#future of us

[bookseraph]

Josh: "What the hell happens to Pluto?"

Emma: "That, I'm guessing, wasn't our fault."

[skiirad]

My favorite quote in the Future of Us.

[the-ghost-writer07-blog]

Jay Asher is an incredible author that is capable of developing such a unique and grabbing story that at the same time seems really simply.  In my review from a previous date, I discussed his novel Thirteen Reasons Why.  The book was suggested to me by a good friend during high school.

  Future of Us is a story that takes place in the 1990s when the internet began its social elevation.  Many people hoped to enjoy the internet even a fraction of the amount a person would today.  Josh and Emma are next door neighbors that over an awkward situation have ceased communication from each other.  Josh's family receives an AOL CD-ROM and Josh delivers it to Emma because their family doesn't need it and Emma just received a computer from her father.  When Emma installs the disk and signs in, there's a flash and a new page opens up entitled Facebook.  The profile displayed shows Emma fifteen years in the future.  Quickly, Josh and Emma learn how each event or decision they make affects the future of themselves.  With much trial and error, Josh and Emma learn that in order to be truly happy is to just accept life as it comes rather than focusing on the future. 

  I really enjoyed this book mainly because the concept is incredible.  I try to imagine myself typing away on a Windows 95, trying to understand the mess of pictures and phrases called Facebook.  The thought of being able to see what actions you make in the present might affect the future.  As well as the concept, I love the characters.  Josh is a very down to earth kind of guy and had a crush on Emma, but she refused his gesture because she has an attitude to treat guys as if they are expendable.  The most interesting part for me was listening to it on audiobook and hearing the different voices play the two parts and how well they fit.

  The theme that really stuck out to me was the being content with what you have.  For several chapters of the book, Emma becomes upset with her future merely based on one-line statements from Facebook.  As a result she attempts to shift her reality to make a better life for herself in the future, but she forgets to be happy in her current life.  Josh tries to pull her back into the truth of the situation; that her future is in fifteen years and not the here and now.  We need to quit dwelling on the past because it will haunt our dreams and we need to avoid fantasizing the feasible future because it will only drag us down if we can't achieve those goals.

  This is a good read and I suggest it to anyone, but from Jay Asher, I still love Thirteen Reasons Why a lot better because of its creativity.

[the-ghost-writer07-blog]

Next book review to come out.  Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler.

[ijudgecovers]

The Future of Us by Jay Asher

Why I read it: fell for the summary

Simple synopsis: in 1996 Emma's computer has gone crazy and brings up Facebook from 2011.

Review: Future of Us is a book about kids in the 90s who grow up to be those screwed up people that tell the world way too much about themselves on Facebook. Dull, slow paced, and annoying. I didn't like it at all. None of the characters were bearable and they all deserved the crap that happened to them in the future. Yeah, probably pretty harsh but it just wasn't for me. 

[whatsamango]

Bookshelf update! :P

[flawedtalent-blog]

“I've always protected myself when it comes to love. And maybe that's the problem. By not letting myself get hurt now, it ripples into much bigger pain later.”