A fine escape for teens who like their Belgian waffles with ice cream and their chips with vinegar
When two college-age best friends take a backpacking trip across Europe, their relationship with each other—and men both familiar and new—is put to the test.
Mlynowski is known for infusing her tales of teen friendship and romance with comedy and banter, and this latest is no exception. When Matt cheats on Leela right before they’re supposed to go to Europe for the summer, Leela, who’s Indian, begs her BFF, Sydney, who’s white and Jewish, to take his place. Sydney reluctantly agrees—she’s terrified to leave her agoraphobic mother behind with her younger sister—and soon, the two are off on the adventure of a lifetime. But when they run into Matt, who is white, and his hot, olive-skinned friend Jackson at baggage “reclaim,” as the British delightfully call it, it’s clear this trip is going to be far different than expected—and not just for Leela. While the novel has a lively, light nature—thick doses of witty repartee, a rotating cast of international heartthrobs, and fun “travel tips” relayed before each new destination—it incorporates serious themes in a natural, delicate way, including assuming responsibility for a sick parent, the difficulties of traveling with friends, and the realities of a long-distance relationships. The ending, shockingly abrupt, feels out of place given the good-natured fizz that’s gone before.
A fine escape for teens who like their Belgian waffles with ice cream and their chips with vinegar . (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: July 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-239707-2
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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