Review: Infinite in Between by Carolyn Mackler
SYNOPSIS:
The Breakfast Club meets Boyhood in this striking young adult novel from Printz Honor author Carolyn Mackler, which chronicles the lives of five teenagers through the thrills, heartbreaks, and joys of their four years in high school.
Zoe, Jake, Mia, Gregor, and Whitney meet at freshman orientation. At the end of that first day, they make a promise to reunite after graduation. But so much can happen in those in-between years. . . .
Zoe fears she will always be in her famous mother’s shadow. Jake struggles to find the right connections in friendship and in love. Mia keeps trying on new identities, looking for one that actually fits. Gregor thought he wanted to be more than just a band geek. And Whitney seems to have it all, until it’s all falling apart around her.
Carolyn Mackler skillfully brings the stories of these five disparate teens together to create a distinct and cohesive whole—a novel about how we can all affect one another’s lives in the most unexpected and amazing ways. Infinite in Between received four starred reviews, was listed on several best books of the year lists, and is perfect for fans of books by Jandy Nelson, Sara Zarr, and E. Lockhart.
REVIEW:
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
This book was positively delightful. This is another book that had been sitting on my shelf for far too long, I was avoiding it because I am usually not a fan of multiple POVs, especially in this case where there are five different opinions floating around. But Carolyn Mackler crafts a story that not only keeps my interests but seamlessly floats between characters. I was never confused as to what a character’s story line was and each character only receives a few pages at a time before a change, which not only keeps me intrigued, it also prevents me from becoming lost or disengaged.
When I originally grabbed the book off my bookshelf, I thought it was going to be about 5 people navigating college. Once I moved past my initial surprise, I fell in love with the characters, and Zoe was by far my favorite. But while the Zoe, Jake, Mia, Gregor, and Whitney all run in their own social circles, they are masterfully weaved together. Overlapping plot lines, secondary characters, and parental history keep the characters together but separate.
I think I connected in some aspect to all the characters. While it is most certainly an easy read, I think it is also a read that will resonate with high schools students for its realism and relate-ability. Dating, death, romance, pregnancy, lies, fickle friends, race, gender and a feeling of never being able to be yourself are all covered through the pages. But I think the real stickler was the fact that this group spent most of high school trying to find themselves and happiness. Which, I mean if I am being honest, my 20-something butt is still trying to do that.
I devoured this book in one day, once I started it, I simply couldn’t put it down. It’s not only a feel-good book but a book where everyone who reads it could take something away from it. I was also struck with a sense of nostalgia because you really forget how quickly high school passes by. It was a great reflection read and not only left me smiling but left me recalling my own days of high school.
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
