Book #73: The Meaning of Maggie
The Meaning of Maggie is a young adult novel that I read for work. A student asked me to read it so that always means it's a must read. I had already bought it for my library based on the reviews. It was good, but not spectacular. I see the appeal to students, though, especially girls, and I'm glad to say that the main girl character is worthy and not a flat, stereotyped girl, so that counts for something. Unfortunately, the other characters are more interesting and appealing than Maggie herself. The way she is written is over the top enough to make her less real and even a little off-putting. Maggie, of course, is the narrator. She has just turned eleven. She is very bright and revels in her academic success. She is determined to be "presidential" - she plans to be president one day, among other things. Her two older sisters are teenagers and therefore entirely alien beings. Her parents are interesting people - her dad has MS but hasn't lost his hippie spirit, and her mom is a powerhouse. Their love for one another is real and wonderful. The chapter when her rather awful grandmother comes to visit is especially interesting as an adult reader, but I wonder if kids won't quite get it. The extreme honesty her parents have with Maggie is a bit of a stretch, but since the story based on the author's real life and family it is perhaps less implausible than I think. The changes that the family goes through as the father's MS worsens are central to the plot, and there is no real resolution, but that's okay. Real life doesn't work that way and Maggie does make some major advances, but there is no total epiphany - and that, too, is okay.