Kind of Sort of Fine

May 1, 2021
A pair of seniors attempt to reinvent themselves after being partnered for a TV production class. Following a very public breakdown in front of the high school near the end of 11th grade, overachiever Hayley Mills begins her senior year with an ultimatum from the school administration: either drop her extracurricular load or her accelerated track classes in order to manage the pressure she puts on herself. Swapping an intense tennis schedule for a TV production elective, Hayley finds herself paired with senior producer Lewis, an '80s-movie-obsessed classmate who is determined to lose weight in hopes of becoming a leading man rather than the guy perpetually behind the scenes. Determined to resurrect her image, Hayley devises a plan for the pair to film documentaries about their classmates, highlighting hidden talents that show different sides to these students that no one is aware of. In chapters presenting their alternating perspectives, the two document their humorous misadventures and successes in a narrative that ultimately feels underbaked. Despite the protagonists' aim to dig beneath the surface, their own characterizations barely scratch the surface level, and the events of the final act are rushed. Hayley and Lewis are White; there is some racial diversity in the supporting cast. A reasonably entertaining, if uneven, high school romp. (Fiction. 14-18)

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November 1, 2021

Gr 9 Up-Hall's first novel leaves readers with a taste of a feel-good coming-of-age teen story that hearkens back to the 1980s teen movies he so often references. Hayley Mills is a high-achieving high school senior looking forward to getting past the mental breakdown she endured last year. Lewis Holbrook is also a senior, but his focus is learning how to become the leading man like so many of his favorite 1980s movies and finally getting the girl of his dreams. When Hayley and Lewis find themselves partnered up in their TV production class, things get off to a rocky start; but their forced alliance eventually gives way to friendship and perhaps something even more. After a series of adventures that include being chased by the cops and playing laser tag, they both find what they were looking for all along, but just not quite in the way they originally planned. Chapters alternate focus on each protagonist, and both main characters provide entertaining dialogue in their respective chapters as readers watch the events unfold through both points of view. Secondary characters could have been developed further, especially in the instance of Lewis's quest to "win over the girl." Overall, the story wraps up in a perfectly neat way you'd expect from feel-good high school story. The main characters are white. VERDICT A good recommendation to teens having trouble dealing with the future after high school, this is a solid addition to any library with an active teen department.-David Roberts, Salem P.L., OH

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