Review: The Future of Us by Asher & Mackler

The Future of Us
Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
Release date: November 21st, 2011
by Razorbill

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It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.
By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

*A copy was provided by Penguin Group for review purposes*

Logging on to your future Facebook account, 15 years ago? Now that would have been interesting! This is what happens to Josh and Emma after Emma gets her first computer in 1996.

Growing up in the 90s, I got a real nostalgic feeling while reading this. Talk of Walkmans, VCRs and scrunchies was simply amusing. I did feel there were a few unnecessary parts thrown in only to add more '90s detail, but they worked to dig up old memories. It's not a deep, emotional read like Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why, this is a lighter, much more fun story.

From the dual perspective of Josh and Emma, you'll realize that seeing the future may not be as fun as you'd think. The mere fact of having dual gender point of views gives the book a fresh vibe. Josh and Emma are both great characters with normal teenage insecurities, which grows tenfold after seeing what their future holds. Time travel can be a touchy subject for me. I often find big loop holes that make the story illogical. However, Asher and Mackler constructed it smoothly and, under the circumstances, credibly. You don't like what you see? Make a new stain on the carpet - refresh: new future. I was always intrigued by the new developments in their lives. I even got anxious each time they logged on to see what was in store for them. As for their future selves being contemplated in 1996, that was incredibly fun due to the true nature of it: If you would have been told, 15 years ago, that announcing on the Internet what kind of sandwich you ate that day was "the thing of the future" - seriously, you would have laughed!

-"I flinch. "What the hell happens to Pluto?""

Even though the outcome is predictable, the story is fun and unique, with a lot of charisma. I'm not sure how younger readers will relate to this book, but for those like me who grew up in the 90s era, you can't help but feel that this was written just for you.

4 Hot Espresso

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why
Jay Ashey
First published October 18th, 2007

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

I absolutely loved this book. What an eye opener. In Thirteen Reasons Why we listen to audio tapes that was sent to 13 people by Hannah who committed suicide, to explain her reasons why.

First I want to mention that to all the reviewers who say that her reasons weren't "good enough" for her to kill herself, you're wrong. Everyone doesn't cope with situations the same way, and problems that may seem minimalistic to you, can send the next person into depression. We all have our own ways of working through our issues, and some have a much harder time than others. These were her reasons to commit suicide, which were enough for her, who are we to judge?

Personally I thought it was amazingly done and very realistic. There weren't any embellishments or glorifications, it was true portrayal of teen suicide. We go through the story with Clay while he is listening to Hannah's tapes. The narration goes back and forth between the tapes and what Clay is doing/thinking. I really though this was a great way to pace the story and build up the suspense. And every single page is full of suspense. I really could have stayed up all night reading it.

The story contains a lot of emotions; Intense and raw emotions. We go through them with Hannah as well as Clay, simultaneously. Hearing her tapes makes us realize that our actions, however small, can have a whirlwind of an effect on others. Yes, sending those tapes may have been a little mean. But obviously there was a lot going on with Hannah and she needed to get this out. I don't condone her for it, but I can understand why she thought it necessary.

It's not an easy subject to talk about, but suicide is not something to take lightly. Asher did an amazing job of taking a sensitive subject and writing a very touching, mesmerizing novel.

5/5 hot espressos

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