Review: Someday, Somewhere

Someday, Somewhere
by Lindsay Champion

Publisher: KCP Loft
Publication Date: April 3, 2018

SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE is about two cool teens takin’ on New York. Their names are Dominique and Ben, and they both appreciate jazz. Ben is a violinist. An amazing, high-strung, mischievously sexy violinist. Dominique wants to be a dancer. She danced when she was young, he played when he was even younger. She stopped for financial and social reasons, he didn’t. Dominique lives in Jersey, Ben, in the most "high-life" part of New York. She does something worthy of an episode of Crazy Ex-Gilfriend. She gets on the train–-the A Train, to be exact-–and tracks this boy down, a boy who she only met once before. She does not tell him where she comes from, or why she’s not seen around there often. He does something in return that is equally wildly romantic. I’m not going to tell you what it is, though. It’ll ruin the surprise. Trust me, it’s worth it. Even though the whole of “New York Dominique” is a lie, Ben isn’t picture perfect either, and his secret could be the one that tears them--not to mention him--apart.       

SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE is a really good book. Every single book that I review happens to be good enough that I’ll buy it when it comes out-–or after if I’m lazy--to have in my own home library, and force my future adopted kids to read it. But especially this book. Dominique and Ben are the two of the most sympathetic protagonists I’ve read in a long time. And the book taught me something: privilege never leaves. It is everywhere. Unlike Dominique, I have never once heard from my parents that I cannot do exactly what I want to, for any reason. My plan in life is to own a chain of bed-and-breakfasts and be a writer. I’ve heard, and I am very well aware, that it will require 99% of my passion and time to have one bed-and-breakfast, not to mention a chain. I’ve heard that it will be hard. But I’ve never heard my least favorite word… "Impossible." I am a young white lady-appearing agender chicken nugget living in one of the most liberal cities in the U.S. I have a lot of privilege. It won’t get me all the way to my goals, but at least I’m in a position where I can have (slightly) feasible, actual goals, and not just pipe dreams. I’ve never heard, "You can’t. Not because I don’t want you to…we just can’t do it." Dominique has. You get used to what you’re given, I guess, so that could explain why, in general, Dominique is easy-going and joyous. She is critical of life, and for good reason, but she’s held onto her dream for this long, in her heart, in the back of her heart, and that is only something someone with a strong resolution can do. Ben is also strong, but in a completely different way – they match well. I put myself in his shoes with ease. I haven’t been through anything like he has, but y'know, everybody’s got somethin'. I empathize with him because he looks for art in the dark…and maybe that keeps him in the dark…but he is a shining light. Not all the way. But enough to be. Not "be happy," or "be perfect." Just…be.