Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Down and Across

Down and Across 
by Arvin Ahmadi

New York, New York : Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2018. 320 pages. Young Adult.

His friends know what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but Scott Ferdowsi can hardly commit to a breakfast cereal, let alone a passion. With his parents pushing him to settle on a "practical" career, Scott sneaks off to Washington, DC, seeking guidance from a famous psychologist who claims to know the secret to success. He meets Fiora Buchanan, a ballsy college student whose life ambition is to write crossword puzzles. Now Scott is sneaking into bars, attempting to pick up girls at the National Zoo, and even giving the crossword thing a try. Will he be able to find out who he is-- and who he wants to be?

This book will resonate with any young adult as it hits on major teen issues such as self-discovery, success and failure, and relationships. The plot is unique, but seems lost and even unrealistic at times. I appreciate the diversity found in characters, but feel that their backgrounds weren't explored nearly enough. I listened to this book as an audiobook in the Libby app. and feel the narrator gets the job done, but does not provide the listener with an extraordinary listening experience. I would recommend this book for a teen who needs inspiration to find their place in the world, but not to someone who would like a solid, good read.

NS


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