The Movie Version

by Emma Wunsch Narrated by Laura Knight Keating

Overview

A whip-smart, heart-wrenching YA debut about a film-obsessed teen who must choose between playing sidekick to her charismatic brother or being her own leading lady In the movie version of Amelia's life, the roles have always been clear. Her older brother, Toby: definitely the Star. As popular with the stoners as he is with the cheerleaders, Toby is someone you'd pay ten bucks to watch sweep Battle of the Bands and build a "beach party" in the bathroom. As for Amelia? She's Toby Anderson's Younger Sister. She's perfectly happy to watch Toby's hijinks from the sidelines, when she's not engrossed in one of her elaborately themed Netflix movie marathons. But recently Toby's been acting in a very non-movie-version way. He's stopped hanging out with his horde of friends and started obsessively journaling and disappearing for days at a time. Amelia doesn't know what's happened to her awesome older brother, or who this strange actor is that's taken his place. And there's someone else pulling at her attention: a smart, cute new boyfriend who wants to know the real Amelia-not Toby's Sidekick. Amelia feels adrift without her star, but to best help Toby-and herself-it might be time to cast a new role: Amelia Anderson, leading lady.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

**STARRED REVIEW**

"With a memorable, full-of-feeling narrator at its helm, this moving exploration of the effects of mental illness and a family’s new normal marks Wunsch as a writer to watch."

Booklist

"Wunsch’s debut offers a sometimes heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful portrait of a relationship that has changed forever but is still strong."

School Library Journal

"Told in the first person, this narrative about a complex sibling relationship will resonate with readers."

Booklist

"Wunsch’s debut offers a sometimes heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful portrait of a relationship that has changed forever but is still strong."

Kirkus Reviews

2016-07-20
A movie-obsessed teen struggles to cope after the older brother she idolizes is diagnosed with a mental illness. After a summer out of town, Amelia “Meals” Anderson, a white 16-year-old from upstate New York, notices her beloved older brother, Toby—who shares her love of movies—has become a pothead. Although everyone is concerned about his increasingly erratic and disturbing behavior, she continues to cover for him out of sibling loyalty. As Meals starts a long-distance romance with her summer fling, big-eared, white Epstein, things with Toby turn scary, and he's eventually hospitalized and diagnosed with schizophrenia. Unable to open up to anyone, Meals finds solace in the school film club, led by "Somali kid" Abdi. It's clear the author is a former film critic (Amelia's memories are often formatted as screenplay scenes), but Meals’ exhaustive knowledge seems improbable. Meals and Epstein's romance is another misstep, with off-putting, casually graphic descriptions of their physical intimacy and unnecessary miscommunications. Because of Amelia's frustrating unwillingness to admit Toby's schizophrenia, it is ultimately depicted as a catalyst for her personal growth rather than a nuanced mental illness. Although there are some titles on mental illness mentioned in the acknowledgments, it’s a pity there is no author’s note or list of resources for readers who want or need to explore further. Thumbs up for close siblings but thumbs down for this bland issues-novel debut. (Fiction. 14-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171140816
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	10/11/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged

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