The publisher kindly sent me a physical copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
New York Times bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed have crafted a resonant, funny, and memorable story about the power of love and resistance.
YES
Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate — as long as he’s behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let’s face it, speaking at all to almost anyone), Jamie’s a choke artist. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes … until he meets Maya.
NO
Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing — with some awkward dude she hardly knows — is beyond her.
MAYBE SO
Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer — and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural romance of the century is another thing entirely.
Yes No Maybe So Review
I’m a sucker for a great contemporary read and thankfully, Yes No Maybe So is one of those reads!
Yes No Maybe So follows Jamie and Maya, two teenagers who canvas door-to-door for the upcoming senate election. While they are both incredibly different from one another, the experience brings them closer together.
First of all, I adore these characters so much. Jamie is a really awkward teenager but he’s absolutely adorable. I think this is what makes him so relatable as a character. Maya is quiet, reserved and carrying the weight of her life and world on her shoulders.
Jami and Maya are both incredibly sweet, considerate and kind to one another and to others. I just love that they each bring out the best in the other person and that they’re much better together. They’re so realistic, which makes me love them even more.
The romance is also another fun aspect of the book. It’s certainly a slow burn but I think that makes it a great fit for the overall focus of the book.
While the characters are obviously enjoyable in this book, I think the overall theme of the book is much more enjoyable. I’m not as familiar with American politics since I live in Canada, but I think the authors did a great job at infusing politics without overwhelming the reader.
I think it’s incredibly important that these young characters are actively involved in their community and the local election. Because of the current state of the world, I think this is the perfect book for young adults to read. Not only is it an engaging story, it promotes a realistic vision of young adults making a difference.
Overall, I highly recommend Yes No Maybe So. It’s an incredibly timely read and promotes a really important message to a young audience – one that has the opportunity to create and make change.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Favourite Quote
We might give it our all and crash and burn. But we might win. We might actually change things. And that maybe makes it still worth going for, don’t you think?
About the Authors
Becky Albertalli is the author of the William C. Morris Award winner and National Book Award longlist title Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (now a major motion picture, Love, Simon); the acclaimed The Upside of Unrequited; and the New York Times bestsellers Leah on the Offbeat and What If It’s Us (cowritten with Adam Silvera). Becky lives with her family in Atlanta.
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Aisha Saeed is the New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed novel Amal Unbound, the Bank Street Books Best Book Written in the Stars, Aladdin: Far from Agrabah, and Bilal Cooks Daal. Aisha is also a founding member of the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and sons.
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Buy Yes No Maybe So
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