36 questions that changed my mind about you by Vicki Grant
Hot Key Books, 2017. ISBN 9781471407086
(Age: Senior secondary) Highly recommended. Deciding to take part in
a psychological survey about discovering whether two participants
can get to know one another through asking and answering a series of
questions, Hildy, a high school student, 18 years old, intelligent,
and anxious because of her parents' worsening relationship, is
partnered with a young man, of a similar age and seemingly quite
different to her, with whom she will exchange answers to a series of
36 questions created to reveal their sociability, intelligence and
attractiveness to the other participant. Paul is doing it for the
money.
Their answers reveal many differences in their childhoods, family
and social circumstances. The questions are challenging and
personal, their answers revealing much about themselves. The
discussion generated gradually brings them together despite his
suspicion that she is 'out of his league'. The gentle flowering of
the relationship is captivating, and heart-warming, as we notice how
each offers the other an honest response to the questions, and
sometimes more emotional responses than they would have expected.
This is a well-constructed depiction of relationships in the modern
world, depicting the lives of two young people living in quite
different circumstances in the west coast of the USA. We are drawn
into their personal lives both through their question and answer
times and in Grant's narrative sections where she reveals more
detail about the two young people. The questions are intriguing and
challenging and their determination to reply honestly gradually
enables them to understand both themselves and their Q/A partner
better.
This is a delightful and intriguing new 'novel' about young people
and their relationships. I would highly recommend it for senior
school students, parents and teachers as both an unusual and
delightful introduction to how adolescents work out their place,
ambition, and how they wish to live in the modern world.
Elizabeth Bondar