Anything but Normal: A Novel [Paperback]

Though memories of a summer fling are still fresh and painful, Sophie is cautiously optimistic about this school year - after all, she's got a good group of friends and a cool job on the school newspaper. But Sophie's heart may not be the only thing that still remembers the events of last summer. . .

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

As a big fan of Melody Carlson, I was extremely interested in her take on teen pregnancy, so I began this book with high expectations. And I wasn't disappointed. . . at first.

One of Melody Carlson's greatest strengths lies in getting readers to understand and care about her characters, and Anything But Normal is no exception. In Sophie, Carlson creates a likable, "everygirl" sort of protagonist, and her intimate style makes Sophie very easy to relate to. Though I've never been in Sophie's exact circumstances, these circumstances are presented in a way that the reader can instantly sympathize with her fear and confusion. I felt like I was going through home pregnancy tests and morning sickness with her.

Without condoning abortion or presenting it as a viable option, Carlson also believably shows the kind of desperation that would prompt a girl to even consider such a thing - even a girl like Sophie, who had always thought of herself as a good, pro-life Christian. A scene where Sophie travels to the Women's Clinic to "weigh her options" will likely make readers stop and truly *think* about what they would do in her shoes. That's the effect it had on me, at least.

Carlson's compassion for pregnant teenagers shines through on every page. Presenting a wide variety of scenarios that could get a girl into the situation she finds herself in, she compellingly argues that one mistake shouldn't define who these girls are. A great point, however. . .

She also seems to argue that it *should* define who the guys are. Young fathers are offered none of the compassion and grace Carlson extends to young mothers, and I'd go as far as to say the novel thoroughly vilifies them. While the pregnant girls in this book are mostly nice gals who made one wrong choice, every single guy responsible for their pregnancy is presented as a selfish, heartless user who wouldn't know what right and wrong were if they bit him on the leg.

This isn't entirely Carlson's fault. It's a common stereotype, and for good reason - guys in that position who will stand up and at least try to do the right thing are, sadly, in the minority. However, in Carlson's writing, such guys aren't in the minority. They simply don't exist, despite the many different scenarios of teenage pregnancies she presents.

Unlike other reviewers, I didn't think Dylan came across as a terrible person. For the majority of the book, he seemed more like a confused teenager whose hormones had simply gotten the better of him and who had little more idea about what to do now than Sophie did. This, along with their pastor's fair, rational handling of the situation, led me to hope that perhaps *their* situation would bring some much-needed balance to the book's conclusion. However, a last-minute plot twist completely obliterates that possibility and left this reader shaking her head in disbelief.

Sophie, for her part, goes from constantly beating herself up for her mistake to taking practically no responsibility. Neither stance is very desirable, but the book would have us believe that Sophie is right on in her climatic "apology," which winds up amounting to little more than, "I'm sorry I ever met Dylan. I'm sorry I trusted Dylan. I'm sorry Dylan caused me to sin."

Furthermore, the aforementioned powerful scene at the Women's Clinic is marred slightly when Sophie briefly muses over the fact that she can get an abortion without her parent's permission, when at school she can't even take an aspirin without her parents being notified. Though she makes a good point, the way it was integrated into the narrative was jarring - for a moment, I felt like I was reading a pro-life pamphlet rather a novel.

Finally, the last chapter moves way too fast. Sophie deals with her friends' reactions to her pregnancy, rushes to the hospital with contractions, gives birth, and gives her baby up for adoption - all in about twenty-five pages. I honestly don't know if I caught the baby's name before the book abruptly concluded with a final, feeble "Sophie knew she would never be the same after all she'd been through and all she'd learned" or something similar. It doesn't even bother to mention exactly *what* Sophie had learned, because, frankly, it didn't feel like they we were leaving her in a very spiritually healthy place. The empathy I had felt toward her had waned considerably by that point.

There are much worse YA novels out there today, but there are also much better ones, even if you limit yourself to Carlson's works ("Burnt Orange" is highly recommended). Those searching for a Christian perspective on teenage pregnancy would probably be better served by the Nikki Sheridan series by Shirley Brinkerhoff. Though long out of print, you can likely find them at a public library, and they provide a much more detailed, balanced view of the subject.

Sophie wants to forget the summer before. She has a lot of great things to look forward to, especially being editor of the high school newspaper. But Sophie can't forget what happened at camp, she wonders if God has abandoned her, and now she has a secret that she won't be able to keep much longer.

This is the first book I have read by Melody Carlson, and I am really impressed with the way she writes about teen issues. Sophie's story is very realistic and very inspiring. She isn't a cover girl for the perfect Christian teen, but her mistakes are not "glamorized" either, and I was pleased with the way the story was presented. The ending was very good, and it really wasn't all that predictable! The only criticism I would offer is that it is slightly discriminating to males, but then again, the story is told from a girl's point of view.


I don't want to give too much away, so you'll need to read it yourself! A great choice for parents and their daughters to read and discuss together.

This story tackles a tough subject. Anything But Normal is an excellent illustration of how one mistake can shred someone's future plans, or at least alter them in a major way. I really enjoyed this story. As a social worker I've come across similar situations and this story reflects scenarios that some of the teens I have worked with have experienced. Young people have a lapse in judgment one time and their world is jacked up for years to come. It's true with many young women that once they've fallen they don't see the point of trying to stay pure anymore. They feel ruined for life and nothing fixes that. Confessing brings forgiveness but the consequences remain. And often it wasn't something the girl wanted to begin with. It was the guy's idea.

I thought the author did a great job with the guilt she experienced, with her wanting to hide the evidence, her fear of people finding out, etc. And best of all, the author did a great job showing the issues surrounding people who are not showing Christ's love and forgiveness. That was well done. People don't realize how self-righteous they sound when they spout off about things they really don't understand. This story is about compassion and the need for more of it. It's also about not shooting the wounded when they are down. I really understood Sophie and her many issues. I adored Wes. He was such a great guy. And Dylan was pretty much what I expected. Unfortunately his response is all too common in scenarios that I've seen. I loved how the Pastor got involved in the end and how Sophie went to the church for help. That was a great example of how things should work when people are hurting and need support. While the story didn't make me cry like I expected, it definitely touched my heart and I'm sure it will do the same for many young women who need to hear the message.

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