As with the best of crossover novels that appeal to early to later
teens and adults, "Amy by Any Other Name" has a combination of
magic and conventional wisdom tied tightly into a good story. Two
Ontario teens have tragic and deadly accidents, which they both
miraculously survive but not unscathed body and soul, in fact their
souls have been, switched when their paths towards the light takes
a U-turn.
Amy, the private school "perfect golden girl" from Toronto now
finds herself in Kingston wearing the body of underachieving
Krystal, the plump, Portuguese goth waif. What makes the story so
intriguing is that even though the situation demands we suspend our
disbelief, it is not hard to believe that our lives can. on the
twirl of a dime, change so drastically we barely recognize our
lives or ourselves.
Amy, who changes her name to Mia (missing in action?), narrates
much of the story and
the reader cannot help but admire her feisty determination to not
only survive but also thrive in this frightening situation. Her
life in Toronto has given her the gifts of discipline and self
worth, so very different from what Krystal 's family nurtured
within her. Although we do not meet Krystal until the end of the
story, you wonder how she manages in rehab, and finding herself in
such privileged circumstance.
As much as I enjoyed the well-paced plot and fine character
development, the ending intrigued me the most. It is wonderful to
read a story by a writer who has the confidence to finish in an
unpredictable way.
This would be a great choice for a teen book club even older than
the recommended ages of 10 to 12. I could imagine such interesting
discussion ensuing from the themes. As an adult, there is nothing
more pleasurable then a good read where you care about the
characters and have them haunt your thoughts for days after,
wondering if you would have the same grace and spunk in a similar
situation.