Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Disney-Hyperion (2020), 304 pages
Description
Romance. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. Two first-time teen voters meet at their polling place and fall in love over the course of one crazy day in this YA novel pitched as THE KISSING BOOTH meets THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR.
User reviews
LibraryThing member SJGirl
I liked the premise, teens who’ve never met before spend the day together as the guy struggles to cast his vote, it felt timely and original, however, I was a little more lukewarm when it came to other aspects of the story.
While I can definitely see Marva and Duke being a good fit for one
My other issue here involved Marva’s missing cat. There were certainly moments where she truly does seem to love her cat yet if you love your pet and she’s missing, do you really hesitate to expose your online persona all because it might make you look silly when it might help find your cat? Do you go to a concert while your pet is out there somewhere? Do you really continue to chauffeur around a guy (who could, you know, call uber) when your cat is missing? Maybe I’m being nit-picky or maybe there really are “loving” pet owners who wouldn’t prioritize finding their missing cat, but to me, a pet is another family member so those instances where Marva chooses to do something other than look for Selma just did not compute.
Part of me could somewhat understand Marva’s boyfriend having had enough of her talking politics since the majority of her conversations revolve around it, but the book does a fantastic job of illustrating why Marva feels she can’t let up, particularly in the scenes where things go maddeningly wrong at voting locations and in a scene involving a traffic stop (to me that was the strongest scene in the book, Duke’s emotions in that moment were real and palpable). This was worth reading for that even if other areas of the book weren’t really for me.
While I can definitely see Marva and Duke being a good fit for one
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another in the future, given Marva’s boyfriend situation and Duke’s undefined situation, I struggled to get on board with the romance in this one, it’s the one area where the story taking place over the span of just one day didn’t quite work for me.My other issue here involved Marva’s missing cat. There were certainly moments where she truly does seem to love her cat yet if you love your pet and she’s missing, do you really hesitate to expose your online persona all because it might make you look silly when it might help find your cat? Do you go to a concert while your pet is out there somewhere? Do you really continue to chauffeur around a guy (who could, you know, call uber) when your cat is missing? Maybe I’m being nit-picky or maybe there really are “loving” pet owners who wouldn’t prioritize finding their missing cat, but to me, a pet is another family member so those instances where Marva chooses to do something other than look for Selma just did not compute.
Part of me could somewhat understand Marva’s boyfriend having had enough of her talking politics since the majority of her conversations revolve around it, but the book does a fantastic job of illustrating why Marva feels she can’t let up, particularly in the scenes where things go maddeningly wrong at voting locations and in a scene involving a traffic stop (to me that was the strongest scene in the book, Duke’s emotions in that moment were real and palpable). This was worth reading for that even if other areas of the book weren’t really for me.
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LibraryThing member AnnaWaffles
What a timely, hopeful story. Set over the course of a single day, The Voting Booth follows high school students and first-time voters Marva and Duke as they try to navigate the election process.
Marva is driven and passionate about politics; Duke has a complicated relationship with activism and a
At its heart, this book really is about our political system, with all its flaws and all its potential. Colbert touches on issues of voter suppression, racism, white privilege, and many other critical, interconnected social justice issues. Marva and others are convincingly passionate, giving life and energy to what could have been dry educational moments. The hardships they face are unfortunately realistic, but above all this is a story of triumph and hope that people can make change. There is work to be done, and it is worth it. I can't wait to recommend this book at my library.
I received a copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Marva is driven and passionate about politics; Duke has a complicated relationship with activism and a
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lot else on his mind. Their backgrounds unfold through a series of flashbacks and conversations, so by the end of this short novel I felt like I knew them well. Side characters are complex and thoughtful, adding depth and dimension even within the short time frame of the plot. Even the cat subplot, which could have been a silly distraction, added to the character development and made important connections to the rest of the story. And yes, there is romance, which would normally give me pause - a single day?! - but it's sweet and convincing and doesn't overwhelm the rest of the plot.At its heart, this book really is about our political system, with all its flaws and all its potential. Colbert touches on issues of voter suppression, racism, white privilege, and many other critical, interconnected social justice issues. Marva and others are convincingly passionate, giving life and energy to what could have been dry educational moments. The hardships they face are unfortunately realistic, but above all this is a story of triumph and hope that people can make change. There is work to be done, and it is worth it. I can't wait to recommend this book at my library.
I received a copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member jmoncton
Funny, romantic, and so very relevant to the events going on today as we head into a very important election. I really hope this book appeals to the YA audience and inspires them to vote! Go Marva!
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
A smart and original romance that will appeal to fans of "The Sun is Also a Star." It's Election Day and Marva can't wait to vote in her first election because of all the issues she cares about. Duke's family expects him to vote and he just wants to get it over with...until he finds out he's shown
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up at the wrong polling place. Marva and Duke meet as strangers at the polling place and end up sharing a day of skipping school, voting disenfranchisement, a lost famous cat, and Marva's breakup with her boyfriend. It's a meet-cute that's smart and funny, and Marva and Duke are fully realized, interesting young people. Show Less
LibraryThing member fionaanne
Not as good as Colbert's other books, honestly. I think it was rushed to publication and the plot suffered because it was weak.
LibraryThing member eas7788
Gets a little didactic but how can you not love these characters and want them to get together? Her use of POV is very good and works well with plot and characterization. Great to see the issues be organic to their lives. Great to not have a misery book that deal with race.
Awards
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Nominee — 2022)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2021)
Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (High School — 2022)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2021)
Nerdy Book Award (Young Adult Literature — 2020)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Teens (Fiction — 2020)
Just One More Page Recommendation List (Young Adult — 2021)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
8.3 inches
ISBN
1368053297 / 9781368053297