Overall, an upbeat story inspired by a classic about staying positive and resilient in the face of adversity.
A plucky, disco-loving teen and her moms are met with small-town prejudice upon moving to their new home.
With her dyed orange hair and vibrant, retro wardrobe, high schooler Anne Shirley is used to standing out from the crowd just by being herself. But when Anne, who likes girls and is of Japanese and Welsh descent, moves with her White moms to Greenville, they quickly catch the attention of residents who view the new family as a threat to the town’s conservative values. At school, Anne is the target of openly racist and homophobic comments, while her mom Lucy, the new vice principal at Greenville High, faces intense scrutiny and criticism from parents. Green-haired, artistic Berry is Anne’s only new friend, and though she offers support and encouragement, the constant provocation is almost enough to dull Anne’s shine. When auditions for the school play are announced, Anne sees an opportunity to participate in a Greenville tradition without compromising who she is, but outcry against the chosen play, Peter Pan, in which Anne is cast as the lead, threatens to end the production before it even begins. Anne recounts these first few weeks in Greenville in bright, conversational prose that bursts with personality and frequently veers into enthusiastic tangents. Unfortunately, secondary characters aren’t developed quite as well, particularly Anne’s bullies, who have little substance beneath their casual cruelty.
Overall, an upbeat story inspired by a classic about staying positive and resilient in the face of adversity. (content warning) (Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-368-07840-5
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Melissa de la Cruz Studio
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
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
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
