Mattie McKenna is a not the typical seventeen year old girl. Her passion for history and vintage fashion brand her as a bit of an oddity to everyone except her best friend Stella. Mattie has a secret that even her best friend doesn't know. Mattie is obsessed with the art of escapism, inspired acts such as Harry Houdini and Dorothy Dietrich; she tracks down the reclusive Miyu Miyake, daughter of famed escapist Akiko, and convinces her to train her in the art of escapism. Miyu insists that Mattie perform in a public venue where an unlikely encounter with Will, one of the most popular boys at school, threatens to expose her secret. When Mattie confronts Will after the show, he confides in her about a secret of his own. In a pact to protect each other, an unlikely friendship is formed…and their lives will never be the same.
The Art of Escaping is a YA contemporary fiction novel in which the lives of several characters unexpectedly become intertwined with life altering outcomes. Mattie, the female protagonist is intelligent and witty but unable to identify with many of her peers. Will appears to be the typical high school jock, but secretly he is just as lost as Mattie. Their friendship leads them on adventure and self-awareness along with a fun cast of characters such as: Miyu the snarky recluse as Mattie's mentor, Stella- the intelligent and driven BFF, and Frankie the peculiar prodigy. Together they form an unusual bond as they form an unusual troupe for Mattie's escapism show. I really enjoyed this fun cast of characters and their interactions although some of the settings and verbiage may not be relatable to some YA readers. Overall this was a very entertaining and enjoyable novel.
The Art of Escaping is a YA contemporary fiction novel in which the lives of several characters unexpectedly become intertwined with life altering outcomes. Mattie, the female protagonist is intelligent and witty but unable to identify with many of her peers. Will appears to be the typical high school jock, but secretly he is just as lost as Mattie. Their friendship leads them on adventure and self-awareness along with a fun cast of characters such as: Miyu the snarky recluse as Mattie's mentor, Stella- the intelligent and driven BFF, and Frankie the peculiar prodigy. Together they form an unusual bond as they form an unusual troupe for Mattie's escapism show. I really enjoyed this fun cast of characters and their interactions although some of the settings and verbiage may not be relatable to some YA readers. Overall this was a very entertaining and enjoyable novel.