Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown for allowing me to read an ARC of Amphibian by Tyler Wetherall.

This novel is truly unique and unlike anything else I have read. The prose is acerbic. Wetherall writes graphically and honestly about growing, evolving, and changing.

Every single character in this book has been cleverly thought out and developed. The plot is slow to begin with, and suddenly ramps up into an intensely emotional story.

Amphibian is extraordinary, a living breathing being.

In her acknowledgements at the back of her book,"Amphibian",author Tyler Wetherall refers to the "strange beauty" of her story. While that may not be overly modest it's a fair description of a quite remarkable and affecting story.

On the cusp of puberty Sissy has just moved to the Westcountry with her troubled Mother and started a new school. She stumbles across "top girl" Tegan ,who is showing some boys a rather unusual talent, who is impressed by her no-nonsense dealing with a bullying boy.

Already damaged in different ways they bond and support each other through life's trials while navigating their way through the minefield of growing up as young girls finding their way in life amongst family pressures,predatory males and their changing bodies........sometimes quite startling changes. They don't always get it right and readers will see potential "car crashes" when the girls get themselves into situations through naievity.

There's more to this book than "just a coming of age story" and I'd guess some readers might not like the direction it sometimes takes or where it ends up. Personally I loved it.

The lyrical writing is the star of the show in this strange and poetic account of female adolescence. In lots of ways we've all read this story before: passionate friendship, betrayal, underage sexuality. What gives this its edge is Sissy's mythic imagination and her innocent present tense voice as she deals with problems a twelve year old shouldn't have to face. I look forward to Wetherall turning her undoubted talent to a fresher story. 3.5 stars for a told-before tale rounded up for the lovely writing.