Seldom have I been drawn into a book as deeply as by Noah Bolinder’s My Promise. Bolinder made me think at every turn, wondering about his intent and the meaning of the tale.
We’re introduced to a young woman named Grace Kelly—appropriate as she was born and raised just down the street from the Grace Kelly. However, Grace changed the order of her name on her license from Fiona Grace Kelly to Grace Fiona Kelly. Why, we wonder, would she have done that? Perhaps in envy or admiration of the more famous Grace Kelly?
Her high school sweetheart, Jack, who after writing a sweet song just for her, dumped her with no explanation, breaking Grace’s heart. At a Taylor Swift concert, a mysterious CD with the numbers 22-2-10 written in red ink on the cover somehow appears in her purse. She then receives an even more mysterious letter from Royal Roads University with a card enclosed saying 22-2-10. The island awaits you.—the same number written in the same red ink. Grace decides to look up the University.
And off Grace goes on the adventure and challenge of a lifetime. She enrolls in Royal Roads, located on an island off the West Coast of Canada. She finds a place to live and a somewhat eclectic roommate, Kara. An enrollee in the School of Business, but Grace also decides to try for Arts 155 “a unique opportunity to participate in an experimental course.” At Freshman Orientation, the president, reading her name tag, mentions she’s on the list of approved students for the course.
And mysterious describes the class. Students must agree to sign a contract they will not miss classes and they have given up the right to withdraw from the class once they’ve signed. They also agree for personal information to be used in publication. Grace signs.
As the year goes on, Grace goes to classes, parties occasionally on weekends, and ponders the purpose of Arts 155, where they seem to mostly watch movies. Given a difficult challenge by the professor later on in the course, Grace goes to him for help. He willingly explains more to her and when queried says she was the only one who asked for help.
I kept reading and reading—from the title, I assumed a romance with the professor would ensue. And a romance the story is, but not the usual sort of romance. You’ll enjoy getting to know Grace and Kara, the professor and the other students in the class. Persevere in reading, even when you’ve no clue where you’re going. As T. S. Eliot once said, “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will to be arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” Five stars—a highly recommended read.
Noah Bolinder, to quote his bio, graduated from Royal Roads University with a BA in Professional Communication. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia, enjoys making YouTube videos and traveling the world. Find more about Noah at NoahBolinder.com.