Book Review: The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

11/20/2017

SYNOPSIS

India Maxwell hasn't just moved across the country—she's plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder.
It's taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she's living in one of Boston's wealthiest neighbourhoods with her mom's fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister's clique of friends, including Eloise's gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend, Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India's not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school's golden couple, aren't all they seem to be. In fact, everyone's life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what's left are truths that are brutal, beautiful and big enough to change them forever.

Synopsis from Chapters.Indigo.ca

PERSONAL REVIEW

I saw this in the bookstore and was completely captured by the title – a very basic thing, but it grabbed my attention, so it’s clearly done a good job. I was excited to read it because I the synopsis sounded great, but I ended up on the fence about it by the end of the book. The majority of the book was great, but I felt the ending was way too rushed which somewhat tainted it for me.

What I Liked:

A Great Friendship: I loved the relationship between Finn and Eloise and how they agree to protect each other. Both of them are in such difficult positions, and it was good to read about a friendship that is this strong. It was also interesting to see how India changed this relationship; obviously there’s the big moment when Finn and Elle “break up”, but the best part is really how her friendship with Elle and Finn back them both stronger. For two people who have only had each other to rely on, it was beautiful for them to find someone else that they could trust.

Relatable Characters: For the most part, these are pretty relatable characters in terms of the problems they face. Elle is not the only person to be afraid to be herself in a very conservative household; her fear about telling her father felt very honest and real to me and I couldn’t imagine what that would be like. Finn is an example of how socio-economic background does not mean that abuse can’t happen. And India – it was amazing to read about someone who is so strong after everything that she’d been through as a child. Her trust issues completely make sense and it’s lovely to see how her relationship with her mother changes throughout the book.

What I Didn’t Enjoy:

The Ending Was Too Rushed: Considering how much build up there was around Eloise and Finn’s secrets, thought the ending of this book was such a letdown. I can appreciate Finn’s ending and that we don’t need to have every answer about if he and India will last as a couple, but I was surprised we didn’t get more about how Eloise deals with her secret being out. How did we not get a chance to see her actually dealing with people at school? Or what happens when she sees Bryce face-to-face? It was a big disappointment.

There were small things I just didn’t understand about this book (the characters being so uber-wealthy seemed very gimmicky) but overall I liked it. I understand that this was Young’s first time writing a YA novel so I think some of the problems in this book are just growing pains when going from writing Romance to YA. I do hope that we get a sequel (a nice novella would be appreciated) that give us a bit more of a conclusion to this book so that we can feel like we’re leaving the characters at a good point in their lives. Keeping my fingers crossed!

FINAL RATING: 4/5