The Impossible Vastness of Us

I’ve been a fan of Samantha Young’s writing for a long time and when I read the synopsis for this book I knew that it was going to be a bit different than what I had read from her in the past but I was still looking forward to reading and enjoying and that I did, what I wasn’t prepare for was for all the emotions that this book brought out in me. So in this book we meet India, Eloise and Finn the three of them are so unique and afraid to a certain point to be free, and it was lovely/heartbreaking to follow their story as it kept twisting and more secrets kept being discovered and it became THEIR story. I think this book proves that Samantha can definitely write YA and she does it brilliantly, I don’t know if she has any plans to continue writing in this genre but I sure hope she does.

I don't typically read a ton of YA because often times it's too young for my taste. But I completely loved The Impossible Vastness of Us—finding it hard to put down for even one second when life (aka kids) were demanding my attention. The Impossible Vastness of Us is the story of India Maxwell. India has had a rough life to date only to be made worse when her mother decides to get remarried and move them across the country to Boston. In Boston, India is thrust into a high society life—something that is so completely opposite of how she was raised. In her new school, she must start again making friends and attempting to rise to the top of popularity though finding it hard with her very popular and unfriendly sister-to-be Eloise and her seemingly snobby friends. Without giving anything away because this book was so completely well done and so captivating that you need to read it on your own, The Impossible Vastness of Us touches upon several relevant issues in life today. Most importantly this is India's journey—a journey in learning who she is, finding trust again in others, opening herself up to allow people in and of course opening her heart up to love. And while I was completely enthralled by this journey, I wanted more when it came to the ending. But I guess that's the case with every good book that a reader is always left wanting more—more story, more information, more after the end. This was a completely different book than I have ever read from this author before and I loved it. Most especially the characters who I want to know more about... And while I know that this is a standalone, I hope that Young will continue on this YA path as the young love romance, the storyline, the writing, the characters made for such a beautifully epic book. The Impossible Vastness of Us is one of the few YA books that I have read and loved over the years and it is something that I will never forget

India is the most popular girl at school and she's confident things will stay this way. She has clear goals for the future and knows exactly how she's going to achieve them. Her mother has other plans though. She informs India that they'll move from California to Boston to live with a wealthy lawyer and his daughter. India's mother has managed to spend time with her boyfriend and his daughter for months, but never told India about them. India has to move in with two strangers and she'll be transferred to a new school. She also has to learn to adjust to being wealthy, because her mother's boyfriend is rich. India spent years of her life in a trailer and has trouble fitting in. India has to go to the same school as Eloise, her stepsister-to-be. Eloise is cold and distant and her friends seem to dislike India as well, especially Eloise's boyfriend Finn. It's obvious India isn't wanted, but she's been through worse, so she steels herself and tries to make the best of it. Things improve when she discovers that Finn and Eloise are hiding something. Because of their secret India gradually forms a connection with them and life at school becomes a lot better. However, secrets often come out. What will happen when the truth comes to light? India is strong, but damaged and closed off as well. She had to grow up quickly and is wise for her age. She had an awful childhood and never knew unconditional love. My heart ached for the frightened little girl she once was. However, she's turned into a confident, courageous and kind teenager. She doesn't tolerate bullying and always stands up for both herself and those who are being bullied. I admired that about her. She fakes it until she makes it and that attitude is usually getting her far. When she finally starts to understand Eloise she helps her instead of holding a grudge because of the chilly welcome she received. India's forgiving and has a big heart. She isn't afraid to choose the difficult path if she believes it's the best way to go. She's an interesting main character and she's beautiful both inside and out. Samantha Young's writing has a nice easy flow, which made it possible for me to completely focus on India's story. India doesn't have an easy life and Samantha Young describes her problems in a raw and empathic way. She doesn't stay away from heavy topics and is very good at writing about emotional impact. She fully understands everything her main characters are going through and that greatly impressed me. The Impossible Vastness of Us is both moving and fascinating at the same time. It's multilayered with plenty of surprising twists and turns. It's a fantastic compelling and original story with a gorgeous unexpected bittersweet ending. I highly recommend this very special book.