Review of Inzanesville

Inzanesville

Jo Ann Beard

Little, Brown and Company 4/2011

ISBN 9780316084475

   This book is narrated by a fourteen year old girl who's best friend is Felicia. Both girls are kind of your misfit type who definitely don't have your usual teenage life. Many of you would just shake your head because these girls grew up in the 70's. They are disastrous babysitters and high school band dropouts. The narrator lives in a very dysfunctional  family with a father who is a lush, works at some door to door sales job until he gets some money and then disappears for days on end drinking and who knows what else. Mom is a nervous person who is usually yelling at the kids, fighting with dad, or looking for him to come home. There is never any money in the house.

   The friendship of Felicia and the narrator are tested throughout the story. During part of the story, the families don't want them together because of some difficulties they get into. A clique of popular girls latch onto them and almost destroys their friendship.

   The story brings to life what it is like to live in a small town USA. Life in a bygone era when kids did not have multiple TV sets in their home, no cell phones, no video games, etc. The problems encountered when you are trying to pretend your home life is normal. You see what it is like to have a true best friend who knows more about you then you know yourself. You see what it is like when you are not one of the popular kids in school.

   I had some difficulty following this story. There were times I was not sure how we got from one point to the next. At some points in the story, I really had no idea what the author was talking about. It was not a bad story, but I did not think it flowed very smoothly. This book is geared for the YA reader; but any age group except for young children would find this acceptable reading. I honestly think adults may go for it more then the YA group.

   I want to thank Anna Balasi from the Hachette Book Group for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I was not compensated in any way except for receiving the book.

I give Inzanesville 3 out of 5 stars