A potentially interesting premise is marred by convoluted language, cardboard characters, and dismissive diversity.
A group of teens finds friendship in the aftermath of tragedy.
Petra McGowan, sitting next to Martin McGee at her high school graduation ceremony, is uneasy—readers find out why later—but Martin, friendly and open-hearted, invites her to his post-graduation party even though the two white teens haven’t met before. But when Petra and her friends get to Martin’s house, they find it empty and silent. Subsequently, they learn that Martin and his best friend have gotten into a drunken driving accident, and Martin is in a coma. The story attempts to unfold: Martin’s and Petra’s friends forge bonds in the hospital waiting room, and first Petra and then others begin to encounter Martin in their dreams while sleeping, which has the ultimate effect of bringing the two groups of friends together and healing an earlier trauma of Petra’s. But too many characters and too many points of view (Petra and Martin tell their stories in alternating first-person, and the other characters interact with dream-sequence Martin in third-person), as well as some seriously convoluted language that just won’t quit, terminally obscure the plot. Characterization is one-dimensional and revolves primarily around a disdain for high school and parents. Then there is the gratuitous diversity problem: The Latina, Indian, and black characters exhibit no cultural distinction beyond skin color or speaking Spanish occasionally.
A potentially interesting premise is marred by convoluted language, cardboard characters, and dismissive diversity. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 5, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4926-5551-0
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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
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