First published 1900
Gabby, Billy, Izzie, Andy, and Sean meet on their first day at the exclusive Atwood School. These kindergarteners quickly bond into an inseparable group their classmates call the Big Five. Each child brings distinct talents in sports, science, and the arts, but their connection runs deeper than shared interests. As the years pass, their seemingly perfect lives face real storms. Families unravel around them. They make costly mistakes. Victory and loss shape their teenage years in unexpected ways. When troubles hit, each turns back to the group for support and direction. College arrives and scatters them in different directions. The challenges grow more serious, the losses cut deeper, and choosing the right path becomes harder. Their friendship faces its greatest test as adult responsibilities pull them apart. Steel follows these five characters across decades, showing how childhood bonds can survive the pressures of growing up.
Genres: literary-fiction, family-life, friendship, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, friends-to-lovers
Setting: Atwood School
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
214 pages · Hardcover · BCA