Review: The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

India is not thrilled with her mom, Hayley, right now, seeing as she is being forced to leave her life in California to move to Boston, to live with Hayley's fiance and daughter now. India was at the top of the food chain at school, and she loved being popular. No one looks at you too closely if you are the top-dog in the popularity aspect of school.

Now India is trying to find a way to become liked at her new school, but since her new sister-to-be, Eloise, is having a lot of hostility when it comes to the new people in her life, India hasn't been well received at school. And since this is an elite, high-society school, if you aren't liked by the popular group - the rich group - then you won't be liked ever.

And India really needs to be liked, because she can't let anyone know about her past. It would destroy her. India hasn't gotten this far in life without some sacrifices, so she is determined to be liked by Eloise. And her group, including her brooding, but observant and almost sad boyfriend Finn, who India is finding a connection with.

After awhile, and after Eloise's father sternly talks to Eloise, India is finally part of her group. But the longer she is friends with everyone, the more she realizes that she is not the only one with a dark, terrifying past. And the more she connects with everyone, the more danger they are of everyone else finding out about everyone's secrets, and essentially ruining everyone's lives in the end.

This was a really good book! I love Samantha Young (especially her Dublin series!), so I was very excited to venture into my first YA of Young's. And I was not disappointed! India seems to be a bratty girl, but she is really just trying to survive high school and the cruel world of teenagers and the bullying that comes along with that life.

And her past was so terrible. I can't even imagine going through what she did as a child, so I definitely understand why she doesn't let anyone close enough to hurt her. She only gives them a brief glimpse of the real India.

And Finn and Eloise? Those two broke my heart as well with their secrets and their lives. I would never want to be a daughter of a rich parent. It is too much pressure and then they expect certain things of you. Kids should be able to live their own lives and when they grow up, should be able to make their own decisions on what they want to do - where to live, what job to do, who to date, etc. Instead, the parents think, because they are rich and successful, then their offspring needs to do the same thing and be even more successful than they are. Such terrible expectations for anyone to grow up with, and that's what Finn and Eloise were partially dealing with.

There was a lot of different subjects in this book, and it was so evenly spaced out that the reader doesn't feel overwhelmed with all of the issues. Instead, Young was able to distinctly explain each of the characters and have the reader completely understand the characters and what they were going through.

I very much enjoyed this book, and I am very glad that I was able to get a copy from my local library to finally read it!

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