Kind of a Big Deal by Shannon Hale

Reviewed by Anna M.
Grade 9

When I read the inside flap of Kind of a Big Deal, I thought it was going to be a typical YA teen drama. It was for most of the book. However, after I was two-thirds in, the novel took an unsuspecting turn.

Josie Pie was “Kind of a Big Deal” in high school. After a difficult childhood, high school became a refreshing turn for her. One audition. One musical. And everyone thought she was going straight to Broadway. Freshmen would stop her in the hall and ask for her autograph. They thought she was going to be somebody. She thought she was going to be somebody. 

When she went to New York to audition for a role in a Broadway musical, Josie was shocked when she didn’t even get to try out. Suddenly, Josie finds herself in Montana nannying a five-year-old girl named Mia. But Mia’s away at preschool part of the time, so Josie’s bored out of her mind. Not to mention, her best friend and boyfriend seem too busy for her. Josie takes up reading. One book after another, Josie finds that she can ACTUALLY travel in each book. However, the longer she stays the harder it becomes to leave. And some books are better than real life, so why leave?

Have you ever read a book you wished you could live in? As an avid reader, I can definitely say yes! However, Kind of a Big Deal’s plot didn’t live up to my expectations. I liked the book until it got to the plot-twist. The plot-twist went too far, and I could never really buy into it. Also, the novel didn’t really have a theme. I felt that there wasn’t a purpose or lesson to it. Overall, the book didn’t click for me!

I would only recommend this book if I were trying to punish the reader. This novel had promise, and I was truly disappointed. If you like completely random, ridiculous plot-twists and unrelatable characters, you’ll like this book. If not, don’t even pick it up!