New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty returns to her roots with this YA coming of age story set in a New Jersey mall. The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she and her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher … The Plan: higher education and happily ever after.
But you know what they say about the best laid plans…
Set entirely in a classic “monument to consumerism,” the novel follows Cassie as she finds friendship, love, and ultimately herself, in the most unexpected of places. Megan McCafferty, beloved New York Times bestselling author of the Jessica Darling series, takes readers on an epic trip back in time to The Mall.
more
Megan McCafferty’s The Mall is a perfect throwback coming-of-age story that will resonate just as well with Generation X as it will with Generation Z. (Millennials will love it too.) Set in the summer of 1991, mostly within the confines of a New Jersey mall, the aptly titled The Mall follows Cassie Worthy as she tries to navigate through the summer before she leaves for college. When all of her best-laid plans seem to fall apart, she’ll have to rely on herself to figure out who she really is and who she wants to become. Also, there may be a little bit of a treasure hunt involved…
To me, this book embodies all of the things I crave for in YA, and in fiction in general. There’s a compelling protagonist who is profoundly human… flaws, insecurities, and all. There’s a beautiful female friendship that in many ways anchors the story. There’s a little bit of love, a little bit of loss, and a whole lot of personal growth. Add in hilariously crafted scenarios and sharp, witty dialogue? I’m so sold. The fact that it’s set in a mall during a time when malls were at their pinnacle? Perfection. McCafferty adeptly creates a story that is simultaneously of its era and is also timeless, which is a tough balance to achieve.
For me, this is an absolute must-read, whether you typically read YA or not. And I wouldn’t be sad if this got made into a movie. The soundtrack alone would be amazing.
**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.**