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen which I’ve never read, but I found in a charity shop so it looks like I’ve read it tons. Jean has brought a copy of Twilight: Breaking Dawn which would be absolutely fine if not for the movie poster as the front cover which, I’m sorry, is tacky. (Ch. 8)

Even if it’s just in passing, this one came back (see the Ch. 19 quote below) in the most adorable way and I was just like OMFG swoon. That was when I for sure knew which way the book was going and I was HERE. FOR. IT. Sam as an Elinore and Patch as a Marianne and the two of them somehow figuring out it could work was just squeal inducing.

Trevaldwyn also did a great job of making sure Patch wasn’t perfect. I mean there were so many ways he wasn’t perfect, but he was (somewhat, some of the time) self aware. And he did it in a self-deprecating humorous way that made it fun to read even in those moments that were excruciatingly awkward:

‘And what about Maddison? Doesn’t Peter already have a girlfriend? So, what? He just has two now?’
‘I don’t know.’ She strokes my back.
‘It’s not very bi of him to have two girlfriends.’
‘Patch, remember, being bi isn’t a statistical game. You can identify as bi and never have a same-sex relationship . . .’ she gently reminds me and I don’t have the energy to be annoyed that, once again, Jean is proving herself a better queer ally than I am a queer person. (Ch. 14)

I mean, COME ON! The humor in that line, the humor throughout the book was so good. There were definite moments where it was too much, but that was in line with the character and when Patch was toned down or was being super self-reflective it just clicked perfectly.

Plus, I mean, we all have that one friend, right?

Then there was this:

Getting over someone is hard. Especially when you were never even together, because then you have the added struggle of getting over a potential relationship which is even more perfect than the actual relationship you were going to have. (Ch. 15)

There was something so endearing about this quote, that even though we weren’t even to the full turning point of the novel, you knew something was going to change and Patch was going to find a new lease on life and either be less over the top or at the very least more self aware and open to possibilities. Trevaldwyn did a great job of making you laugh at the top of a page and then making you think/gasp/tear up a few paragraphs later. This was a balancing act that even well-seasoned authors often struggle with, but in this debut he did an awesome job.

Recommendation: Overall, this was a great read. It took a while to get going for me because Patch is A LOT. Like WAY too much, but we all know those people that are just like him, and some of us may have bordered on being him at some points. That being said, the evolution of his character in this one school year felt both real and authentic and I very much enjoyed it once I got into it. Giving vibes like St. James’ Freak Show and Rosen’s Camp, I think we have a lot to look forward to from Trevaldwyn and I can’t wait to see what he writes next.

*I received a copy of The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.

Opening Line: “Dear Jean-Pierre, I regret to inform you that this will be the last letter you ever receive from me.”

Closing Line: “PS still waiting on that Milka bar.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)

Additional Quotes from The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King
“I will only focus on the audition and nothing else, not even my Physics lesson which is where I’m currently heading.” (Ch. 5)

“I’m reading Sense and Sensibility,’ he mutters self-consciously.
‘What?!’ I reply incredulously, completely giving up any pretense of wiping. ‘You let me yammer on about my silly magic gems book when you’re reading the exact sort of book you want to be caught reading?’
‘Well . . .’ he starts while staring intently down at the table, before going silent again. It takes every ounce of self-control I have not to fill the silence with something which I would no doubt immediately regret.
Sam takes the book back out of his bag and places it carefully on the table. ‘I saw you reading it when we were here last time and . . . I thought it looked good.’
I had somehow completely forgotten that Sense and Sensibility was my prop book when Jean and I came here to impress Peter. Partly because I had only read one page in the middle of the book over and over again while waiting for them and then never picked it up again.” (Ch. 19)

“Getting a boyfriend was a much more fun thing to do when it was a theoretical gameplan. I think the stress is already giving me a stomach ache. Also, I thought beggars couldn’t be choosers! And let’s face it I was certainly willing to beg.” (Ch. 33)

“Sam and I are both walking slowly with our arms crossed, which is definitely closed-off body language. I try to put my arms down by my side but am suddenly way too aware of my arms and feel like I’m not walking like a human so quickly cross them again.” (Ch. 36)