Scan barcode
A review by piperhudsburn
Just Visiting by Dahlia Adler
3.0
This book is an excellent example of the perfect YA contemporary.
Just Visiting is an honest, heartwarming story about two best friends who are confused about what they want to do with their lives. To make matters worse, they live in a small town in the middle of Kansas. The two best friends couldn't be more different: Reagan- is a hardworking girl from a Trailer Park, and Victoria Reyes, a Mexican-American girl who is the daughter of two professors. They embark on these series of college visits throughout Kansas, hoping to find the perfect school.
I definitely recommend this book to students in their Junior or Senior years- struggling to come to terms with leaving High School and moving on to adulthood.
The shining light of this book are Rae and Vic. These girls aren't just best friends- they're basically sisters, sisters who are each keeping a secret from each other. In some ways, I really liked them individually too. Rae was smart and dedicated and wasn't afraid to stand up to her irresponsible parents. Given the nature of her secret, her OTT-ness about her "trailer-trash" situation was understandable. I also loved Vic's relationship with her family. It was healthy and loving. The kind of well-written, constructed friendship between Rae and Vic is so rare in YA, and this book got a star just for that.
The first 55% of this book were stellar- almost like a non-"pretentious" John Green novel. (I actually like John Green's work for the "pretentiousness" because kids really do have lyrical revalations, but I also understand why some people may find them tedious.)
The characters were fresh and realistic- Adler made me wish I had friends like Victoria and Rae. I liked the little awkward adventures they went on- and I loved Rae's spunk. It was shaping up to be another great coming of age novel. However, at some point- the book stopped being a tad too "perfect." I feel like Adler put more of her energy into putting diversity, sex-positive messages, and awkward moments into the book instead of putting a little bit more "realism" or "revelation." John Green's "pretentious" (EX. "I was thunder and she was a hurricane.") moments help even out the ridiculous and the awkward in his novels. I needed that in Just Visiting. Without those moments, Rae came off as a complaining, one-track mind and Vic as a vapid, whiny brat at times.
The truth is college application season is when you hate/love your friends the most, and Rae and Vic didn't go through enough strife in the climax.
But don't get me wrong: I adored this book. It was perfect in so many ways. First, the relationship between Reagan and her love interest, Dev, was amazing. I liked that they were friends first and that Adler gave them time to be friends. I especially like how the interracial-relationship thing was addressed- as a strange, but normal pairing, and not like some dramatic, Romeo/Juliet thing. They definitely made the book for me.
Vic, on the other hand, had a few love-interests. I sort of felt like they were all wasted on her. We weren't given enough time with any of them, and I felt like it was unnecessary. I much preferred her with..... At the end of the day, I shipped Victoria with her independence and dreams.
I didn't want this book to end. I really didn't. Not only because it was so good, but because it gave me such a happy feeling inside. I truly wish most YA contemporaries were like Just Visiting.
Just Visiting is an honest, heartwarming story about two best friends who are confused about what they want to do with their lives. To make matters worse, they live in a small town in the middle of Kansas. The two best friends couldn't be more different: Reagan- is a hardworking girl from a Trailer Park, and Victoria Reyes, a Mexican-American girl who is the daughter of two professors. They embark on these series of college visits throughout Kansas, hoping to find the perfect school.
I definitely recommend this book to students in their Junior or Senior years- struggling to come to terms with leaving High School and moving on to adulthood.
“When a friendship crumbles, there are only really two things that can bring it back: a shitload of time, or a sincere apology.”
The shining light of this book are Rae and Vic. These girls aren't just best friends- they're basically sisters, sisters who are each keeping a secret from each other. In some ways, I really liked them individually too. Rae was smart and dedicated and wasn't afraid to stand up to her irresponsible parents. Given the nature of her secret, her OTT-ness about her "trailer-trash" situation was understandable. I also loved Vic's relationship with her family. It was healthy and loving. The kind of well-written, constructed friendship between Rae and Vic is so rare in YA, and this book got a star just for that.
The first 55% of this book were stellar- almost like a non-"pretentious" John Green novel. (I actually like John Green's work for the "pretentiousness" because kids really do have lyrical revalations, but I also understand why some people may find them tedious.)
The characters were fresh and realistic- Adler made me wish I had friends like Victoria and Rae. I liked the little awkward adventures they went on- and I loved Rae's spunk. It was shaping up to be another great coming of age novel. However, at some point- the book stopped being a tad too "perfect." I feel like Adler put more of her energy into putting diversity, sex-positive messages, and awkward moments into the book instead of putting a little bit more "realism" or "revelation." John Green's "pretentious" (EX. "I was thunder and she was a hurricane.") moments help even out the ridiculous and the awkward in his novels. I needed that in Just Visiting. Without those moments, Rae came off as a complaining, one-track mind and Vic as a vapid, whiny brat at times.
The truth is college application season is when you hate/love your friends the most, and Rae and Vic didn't go through enough strife in the climax.
“How is it possible to feel such a strong connection with somebody but miss the most vital piece of information about him?”
But don't get me wrong: I adored this book. It was perfect in so many ways. First, the relationship between Reagan and her love interest, Dev, was amazing. I liked that they were friends first and that Adler gave them time to be friends. I especially like how the interracial-relationship thing was addressed- as a strange, but normal pairing, and not like some dramatic, Romeo/Juliet thing. They definitely made the book for me.
Vic, on the other hand, had a few love-interests. I sort of felt like they were all wasted on her. We weren't given enough time with any of them, and I felt like it was unnecessary. I much preferred her with.....
Spoiler
Jamie. I know he was an asshole, but Vic is kind of a brat- and I saw a much more interesting and realistic path for growth. I would've preferred if they had gotten together, resolved their internal conflicts, and broken up. The difference between the Rae/Dev and Jamie/Vic would've been an interesting parallel to ponder“Its time to figure out what makes you happy and just do it. Worst comes to worst, you make a mistake and then you change paths. That's the best freaking part of being a teenager.”
I didn't want this book to end. I really didn't. Not only because it was so good, but because it gave me such a happy feeling inside. I truly wish most YA contemporaries were like Just Visiting.