A Separate Peace
John Knowles • 1959
Devastation Rating
coming of age guilt friendship war
Our Take
Envy is the novel's engine, and it runs cold. Knowles understands that the worst betrayals are the ones you barely notice committing — until the damage is done. Finny's fall is brief; Gene's guilt lasts a lifetime. You will recognize the impulse before you want to.
Appears In
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