Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor
Friday, April 11, 2014
Author : Melissa Kantor
Genre : Contemporary
Expected Publication : February 18th 2014
Publisher : HarperTeen
Pages : 304
Source : Publisher, in exchange for a fair and honest review
From Goodreads :
Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.
Even when she isn't sure what to say.
Even when Olivia misses months of school.
Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.
The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.
In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.
Review
From the many people's response on Goodreads and around, they've said that this books induce a lot of feelings. And truth be told, I actually didn't quite believe it would be the case for me.
It's because, for some time of my life I've kinda accept this : It's pretty damn hard for me to bawl over a story. Because it often didn't hit with me and I'll just go "oh, okay" and go on with it.
But this book?
Well, you Melissa Kantor, are going to be held accountable for my parents coming to my room at midnight to find me awkwardly bawling my eyes out, and waking up the next day with both my eyes swollen like crazy.
"I'd failed to appreciate how the permafrost in which I was encased was protecting me, and now that it had melted, everything hurt."
—Zoe
Something in this book that had touched me the way other books doesn't is probably Zoe and Olivia's friendship. I love how their friendship was not overly-dramatic, how it was just another ordinary friendship founded on a hellish ballet class, and how their activity is never crazier than your usual girls talk and all. Yet, their connection was there and the connection was strong.
Every things that Zoe did for Olivia—and vice versa—was natural and realistic, and not at all seemed to be forced. And it adds this certain beauty to their friendship that it hurts so much to see them struggle throughout this story.
And the plotting, which was mainly driven by Olivia's condition and Zoe's decision, was also very interesting to read. A character-driven story often had a more in-depth feeling that the action-driven. In this book, I got a bucket of feeling. And while it leaned toward a character-driven style more, the pacing is still pretty organized—not picking up and sagging at some random point—but rather progressing steadily.
Zoe and Olivia as our main character, was probably the strongest aspect of this book, and what had helped it to hit exactly at the spot.
As a narrator, Zoe has an especially strong and unique voice. She also has this authentic feeling to her narration that it felt a little but more personal that usual. And I also love how her reaction to a condition was very genuine and believable, rash and hurried like any decision a high school girl would make. And it really helped to propel the story forward without making it cheesy and melodramatic.
Olivia as well, has this charming personality, that will make you can't help but to adore her and sympathize with her. But instead being this boring do-gooder, she also has another layer of a personality no one but her closest ever see, and it really help adding more depth and realness to her already solid character.
And I also love what Melissa Kantor do with her side character, making them subtle enough so it won't overpower the main, but still give each of them a personality so they will feel three-dimensional.
The romance in this book, though, was not spectacular or anything. But given this is not a romantic story, I guess I really can't complain about it. And it also doesn't really affect the story in a huge way, though.
But I feel that Zoe's relationship with her kinda-clear-and-unclear boyfriend Calvin kinda lacked the chemistry. Sure the boy was always there to help her and was so understanding and sweet at all. But I didn't feel this unexplainable urge to put them back together when they're not, like I did with Zoe and Olivia. And I guess, it's because their connection lacked this certain spark called chemistry.
Overall, Maybe One Day was quite a satisfying read. It was a good tearjerker (The one that actually DID make me cry), and with the friendship of our two main character being soo beautifully written and a strong, character-driven story, this book is really worth a try.
Cheers, x
NK
6 comments
aww yeah I heard it was very emotional D: I guess if it got to you, the author did an amazing job. Lol now I am almost scared to pick it up
ReplyDeleteShe certainly did! It's rare for me to cry over a book :)
DeleteIt sounds like a great book, but it hits a little to close to home for me.
ReplyDeleteAww, hope you'll someday try it though :)
DeleteJust got this one from the library, looks like I better prepare myself and have some tissues ready. I'll remember what you said about the romance when I read it so I don't get my hopes up ;)
ReplyDeleteYep, get a huge package of it! I'm sobbing and snorting and all while reading this :)
DeleteA comment from readers make us happy, really!
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