AustLit

'Billy Harlen is a typical teenage boy who sees the world differently from other people. He sees people as caterpillars and butterflies. He sees caterpillars that go through life day-by-day, avoiding the spotlight, ignoring their special inner qualities, being a different person to who they really want to be. He sees the butterflies going through life happily, expressing themselves through their beauty and comfortable personalities. Billy sees people without any cares in the world strolling through life as if there is no such thing as a ’problem’. Billy sees their smiles, he hears their laughter and he can read the happiness on their faces. Billy sees the bad things in life more than the good. He comes from a disjointed home, broken down by life’s unexpected occurrences. He is part of a large friendship group of boys but he can’t stand them. He is hopelessly in love with a girl who has him in the friend zone. The only person who understands the real Billy is his brother Roy, but Roy is on the other side of the world.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)