Book Cover
Justification
I chose Tell Me Three Things for my Romance novel for this blog. I first heard about this book from Anne Bogel aka Modern Mrs. Darcy. It was listed on her Summer Reading Guide this year. She has excellent recommendations, so I added it to my ever-growing To Be Read pile. In addition to Anne’s recommendation, it was also favorably reviewed by Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist. In reviewing possible books for the blog, I came across this title again and knew that it would be a great choice for the Romance requirement for this assignment.
Evaluation
The first that that struck me about this novel was the design and layout. The book alternates its style and structure throughout the story. The text begins in a typical narrative told by our main character Jessie who has just been uprooted to Los Angeles after her mother’s death. Her father has remarried in secret to a woman he met in a bereavement support group. Jessie is thrown into a whole new world that she must navigate this completely different life style in Los Angeles on her own. The structure of the novel shifts as we meet Somebody Nobody who mysteriously emails Jessie to help her navigate the waters of her new fancy private school. Throughout the novel, Jessie’s narrative is punctuated with e-mails and Instant Messages from Somebody Nobody, and text messages between Jessie and her best friend still in Chicago, Scarlett. The insights that these asides bring adds personality to the text. It also provides a different kind of dialogue that help us understand the novel’s characters more fully.
The second element of quality writing that can be found in this novel is the characters. Jessie is still reeling from the loss of her mother. She keeps a running count of the number of days that have past since her mother died. Buxbaum’s tenderness with which she writes about Jessie’s character is deeply moving. Thrown in to a new school, a new house, and a newly blended family that she does not want to be a part of, Jessie feels alone. Her dad is wrapped up in his new life and has not been there for Jessie since they moved. While Jessie’s stepbrother attends the same school as her, he can’t be bothered to even talk to her at school. Jessie sticks out at her new school. The perfect, blond girls who are a 00 are cruel to her. The character of Somebody Nobody is a unique presence in the narrative. The nameless boy at her school offers to help her find her place at their school, but requests to remain anonymous. As their relationship develops over the course of the novel, Jessie tries to figure out who this nameless person could be, because she’s falling for him. Their relationship and dialogue progress through their online banter and leaves the reader feeling charmed by their dynamic.
Finally, the way the plot is developed drives the novel. Our hearts go out to Jessie as she tries to find her place. We cheer for her as she finds her voice and speaks out against Gem and Crystal who tease her relentlessly. We celebrate with her as she makes new friends and finds a part time job that is perfect for her. As Jessie starts to find her way, we are further and further intrigued by who Somebody Nobody could be. Jessie is sure she knows who it is, only to be unsure again. The reader, along with Jessie, is desperate to figure out who this charming boy could be. The plot walks us through the familiar struggles of navigating high school. It also leaves us with enough mystery about who Somebody Nobody is to keep us glued to the pages of the novel.
Response
(A) Reading this novel brought me back to high school. I started a new school my freshman year of high school, with a new bunch of kids and was unsure of what to expect. While I didn’t move my junior year like Jessie, I can relate to feeling like you’re not sure where you fit in. I felt like everyone already knew one another and I was the outsider. While I didn’t have someone like Somebody Nobody to help me navigate the waters, I did grow and change in high school and ultimately found my voice. (B) As I was reading Tell Me Three Things, I found myself feeling frustrated with the adults in the story. Her father completely disregarded his daughter’s feelings when he thrust her in this new environment. He even excluded her from his relationship with his new wife and even their wedding ceremony. Her stepmother is just as clueless. There is no sense of warmth or inviting Jessie in to their family. Jessie doesn’t even feel like she can ask for food in the kitchen. Her teachers also seem clueless to what is going on in their classrooms. Overt bullying is taking place in their rooms and they seem to feel like there is nothing they can do to stop it. Adults should protect children. Her father especially has a duty to consider his daughter’s feelings about all that has happened and is too wrapped up in his own world to notice that Jessie is struggling before she meets Somebody Nobody. (F) Tell Me Three Things had me hooked from the beginning. I read it in just one day. I was just as curious as Jessie to figure out who her mysterious pen pal could be. I thought it was charming and well-written. While the novel is not an award winner and not as profound as some of the other texts highlighted on this blog, I thought it was very well done. I’ll definitely be on the look out for more novels by Buxbaum.
Conclusion
Tell Me Three Things was a charming and entertaining read. High school students are sure to relate to Jessie and her friends as they struggle to navigate the turbulent waters of high school. Fasted pace, and well developed, this novel is unputdownable. I would recommend this book for high school readers looking for a charming take on high school romance.
APA Citation
Buxbaum, J. (2016). Tell me three things. New York: Delacorte Press.
Comments