Hey everyone! Here’s my take on the YA novel ‘Yes No Maybe So.’ Enjoy!
Goodreads – Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate—as long as he’s behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let’s face it, speaking at all to almost anyone), Jamie’s a choke artist. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes…until he meets Maya.
Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing—with some awkward dude she hardly knows—is beyond her.
Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer—and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural romance of the century is another thing entirely.
What I love about this book is that although Maya and Jamie are in fact seventeen years old and can’t vote yet, they still try to spread awareness for the candidate they want to win. This made the story incredibly inspiring as Becky and Aisha really did do an amazing job at showcasing teen voices in action. I even found myself looking up ways for me to get involved in my area’s upcoming elections!
The story is told through the voices of Jamie and Maya. Personally I thought that was the best decision the authors could have made. Jamie’s little inner monologues really add a quirky and awkward feel to his character. Jamie’s character development throughout the novel certainly wasn’t lacking. The way he was trying to understand Maya’s religion was absolutely adorable! However I did feel that Maya’s character felt a bit bland in the beginning. However, as the story developed, so does Maya! She becomes a very intriguing character as more and more obstacles start to stand in her way.
Although I would 100% file this book under the category ‘politics’, there is a healthy balance between politics and the characters’ personal lives. Going into ‘Yes No Maybe So’ I was worried the whole story would revolve around politics, but it was quite the opposite of that. The ratio of personal life to politics is roughly 60:40.
Overall it was a witty and political read that I totally recommend!
Age Rating: 13 and up
TW: Islamophobia
Total Score: 7.5/10 or 4 stars
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If you’ve already read the book, what was your opinion on it? Let me know in the comments down below!
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