“Cynthia Hand is the master of pulling at your heartstrings. The How & the Why tells both sides of an adoption story with love, compassion, and care.” —Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author of Letters to the LostA poignant exploration of family and the ties that bind, from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand.Cassandra McMurtrey has the best parents a girl could ask … Cynthia Hand.
Cassandra McMurtrey has the best parents a girl could ask for; they’ve given Cass a life she wouldn’t trade for the world. She has everything she needs—but she has questions, too. Like, to know who she is. Where she came from. Questions her adoptive parents can’t answer, no matter how much they love her.
But eighteen years ago, someone wrote Cass a series of letters. And they may just hold the answers Cass has been searching for.
Alternating between Cass’s search for answers and letters from the pregnant teen who placed her for adoption, this emotionally resonant narrative is the perfect read for fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson.more
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I had no idea what to expect going into The How & They Why and I was pleasantly surprised. This is one of my new favorite books for many reasons. Let me gush about this amazing novel. I cried, I laughed, I smiled almost the entire time reading the book. I could not put it down. It was so good that I read it in about two sittings. This book was very easy to devour. The How & The Why is all about discovering yourself and family. Everyone needs to pick up this wonderful book.
The book is told in two alternating perspectives. One is the main character, Cass who was given up for adoption as a baby. The second, Cass’s birth mother at the age of sixteen right before she gives Cass up for adoption. It’s heartwrenching but also extremely interesting to read her birth mother’s perspective. How hard it was choosing to give Cass up so she would have a better life. I cannot imagine how hard that would have been making that decision. You immediately begin to care about these characters. The book really knows how to capture your heart.
I loved the closeness of Cass and her adoptive mother and father. How the author showed that blood doesn’t make a family. Blood also doesn’t make a parent. Throughout the whole novel, the mother is in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant. This only added on to my tears. Reading the parts of her adoptive mom sick made me weep. I just felt so much for these characters.
Then add on the fact that Cass is a theatre nerd and there are so many theatre and music references throughout the book… It made me extremely giddy inside. I grew up doing musicals myself and music has always been my life. I just became very connected to Cass and her friends. I could relate to them on a deep level. As in High School, I was a theatre nerd myself. There were so many moments that made me excited inside.
The writing flowed amazingly. The past was intervened so seamlessly and naturally. It made for a very interesting story. I will definitely be picking up other works by Cynthia Hand because I loved this book so much. The How & The Why is easily one of my new favorite books and the best book that I have read this year. I wish the book didn’t end. I wanted even more. Five stars from this book nerd!
I loved this book and I loved how it ended. Sometimes you don’t need everything explained and wrapped up perfectly. I loved getting to see Cass’s story through her eyes and what she is going through but then also feeling to see as her story unfolds, what S went through in being pregnant and giving her up for adoption. I found it very real and honest, heartbreaking at times and joyous at other times. Beautiful writing and lovely characters.
The How and the Why by Cynthia Hand is a story about how an adopted daughter finds her birth mom.
Will Cassandra get the answers that she is seeking?
Cassandra McMurtrey
Cassandra, aka Cass, McMurtrey, is the main character who has had a lot of things happen to her. She has wonderful parents and friends that are there for her when she needs them. Cass loves theatre and loves to act. There are a lot of things that are happening that I don’t want to spoil. I love Cass and how she is as a person. Cass does a lot of things and finds out a lot from the time she turned eighteen to a year later when she’s nineteen. She is a sort of typical teenager, and I can see her and me as friends.
S
We only learn of S and about her situation in letters that she wrote for Cass. Cass doesn’t get these letters until she’s eighteen, but we learn a lot about them. I feel for S and her situation, along with how her relatives deal with her. S is a great character and the perfect sarcastic teenage pregnant girl who knows what she wanted to do once she found out that she is pregnant. I like this character as well.
Five Stars
The How and the Why by Cynthia Hand is a remarkable story that I wasn’t sure if I would like. However, I loved this story and how Ms. Hand wrote this story. Ms. Hand did a fabulous job, and she just got a new fan in me.
I am giving this story a rating of five stars and recommending it to everyone.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The How and the Why by Cynthia Hand.
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Cynthia Hand is the master of pulling at your heartstrings. The How & the Why tells both sides of an adoption story with love, compassion, and care. You’ll be reaching for your tissue box with this one — if you can stop turning pages long enough, that is.