Book 9 Of 11 The Darlings Are Forever By Melissa Kantor

Dust Jacket Description:"Jane, Victoria, and Natalya. Together, they are the Darlings. Best friends forever. They have matching necklaces, their own table at Ga Ga Noodle, and even a shared motto: "May you always do what you're afraid of doing." When the friends begin freshman year at three different high schools in distant corners of New York City, they promise to live by their motto and stay as close as ever. The Darlings know they can get through anything as long as they have each other. But doing scary new things is a lot easier with your friends beside you. And now that the girls aren't spending all their time together, everything they took for granted about their friendship starts to feel less certain. They can't help but wonder, will they really be the Darlings forever?" Characters: I really loved the relationship between all three of the girls. I feel like I haven't seen a really tight knit group of girls where each girl is equally represented. That equality in narratives really made this book feel fresh, despite the typical premise. Each girl had a really distinct voice. Jane's bubbly passion made me instantly enjoy her character. Natalya's struggle with her culture and to fit in with the popular girls didn't feel cliched. I suspect this had to do with the backdrop of NYC to make the posh expectations of Natayla's boarding school seem real. But I think it was Victoria's father's political campaign - the real center of the action - that gave this MG/YA crossover its appeal. The side characters were realistic and enjoyable. I thought Kantor did a great job with each girl's family and romantic issues alike. This book really encompasses the fourteen year old girl experience in a way I would want my female tween cousin to read about. 4 and a half flowers. Writing: It's so rare to hear three very distinct voices in one book. The Darlings' third person writing style really helped sculpt each girl's narrative. 5 flowers. Plot: I thought there was a great mix of plot and character focus. Each girl had a lot of conflict in their lives, so as a reader I was never bored. My one qualm would be that the big plot changer didn't make as much sense as I wanted it to. If it had been in another setting, it would have been a lot more logical. 4 flowers. End: Not surprising, but satisfying. I only wish Natalya's romantic problems had been resolved. 4 flowers. Dust Jacket Description: This description sums up the premise perfectly, but I wish it gave more of an insight into what each girl is actually like. 3 and a half flowers. Cover: Usually covers with girls on them annoy me, but I think this will appeal to the target audience. I wish it was flashier, though. 3 and a half flowers. Overall: If you want a smart, light, friendship themed book to give to a girl between 11-14 that you know, you have to pick this up. 4 flowers.

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