Book review
I have chosen to review a book called Finding Cassie Crazy (also known as The Year of Secret Assignments in the US), by Jaclyn Moriarty.
Finding Cassie Crazy stands alone, however is the 2nd in a group of 3 based at the same fictional high school with a couple of crossover characters. All 3 books are written in similar fashion- from multiple viewpoints and entirely told through a number of different means of correspondence; mainly letters, but also diary entries, emails, notices, transcripts etc.
The three characters introduced at the beginning of the book are Lydia, Cassie and Emily, three best friends who attend Ashbury High School. The girls are participating in their English classes organized pen pal project that requires them to write to a student at rival high school Brookfield. Each girl gets a response from a Brookfield boy and while Lydia and Emily find their matches in Seb and Charlie (ensue hilarious/witty banter!), Cassie’s pen pal Matthew responds with threats and hostility before eventually being persuaded by Cassie to open up to her and tell her about himself resulting in the two meeting up and Cassie being subjected to a verbal taunting. However as the project goes on, it is revealed that there is no student at Brookfield called Matthew, hence the mystery- is Cassie crazy? Who was she writing to, if anyone at all? Who did she meet? The rest of the book is dedicated to Cassie’s friends, and their new Brookfield allies, investigating and getting revenge on the boy who hurt Cassie.
All three girls are strongly loyal to each other and therefore the first apparent theme is that of friendship. In each of their opening letters to their Pen Pals (strangers at the time) they each describe their friendship with the other two girls. Each girl does this differently and distinct personalities emerge. When the girls become aware that one of them (Cassie) is going through something they rally together in a way that only the best kind of friends can. The language used, and the setting, suggests that the book is aimed towards and most relatable to those currently in high school and if I recall correctly friends were one of the best things you could have in high school and Finding Cassie Crazy is an example of just how important these friendships can be.
A theme that isn’t entirely obvious at the beginning of the book, however is no doubt present, is the struggle against authority. None of the protagonists are model students, and misdemeanors are commonly referred to for example; skipping class, setting off fire alarms to get out of exams etc. They all express their reluctance to participate in the Pen Pal project despite the project being an assignment they have to complete. This makes the book and characters very relatable to those in high school, and portrays dealing with the pressure of teachers and homework in a light and humorous way. Towards the end of the book, events transpire to the point where teachers want access to the girls’ personal possessions. This results in a mock law trial where the girls present their case to an audience as to why their private property should remain private. A somewhat extreme case of rebelling against authority, however the idea of what is most important to high school students is again put forward by the author.
Parents are not a huge part of the story however they are present in the background and they are definitely spoken about by the girls. The three girls have grown up together as all their parents are old friends. This segues into the next theme of coping with grief, as Cassie is struggling with the death of her father. These feelings of Cassie’s are explored through her diary entries, which are scattered throughout the book. They provide insight into Cassie’s head, and her own thoughts and feelings, as well as looking at her relationship with her mother and how this grows throughout the book. She shares her personal thoughts about this with ‘Matthew,’ all for this character to throw it back into her face upon their meeting. The story looks at not only how Cassie is coping with this, but how her two best friends are trying to support her as well through a hard time. Which circles back around to the first theme of friendship.
The idea of young love and relationships is definitely touched upon, as both Lydia and Emily develop feelings for Seb and Charlie (and vice versa), again however friendship is the underlying, and strongest current.
I chose Finding Cassie Crazy because I recall reading it when I was in high school and it has stuck with me ever since. The non-traditional way it is told makes it interesting for even those who don’t particularly like reading. It is clever and touching from beginning to end. Jaclyn Moriarty writes dialogue incredibly well, and weaves in and out of different characters effortlessly. Readers can quickly gauge that each girl has their own writing style and this is a testimony to the author’s talent.
I think that when you find fictional characters so intriguing to an extent that you want so badly for them to be real, that a book has done its job. I highly recommend Finding Cassie Crazy- to those inside of high school definitely as you can easily side with these realistic and believable characters and strive to be as loyal and dependent as the main protagonists are. And even to those well and truly outside of high school; as you can easily live vicariously through these characters and also the story can potentially stir up a feeling of nostalgia for those halcyon days.
- Goodreads rating – 3.91
- REVIEW – Amy