The Future of Us [Hardcover]

The Future of Us is a very different book; told from dual perspectives of two former friends who stumble across a secret that brings them together, as they try to sort out what this secret means for their futures.

But it raises a lot of questions for the reader to ask themselves, and includes a healthy dose of nostalgia that will endear many readers to this story.

Reasons to Read:

1.Great 90s nostalgia:

This is reason enough to read The Future of Us. If you grew up in the 90s (even if you were a baby like I was, since I was only born in late 1990) you will love the descriptions of the 90s lifestyle. There are so many pop culture references that brough to my mind all these old memories. I LOVED that, and it's a great way to revisit memory lane with a nostalgic feel. But even for those who didn't grow up in the 90s, you can still get a good chuckle out of it imaginging that at one point in time, scrunchies were actually cool.

2.A message that will make you reflect upon yourself:

I actually really loved the overall message that came across; it's much more than just a fun book, and I think Jay and Carolyn did a great job bringing up some questions for readers to ask themselves about how they live their lives. I appreciate it when books incorporate a deeper meaning and have characters make some thoughtful considerations that the reader can identify with.

3.Widespread appeal:

I think a lot of readers are going to be interestted in this one, because it doesn't fit neatly into a little niche category. It's told from dual gender perspectives, which really fleshes out the story and between Josh and Emma's personalities most readers will be able to strongly identify with one of the characters. The nostalgia it brings will appeal to older readers, and I would suggest even those who don't typically read YA. But it's unique premise and excellent writing will hold the interest of younger readers as well.

But I did find the story to be just a bit far fetched for me to fully buy into it; I enjoyed it thorougly while I was reading, but I also had a lot of questions that really aren't answered. They clearly aren't important to the story, but I really would have loved to have found out why the events in The Future of Us transpired, even though the story revolves around other related issues. But it was such a strange phenomenon that I couldn't fully enjoy the story without any sort of reason for it occuring- I really like background for stories.

Review copy received from Penguin Canada.

Summary
In 1996 few people had a computer in their home, the internet was a strange new place and Facebook hadn't even been invented yet. So when Emma Nelson logs onto her AOL account for the first time, she's understandably confused when a window for Facebook pops up on her screen. As she explores this perplexing website, Emma is shocked to discover that somehow this page seems to be all about HER but 15 years in the future. Unable to deal with this bizarre discovery on her own, Emma confides in her next door neighbour (and once best friend) Josh. Josh is convinced it's a prank until he gets a look at HIS future self, and really likes what he sees. But the pair soon discovers that even the tiniest action in the present can have a huge effect on the future. Will Emma and Josh be able to manipulate their future to ensure happiness or will they end up destroying everything before they even get there?

Review
With a truly unique and innovative concept, The Future of Us captures the reader quickly and keeps them hooked with a perpetual desire to find out what will happen next. Emma and Josh are likeable, although slightly selfish characters, which makes them believable teenagers. A collaboration between two authors, each chapter in The Future of Us alternates between the two main characters point of view. While this tactic can often be confusing - especially in this case when the characters have a very similar voice - it was an excellent way to show how different Josh and Emma's views of the future were. While some potential for greatness was wasted with unexplored plot-lines, The Future of Us is a thoroughly enjoyable, feel-good story that moves well, even if it doesn't overwhelm. The 90's references were perfect, and the questions raised by the possibility of seeing your future kept me thinking for days after I had finished reading.

Verdict
The Future of Us is a quick, easy read that's hard to put down. With an original concept and thought-provoking message, Josh and Emma's story will appeal to readers both young and old.

The story is interesting, it's nice to have the perception of facebook from a different point of view, from a different era. Unfortunately, the ending is all to predictable, I would've liked to be surprised. But overall, a very interesting read.