This Will Go Down on Your Permanent Record by Susannah Felts

From the first moment they meet at the Dragon Park, Vaughn and Sophie have a rocky friendship. It seems hard to believe they’re friends at all, considering Vaughn is quiet and thoughtful while Sophie is wild and outspoken. However, they do form a bond, although a volatile one. As Vaughn begins to take pictures of Sophie for her photography project, she feels like she’s getting to know Sophie even better. But a drunken mistake wounds their friendship, and Vaughn finds herself missing Sophie’s presence greatly. She can’t bring herself to find a new subject for her photography.

I enjoyed the extensive characterization of both Vaughn and Sophie, through Vaughn’s perspective. At first sight, they seem to be complete opposites, but they are both just girls in need of a good friend. They fulfill this role for each other, and I liked that they were able to work out their conflict.

One of my favorite parts of this novel was the incorporation of the art of photography. It was very insightful and never got confusing, even for strangers to the fine points of photography. It was also very interesting to read about the controversy over picking subjects and the interpretation of different photographs. For me, the addition of photography was what made this story so unique and enjoyable.

This Will Go down on Your Permanent Record is a lovely coming-of-age story. It is a little slow at times, but definitely a worthwhile read that I recommend.

Rating: 3.5

Review copy from author Susannah Felts