Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Headline Review, Hachette India
ISBN: 978-0-7553-8403-7
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 215
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

Do you believe in love at first sight? And does love at first sight happens because of collective circumstances that lead to it? The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a book as the title says, quite what it is – love and the chances of it at first sight.

When Hadley misses her flight to London by four minutes, she never expects to meet Oliver – someone she instantly connects with, someone who has his own set of problems and so does she, and it is quite interesting to see how they solve their own problems, one by one, over the course of one day.

The book is a young adult romance so to say and yet it is written with so much maturity on so many levels. I could relate to Hadley in so many ways when I was seventeen – the same anxiety, fears and worry about the future. Hadley has had an estranged relationship with her father. She is on her way to London from New York to attend her father’s second marriage and does not know how to react to it.

Oliver on the other hand, has his own life which he doesn’t share initially but the layers are soon peeled and reality sinks in. The reality that when they are done with the journey and land in London, (they are seated next to each other 18A and 18B for seven hours on the flight) what will become of their friendship/relationship. Will they meet again? What does life have in store for them, if it does for the two of them together?

I found the book a sweet read. There were no mushy romantic moments and I liked that. The book in that case does not get boring. Jennifer E. Smith knows the craft of writing for young adults. It is not the typical romance novel, and that’s why it worked well for me.

Jennifer writes with a quick pace. She doesn’t make the reader wait for things to unfurl. She knows that the reader expects this and this is what needs to be given. The ending worked very well for me. It is sweet for almost all characters and a little fluffy. The book makes you want to travel, because at the end who knows what might happen on an airplane ride to two strangers. To read something light without it being too mushy, you must pick up this book.

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Book Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney

Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever
Author: Jeff Kinney
Publisher: Puffin Books, Penguin Books
ISBN: 978-0141341880
Genre: Children’s Fiction, YA Fiction
Pages: 224
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

Jeff Kinney does it again! One doesn’t tire of reading the journal/diary of Greg Heffley and this time he is back with twice the fun and antics of Rowley and him. I remember when I first started reading this series, only three of them had been published and I finished them in all under two hours. I also remember not only recommending them to friends and family, but also gifting them the first book. Needless to say that I love this series.

The book is set between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Greg needs to be good so Santa can be good to him in return. He and Rowley decide to be good boys till Christmas Eve. However, all does not go well as planned. They are accused of vandalizing school property and before any action can be taken, there is a blizzard in the season and the ground is covered in three feet of snow. This only means that Greg is locked with his family in his house and cannot step out.

My favourite part in the book was the flashback when Greg’s younger brother Manny is just a newborn and Greg’s mother buys him a doll to get used to the idea of being a big brother. The book is hilarious. It has so many moments of Greg and his brothers (Rodrick and Manny) stuck at home, that there were times I actually laughed out loud.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is one of those books I wished was published when I was growing up. I have enjoyed the drawings and the prose with every single issue, but this time it was very-well written. Though the book is definitely American and Indian kids might have a bit of a problem relating to the content in some parts, I would still highly recommend Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series to every kid.

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

Book Review: When I Was Joe by Keren David

Title: When I Was Joe
Author: Keren David
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
PP: 384 pages
ISBN: 978-1847801005
Price: $8.95
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

Written in first person narrative from Ty/Joe’s perspective. At fourteen, he has grown up in a low income, rough, multi-cultural part of London. The product of a teenage pregnancy with no contact from his father. He does have a terrific loving family especially in the form of his Grandmother and Aunts. He has a good relationship with his Mother although he has never tested the bonds before, they have always had to struggle for money. As a unit they have given him a firm moral conscience; making the main thread of the story even more astounding. I did find his mother rather immature/selfish having relied on other people to provide nurture for Ty, you can appreciate that she was just a child herself when she had him. He attends an alleged privileged all boys school where his background and lack of money make him a target for bullying.

The plot is unraveled in the form of recaps of the events leading up to the placement in witness protection. The depiction of Police treatment to witnesses was infuriating. You can understand to a certain degree how people who witness crimes do not speak out. As witnesses are treated as criminals themselves, it is easy to see why crimes go unreported/people look the other way all a reflection of today’s society which really saddens me. The generally thinking that it was ‘normal’ to carry a knife was beyond belief.

Keren has a very compelling writing style, drawing the reader into the plot. It is very British in its references and language, vast cultural differences are depicted giving amazing insight into the difference a small distance can make to your surroundings and attitude. It confounds me that teenagers are drawn to using what is classified as ‘gangsta’ language in order to appear threatening, it does make me as a parent question the affect that television has on youths/society. The hysterical Simon Cowell reference lightens what could be an overwhelming dour mood.

In the beginning Ty comes across as a bit of a ‘sheep’, he doesn’t stand out, has only one ‘friend’ and stays out of the way. Peer pressure is a very powerful thing, wolves lead and sheep follow as a way to be popular. However, when he becomes Joe his whole persona alters, he is more outgoing and popular. Making me think that Ty/Joe thinks he can be a different person just because he has a different haircut and cool clothes. Or whether a change of environment promotes a fresh start. Via the narrative you get the impression that Ty really likes being Joe. His talent for languages is under-appreciated by everyone. I almost felt as if Ty had a split personality. I completely adored the use of irony showing that Ty/Joe has to live a lie because he told the truth.

When I Was Joe is a book that will make you think and has something to offer for all ages – whether you’re a teenager or an adult there is something to be learnt from Ty’s story. One particular paragraph that has stayed with me was this:

“I’m not carrying a knife because I’ve seen what they can do. But I need one for the same reason. It’s a problem that nags at me all the time.”

How many young teenagers today feel the same? It is something I find heartbreaking but it is a serious problem that needs to be dealt with. We can’t brush knife crime under the carpet – it isn’t something that will go away if we bury our heads under the sand. If you’re only going to read one book this year then I’d recommend When I Was Joe – it was a compelling read that I couldn’t put down even if I wanted to and although the main subject of the story was hard hitting it was still light enough in places to make me laugh out loud. This really is a book that shouldn’t be missed and I can’t wait to read more of Ty’s story in the sequel Almost True.

Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim

Bleaching her mustache and missing out on all the best parties are part of what Nina’s come to expect as a Pakistani-American teen with the strictest parents in town. At the start of her junior year in high school, she’s still living in the shadow of her genius older sister and still trying to figure out how to keep up socially in spite of her family’s fear that she’s becoming too “Um-ree-can-ized.”

Then the unexpected happens: Nina meets an attractive Italian exchange student named Asher—and Asher catches a glimpse of the dark line of hair running down the middle of her back. More humiliated than ever, Nina is certain that Asher will prefer button-nosed blond Serena over her scholarly, hirsute self.

I started laughing from page 1 of SG, and not just because of the Jolene and SAT antonyms and the fact that we’re hearing a story about South Asian immigrant lives. Naturally, overbearing traditionalist parents and obsessive academic regimes are resonant themes with me, and it’s great to finally get a window open in that house, but more so, the writing in SG is light and witty and humorous and the teenage protagonist, Nina Khan, is actually loveable, as the book jacket promises (prompts?).

The dialogue and pacing is great, and I found myself wanting to know what Nina was going to do or think next, even if it was just a tiny tumult versus a grand upheaval. Her two best friends are nicely depicted (though it took me some time to separate them in my head). I especially enjoyed her father’s character.

The great thing about skunk girl is how realistic I found it. I laughed at Nina’s woes concerning her South Asian “curse” and sympathized as her parents’ heaped responsibility and tradition upon her, but I hoped that she would eventually appreciate her parents, her family, her culture. Nina chooses to sneak out to a party in hopes to see Asher and do some underage drinking with her friends, but quickly finds out that it may not be for her. It was nice to see Nina make not the greatest decisions and learn from them.

Teens of all backgrounds will be able to relate to Nina’s struggle in reconciling her own identity with her family’s culture. While the girl-crushing-on-boy story may be familiar, the funny and touching Skunk Girl is truly a novel of a different stripe.

Skunk Girl; Karim, Sheba; Penguin India; Rs. 250