Book Review: The Pursuit of Happiness

Friday Spines Book Review Number 28:

The Pursuit of Happiness, by Tara Altebrando

"The day my mother dies is a Thursday in mid-June and Loretta's scolding me for leaving my cell phone on the kitchen table." 18-year-old Betsy introduces us to her story in The Pursuit of Happiness with this effortless juxtaposition of ordinary, odd, and profound. I've been wary of books where the mother dies ever since glancing at the title of One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, by Sonya Sones (which admittedly I never read, but it made me notice the growing number of books with that theme). However, the author of Happiness uses funny subplots, peculiar situations that will make you go back and reread them to make sure you actually understood correctly, and honest narration to keep this entertaining, emotional book from becoming one of the crowd.

Betsy Odell didn't want to spend her summer at a colonial farm--Morrisville Historic Village, to be exact--she didn't want to spend it with Liza Murphy, "the weirdest freak of a girl" from school, and she didn't want to start it by breaking up with Brandon, her first legitimate boyfriend. On the other hand, James, the cute blonde "farm boy" at Morrisville doesn't seem so bad, and neither does Liza, once Betsy gets used to her. 

Over the next three months, Morrisville becomes home to Betsy more than her house does. Her father, a history professor, is distant, and not able to step into his wife's shoes the way Betsy wishes for. Her best friend Mary, after being fired from Morrisville, starts seeming juvenile to Betsy, and she grows to appreciate Liza's fresh frankness over Mary's familiarity. The resolution isn't a forced cliffhanger; it's satisfying, refreshing, and hopeful, bringing a sense of closure to Betsy's compelling story.

I'd recommend this book for readers age 13 and up. There's drinking, but it's portrayed candidly and not without consequences (both physical and emotional hangovers). Betsy's story, while often written lightly, is fairly intense at times, and will be best understood by slightly older readers. While the seasonal journey of summer is on the overused side, the writing and supporting plots keep Happiness slightly above the rest. 

Other things I liked about this book:

• James seems too perfect at times (and realistic at others), but Brandon is a clear villain, but seems like someone you could easily meet outside of literature.
• The cover. I try not to judge covers (as a writer, I have a strong allergy to cliches) but this photo drew me in instantly.
• Tara Altebrando's first person narrative is well-written, casual without being trashy, easy to identify but not overused. 
• Betsy's fascination with silhouettes grows along with her through the course of the story, mirroring her acceptance of her mother's death and the changes it's caused in herself and her life.

Other books you might enjoy: The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han; Twenty Boy Summer, by Sarah Ockler; and Stay, by Deb Caletti.

Happy reading!

M. Gabrielle