by Katie Heaney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 16, 2021
Sparing and intelligent, with humor and heart in equal measure.
A rule-following teen falls off her prescribed path in this contemporary novel.
Sixteen-year-old Mary Davies misses a homework assignment, and it becomes the catalyst for a journey of self-discovery that involves leaving work undone, skipping extra credit options, and pursuing Mitch, a guy she has a sort-of history with, as she becomes untethered from her self-image as an overachiever. Brief vignettes narrated in Mary’s wry, clever, often funny first-person voice propel the story forward, including the ups and downs of her job at a fast-casual restaurant where a new co-worker, Elyse, is a kindred spirit whom Mary is thrilled to befriend. The narrative strikes a balance between humor, wise insights, and spot-on depictions of the awkward spaces that often accompany newfound self-awareness. Mary’s Catholic upbringing is an integral part of her character, and many of her musings about faith seem to leave her with more questions than answers. The cast of secondary characters is also carefully developed, and the nuances of their relationships to Mary realistically change as she comes to understand them differently and comes to some conclusions—including ones about her actual feelings for Mitch—that leave off somewhat ambiguously but on a hopeful note. Mary and Mitch are White; Korean American Elyse is gay.
Sparing and intelligent, with humor and heart in equal measure. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11828-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2021
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PERSPECTIVES
by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2013
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
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SEEN & HEARD
by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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