'More' to see
Sarah Dessen writes the best summer reads, bar none.
For Emaline, the beach town of Colby has been all she's ever needed. Her family business is nearly three generations old. Her mother met her step-dad when she was two, and her step-sisters are as close (and as annoying) to her as real sisters. And she's dated her high school boyfriend, Luke, for going on four years. It doesn't matter that her birth father has never expressed interest in being close or that she hasn't really stepped out into the larger world. Or so she thinks. In one summer, three men suddenly change everything: her father suddenly can't pay her college tuition, film intern Theo is happy to tell her how amazing she is, and her half-brother Benji would rather spend time with her than anybody else. And before she knows it, Emaline's fear of change - quick, monumental, and complicated - comes sooner than she thinks. Does she want the familiarity of Luke, or is she curious about outsider Theo? Does leaving the town she loves so much mean success - or just sadness?
Again Dessen has knocked it out of the park with a great story that puts a twist on the classic "small town blues" dilemma. Although not quite as unique as some of her previous protagonists, Emaline still impresses as a forceful personality pulled between choices which have unpredictable consequences. This book is very theme-driven, which is not a bad thing here: Emaline is constantly questioned as to how she's carving out her own future and what she bases her decisions on. Sometimes it's spur-of-the-moment, like when her love life gets knotted up; other times, she's certain about the choices she's made, even if she doesn't understand her reasoning until later. Separate fights with her birth parents about making (and fixing) mistakes drives this point home, in a nice and subtle way.
The characters are perky, dramatic, and surprising. Theo and Luke are foils to one another, but their behaviors are far from predictable. I was particularly pleased with Emaline's relationship with Ivy, a demanding and obtuse filmmaker; their interactions are highlights of the book. A couple of the characters fall into Dessen "types", like the father who doesn't take the time to understand his daughter and the female workaholic. A handful of characters, such as Emaline's two friends Morris and Daisy, are entertaining but underused. By far the most fascinating aspect of the novel was the emphasis on male characters upending our protagonist's life. Not counting her beyond-decent step-dad, there are five male characters that have a direct impact, positive and negative, on Emaline's well-being and growth. Although in hindsight, that makes the ending of her story seem fresh and invigorating.
I'm not quite sure I buy aspects of her summer romance, but that aside I enjoyed plenty of what The Moon and More offers. In the face of others' ambitions and her own fears, Emaline still knows where her heart is. Highly recommended to anyone who's trying to make that big move. Rating: 4.5 house renovations out of 5.
Again Dessen has knocked it out of the park with a great story that puts a twist on the classic "small town blues" dilemma. Although not quite as unique as some of her previous protagonists, Emaline still impresses as a forceful personality pulled between choices which have unpredictable consequences. This book is very theme-driven, which is not a bad thing here: Emaline is constantly questioned as to how she's carving out her own future and what she bases her decisions on. Sometimes it's spur-of-the-moment, like when her love life gets knotted up; other times, she's certain about the choices she's made, even if she doesn't understand her reasoning until later. Separate fights with her birth parents about making (and fixing) mistakes drives this point home, in a nice and subtle way.
The characters are perky, dramatic, and surprising. Theo and Luke are foils to one another, but their behaviors are far from predictable. I was particularly pleased with Emaline's relationship with Ivy, a demanding and obtuse filmmaker; their interactions are highlights of the book. A couple of the characters fall into Dessen "types", like the father who doesn't take the time to understand his daughter and the female workaholic. A handful of characters, such as Emaline's two friends Morris and Daisy, are entertaining but underused. By far the most fascinating aspect of the novel was the emphasis on male characters upending our protagonist's life. Not counting her beyond-decent step-dad, there are five male characters that have a direct impact, positive and negative, on Emaline's well-being and growth. Although in hindsight, that makes the ending of her story seem fresh and invigorating.
I'm not quite sure I buy aspects of her summer romance, but that aside I enjoyed plenty of what The Moon and More offers. In the face of others' ambitions and her own fears, Emaline still knows where her heart is. Highly recommended to anyone who's trying to make that big move. Rating: 4.5 house renovations out of 5.
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