Young Adult Fiction: The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

The DSN YA Fest is moving right along with the pick for week two: The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen. I absolutely love knowing that every other summer there will be a new Dessen book to read and discuss. Publishing is such a nebulous thing, but we can always count on a summer read from on of the most popular and successful YA authors today.

The Situation: Emma Saylor (her dad calls her Emma, while her mom always called her by her middle name, Saylor) is ready for summer. Now that her dad's wedding is over, he and Emma's new stepmother, Tracy, will be off to Greece for their honeymoon, while her Nana is ready to explore the pyramids of Egypt. At 17 years old, Emma could easily stay at home alone, except Nana's apartment, where her and her father had been staying, is being renovated, and their new home in another neighborhood is not yet complete. When Emma's summer plans to stay with a friend fall through, Nana has the somewhat offbeat idea that Emma stay with her other grandmother, Mimi, out in North Lake. Emma's mom died five years ago after a long battle with substance abuse, and she has been to the family-owned hotel in the small lakeside community only once in her life, and it was so long ago that she cannot remember it. But she is headed there now, and she is about to meet and stay with another side of her family that she knows nothing about.

The Problem: At first, there are so many people to meet, many of which Emma is related to, that she begins to draw out a family tree. When she finds out about Mimi's directive that she is not to be put to work, something that everyone here does, including the incredibly pregnant Trinity, Emma pushes back and insists on helping out cleaning the hotel rooms. And then there is the issue of her name: Mimi knows her as Saylor, but Emma is used to only her mom calling her that, and her dad almost refuses to. Throughout the summer, Emma has to work out who exactly she is going to be, while also getting to know her mom's side of the family, as well as the history and stories behind North Lake. Turns out there is plenty her dad has not told her, and it is a boy named Roo who is able to fill in the gaps. Now Emma cannot imagine her life without the family she did not even realize she had, so what will happen when dad and Nana return from their trips, and she is once again removed from this tight-knit beach community, and the stories of her mother?

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction book set mostly in around the joint communities of North Lake/Lake North. North Lake is where Emma's maternal grandmother, Mimi, owns and operates Calvander's, a beach side hotel that is always booked throughout the summer. Across the lake, only three miles away, is the other beach side community of Lake North, which is also always booked throughout the summer, but with an entirely different kind of clientele. While Emma's mom was from North Lake, her father worked at Lake North, and that is how they met. When Emma arrives, it is easy to see the separation between the two communities, though she easily identifies with her mother's side of the lake, especially once she begins to get to know her family and their friends. She essentially must make up for lost time, going through old photo albums and snatching up stories as they are told. And then there is the issue of her own place in all of this. At home with her dad, she is Emma. Her mom always called her by her middle name, Saylor, and Mimi does the same. If only to avoid confusion, Emma decides to go by Saylor, at least for the remainder of the summer, though it is a choice her dad does not quite understand. So she spends the summer not only learning about her mom and her family, but also herself.    

My Verdict: This is a lovely book, and anyone who has lost a parent, or anyone close to them, to substance abuse will understand Emma's pain and her father's desire to protect. Anyone who has lost a close family member at an early age will also be able to relate to Emma's desire and need for photos and stories about her mom, stuff that her father has always been reluctant to share. The Rest of the Story is a great summer read, not only because of its somewhat idyllic setting by the lake, and with the teenagers from both sides of the lake always having a plan to do something together every night, but also because Emma's story is all about gearing up for big changes, and making the decision as to how she wants to live the rest of her life. Plus, it is a summer of getting to know her mom's side of the family, and doing things she never imagined, while confronting those things she never wanted to.

Favorite Moment: When Emma insists on helping out at the hotel, even though that means taking on the role of cleaning hotel rooms. 

Favorite Character: I adore both grandmothers, Nana and Mimi. Both are set in their ways, though one is used to wanting for nothing and not blinking twice about spending a lot of money on something, while the other is no stranger to hard work and has run a beach hotel for most of her life. Ultimately, they each want the family to come together, even if it is for a short time in the summer.

Recommended Reading: My favorite Dessen book is still Along for the Ride, which also takes place over the summer, where the main character is taken out of her element and sent to stay away from home. But I also recommend The Moon and More, as well as The Truth About Forever.