MAYBE ONE DAY
February 18, 2014
Written by Melissa Kantor
Performed by Shannon McManus
Written by Melissa Kantor
Performed by Shannon McManus
HarperCollins and Blackstone Audio
Unabridged – 9780062320216
A poignant and emotionally charged novel
chronicling the year that will change BFF Zoe and Olivia’s lives
forever. Zoe and Olivia have been best friends for as long as either can
remember, and they’ve always had Big Plans to tour the world
as prima ballerinas. But when they’re cut from the ballet company,
their plans for the future evaporate. Zoe can’t imagine anything worse
happening…until Olivia gets sick. Suddenly, not being able to dance is
the least of their problems. Now Zoe needs to put
on a brave face and be positive for Olivia. Even when she isn’t sure
what to say. Even when Olivia misses months of school. Even when Zoe
starts falling for Calvin, Olivia’s crush. The one thing that keeps Zoe
moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat
this thing, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It
has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even
imagine.
Melissa Kantor is the author of Confessions
of a Not It Girl, an ALA Booklist Best Romance Novel for Youth; If I
Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince?, a YALSA Teens Top Ten
Pick; The Breakup Bible, an ALA Best Books for Young
Adults nominee; Girlfriend Material, a Junior Library Guild selection;
and The Darlings Are Forever and The Darlings in Love, a Junior Library
Guild selection. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.
Thank you Harper Collins for this audiobook.
I like the cover for this book, it's depiction of the two girls that are the same height but different hair color is spot on. The fact that this is a story that centers around the best friend of the kid with cancer and not the cancer patient herself was unique and I was looking forward to taking this journey with Zoe.
The narrator, Shannon McManus, does an excellent job of capturing the sarcastic teenage voice of Zoe, but she may have done too good of a job because I didn't like Zoe. At all. She came across selfish, snotty and pretty much treated anyone who wasn't Livi like they were beneath her somehow. I got that she and Livi were joined at the hip and she didn't feel the need to befriend anyone else, but even after everything goes downhill, she continues to use and abuse the people around her. I also understand that grief, even the stages we can experience while the person we love is still alive, makes you do stupid things. But the way Zoe spoke to and treated those who were offering her support made it very difficult for me to be sympathetic towards her.
Her relationship with Calvin didn't feel believable to me at all and while I was happy he made the choice he eventually did, it lacked the emotional punch I think the author was aiming for. There was a point where Zoe started to change and I was hoping my opinion of her follow suit, but then it ended and I was left frustrated. I wanted to see what Zoe was like in a year or so. I wanted to see if she'd changed enough for me to like her.
This might have been a better read for me if I had stuck to the physical book. Maybe hearing Zoe's voice in my own head would have made her less biting or nasty at times, but I can't be sure. Regardless, it was a good story about the bonds of friendship and how deep they run.
From the reviews I've read Zoe comes off the same way in the book. I keep hearing this book is really good and I've been thinking of getting the audio for it. Glad to hear you liked the narration.
ReplyDeleteHmm, the premise is interesting, but I don't think I have it in me to give this one a try right now. I'm pretty particular about my characters so if they're annoying, I probably won't like the book. I do like a good friendship story though. Happy you enjoyed it somewhat.
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