The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
Buy The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Teens
Reviewer: Kenzie Millar
Summary: It’s the summer before college, and Emeline wants it to be a summer of new things. Just like the tourists who visit her hometown of Colby for the beach, she wants to be able to try out different sides of herself. But new beginnings don’t leave much room for her last summer at home.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 448	Date: June 2013
Publisher: Penguin
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-0141348292
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Emeline is a conscientious student, works hard for her family's realty business, and loves her long-term boyfriend Luke. But as college draws near she wonders if there is something she has missed by living year-round at the beach. When other people come to the beach, they get to leave their real selves behind and try on a new persona. Her mom had her young and has always tried to provide Emeline with everything she could need. When a filmmaker’s assistant, Theo, comes into town, Emeline is intrigued by him and his very different New York City lifestyle. Maybe she does want something more than what her old life has offered.

I am a huge Dessen fan, and this book is perfect for any fans of hers. Most of her books are set during the pre-college summer, but they’re all different enough because of the characters she creates. I do acknowledge that she does have a formula of sorts, which I don't think is necessarily bad (depending on what you want). If you like this type of coming-of-age story with some romance, you'll like this Dessen book. I continue to read her books because I know what I'm getting. If this doesn't appeal, you shouldn't read Dessen. But I do think that her characters are varied enough to make all her titles interesting. Although many of her narrators are perfectionists, they all adapt this trait to the world in different ways. The issues she addresses in her books are also compelling.

Emeline is a great narrator, who has interesting family and friends. The tension between small-town Colby and her past life, and her excitement for the new world of college is incredibly understandable. Though it might seem unbelievable that she isn't content with a life lived at the beach (I am always jealous of those characters in Dessen’s town of Colby, it seems like a great place to live!) her yearning for more is explained brilliantly, especially as she starts to dip her toe in the water of new experiences. What I liked most about her is her ability to make mistakes that a reader can get on board with, even as they might realise before her that it is a mistake.

Emeline’s relationship with her biological father is also great. Dessen has always been good at creating unconventional family dynamics, and I really appreciated the difference she set up between Emeline’s father (biology) and dad (actual parenting). I would have liked to have heard more about Emeline’s mom and grandmother, however. As a lot of the premise of the story is based on Emeline’s wish to have more than them, it would have been nice to hear just a little more of their stories.

Compared to some of Dessen's other books this probably isn’t one of my favourites, but considering how many of her books I adore that is not a criticism. I think the main reason for that was that I did not really like Theo, the main guy character. In other books, Dessen has given us a three-dimensional female narrator, opposite an equally three-dimensional guy. I think Theo was just not quite interesting or likeable enough for me. I wasn’t quite sold on Emeline’s interest in him. The other characters, such as Emeline’s friends and half-brother are definitely up to Dessen’s usual stature. Somehow, even though I can’t help reading her books in a matter of hours, I feel like I have known these people all my life. I guess that is why it is so disappointing that I’ve never been to Colby!

For other Dessen fans, there are some really nice throw-backs to other characters in this book too. The clothing boutique, Clementine's, makes an appearance, and of course the Last Chance café. If this is your first Dessen novel, I would be incredibly surprised if it doesn’t make you want to go out and buy her other titles. This is a great summer read, with a lovely summer setting, but most importantly it illustrates just how difficult it is to negotiate growing up. How much does growing up mean growing away or growing different? Well, Dessen answers this.

Some of the characters mentioned as asides in this novel feature in Along for the Ride and The Truth About Forever both also by Dessen. But for a slightly grittier teen book, Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J Bick had me more absorbed than this particular Dessen title.

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You can read more book reviews or buy The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen at Amazon.com.

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