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A review by suspensethrill
Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner
5.0
"I lie back on his pillow, my head spinning, and for one split second I think how crazy it will be when I get home and tell Aubrey everything. But that's wrong; that won't happen. She and I are barely friends anymore."
I don't think I can give this book the proper justice it deserves, but here we go. [b:Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me|45046698|Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me|Gae Polisner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561886341l/45046698._SY75_.jpg|60074122] reminded me exactly why I adore a well written YA contemporary novel. Gae Polisner's latest story truly transcends age boundaries by giving teens content that is relevant to their peer group, while also giving adults a sense of nostalgia and dark whimsy regarding past experiences from a time that may or may not have been long ago. *ahem* Part of the reason that I instantly connected with JL and her story was partially due to this book giving me all the vibes of my favorite Sarah Dessen novel, [b:Dreamland|4325|Dreamland|Sarah Dessen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385861832l/4325._SY75_.jpg|7995]. Please note that the plots of these two novels are vastly different, yet both give a hard look at the dark side of young adulthood.
The book is written as a letter from Jean Louise (JL) to her childhood best friend Aubrey. Parts are written in the style of a letter, and the rest is filled in as back story flittering between the past and the present. On one hand, JL and Aubrey have fallen apart, and we discover all the juicy reasons why along the course of the book, while also getting a front seat view of JL's budding relationship with Max. She's 15 and a sophomore in high school, and he's 19 and a senior about to graduate, so their relationship raises a few eyebrows. At the root of JL's problems is the fact that her dad has left for an undetermined amount of time, and she's trapped at home with her mentally ill mother, who happens to be obsessed with the fact that JL's Nana once kissed Jack Kerouac. Jean Louise's one outlet is raising butterflies as a hobby, which was a bittersweet and beautiful addition to the mix.
One of the things I loved about this book is that it doesn't hold back any punches. I was equally invested in all facets of JL's struggles, and sincerely rooted for her to not only find who she was and be true to herself in the end, but also to find relief as a child in a world that constantly rained down adult problems on her. While this book does deal with some dark themes, and there is some sexual content that may make it more appropriate for the upper end of the YA spectrum, it was handled beautifully and respectfully, and exuded a natural sense of suspense that had me flipping the pages as quickly as possible to see how everything would wrap up. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I was wholly satisfied with the way everything wrapped up, and how some pieces were given closure, but left a little messy. If you're looking for a YA novel that isn't cheesy and deals with hard hitting content, definitely add this one to your TBR this spring!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
I don't think I can give this book the proper justice it deserves, but here we go. [b:Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me|45046698|Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me|Gae Polisner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561886341l/45046698._SY75_.jpg|60074122] reminded me exactly why I adore a well written YA contemporary novel. Gae Polisner's latest story truly transcends age boundaries by giving teens content that is relevant to their peer group, while also giving adults a sense of nostalgia and dark whimsy regarding past experiences from a time that may or may not have been long ago. *ahem* Part of the reason that I instantly connected with JL and her story was partially due to this book giving me all the vibes of my favorite Sarah Dessen novel, [b:Dreamland|4325|Dreamland|Sarah Dessen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385861832l/4325._SY75_.jpg|7995]. Please note that the plots of these two novels are vastly different, yet both give a hard look at the dark side of young adulthood.
The book is written as a letter from Jean Louise (JL) to her childhood best friend Aubrey. Parts are written in the style of a letter, and the rest is filled in as back story flittering between the past and the present. On one hand, JL and Aubrey have fallen apart, and we discover all the juicy reasons why along the course of the book, while also getting a front seat view of JL's budding relationship with Max. She's 15 and a sophomore in high school, and he's 19 and a senior about to graduate, so their relationship raises a few eyebrows. At the root of JL's problems is the fact that her dad has left for an undetermined amount of time, and she's trapped at home with her mentally ill mother, who happens to be obsessed with the fact that JL's Nana once kissed Jack Kerouac. Jean Louise's one outlet is raising butterflies as a hobby, which was a bittersweet and beautiful addition to the mix.
One of the things I loved about this book is that it doesn't hold back any punches. I was equally invested in all facets of JL's struggles, and sincerely rooted for her to not only find who she was and be true to herself in the end, but also to find relief as a child in a world that constantly rained down adult problems on her. While this book does deal with some dark themes, and there is some sexual content that may make it more appropriate for the upper end of the YA spectrum, it was handled beautifully and respectfully, and exuded a natural sense of suspense that had me flipping the pages as quickly as possible to see how everything would wrap up. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I was wholly satisfied with the way everything wrapped up, and how some pieces were given closure, but left a little messy. If you're looking for a YA novel that isn't cheesy and deals with hard hitting content, definitely add this one to your TBR this spring!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.