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angelaocmon 's review for:
The Face on the Milk Carton
by Caroline B. Cooney
This book is such an interesting concept. What if you recognized the person on a missing poster because it was you? But unfortunately from the moment I started reading the author's note I realized it was not going to be well executed. The writing is very strange. The characters don't really talk like real people. The only excuse I can think for how terribly written the teenagers are is that YA novels weren't really a thing in the early 90s.
The main character’s “dad” is a middle school soccer coach and also apparently doesn’t know how to talk like a normal person.
So a big plot point is Janie realizing she’s never seen her birth certificate. For some reason, the author decided to tell us how her friend had seen his birth certificate in the strangest way possible.
The friends, in general, are very strangely written. For some reason, there’s a scene where they play with masking tape for an hour.
She has a boyfriend/love interest and their interactions are really strange.
A great concept that unfortunately was poorly executed.
The main character’s “dad” is a middle school soccer coach and also apparently doesn’t know how to talk like a normal person.
“I love my kids. They try so hard! We practiced in the school gym because of the rain. Can't stand that stupid principal they have down there. Good janitor, though. Big help. I can't wait for the next game. We have so much potential this year! Why are we having microwave pizza? Where are you guys going? Don't I even get to talk to my girl?"
So a big plot point is Janie realizing she’s never seen her birth certificate. For some reason, the author decided to tell us how her friend had seen his birth certificate in the strangest way possible.
“Jason laughed suddenly. "I remember the first time I saw my birth certificate," he said, “with its little raised seal and the gold lettering at the top, and it was so official and all: the real me: and it had the wrong birth date. I practically passed out. I thought-I'm somebody else, I'm adopted, they switched babies at the hospital. I sweated so much the paper got soggy."
The friends, in general, are very strangely written. For some reason, there’s a scene where they play with masking tape for an hour.
“All the kids were attracted by the tape. Everybody wanted to rip off a piece and tape things Charlotte's mouth shut," said Jason, laughing, ready to do it.”
Was this what it was like living in the 90s?
She has a boyfriend/love interest and their interactions are really strange.
“Janie was so aware of his maleness.”
"You talked about me last year to Sarah- Charlotte?" "Yeah. Now do you feel like kissing me?" She did. They did.”.
A great concept that unfortunately was poorly executed.