Genre
Young adult contemporary
Setting and Context
USA, around 2010
Narrator and Point of View
Narrator: Ruby Oliver;
Point of view: first person.
Tone and Mood
Contemplative, relaxed.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Ruby Oliver; Antagonist: no antagonist present.
Major Conflict
Ruby Oliver discusses the categories of boyfriends and what makes a true, real live boyfriend. She jumps into a relationship with a moody, artistic boy called Noel. Their relationship starts complicating, and Ruby goes through some family drama as well while trying to decide her college path.
Climax
Ruby discovers that the reason Noel was distant to her because he witnessed the death of one of his closest friends in New York. Over time, they make up and Ruby decides to be a filmmaker.
Foreshadowing
"Well," she asked, "what happens if your flashlight goes out?"
- Ruby's therapist foreshadowing her complication with Noel.
Understatement
"In fact, he was superhot and could have any girl he wanted. And the best thing was - he went weak whenever he saw me. He was also imaginary."
- The most important information, that it's about Ruby's imagination, comes at the end and thus understates it.
Allusions
"Maybe he seems like a normal guy but he'll turn out to be an absolute psycho like Edward Norton in Primal Fear."
Imagery
Imagery of Nora's videos throughout as a form of learning and connecting to people around her.
Paradox
"Noel was my boyfriend. But he wasn't my real live boyfriend anymore."
Parallelism
"Noel was here. Noel still wanted me. I told myself I was utterly, completely happy."
Metonymy and Synecdoche
"I'm sorry, I'm a gay Chinese penguin."
- Ruby after Nora uses the story of gay penguins to tell her how wronged she felt by her actions.
Personification
"Dear Robespierre,
That was my real live boyfriend, Noel! Did you see him? Did you? Don't be jealous. You are a pygmy goat and I am a human. It could never have progressed beyond ear scratching, you and me."
