LATE BLOOM

<p>This thesis is an excerpt from a young adult coming of age novel. Late Bloom is an original work of fiction about a teenage girl and her search for her identity in a world full of magic while having no magical abilities herself. It explores themes of family, friendship, vulnerability, self-discovery, and acceptance within the genre of speculative fiction. Through the lens of fantasy, this narrative is a modern take of the classic bildungsroman, focusing on the difficulty adolescents face to find one’s sense of identity within both familial and societal roles. This story was written in the hopes of offering a source of comfort to a young reader unsure of their place in the world.</p>