Title: The Future of UsAuthors: Jay Asher
Carolyn Mackler
Published: November 2011
Synopsis from Goodreads
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.
This book was super duper cute!! But is it for the kids? That is the question.
There's nothing dirty, a cuss word here and there, and the characters are pretty wholesome.
Sounds perfect, right? But will the kids dig it?!
Plot:
Set in 1996, Emma gets her very first computer. Her neighbor, Josh, gets a free trial of AOL Cd-rom in the mail and gives it to her so she can get on the internet.
Emma uses the disk and before her very eyes her future is told.
But how? How can a computer tell your future?
Well, that's the fun part of the story because Emma has discovered a time portal. A time portal called FACEBOOK!!!
My thoughts:
How freaking CLEVER!! I mean, wow!! What an idea! Sure, it kinda reminded me of "The Lake House" and "The Family Man" and maybe even "Back to the Future" but I really dug how this was set in the 90s and the kids find themselves in their 30s on Facebook.
I also liked all the nostalgia of this book. Beepers, Wayne's World, Oasis, and fun! That's right, fun! Kids now a-days (omg... I feel so old) don't know how to have fun like we did... this book includes one of my most favorite memories... A PIZZA PLACE ARCADE with BALL PIT included!! Loved that!
But is this believable?
Well, I guess in a fantasy YA book it is believable. I totally would have bought it 15 years ago. But what about today? I'd really like to hear a 16 year old's review on this book. I for one loved it because it brought back so many memories (SHa-WING!) but I'm not sure if a kid would enjoy this. Perhaps this is just a 30-something Ya book.
The Characters:
All were cute!
Emma was just like a 90-something girl. She was in band and on track and had her own car and came from a broken home.
Josh was the lovable next door neighbor who will skateboards and will let you borrow his coat whenever you want.
The tension between them is also very interesting. Throughout the story you know that something happened when they went to go see Toy Story six months ago and as the story goes on you learn why they feel all weird when around each other. It's a classic neighbor boy/girl story that I couldn't get enough of.
Final Thoughts:
I totally recommend this book. It doesn't take long to read and it will defiantly put a smile on your face by the time you are done. I still wonder if a 21st century teen would dig it. But I know for a fact all us late 20th century teens will fall back in love with memories we thought we forgot.
