Review: What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones

Title: What My Mother Doesn't Know
Author: Sonya Sones
Published: February 1st 2001
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult
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Caution: May contain spoilers

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Now I’m not sure if it was after loving this book that got me into reading books in verse (stories told in poetry form), or if it was after reading Burned by Ellen Hopkins that I searched for more and found Sonya Sones. In any case, I simply adore books in verse. I love almost every one I come across. All of the books by Sonya Sones are superb.

The following is from the back cover:

“My name is Sophie.
This book is about me.
It tells
the heart-stoppingly riveting story
of my first love.
And also my second.
And, okay, my third love too.

It’s not that I’m boy crazy.
It’s just that even though
I’m almost fifteen
it’s like
my mind
and my body
and my heart
just don’t seem to be able to agree
on anything.”

The story follows Sophie and what she encounters and discovers in her adolescence. We hear about her boys and boyfriends, her best friends, her family, and her views on everything. Sones touches the deepest of subjects to the lighthearted moments of growing up. The word pictures used paint vivid details that often spark memories for those of us who aren’t teenagers anymore.

Sophie’s take on the world is thoroughly funny and true to life. Her ability to balance maturity and silliness epitomizes being in the middle teens. The whole falling in love aspect--the questioning of what one doesn’t know, how much it tears us up trying to get and answer, and those moments of truth when you know what it is--just great. Sophie contends with several issues: parental arguing, boyfriends and ex-boyfriends and potential boyfriends, and her own personal fears and feelings. The weird thing is, there doesn’t even seem to be any sort of plot. Yet when you finish it, you see how it all ties together beginning to end in more ways than one.

All in all, a very worthwhile read. Being written in poems makes it even better, and a very quick read as well. Sones gets you to feel the experience yourself through the descriptive wording.

My Rating:

Exceptional: Stay up until at least 1 AM