“I Before E” by Drew Banks

I Before E            

Drew Banks
Independently Published (2025)
ISBN: 979-8275108781
Reviewed by Demetria Head for Reader Views (03/2026)

I Before E by Drew Banks is a coming-of-age novel that brings readers into Paolo’s life. He is a teenage boy in New York City who is struggling with his identity, wrestling with grief, and contending with the expectations put on him. He questions who he is as a person and how much of himself he can explore. His life and home are shaped by caution and loss. His academic environment is demanding. His friendships begin to shift. If he just steps out and begins his journey of discovery, what will he find beyond those boundaries that have defined his world for so long?

The way Drew Banks crafted this story made it reflective and contemplative. I was honored to follow Paolo’s life and what he wrestled with internally. I felt his uncertainties right along with him and was able to understand his thought process. He’s trying to make sense of his conflicting emotions, as with many teens. This makes him relatable. The pacing is appropriate, slow-moving, and gradual, like a day just moving by. I appreciate how Banks brought out Paolo’s struggles, whether they occurred in unfamiliar social spaces, were tied to relationships, or emerged through his sexuality. All of these things forced Paolo to face and question his own assumptions, but Banks did it in a way without forcing the labels. It felt more realistic and fitting for the experiences of an adolescent.

The strongest focus and element of the entire novel is Paolo’s character and the ways he developed as the narrative moved along. As with many youth in his position, he is being cautious initially and a bit withdrawn. He’s also shaped by a protective mother, Maria, and the unresolved issues that come with having an absent father. Early on, I was able to understand his experiences, feeling out of place and struggling academically. This is what life looks like when you’re adjusting. It took me back to my own experiences at his age. He’s also struggling to fit in. I think his friendship with Madge was the turning point. Madge’s personality exuded confidence. She also encourages him to explore beyond the limits he had accepted.

Some of the scenes I think are worth pointing out and that were significant have everything to do with Paolo’s growth. His dream about his childhood goes from calm to unsettling, and seemed to mirror what he was going through in his real life: inner turmoil. The scene where he goes from observing the crowd at a public celebration to actually stepping into the crowd was a pivotal moment. He experiences what existing freely feels like for the first time, without feeling odd or self-conscious. I also liked how Banks brought out Maria’s character. She’s overbearing and makes fear-driven decisions that limit Paolo’s freedom.

In my opinion, some of the secondary characters would have benefited from a bit more strengthening. Madge is well-realized and plays a big part in Paolo’s growth, but some of the other peer relationships could have been explored more. It would have been interesting to see him navigate other connections.

My final thoughts on I Before E, part of The Elba Trilogy, are that it is a very thoughtful and emotionally layered story. It explores a very normal part of life, such as how adolescents wrestle with their identities and who they truly are. It’s a coming-of-age, LGBTQ+ novel that does not shy away from how Paolo handles the complexities of his environment. It was raw, honest, and handled with a lot of thought and care. Readers who are currently going through the same experiences as Paolo will get the most out of this story. Fans of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz will find that familiar sensibility.