"Beautifully written coming of age story which doesn't flinch at the struggles between siblings but shows the power of unconditional love." —YABC
“Set against the magic and possibility of Paris, Christiansen’s emotional debut not only reminds us of the challenges that come with loving someone as they are, but also, the incomparable beauty." —Ashley Herring Blake, author of How to Make a Wish
"A touching, relevant story about siblings, autism, and unconditional love. Beautifully written, compelling, and honest." —Marci Lyn Curtis, author of The One Thing
"Readers will swoon over the delicious descriptions of Paris . . . but will ultimately find that Keira’s emotional journey covers even more ground than her physical one, in a story that focuses on a complex, yet tender, sibling relationship.” —Jen Malone, author of Wanderlost
"Maybe in Paris captures all the excitement of youthful obsession—with a city or a boy—while offering a touching depiction of the bonds we too often take for granted. Few books about teen sibling relationships capture their ups and painful downs so frankly." —Margot Harrison, author of The Killer in Me
"Heartbreaking but hopeful, Maybe in Paris is a wonderful debut with a beautiful setting, complicated, yet realistic sibling relationship, and a dash of romance." —Chantele Sedgwick, author of Love, Lucas and Switching Gears
"Good YA depends on great voice, and Rebecca Christiansen brings it to bear. She announces herself as a voice to be reckoned with in the very first pages of Maybe in Paris and doesn't relent. A welcome debut sure to launch a million fans." —Tom Leveen, author of Shackled and Random
"Beautifully written coming of age story which doesn't flinch at the struggles between siblings but shows the power of unconditional love." —YABC
“Set against the magic and possibility of Paris, Christiansen’s emotional debut not only reminds us of the challenges that come with loving someone as they are, but also, the incomparable beauty." —Ashley Herring Blake, author of How to Make a Wish
"A touching, relevant story about siblings, autism, and unconditional love. Beautifully written, compelling, and honest." —Marci Lyn Curtis, author of The One Thing
"Readers will swoon over the delicious descriptions of Paris . . . but will ultimately find that Keira’s emotional journey covers even more ground than her physical one, in a story that focuses on a complex, yet tender, sibling relationship.” —Jen Malone, author of Wanderlost
"Maybe in Paris captures all the excitement of youthful obsession—with a city or a boy—while offering a touching depiction of the bonds we too often take for granted. Few books about teen sibling relationships capture their ups and painful downs so frankly." —Margot Harrison, author of The Killer in Me
"Heartbreaking but hopeful, Maybe in Paris is a wonderful debut with a beautiful setting, complicated, yet realistic sibling relationship, and a dash of romance." —Chantele Sedgwick, author of Love, Lucas and Switching Gears
"Good YA depends on great voice, and Rebecca Christiansen brings it to bear. She announces herself as a voice to be reckoned with in the very first pages of Maybe in Paris and doesn't relent. A welcome debut sure to launch a million fans." —Tom Leveen, author of Shackled and Random
06/01/2017
Gr 7 Up—High school senior Keira is obsessed with all things French, including cute exchange student Jacques, who unexpectedly agrees to go with her to prom. He turns out to be a cad, mocking Keira's (somewhat on the nose) Marie Antoinette get-up and judging her 16-year-old brother Levi when he becomes agitated during pre-dance photos and accidentally knocks Keira down. This humiliation is eclipsed later that evening when Levi attempts suicide. After his release from a mental health facility, Keira decides that traveling together to Paris is the only way to bring back the Levi she loves and understands. Levi has episodes of psychosis, and Keira believes that he might be on the autism spectrum. Given that Keira's mom tends to alternately slut-shame, blame, and ignore her daughter, it seems far-fetched that she would agree to her as chaperone, even with safeguards in place, but a brother/sister adventure to France does set up a premise with teen appeal. The trip is not the cure-all that the protagonist envisions, but it does bring the siblings closer. Though Levi can be difficult, Keira also sees flashes of her smartly funny, history-loving brother. They make new friends, including a brother and sister running a delectable but failing patisserie, and a dreamy Scottish bass player named Gable. Yet despite hints that her own anxious and avoidant tendencies may need addressing, Keira continues to underestimate the power of illness, until a moment of crisis pushes her to seek the support she needs. This work is based on the author's own experiences with her brother. A strength of this book is how the characters are not defined solely by their diagnoses. VERDICT With its well-drawn central relationship and elements of humor and romance, this is a quick and relatable read.—Miriam DesHarnais, Towson University, MD
2017-03-29
A neurotypical teen dreams of Paris and rekindling her bond with her autistic brother in Christiansen's debut.White 18-year-old Keira has always fantasized about seeing Paris. Things at home aren't exactly perfect—although she loves her stepfather of six years, her relationship with her mother is rocky, and she has been pushing away from her autistic 16-year-old brother, Levi. When Levi attempts suicide and is hospitalized, Keira is shocked and devastated to discover she knows so little about her brother. She hatches a plan that, to her surprise, is received well by almost everyone: she and Levi can explore Paris together, thanks to her savings and self-taught French. Their journey is a mix of implausible highs for Keira (steaming-fresh pastries daily made specially for them at a local patisserie, sneaking backstage to see an actor after an English-language production of Les Mis, and a fling with a British musician) and predictable lows for both siblings (Levi stops taking his medication and goes missing in an overblown finale). Extensive descriptions of locations and food will drag for all but those with the same level of Parisian passion as the protagonist. Keira's first-person narration feels repetitive and unpolished, and her speculations about Levi's personality and experience living with disability ring false, as she makes little effort to actually get to know him. Keira has little interest in accommodating her brother's needs, and Levi's disabilities are problematically used as plot devices that contribute solely to Keira's character growth. A troubling, self-indulgent "acceptance" narrative that lacks authenticity and nuance. (Fiction. 14-17)