Henrico Youth Book Awards 2014 discussion

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The publisher called this a "provocative" novel and I agree. This is a great book for an older teen audience. The themes and issues range from suicide and homosexuality to murder, abuse and depression. The first 200 or so pages were a thicket for me and I found myself treading water rather than really getting in too deep with the character of Seth or his story. It wasn't until Seth encountered Regine and Tomasz that the story had a clear trajectory that pulled me in. All in all, I think this is a well written story that raises some very important questions, not just for teens who are finally coming into their own and facing the uncertainty of relationships and life, but for anyone who has ever felt themselves sinking in the moment they are in and asking, "Is there more than this?" I believe this one could be a contender based on previous Printz selections.

I enjoyed this one. Even though it would probably be classified as science fiction, MTT is much more of a character development book than one that focuses on action. As the book progresses, you get to see the most intimate moments of each of the characters revealed, so it’s easy to become attached to Seth, Regine, and Tomasz. I agree with Mandy that the plot does get much more interesting when Regine and Tomasz enter the story.

I liked how Ness’s writing style was simple and easy-to-understand. With a book that centers mainly on exploring the true meaning of reality, it would have been easy for the author to go really deep and try to impress the readers with a lot of complex language and philosophical musings. For me, MTT ended up being a book that was able to cut to some deep personal issues while still staying accessible to an average teen reader.

A good option for sci-fi fans who want a departure from the standard “post-apocalyptic heroine in a love triangle” realm of choices. I could have seen this one earning a Printz honor as well.