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The reasons I felt like I needed to read this book are 1) it was the only book I hadn't read by Sarah Dessen, so duh, I needed to read it, and 2) it's the book she'll be talking about at the Austin Teen Book Festival that I'm going to next weekend. I didn't want anything to be spoiled on the panel, so I decided to make sure I read it before I go to the festival.
Quick summary
The Moon and More follows the main character, Emaline, throughout her summer on the beach where she lives year-round. She just finished her senior year of high school and will be going to college about two hours away from her home in the fall. She lives in a place that people often visit during the summer, and she longs for the things that she doesn't get because she lives on the beach, such as summer romances and nights she can't remember (if ya know what I mean). She's been dating the same guy, Luke, for two years, but then he {spoiler alert} cheats on her. On the same day that they break up, she kisses another guy, Theo, who is only there for the summer. She thinks she can finally get her summer romance and see what all the fuss is about.
While all of this is happening in her love life, Emaline is struggling with her relationship with her estranged father. He's going through a {another spoiler alert} divorce, and he comes to the beach to fix up and sell the house that his recently dead aunt lives in and to also spend time with this son before he goes to live with his mother.
My thoughts
This book is very different from the books I've read by her in the past. To be honest, I thought most of the characters in this book were pretty annoying, Emaline included. She got into an Ivy League school, but she wasn't very smart when it came to her love life. I mean, Theo was totally wrong for her, and he got on her nerves, but she still stuck with him for an extended amount of time. He was literally the most selfish and pig-headed guy ever, and she just dated him almost all summer, even though I'm sure all the readers knew it wasn't going to turn out well.
Then with this whole relationship with her father thing, her father was the most insensitive and terrible parent I've ever heard of. He went back on all of his promises and then some. He offered no explanation and instead just cowered and wouldn't allow Emaline to talk to him about anything. He also refused to spend time with his son, even though that was the point of the trip. Then months he left for the summer, he emailed Emaline about school and acted like nothing was wrong. He wouldn't even try to be a good parent to either of his kids. I just couldn't handle.
While, like I said, most characters were annoying, there were a few that I really liked. Most of all, I liked Benji, Emaline's half brother. He's ten and so full of energy. He was just happy, and he was also really smart for his age. I liked Clyde. He was an older gentleman in the book who Theo and his boss were making a documentary on {you'll have to read the book to get more info on this. It's too extensive to explain here!}. I also liked Emaline's best friends, Morris and Daisy. The two of them were dating and they made the oddest couple, but they somehow just worked together.
I think the thing I liked most about this book was that she didn't end up with a guy in the end. I know that's odd, because, like I said before, I do love a good love story, but I just didn't think either of her options were viable. She seemed like she would be a much more powerful character if she ended up single in the end, which she did and I loved.
I'll give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I'm so looking forward to getting Sarah Dessen to sign all of my books. Maybe I'll even purchase this one and get her to sign it too. I'm leaving for Austin a week from today, and the festival is on the 28th. Eight days and counting. I'm giddy with happiness {because I'm nerd, but that's okay}.
I love Sarah Dessen's books! Will have to read this one next.
ReplyDeleteYou know I am love Sarah's book, thanks goes to you ;D
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