Helpful Score: 1
Sixteen-year-old Emma Healy has never felt like she belonged in her family full of professors, geniuses, and success stories. While her much older siblings went on to college and careers, Emma kept to herself, dreaming of "normal" birthday parties and conversations that didn't revolve around obscure literary figures.
Emma's neighbor, Peter Finnigan, is a Civil War-obsessed nerd who wishes he had a family like the Healys. Instead, it's just him and his cop father, forever separated and at odds by the taboo subject of Peter's mother, who died giving birth to him. When Emma discovers a birth and death certificate for a twin brother she never knew she once had, it's as if she suddenly feels complete. This discovery leads Emma and Peter to take a road trip from New York State to North Carolina to visit Emma's brother's grave, but what they discover is not grief and loneliness, but rather togetherness in all senses of the word.
Jennifer Smith certainly knows how to write. At the end of the book, we know Emma and Peter inside out. Neither one is without flaws, but all of their complexities, worries, passions, and dialogue simply sing through the pages. Jennifer is in real command of the language here.
I think that the book's weak point, the one thing that made me not like the book as much as I would've wanted to like it, was its plot. Road trips are a pretty common plot in YA lit, and so it's hard to redo the age-old plot without falling into a rut. Emma and Peter's road trip, while completely realistic, was also unfortunately not very exciting or engaging. Never mind the fact that this book has a strong message: family is not just about similarities, but also about staying together despite the differences. It's a great message...provided you don't get lost along the way.
Overall, however, YOU ARE HERE is far from being a bad and unenjoyable book. Jennifer Smith is definitely a strong writer whose talent deserves to get noticed. Readers who enjoy character-driven books will like YOU ARE HERE, and for those of us looking for a faster-paced read, well, you're going to have to wait for another book.
Emma's neighbor, Peter Finnigan, is a Civil War-obsessed nerd who wishes he had a family like the Healys. Instead, it's just him and his cop father, forever separated and at odds by the taboo subject of Peter's mother, who died giving birth to him. When Emma discovers a birth and death certificate for a twin brother she never knew she once had, it's as if she suddenly feels complete. This discovery leads Emma and Peter to take a road trip from New York State to North Carolina to visit Emma's brother's grave, but what they discover is not grief and loneliness, but rather togetherness in all senses of the word.
Jennifer Smith certainly knows how to write. At the end of the book, we know Emma and Peter inside out. Neither one is without flaws, but all of their complexities, worries, passions, and dialogue simply sing through the pages. Jennifer is in real command of the language here.
I think that the book's weak point, the one thing that made me not like the book as much as I would've wanted to like it, was its plot. Road trips are a pretty common plot in YA lit, and so it's hard to redo the age-old plot without falling into a rut. Emma and Peter's road trip, while completely realistic, was also unfortunately not very exciting or engaging. Never mind the fact that this book has a strong message: family is not just about similarities, but also about staying together despite the differences. It's a great message...provided you don't get lost along the way.
Overall, however, YOU ARE HERE is far from being a bad and unenjoyable book. Jennifer Smith is definitely a strong writer whose talent deserves to get noticed. Readers who enjoy character-driven books will like YOU ARE HERE, and for those of us looking for a faster-paced read, well, you're going to have to wait for another book.
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Emma has never felt a part of her family. Her parents, professors at a local college, and her much older siblings are always discussing poetry, philosophy, or topics important to the world. She is more interested in the here and now, not in deep intellectual thoughts.
Her feelings of not fitting in are dramatically increased the day she stumbles across the birth certificate of a twin brother she never knew she had. When she also discovers his death certificate tucked away in the same box in the attic, she can't believe that no one ever told her.
Turning 17 in less than a week, Emma decides to get her older brother to take her to his apartment in New York City. Once she gets there, her real plan is to "borrow" his car and travel to North Carolina to visit her twin's grave. When the car gives out at a rest stop along the New Jersey turnpike, she calls her neighbor, Peter Finnegan, another soon-to-be 17-year-old.
Peter is dealing with his own personal conflicts. He has grown up with just his father since his mother died shortly after his birth. Lately, his frustration with his silent and often absent father, and the desire to leave town and see the world, are almost more than he can tolerate. When he gets Emma's call for help, he sees it as the perfect opportunity to hit the road, see some of the sights he's dreamed of, and also spend time with a girl he realizes he's had a crush on for quite some time.
Together, the two loners begin a journey that will change them both. Not only do the teens come to know one another better, but their families also begin to recognize the ways they could be more present and supportive.
YOU ARE HERE is a carefully crafted story about families and relationships and the secrets that complicate them. Author Jennifer E. Smith has created an intricately layered cast of characters that give readers a peek into the various ways that humans handle tragedy and conflict. Smith's depth and sensitivity make YOU ARE HERE a must-read.
Emma has never felt a part of her family. Her parents, professors at a local college, and her much older siblings are always discussing poetry, philosophy, or topics important to the world. She is more interested in the here and now, not in deep intellectual thoughts.
Her feelings of not fitting in are dramatically increased the day she stumbles across the birth certificate of a twin brother she never knew she had. When she also discovers his death certificate tucked away in the same box in the attic, she can't believe that no one ever told her.
Turning 17 in less than a week, Emma decides to get her older brother to take her to his apartment in New York City. Once she gets there, her real plan is to "borrow" his car and travel to North Carolina to visit her twin's grave. When the car gives out at a rest stop along the New Jersey turnpike, she calls her neighbor, Peter Finnegan, another soon-to-be 17-year-old.
Peter is dealing with his own personal conflicts. He has grown up with just his father since his mother died shortly after his birth. Lately, his frustration with his silent and often absent father, and the desire to leave town and see the world, are almost more than he can tolerate. When he gets Emma's call for help, he sees it as the perfect opportunity to hit the road, see some of the sights he's dreamed of, and also spend time with a girl he realizes he's had a crush on for quite some time.
Together, the two loners begin a journey that will change them both. Not only do the teens come to know one another better, but their families also begin to recognize the ways they could be more present and supportive.
YOU ARE HERE is a carefully crafted story about families and relationships and the secrets that complicate them. Author Jennifer E. Smith has created an intricately layered cast of characters that give readers a peek into the various ways that humans handle tragedy and conflict. Smith's depth and sensitivity make YOU ARE HERE a must-read.
