The How & the Why by Cynthia Hand

This young adult novel follows Cassandra McMurtrey, a high school senior who was adopted as a baby and is curious about her birth mother. The narration alternates between Cass's present-day experiences and letters from her birth mother when she was a teenager who had Cass. As Cassandra navigates her senior year, she questions her family and identity as she discovers secrets about her adoption. Through the letters, Cass gains insight into her birth mother's difficult decisions and her own self.

 

I found The How & the Why by Cynthia Hand on the shelves of the Young Adult section in the Glendale Library and thought the book would be interesting. Nevertheless, I was not mistaken as I instantly fell in love with the book and the characters. I sympathized with Cass and her struggles with self-identity as she yearned to know her mother. The emotional tone conveyed in the novel hooked me in as I felt like I needed to know that Cass got her happy ending. I would recommend this book to every teenage girl, it's great!

Reviewed by AN, Grade 12

Glendale Library