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

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Hardcover, 356 pages

Published November 21st 2011 by Razorbill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Read: Dec 8-10, 2011

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future. 
By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.


MY THOUGHTS:

     At first I honestly thought this was a paranormal or maybe a dystopian kind of book. Turns out, it’s a normal YA book, highlighted with a bit of science fiction with the time traveling facebook thing going on. I’m not saying it’s not good, because I totally loved it! It was awesome. It was easy to read. The characters were easy to love and to follow through.

     The story goes back in the 90’s where cellphones are still a scarcity and beepers where more famous. Cassette tapes and VHS tapes are still in and CD’s and DVD’s are just coming through. It was kind of nice going back to those times. I liked how the story was narrated. I don’t know how to exactly explain it without it sounding negative because it’s so not negative, but I’ll try. The setting was in the 90’s and while reading I felt like I was in the 90’s but i’m still hyperaware I’m presently in 2011. While I love the 90’s (i was still 6 years old back in 1996,but still,haha), I have no intention of living my adolescent life at that time, I’m perfectly contented with the here&now. Anyway, the story is about BFF’s Josh & Emma. I could already feel something went wrong along their friendship long before the real reason was revealed. At every beginning of each novel I read, I have bets on who likes who, etc, and I really strongly felt in the beginning that though the writers had us believe Josh&Emma are just friends, but I knew better. I knew the story is about them and how they’ll realize along the way that they’re meant to be. That was just my theory though. I won’t tell you the ending, but I’ll tell you I guessed right! yey for me! that it’s good. I love every best friend stories out there. And so Josh & Emma, after 6 months of not being close, are bonded again because of this weird phenomenon. As Emma installed America online on her new PC (given by her father), a window popped open to FAcebook! Then, they’re about to look into the future- yes, the 15 years from now. As they continue browsing everyday, Emma tries to change her future whenever she sees something unsatisfying. Little changes in the present sent ripples of effect into the future, and something changes. I liked that sentence! “ripples of change into the future” , it sounds so scientific and smart. Anyway, the realizations Josh and Emma made all throughout are really amazing reflections. There were “a heartache here” “little heart squishing pain there” moments, but I also had tons of laughtrips. In the end, I never thought their problems had something to do with their attitude and characteristics, and some kind of defense mechanism they build up on themselves. Emma’s afraid to be too attached and doesn’t want to experience heartbreak. Josh on the other hand is the “go with the flow” kind of guy. And these kinds of attitude led them to where they were 15 years from now (you’ll find out as you read).

     I loved the lesson the book kinda gives off to it’s readers. Finding facebook was good for Josh and Emma. It brought them close again, it stirred up a danger curiosity to them that made them consciously and unconsciously make decisions that sent ripples of BIG changes into the future (by reading up their statuses in facebook). It made them self-absorbed in a way, but ultimately, because of Facebook, they realized what they might have to lose in the process of achieving what they become 15 years from now. And deep inside, do they LIKE what they see?

A definite must read this holiday season! and any other season, actually:)

and by the way, CArolyn Macker & Jay Asher definitely adds up to my fave authors list! :)


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