Monday, 25 August 2014

Book Review : The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler



Goodreads Description : 

It's 1996 and very few high school students have ever used the internet. Facebook will not be invented until several years in the future. Emma just got a computer and an America Online CD. She and her best friend Josh power it up and log on - and discover themselves on Facebook in 2011. Everybody wonders what they'll be like fifteen years in the future. Josh and Emma are about to find out










https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12317877-the-future-of-us




Title: The Future of Us
Author: Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Science Fiction, Romance,
Format: Paperback
Pages: 356 pages
Source: Purchased from Popular Bookshop (Malaysia)


I have been wanting to read Jay Asher's 'Thirteen Reasons Why' but was not up for a 'sad read' so when I saw this and read the blurb at the back I knew I had to owe it.

The Future of Us is a fun, smart and lighthearted contemporary reads with a sci-fi twist.

Set in 1996 the book follows the duo narration of Emma and Josh, next door neighbors and best friends where they install an AOL cd into Emma's new computer and discover their future on  Facebook... Fifteen years into the future, 8 year before Facebook even existed!

While Josh is happy with his future, Emma is not and tries to alter her future with the present which causes a ripple and not only alters her future drastically but Josh's too. It comes to a point where she gets obsess with her altering her future to perfection that it doing more harm than good and affecting her friendship with Josh.

Emma's character took a while for me to like as she was very unsure of herself as well as selfish but she is a good person just that she does not have her head straight as well as she takes a lot of things for granted like her friendship with Josh or her relationship with her dad. There were times i wanted to shake her and shout 'stop being obsess with Facebook' and just live in the present! While I thought she was a bit whiny in some parts, I think trough putting myself in her shoes and maybe... just maybe she is just a perfectionist so I can't blame her for some of her actions but she really didn't have to go trough some extreme extend when alter her future. Also of all of the characters, hers is the one that has the biggest change by the end of the book where she matured and got her priorities straight.

Josh on the other hand I thought I would not like but actually love! He is sweet, sensible, lay back and a great guy to have as a friend not to mention the voice of reasons for Emma.

Speaking of friends, Emma and Josh's friends Kellan and Tyson are great supporting characters and awesome friends to the both of them !

A couple of complain about the book apart from the occasional Emma's character are the Facebook status. While some were actually hilarious most of them are the eye rolling shallow type of status that needs a TMI stamp or it looks like something I will maybe see on Twitter (hey maybe they can have a spin off book where the characters discover twitter! lol). The sub-storyline of Josh and his parents I didn't really care for and felt like it's just filler. 

Also the ending while it ended on a sweet and cute note but I either felt like it was kinda week or that I was missing 20 pages in my edition (tfios reference ?!?!).

The book talks about not taking relationships/friendships for granted which is something that Emma eventually learns, living the moment and in the present and the philosophical impact of altering time wimey situation. I love how this was very different from stereotype YA especially when it came to romance as it surprisingly took a back seat in the romance department. Also the friendship between Emma and Josh, though its a bit rocky but was genuine and real and I like how their relationship played out.

If you are a 90's kid (like me!) or lived trough the 90's this is nostalgic since the book is set in 1996 where cell phone were rear and the internet required hooking up to the telephone line. Also there are alot of pop culture references from the present and the 90's (and if you know me well I live a good pop culture reference!) from Harry Potter and Netflix to even Ellen Degeneres!

Overall definitely check this out if you love high school scenarios with a timey wimey 'time traveling' twist. The cast of characters are realistic and relatable.The storyline is fast pace, original, nostalgic and fun!

I definitely need to check out Jay Asher's other book and read the Carolyn Mackler book that is sitting on my shelve soon.


What's your favourite things from the 90's?

Cartoons! The Cartoons and TV show back then were one of the best things to grow up with!



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