That Was Then, This Is Now–by By S.E. Hinton
I would like to start off by admitting that I am a little biased towards S.E. Hinton. I have never read a book of hers that I did not love, my favorite being The Outsiders. Her stories of friendship, heartache, bravery, and love will leave you wanting more. That Was Then, This is Now is no exception.
This story delves into the lives of Mark and Bryon, two best friends who have grown up together and are inseparable. They run around, wreaking havoc, and doing whatever they please. As they get older, though, Bryon starts to see their rebellious ways as immature, and he begins to discover who he wants to be and who he might want to be with. Unfortunately, Mark remains as a carefree individual, and they both feel themselves drifting apart. They try to hang on, but when Mark is discovered to have done a terrible thing, Bryon is burdened with a decision to potentially ruin Mark’s life, and their friendship, or to let him get away with ruining the lives of others.
After reading this book, I had an ache in my chest, because I felt for the characters so deeply. In S.E. Hinton’s writings, she never fails to make one understand, love, or hate a character. The character Bryon is described as a tough, yet caring, individual, and in scenes with Mark towards the end, you can feel his pain through her words. The characters are believable, the situations tragic, yet never dull, and It doesn’t hurt that the movies follow the plots of the books to a “t.”
Another thing I enjoyed immensely was the connection she made between the characters in The Outsiders, and the characters in That Was Then, This is Now. Originally, Curly Shepard, a member of Tim Shepard’s gang, and his younger brother are enemies of Bryon’s. They get in a fight, and all though a negative encounter, this opens the gate for a fantastic crossover. During a dance, Ponyboy Curtis is introduced as one of Marks friends, but he quickly becomes the main character when helping Bryon during a fight, and then discussing his affection for Bryon’s love interest, Cathy.
It makes me so happy when my favorite characters enter a book unexpectedly and help create an even more exciting plot. It is nice to know what happened to them after their original story and see how they fit into the new one. Hinton’s introduction helped answer a few questions leftover from The Outsiders.
Overall, That Was Then, This is Now is a fantastically written novel that will leave you feeling sad, curious for the future of the characters, and wanting more. S.E Hinton keeps the struggles of friendship real while putting an unusual and dark, yet exciting, spin on her usual gang-related stories.
Reviewed by Cason Faris, 10th grade, NewGate School, FL
Tomorrow’s Child / Nov 2018 / Pg 30
