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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
I'm going to give this 3.5 stars
There were some things I LOVED in this book, but I also have a couple of things holding me back from giving it a 4.
Once I reached the end of the book, I was loving it. I loved the characters, how far they had come, and basically the entire arc the story took. I skimmed a couple of reviews directly after finishing, and I remembered all the grievances I had at the beginning of the novel and had to knock it down half a star.
Things I loved:
How passionate everyone is about the things they love
Dissecting of high school culture and tropes
the very ~cool~ parents and authority figures/mentors
the friendships
Things that could have been better:
The timeline and switch in perspective, especially at the front half of the book
Some weird statements by a few of the characters that were unnecessary/didn't add anything to the book
I kind of hated Will at the beginning of the book. The way he was talking about people and his weird affliction for 20s slang really rubbed me the wrong way. Only until I realized he wasn't actually an asshole, did I come around to liking his character. Sometimes it is hard for me to distinguish between bad characters or just stupid teen behavior, and I think in his case he just is a dumb teen sometimes.
I was a big fan of Mattie all the way from the start to the finish. I especially loved her relationship with Miyu. It was so heartwarming, and they really both helped each other grow in their own way. Ugh this book is going to make me want to get into lock picking. It's just so freaking COOL! I didn't think I would nerd out over escapology as much as I am, but I am now a total fan. I loved how passionate she was about it and how she let it change her life. Most of her performances had me freaking the fuck out. I was so tense, but also SO ENGAGED with the story. My heart was beating so fast every freaking time. Those are my favorite scenes I read in the whole book. I wish I could find a speakeasy with regular hecklers that will buy me free drinks every Friday night.
I was completely confused about what the hell was going on with the timeline in the beginning. It smoothed out at the second half of the book because it was more linear (if I'm remembering correctly), but the front half was jumping around like nobody's business. Don't get me wrong, I love a complicated timeline if it serves a purpose. I don't really know what we gained by being confused about when certain events took place? This is usually a better fit for a mystery or thriller novel, but in this case, I really could have used some dates or clues as to when certain chapters were happening.
One of the reviews I read pointed out Mattie turning down joining the gay-straight alliance at her school because she's "apolitical" which seemed really weird and unnecessary? I don't really understand 1. what it has to do with being apolitical and 2. why it was included in the book at all? It just really stood out to me as being something that did not need to be there.
I really wish I could give this a higher score because there were SO MANY things I loved about it, but there were a couple of shortcomings that I really can't ignore if I'm going to give it an honest review.
There were some things I LOVED in this book, but I also have a couple of things holding me back from giving it a 4.
Once I reached the end of the book, I was loving it. I loved the characters, how far they had come, and basically the entire arc the story took. I skimmed a couple of reviews directly after finishing, and I remembered all the grievances I had at the beginning of the novel and had to knock it down half a star.
Things I loved:
How passionate everyone is about the things they love
Dissecting of high school culture and tropes
the very ~cool~ parents and authority figures/mentors
the friendships
Things that could have been better:
The timeline and switch in perspective, especially at the front half of the book
Some weird statements by a few of the characters that were unnecessary/didn't add anything to the book
I kind of hated Will at the beginning of the book. The way he was talking about people and his weird affliction for 20s slang really rubbed me the wrong way. Only until I realized he wasn't actually an asshole, did I come around to liking his character.
Spoiler
I will say that what he did to his girlfriend, especially how he dragged out telling her at the end of the book, was incredibly shitty and made me hate him a little bit again. I understand that he didn't want to come out and that he was afraid, but he really should have broken up with her earlier. Even if it didn't mean he told her the truth.I was a big fan of Mattie all the way from the start to the finish. I especially loved her relationship with Miyu. It was so heartwarming, and they really both helped each other grow in their own way. Ugh this book is going to make me want to get into lock picking. It's just so freaking COOL! I didn't think I would nerd out over escapology as much as I am, but I am now a total fan. I loved how passionate she was about it and how she let it change her life. Most of her performances had me freaking the fuck out. I was so tense, but also SO ENGAGED with the story. My heart was beating so fast every freaking time. Those are my favorite scenes I read in the whole book. I wish I could find a speakeasy with regular hecklers that will buy me free drinks every Friday night.
I was completely confused about what the hell was going on with the timeline in the beginning. It smoothed out at the second half of the book because it was more linear (if I'm remembering correctly), but the front half was jumping around like nobody's business. Don't get me wrong, I love a complicated timeline if it serves a purpose. I don't really know what we gained by being confused about when certain events took place? This is usually a better fit for a mystery or thriller novel, but in this case, I really could have used some dates or clues as to when certain chapters were happening.
One of the reviews I read pointed out Mattie turning down joining the gay-straight alliance at her school because she's "apolitical" which seemed really weird and unnecessary? I don't really understand 1. what it has to do with being apolitical and 2. why it was included in the book at all? It just really stood out to me as being something that did not need to be there.
I really wish I could give this a higher score because there were SO MANY things I loved about it, but there were a couple of shortcomings that I really can't ignore if I'm going to give it an honest review.
My full review can be found on the Epilie Aspie Chick blog!
Thank you to Amberjack Publishing for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With "The Art of Escaping", Mattie has a deep dark secret: she has an obsession with escapism. The abilities of people like Harry Houdini is something she has always wanted herself. Now that her best friend, Stella, is taking off for the summer at a prestige school program - she's taking the opportunity to pursue the interest. Convincing Miyu, the daughter of renowned escape artist Akiko Miyake, to help her learn, Mattie slowly learns how to open up locks and hold her breath underwater for extended times.
It's once she's begin to master these skills that Miyu forces Mattie outside her comfort zone and onto the stage for people to see her perform. That's when things get interesting as someone from her school shows up: Will, one of the varsity basketball players. Rather than turning into the nightmare scenario she thinks it will though, they end up becoming close. In fact, Will has some big secrets of his own.
Mattie and Will's friendship is something really amazing because they bond over bringing out their true selves. Each of them goes to great lengths to hide who they are - Mattie lies about where she is while she's with Miyo and stays out super late doing performances while Will has a girlfriend who has no clue he's not interested in her (and not because he's cheating with another girl). They find a comfort in having one person see who they are meant to be and after having built up a confidence in that, they let others see their true selves too.
Thank you to Amberjack Publishing for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With "The Art of Escaping", Mattie has a deep dark secret: she has an obsession with escapism. The abilities of people like Harry Houdini is something she has always wanted herself. Now that her best friend, Stella, is taking off for the summer at a prestige school program - she's taking the opportunity to pursue the interest. Convincing Miyu, the daughter of renowned escape artist Akiko Miyake, to help her learn, Mattie slowly learns how to open up locks and hold her breath underwater for extended times.
It's once she's begin to master these skills that Miyu forces Mattie outside her comfort zone and onto the stage for people to see her perform. That's when things get interesting as someone from her school shows up: Will, one of the varsity basketball players. Rather than turning into the nightmare scenario she thinks it will though, they end up becoming close. In fact, Will has some big secrets of his own.
Mattie and Will's friendship is something really amazing because they bond over bringing out their true selves. Each of them goes to great lengths to hide who they are - Mattie lies about where she is while she's with Miyo and stays out super late doing performances while Will has a girlfriend who has no clue he's not interested in her (and not because he's cheating with another girl). They find a comfort in having one person see who they are meant to be and after having built up a confidence in that, they let others see their true selves too.
4.25/5
First off, can I just say that even just the premise of this book is so entertaining? This story follows Mattie who in the summer before her senior year gets involved in her secret love for escapology and develops a secret identity for herself as a performer. When someone from her school finds out her secret, she thinks her world is going to crumble but it turns out that he has a secret of his own. The book is just so full of quirky characters, the problems that come with graduating, and the importance of standing out and embracing your passions.
It was so refreshing to see such an exciting interest being explored and I think overlapped really well with the discomfort the Mattie feels by being different in her high school. I really enjoyed this book.
There were so many good parts and meaningful moments throughout the story! I started off by writing down all the bits that I connected with and by the end I had so many pages just full of quotes. Honestly, books that focus so much on finding your identity and learning to deal with the difference between high school and university usually end up leaving me feeling unfulfilled. But this book managed to tie everything off so well. Mattie is really well developed, grows a lot as a character as she learns how to deal with her anxieties and insecurities, and actually feels real . Also the descriptions of her escapology acts were so cool, I don't know how accurate they were but they were so much fun to read about.
I really enjoyed this book. I gotta say it was a bit of a slow start for me, or rather it took me a while to properly enjoy it. The characters are fun and unique but honestly I hated one of them for the majority of the book. When he was just in the scenes narrated by Mattie it wasn't too bad but in the couple of chapters from his point of view oh my GOD. The tricky thing with writing very unique and different characters is that there is a fine line by depicting it as just uniqueness vs. superiority for being unique. They all did find the "average" person's interests very trivial which is fine but he came off as feeling so above everyone else just because he didn't care about what they did. Also in one chapter he kept pulling the "not like other girls" trope which I honestly thought we were past at this point. He did get better but nevertheless he just left a pretty bad impression on me. It was such a "i'm different and i'm so superior because of that" that I literally could not handle. Just go enjoy your jazz my dude
But yeah aside from that little rant, he got much better as a character. And the whole unique aspect wasn't annoying(?) which I was very surprised by. Mattie's uniqueness didn't annoy me at all since it was a lot more oriented towards following your passion and finding happiness in your differences, which I actually really ended up enjoying. Also the descriptions of her escapology acts were so freaking cool, I don't know how accurate they were but they were so much fun to read about.
In the end, very entertaining and very worthwhile.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
First off, can I just say that even just the premise of this book is so entertaining? This story follows Mattie who in the summer before her senior year gets involved in her secret love for escapology and develops a secret identity for herself as a performer. When someone from her school finds out her secret, she thinks her world is going to crumble but it turns out that he has a secret of his own. The book is just so full of quirky characters, the problems that come with graduating, and the importance of standing out and embracing your passions.
It was so refreshing to see such an exciting interest being explored and I think overlapped really well with the discomfort the Mattie feels by being different in her high school. I really enjoyed this book.
There were so many good parts and meaningful moments throughout the story! I started off by writing down all the bits that I connected with and by the end I had so many pages just full of quotes. Honestly, books that focus so much on finding your identity and learning to deal with the difference between high school and university usually end up leaving me feeling unfulfilled. But this book managed to tie everything off so well. Mattie is really well developed, grows a lot as a character as she learns how to deal with her anxieties and insecurities, and actually feels real . Also the descriptions of her escapology acts were so cool, I don't know how accurate they were but they were so much fun to read about.
I really enjoyed this book. I gotta say it was a bit of a slow start for me, or rather it took me a while to properly enjoy it. The characters are fun and unique but honestly I hated one of them for the majority of the book. When he was just in the scenes narrated by Mattie it wasn't too bad but in the couple of chapters from his point of view oh my GOD. The tricky thing with writing very unique and different characters is that there is a fine line by depicting it as just uniqueness vs. superiority for being unique. They all did find the "average" person's interests very trivial which is fine but he came off as feeling so above everyone else just because he didn't care about what they did. Also in one chapter he kept pulling the "not like other girls" trope which I honestly thought we were past at this point. He did get better but nevertheless he just left a pretty bad impression on me. It was such a "i'm different and i'm so superior because of that" that I literally could not handle. Just go enjoy your jazz my dude
But yeah aside from that little rant, he got much better as a character. And the whole unique aspect wasn't annoying(?) which I was very surprised by. Mattie's uniqueness didn't annoy me at all since it was a lot more oriented towards following your passion and finding happiness in your differences, which I actually really ended up enjoying. Also the descriptions of her escapology acts were so freaking cool, I don't know how accurate they were but they were so much fun to read about.
In the end, very entertaining and very worthwhile.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Arc provided by NetGalley
3.75/5 stars
---
I really, really enjoyed reading this book. Between all of the ""serious"" literature I had to read for school the past couple of weeks, I really wanted something... Fun. This was exactly what I was looking for: unique characters, escapology and nothing too stuffy. But, that is exactly why I'm only rating the book 3.75 stars.
The setting was a little off for me. There were really weird time jumps (from the scenes where she practises her acts in Miyu's house to her first performance) without them being explained, at all. Characters were not introduced or described very well, which left them a little too flat for my taste. I also thought that the parts from the "miary" could have been given a little more context to really state them as a different storyline. And the fact that everything was only slightly off bothers me, because this could have been great ! So great ! - My favorite novel of the year, my favorite characters of the year; had Callahan used a bit more time to explain and describe things properly. I wouldn't have mind a hundred pages extra about the characters, background stories, etc.
All in all, this is a really good read. It's enjoyable, has all the #aesthetics down and the characters are really fun and unique. I really recommend it, but do keep in mind that it's not a very descriptive novel and it contains some slightly-weird time jumps. Enjoy reading!
3.75/5 stars
---
I really, really enjoyed reading this book. Between all of the ""serious"" literature I had to read for school the past couple of weeks, I really wanted something... Fun. This was exactly what I was looking for: unique characters, escapology and nothing too stuffy. But, that is exactly why I'm only rating the book 3.75 stars.
The setting was a little off for me. There were really weird time jumps (from the scenes where she practises her acts in Miyu's house to her first performance) without them being explained, at all. Characters were not introduced or described very well, which left them a little too flat for my taste. I also thought that the parts from the "miary" could have been given a little more context to really state them as a different storyline. And the fact that everything was only slightly off bothers me, because this could have been great ! So great ! - My favorite novel of the year, my favorite characters of the year; had Callahan used a bit more time to explain and describe things properly. I wouldn't have mind a hundred pages extra about the characters, background stories, etc.
All in all, this is a really good read. It's enjoyable, has all the #aesthetics down and the characters are really fun and unique. I really recommend it, but do keep in mind that it's not a very descriptive novel and it contains some slightly-weird time jumps. Enjoy reading!
I'm torn.
Really, it's a mixed bag of wonderful feel good moments with some of the most off-putting characters in YA. At first, I didn't understand why I couldn't relate to Mattie and even found her dreadful at times. Then it finally dawned on me that I'm not supposed to like her because she is the antithesis of a decent person. To be honest, this is a semi-accurate representation of a teenager. I admit I was like Mattie at some point of my life. Totally self-absorbed and indignant of an apathetic world to my melodramatic life. Constantly judgmental of people who were happy being who they were simply because I was unhappy with myself. I didn't like the way I looked and there wasn't anything particularly special about me.
Mattie faces the same issues but handles it much worse. She remarks her "mousey brown hair and under eye bags" can't be fixed (in reality there's such things as concealer and hair dye). Instead, she mocks other girls for modifying their looks to fit Western standards of beauty. That's the point though isn't it? People can decide for themselves how they should look and not be pressured one way or the other. However, Mattie obviously feels inferior and resorts to bullying as a coping mechanism. Betty (the popular girl) has glowing blonde hair and a radiant smile therefore she somehow deserves all this resentment.
In addition, we're constantly reminded of how much Mattie likes Jazz, vintage dresses, and knickknacks. Of course, she isn't vapid as Meadow who cares about such things as makeup and current fashion trends! The horror. It is frankly pathetic that Mattie cannot realize she's putting others down in order to validate her own individuality not understanding the hypocrisy. Purposefully, alienating others so that they don't have a chance to hurt her fragile ego. Having delusions that she is better than others because she cares less. Typical high school demeanor.
What I can't excuse is the adults who also participate in the same sort of behavior. Will's mom continuously jokes about his "Stepford-wife" girlfriend and makes vulgar comments that he should find someone else.
“Yeah. Though she’s not really my friend.”
My dad laughed. “Smart. You don’t want to get stuck in the friend zone.”
“What? No! I have a girlfriend, remember?”
“Never hurts to keep your options open,” my mom grumbled.
It's totally uncalled for and a little disgusting for adults to shit on kids when kids already get enough shit from other kids. This is a point of contention as Will's mom is prejudice of the lgbt+ community and can't fathom that they are also human beings, not a badge to prove her "coolness" or tolerance. Unfortunately, this is a B-plot pushed aside for Mattie's straight-girl problems.
On that note, due to cruel ignorance, Mattie accepts that Will's confession is "mutual assured destruction". This cannot be farther from the truth. Will may face ridicule, rejection, hatred, and fear. Friends affronted, college recruiters not wanting someone so "controversial", and his family disowning him. While Mattie might...get grounded?
In the end, Mattie matures into a confident person. In the sense that when we find who we are, we no longer have to be jealous of those who got there before us.
*I think what happened with Connor is technically really icky. Maybe even against the law.
This is an advance reader's copy in exchange for a fair review thanks to NetGalley.
Cover Review:
The age old conflict in design is finding a medium between dynamic art and legibility. While the first cover seems to be the final version, I actually like the one directly above. It's harder to read but I like the water effect on the hand and the letters playing with foreground and background. The author's name has a nice flow that mimics the waves The graphic shapes and gradients are nicely done. Centered text makes the cover too static but I understand that marketing is a thing too. Overall, I am enamored and impressed that for a YA book, this cover isn't slacking.
Really, it's a mixed bag of wonderful feel good moments with some of the most off-putting characters in YA. At first, I didn't understand why I couldn't relate to Mattie and even found her dreadful at times. Then it finally dawned on me that I'm not supposed to like her because she is the antithesis of a decent person. To be honest, this is a semi-accurate representation of a teenager. I admit I was like Mattie at some point of my life. Totally self-absorbed and indignant of an apathetic world to my melodramatic life. Constantly judgmental of people who were happy being who they were simply because I was unhappy with myself. I didn't like the way I looked and there wasn't anything particularly special about me.
Mattie faces the same issues but handles it much worse. She remarks her "mousey brown hair and under eye bags" can't be fixed (in reality there's such things as concealer and hair dye). Instead, she mocks other girls for modifying their looks to fit Western standards of beauty. That's the point though isn't it? People can decide for themselves how they should look and not be pressured one way or the other. However, Mattie obviously feels inferior and resorts to bullying as a coping mechanism. Betty (the popular girl) has glowing blonde hair and a radiant smile therefore she somehow deserves all this resentment.
In addition, we're constantly reminded of how much Mattie likes Jazz, vintage dresses, and knickknacks. Of course, she isn't vapid as Meadow who cares about such things as makeup and current fashion trends! The horror. It is frankly pathetic that Mattie cannot realize she's putting others down in order to validate her own individuality not understanding the hypocrisy. Purposefully, alienating others so that they don't have a chance to hurt her fragile ego. Having delusions that she is better than others because she cares less. Typical high school demeanor.
What I can't excuse is the adults who also participate in the same sort of behavior. Will's mom continuously jokes about his "Stepford-wife" girlfriend and makes vulgar comments that he should find someone else.
“Yeah. Though she’s not really my friend.”
My dad laughed. “Smart. You don’t want to get stuck in the friend zone.”
“What? No! I have a girlfriend, remember?”
“Never hurts to keep your options open,” my mom grumbled.
It's totally uncalled for and a little disgusting for adults to shit on kids when kids already get enough shit from other kids. This is a point of contention as Will's mom is prejudice of the lgbt+ community and can't fathom that they are also human beings, not a badge to prove her "coolness" or tolerance. Unfortunately, this is a B-plot pushed aside for Mattie's straight-girl problems.
On that note, due to cruel ignorance, Mattie accepts that Will's confession is "mutual assured destruction". This cannot be farther from the truth. Will may face ridicule, rejection, hatred, and fear. Friends affronted, college recruiters not wanting someone so "controversial", and his family disowning him. While Mattie might...get grounded?
In the end, Mattie matures into a confident person. In the sense that when we find who we are, we no longer have to be jealous of those who got there before us.
*I think what happened with Connor is technically really icky. Maybe even against the law.
This is an advance reader's copy in exchange for a fair review thanks to NetGalley.
Cover Review:
The age old conflict in design is finding a medium between dynamic art and legibility. While the first cover seems to be the final version, I actually like the one directly above. It's harder to read but I like the water effect on the hand and the letters playing with foreground and background. The author's name has a nice flow that mimics the waves The graphic shapes and gradients are nicely done. Centered text makes the cover too static but I understand that marketing is a thing too. Overall, I am enamored and impressed that for a YA book, this cover isn't slacking.
fun; interesting concept; filled with some hard truths; a good ya book; escapology is cool; a pretty solid squad; ended sooner than I would have liked
This was a very enjoyable book about finding your passion and learning to share it. I especially liked that it wasn’t a love story, but rather an ode to friendship. Mattie doesn’t fit in and her feeling of isolation is relatable – especially in light of the fact that she’s not nearly as isolated as she thinks.
My biggest problem with this book was that Mattie at times made kind of cringey comments in terms of Will’s homosexuality. Not only does she say that if he comes out to his friends “they might become better people” (sorry, but gay people don’t exist to make anyone else a better person), but she constantly compares her hiding her passion to him being in the closet (note, not comparable and though it is addressed in the book, it was a little grating throughout the story). While it’s realistic for people to say problematic things (unfortunately :( ), I guess I would have liked to see her called out a little more on it, or even have more of Will’s thoughts on her comments. I did read an early copy, so hopefully some of these issues have been addressed.
But, what I did love was a story about a teen girl finding, exploring and learning to share her love for escapology. Mattie is intelligent, passionate and looks to the future to figure out who she wants to be. There is no romantic subplot for Mattie in this book, I really appreciated that about it. There are undertones of the “not like other girls” trope, but that could just be because I’ve read so many books like that and am reading into it. Generally, there wasn’t much girl on girl hate (a little, but not so much that it felt disingenuous) and I found Mattie's reluctance to share her passion very relatable to my own high school experience, where I was reluctant to share my passions.
I really liked Will, I think because of the early chapter in which he talks about imagining friendships with people, it was a feeling that I didn’t know anyone else experienced, and it was refreshing to see in a book. With Will I definitely got a sense that he was preforming to fit in with social standards, and not just in the sense of his sexuality but also in a sense of his personality. That fear of being able to tell people the things you think and feel because they might judge you for it. It’s something I definitely related to from highschool (though it should be noted that I was never a teenage boy, so I can’t say for certain how accurate it was).
Overall, I thought this was a great book. I read it happily in a short time and as I was coming to the end of it, I had trouble putting it down (to the point where I told Hubby that he would have to wait until I was done reading to speak to me). It’s definitely a book that I wish would have come out when I was younger, and that I had read it.
My biggest problem with this book was that Mattie at times made kind of cringey comments in terms of Will’s homosexuality. Not only does she say that if he comes out to his friends “they might become better people” (sorry, but gay people don’t exist to make anyone else a better person), but she constantly compares her hiding her passion to him being in the closet (note, not comparable and though it is addressed in the book, it was a little grating throughout the story). While it’s realistic for people to say problematic things (unfortunately :( ), I guess I would have liked to see her called out a little more on it, or even have more of Will’s thoughts on her comments. I did read an early copy, so hopefully some of these issues have been addressed.
But, what I did love was a story about a teen girl finding, exploring and learning to share her love for escapology. Mattie is intelligent, passionate and looks to the future to figure out who she wants to be. There is no romantic subplot for Mattie in this book, I really appreciated that about it. There are undertones of the “not like other girls” trope, but that could just be because I’ve read so many books like that and am reading into it. Generally, there wasn’t much girl on girl hate (a little, but not so much that it felt disingenuous) and I found Mattie's reluctance to share her passion very relatable to my own high school experience, where I was reluctant to share my passions.
I really liked Will, I think because of the early chapter in which he talks about imagining friendships with people, it was a feeling that I didn’t know anyone else experienced, and it was refreshing to see in a book. With Will I definitely got a sense that he was preforming to fit in with social standards, and not just in the sense of his sexuality but also in a sense of his personality. That fear of being able to tell people the things you think and feel because they might judge you for it. It’s something I definitely related to from highschool (though it should be noted that I was never a teenage boy, so I can’t say for certain how accurate it was).
Overall, I thought this was a great book. I read it happily in a short time and as I was coming to the end of it, I had trouble putting it down (to the point where I told Hubby that he would have to wait until I was done reading to speak to me). It’s definitely a book that I wish would have come out when I was younger, and that I had read it.
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | (3.5) Review also found here. As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
The Art of Escaping was a very promising release from the start. While I can't say that I loved every little thing about the novel itself, and it had some moments that rubbed me the wrong way, it was still quite enjoyable and I appreciate it for what it accomplishes. Plus, the underlying message behind it--about high school life, escaping the ordinary life we all have to eventually face--is something anyone can relate to.
Something that is essential to YA is that the characters be obtainable and Callahan crafts a set of characters that is easy to connect with at any age. Even if you don't relate to their reasoning, you can certainly relate to their desires to escape and not face certain things just yet. I was the same way as a teenage and find myself even now in my 20s looking for ways to just... avoid. The Art of Escaping is universal in many ways.
I found myself enjoying the characters more than the plot itself but, I think, this may be because I felt a little too disconnected with certain elements. It's hard to explain. But, Mattie, our main character, is someone I grew to really adore even if the story wasn't wholly for me. I found myself wondering if Mattie was my favourite character or Miyu. Will, too, is a great and emotionally complex character and rounds out the cast very well--I can't pinpoint my exact feelings towards him, but I liked the various traits of all three in particular.
The Art of Escaping is, ultimately, a coming of age story that captures the highs and lows of your teenage years wonderfully. Erin Callahan is a voice to look out for.
The Art of Escaping was a very promising release from the start. While I can't say that I loved every little thing about the novel itself, and it had some moments that rubbed me the wrong way, it was still quite enjoyable and I appreciate it for what it accomplishes. Plus, the underlying message behind it--about high school life, escaping the ordinary life we all have to eventually face--is something anyone can relate to.
Something that is essential to YA is that the characters be obtainable and Callahan crafts a set of characters that is easy to connect with at any age. Even if you don't relate to their reasoning, you can certainly relate to their desires to escape and not face certain things just yet. I was the same way as a teenage and find myself even now in my 20s looking for ways to just... avoid. The Art of Escaping is universal in many ways.
I found myself enjoying the characters more than the plot itself but, I think, this may be because I felt a little too disconnected with certain elements. It's hard to explain. But, Mattie, our main character, is someone I grew to really adore even if the story wasn't wholly for me. I found myself wondering if Mattie was my favourite character or Miyu. Will, too, is a great and emotionally complex character and rounds out the cast very well--I can't pinpoint my exact feelings towards him, but I liked the various traits of all three in particular.
The Art of Escaping is, ultimately, a coming of age story that captures the highs and lows of your teenage years wonderfully. Erin Callahan is a voice to look out for.
The Art of Escaping is a noticeably short novel about a girl named Mattie who is not only obsessed with the Jazz Age, but in escape artist Akiko, and her daughter who resides in the house her mother left behind in her passing. Mattie doesn't know what she wants to do after graduating, even less sure about what school she'll go to, but she goes to Miyu at her feet and begs to be taught how to be an escape artist. Along with her new friend Will with Two Ls, who has a secret of his own, it's a coming of age mixed in with found friendship and high hopes. Mattie learns courage and hard work through her passion, what she wants to do with her life and how it inspires her, but she also encourages others including her friends and older brother into taking action.
This was an incredibly cute story for the most part. I enjoyed how quirky Mattie was, and loved the no-nonsense acceptance of everyone and everything around her. While I was worried that Will's POV of the story would just be a gimmick, that his story would be more plot twist and fan-girl worthy, I was delighted to see it wasn't like that, and I appreciated that and how the author went about characters responding and dealing with his lies and secrets, which isn't as serious as I make it sound.
This novel was sometimes light, with some heavier topics, and should be read with the knowledge that it isn't entirely meant to be taken seriously. Those who get frustrated by manic pixie fix-it-scenes should stay away. Suspend your belief kids.
I did put this down for a bit but I'm glad I finished it, it honestly doesn't take long at all. My favorite parts happened to be the Miary, Miyu's diary written in the POV of her mother as a diary written in Miyu's own account of events. I enjoyed the family and friend dynamics. However, sometimes the scenes felt choppy, and the dialogue a bit stiff. However, it did not take too much away from the experience.
Overall it was really good and I recommend it to anyone who likes young adult... but make it weird. Into Houdini? Chris Angel? More Houdini but you know what I mean. You'd like it.
Give it a try! It's super cute and easy to read, overall really enjoyable. Have fun!
This was an incredibly cute story for the most part. I enjoyed how quirky Mattie was, and loved the no-nonsense acceptance of everyone and everything around her. While I was worried that Will's POV of the story would just be a gimmick, that his story would be more plot twist and fan-girl worthy, I was delighted to see it wasn't like that, and I appreciated that and how the author went about characters responding and dealing with his lies and secrets, which isn't as serious as I make it sound.
This novel was sometimes light, with some heavier topics, and should be read with the knowledge that it isn't entirely meant to be taken seriously. Those who get frustrated by manic pixie fix-it-scenes should stay away. Suspend your belief kids.
I did put this down for a bit but I'm glad I finished it, it honestly doesn't take long at all. My favorite parts happened to be the Miary, Miyu's diary written in the POV of her mother as a diary written in Miyu's own account of events. I enjoyed the family and friend dynamics. However, sometimes the scenes felt choppy, and the dialogue a bit stiff. However, it did not take too much away from the experience.
Overall it was really good and I recommend it to anyone who likes young adult... but make it weird. Into Houdini? Chris Angel? More Houdini but you know what I mean. You'd like it.
Give it a try! It's super cute and easy to read, overall really enjoyable. Have fun!
Got this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
The Art of Escaping by Erin Callahan is a feel-good book that will not let you down.
It has amazing characters in it. With background stories. The mean girls have depth, the depressed video gaming brother and his friends do aswell. There is so many to say about the characters, but I don't want to be the one that spoils the book. :)
And let's not forget the amazing Mattie. She reinvents herself while every muscle in her body is yelling to her to give up.
I also love love love the friendships in this book.
Erin has written in a style that feels realistic. I especially felt this while reading the escape scenes.
She has written it in a fast paced style, which I can really appreciate.
I can highly recommend this book to everyone that would like to read a feel-good book! I promise it won't let you down.
The Art of Escaping by Erin Callahan is a feel-good book that will not let you down.
It has amazing characters in it. With background stories. The mean girls have depth, the depressed video gaming brother and his friends do aswell. There is so many to say about the characters, but I don't want to be the one that spoils the book. :)
And let's not forget the amazing Mattie. She reinvents herself while every muscle in her body is yelling to her to give up.
I also love love love the friendships in this book.
Erin has written in a style that feels realistic. I especially felt this while reading the escape scenes.
She has written it in a fast paced style, which I can really appreciate.
I can highly recommend this book to everyone that would like to read a feel-good book! I promise it won't let you down.