The Unexpected Everything (English)

Author: Morgan Matson

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary.

Editorial: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Year: 2016

Ranking: 4 / 5

Synopsis

Andie had it all planned out.  When you are a politician’s daughter who has pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we are talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.

Because here is the thing—if everything is planned out, you can never find the unexpected.  And where’s the fun in that?

The Author

Morgan Matson grew up in New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut. She attended Occidental College in Los Angeles but halfway through a theater degree, she started working in the children's department of Vroman's Bookstore and fell in love with YA literature.

Following college graduation, she moved back East to attend the New School, where she received her M.F.A in Writing for Children.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, inspired by Morgan's three cross-country road trips, was published in May 2010. It was named an ALA Top Ten Best Book, a PW "Flying Start" book, and was shortlisted for the Waterstone's Book Prize. Her second book, Second Chance Summer, was published in May 2012 and draws largely on her experiences spending summers growing up in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Her third book, Since You've Been Gone, was published in 2014. And in 2016, She published The Unexpected Everything.

Personal Experience with this Book

I decided to read this book because of its author. After reading "Since you’ve been Gone" I just wanted to read all the books Morgan Matson has written. I have yet to read 2 more and I hope she continues writing books because her way of telling stories simply catches me.

On this occasion, as in "Since you’ve been Gone", we have a group of 4 friends. These girls are inseparable and it is amazing to see how well they know each other. Our protagonist, Andie, is quite intelligent and controller. Andie likes to have her life under control and have everything well planned. Thus, Andie feels safe knowing that her life is to be directed to where she wants it to go.

Andie reminded me a lot of myself. I had not had much connection with a female character as I had with her. It seemed that I was inside my own head. Perhaps the only thing that we do not share would be her relationship with her dad, which changes as you get into the story. Maybe because I saw a lot of myself in Andie is what made this book so easy and I was very happy reading it. I think Andie is a real character, which has her virtues, her faults and above all has her feet firmly on the ground.

Andie's relationship with her friends is amazing. These girls and Tom (Palmer’s boyfriend). Play an important role in the story. It is very nice to see how they support each other, that there is a connection that goes beyond just spending time together. I also liked that Tom is practically part of the group but no longer Palmer’s boyfriend. Tom takes his place as part of the group, which makes it easier for Palmer; he is even very attached to the girls. A courtship completely healthy.

Clark is another character that Morgan puts a bit of drama but that does not give you that feeling. I loved it as he begins to interact with Andie and as he becomes part of the group. Romance is "faster" than we could expect but you do not feel it like insta-love. I also like that not everything is romance with both of them; they speak of many things and that makes their relationship more intimate, more real and much prettier.

Andie’s relationship with her father also plays an important role in the story. You can see a  very large evolution of thir relationship and how this evolution affects the personality of Andie and her dad.

As I said in my review of "Since You Went Away" Morgan has a very good narrative. This book can be read super-fast. The book is a bit predictable. Morgan gives you some clues about what will happen and how they will unwrap things once the book is finished. I honestly was not surprised at all with the things that happened. However, the fact that it is predictable did not bother me at all. I think by the very nature of the book, we are not reading a mystery or a fantasy where one needs something that makes you fall off your chair; you do not really expect that the story is not a little bit predictable.

I recommend the book because it is a light reading, because it was fun to read, because it is a story that involves friendship, family and romance; and because I spent a great time reading it and I think it is worth it.