Just Like That

By: Gary D. Schmidt

Libby audiobook 12 hours

Read by: Leah Horowitz

Published: 2021

Genre: YA historical fiction

Set in the 1960s and referencing characters from The Wednesday Wars, this book had less levity and much more darkness. The war in Vietnam brought some of the heaviness, but I was surprised by the amount of violence and danger that Matt Coffin's back story brought along. (In fact, I was surprised that Leonidas Shug got away with so much evil. And I was shocked that Matt tried saving his life at the end of the book.)

 

Meryl Lee's sadness ("The Blank") at Holling's death and later, the dissolution of her parents' marriage permeates the book. The girls at St. Elene's Preparatory Academy for Girls are not very kind or welcoming initially.  Dr. MacKnackater (?) Nora - is a wonderful headmistress.

Okay for Now is about Doug Swieteck, also a Wednesday Wars character . . . should I read it? I love Lizzy Bright and the Buckminster Boy and Wednesday Wars best of all his books. Orbiting Jupiter is also quite good. This one just didn't connect for me. 

Vietnam war, class issues, protesting, public speaking, politics, speaking your mind, being friendly, becoming accomplished, etc.