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'89 Walls
College is not in the cards for Seth. He spends his minimum wage on groceries and fakes happiness to distract his mom from the MS they both know will kill her. It’s agony to carry around a frayed love note for a girl who’s both out of his league and beneath his dignity.
Quinn’s finishing high school on top. But that cynical, liberal guy in her social studies class makes her doubt her old assumptions. Challenging the rules now, though, would a) squander her last summer at home, b) antagonize her conservative dad, and c) make her a hypocrite.
Seth and Quinn’s passionate new romance takes them both by surprise. They keep it a secret: it’s too early to make plans and too late not to care. But it’s 1989. As politics suddenly get personal, they find themselves fighting bare-fisted for their beliefs—and each other—in the clear light of day.
Quinn’s finishing high school on top. But that cynical, liberal guy in her social studies class makes her doubt her old assumptions. Challenging the rules now, though, would a) squander her last summer at home, b) antagonize her conservative dad, and c) make her a hypocrite.
Seth and Quinn’s passionate new romance takes them both by surprise. They keep it a secret: it’s too early to make plans and too late not to care. But it’s 1989. As politics suddenly get personal, they find themselves fighting bare-fisted for their beliefs—and each other—in the clear light of day.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2015
13 people are currently reading
896 people want to read
About the author
Katie Pierson
3 books36 followersI freelance for local non-profits, using my background in public policy and grassroots organizing to overthrow the patriarchy one introverted step at a time. When I'm not writing fiction, I return library books, make soup, and try to be cooler than I really am by hip-hopping at the YMCA.
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in American History from the University of Pennsylvania (where I dabbled briefly in being a College Republican) and a Master’s in American History from the University of Minnesota. I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and now live with my partner and two daughters in a suburb of Minneapolis. I'm a member of SCBWI, MNSCBWI and the Authors Guild.
’89 Walls is my first novel. You can reach me through my website, www.katiepierson.net, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/89walls/, and on Twitter @katiedoodles58.
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in American History from the University of Pennsylvania (where I dabbled briefly in being a College Republican) and a Master’s in American History from the University of Minnesota. I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and now live with my partner and two daughters in a suburb of Minneapolis. I'm a member of SCBWI, MNSCBWI and the Authors Guild.
’89 Walls is my first novel. You can reach me through my website, www.katiepierson.net, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/89walls/, and on Twitter @katiedoodles58.
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May 24, 2015
I’ve never wanted a book to succeed as much as I want this one to. Yes, this is a YA romantic novel, but it’s much more than that. In a genre invaded by vampires, ancient gods, zombies, and pretty much anything mythical, it’s refreshing to read about something real and something that matters. You see this is a romance between a liberal democrat and a conservative republican in a precarious time when the world is on the brink, and human rights is threatened.
At the turn of the decade, the Cold War is about to end, Apartheid is in its peak, China is clamoring for democracy, and Women’s rights is at its most vulnerable. Seth and Quinn are high school seniors with different worldviews. And as the world’s foundation is being shaken to its very core, two minds clash and then their hearts collide.
Can a bunch of highschoolers in a Social Studies class make any difference? This is a question posed by their teacher so many different times in their discussions. How can you as teenagers make a difference?
There are many different ways, in the book, one such way in the late 80’s was ‘citizen action’, nowadays we have cyber-activism; it’s not hard to be heard. Sometimes all you need to do is speak up. People can always make a difference, especially, young people. I will not take the moral high ground and say which way is best but it all starts with political awareness. I find it really commendable that this novel encourages young people to be proactive members of the society and care about relevant issues that affect everybody, in a time when young people put on masks of apathy and immediately think “bullshit” whenever they hear politics. It will never stop being bullshit, unless you do your part however little.
Before my political frenzy turns you off, I’d like to say that this also touches very personal issues outside of international politics. Important matters such as Women’s rights specifically issues that affect young women today: teenage pregnancy, abortion, and reproductive health care. Another significant matter given light is awareness about Multiple Sclerosis: a degenerative disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves.
Some people might say that this novel aims too big and packs too much in one book. But you see life does not move at a pace of one issue at a time. Sometimes life comes at us at full strength making us deal with problem on top of problem on top of another one. It’s not about making all the right decisions, but about learning that the decisions we make not only affect us but also the people around us. It’s about growing up and letting people grow up to make their own decisions. I remember this line from the novel having a big impact on me. It goes: “I can’t bear the idea of someone making me live longer than I want simply because other people fear death.” This is not only relevant about ‘living wills’ or fear of death but also encompasses each decision people make, political or not. Sometimes we set limitations not only to others but also to ourselves because we fear certain things. But at the end of the day, we should learn that fear is never a reason to stop doing what needs to be done. Do what must be done, let others do what they need to do. In political terms, Benjamin Franklin put is as: “Whoever sacrifices liberty for security deserves neither.”
Okay, you might now be thinking this sounds more like a political novel rather than a romantic one. Here’s what I’ll say to you, the romance never takes a back seat. Katie Pierson seamlessly integrates the political dialogue in the backdrop of Seth and Quinn’s love story. It was done in such a way that the politics never does seem overbearing or detrimental to the flow of the book. In fact, it’s actually very vital to their relationship. I’m really impressed by how she was able to really let one thing shine and then let the other one shine as well. Granted, of course, that this is a young adult book, so if you’re looking for crystal clear political history then you might be disappointed. But I do think that Ms. Pierson translated the facts very well to suit young adults in a way that they can actually grasp. Really, this novel’s themes are very crucial, and it targets those that really need it. This novel deserves to be read.
What this story will make young people realize is that romantic love is not just limited to thinking about a person or wanting to spend time with, or kiss, or have sex with someone. It’s also about doing what’s best for that person you love so that he or she can live in a safe environment that can foster a loving relationship. It’s about going out of your comfort zone to protect your rights as individuals before you can come together as a couple.
As the old cliché goes: love breaks boundaries. It breaks down walls, walls of war, walls of racial discrimination, walls of patriarchy, walls between different beliefs, and walls of limitations.
Love will set you free.
(Note: I'd like to thank Netgalley and Wise Ink for giving me an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.)
At the turn of the decade, the Cold War is about to end, Apartheid is in its peak, China is clamoring for democracy, and Women’s rights is at its most vulnerable. Seth and Quinn are high school seniors with different worldviews. And as the world’s foundation is being shaken to its very core, two minds clash and then their hearts collide.
Can a bunch of highschoolers in a Social Studies class make any difference? This is a question posed by their teacher so many different times in their discussions. How can you as teenagers make a difference?
There are many different ways, in the book, one such way in the late 80’s was ‘citizen action’, nowadays we have cyber-activism; it’s not hard to be heard. Sometimes all you need to do is speak up. People can always make a difference, especially, young people. I will not take the moral high ground and say which way is best but it all starts with political awareness. I find it really commendable that this novel encourages young people to be proactive members of the society and care about relevant issues that affect everybody, in a time when young people put on masks of apathy and immediately think “bullshit” whenever they hear politics. It will never stop being bullshit, unless you do your part however little.
Before my political frenzy turns you off, I’d like to say that this also touches very personal issues outside of international politics. Important matters such as Women’s rights specifically issues that affect young women today: teenage pregnancy, abortion, and reproductive health care. Another significant matter given light is awareness about Multiple Sclerosis: a degenerative disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves.
Some people might say that this novel aims too big and packs too much in one book. But you see life does not move at a pace of one issue at a time. Sometimes life comes at us at full strength making us deal with problem on top of problem on top of another one. It’s not about making all the right decisions, but about learning that the decisions we make not only affect us but also the people around us. It’s about growing up and letting people grow up to make their own decisions. I remember this line from the novel having a big impact on me. It goes: “I can’t bear the idea of someone making me live longer than I want simply because other people fear death.” This is not only relevant about ‘living wills’ or fear of death but also encompasses each decision people make, political or not. Sometimes we set limitations not only to others but also to ourselves because we fear certain things. But at the end of the day, we should learn that fear is never a reason to stop doing what needs to be done. Do what must be done, let others do what they need to do. In political terms, Benjamin Franklin put is as: “Whoever sacrifices liberty for security deserves neither.”
Okay, you might now be thinking this sounds more like a political novel rather than a romantic one. Here’s what I’ll say to you, the romance never takes a back seat. Katie Pierson seamlessly integrates the political dialogue in the backdrop of Seth and Quinn’s love story. It was done in such a way that the politics never does seem overbearing or detrimental to the flow of the book. In fact, it’s actually very vital to their relationship. I’m really impressed by how she was able to really let one thing shine and then let the other one shine as well. Granted, of course, that this is a young adult book, so if you’re looking for crystal clear political history then you might be disappointed. But I do think that Ms. Pierson translated the facts very well to suit young adults in a way that they can actually grasp. Really, this novel’s themes are very crucial, and it targets those that really need it. This novel deserves to be read.
What this story will make young people realize is that romantic love is not just limited to thinking about a person or wanting to spend time with, or kiss, or have sex with someone. It’s also about doing what’s best for that person you love so that he or she can live in a safe environment that can foster a loving relationship. It’s about going out of your comfort zone to protect your rights as individuals before you can come together as a couple.
As the old cliché goes: love breaks boundaries. It breaks down walls, walls of war, walls of racial discrimination, walls of patriarchy, walls between different beliefs, and walls of limitations.
Love will set you free.
(Note: I'd like to thank Netgalley and Wise Ink for giving me an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.)
April 17, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Katie Pierson, Wise Ink, and NetGalley.)
"The actual sex part - once the novelty factor wore off - seemed like more trouble and mess than it was worth."
(That does not sound like good sex!)
This was a romance story set in 1989, which read as a Young Adult novel, until people’s clothes started coming off.
The characters in this book seemed to make very rushed decisions. One minute Quinn was turning Seth down because she had a boyfriend, and the next minute she was kissing him!
The storyline in this was part romance, and part politics, and I quite honestly did not give a toss about the politics part of the story. I found the non-romance storylines to be pretty darn boring really.
The romance in this went from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds, and it all just seemed to come totally out of the blue! I also wasn’t expecting the sex! This read as a YA story until people started masturbating and having sex. So not impressed by that.
There was also a storyline concerning Quinn and an
The ending to this was okay, but I didn’t really understand where this relationship was by the end of the book
5 out of 10
"The actual sex part - once the novelty factor wore off - seemed like more trouble and mess than it was worth."
(That does not sound like good sex!)
This was a romance story set in 1989, which read as a Young Adult novel, until people’s clothes started coming off.
The characters in this book seemed to make very rushed decisions. One minute Quinn was turning Seth down because she had a boyfriend, and the next minute she was kissing him!
The storyline in this was part romance, and part politics, and I quite honestly did not give a toss about the politics part of the story. I found the non-romance storylines to be pretty darn boring really.
The romance in this went from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds, and it all just seemed to come totally out of the blue! I also wasn’t expecting the sex! This read as a YA story until people started masturbating and having sex. So not impressed by that.
There was also a storyline concerning Quinn and an
The ending to this was okay, but I didn’t really understand where this relationship was by the end of the book
5 out of 10
August 16, 2015
3.5/5
I have very mixed feelings towards this book. I could relate a lot to Quinn, yet sometimes I couldn't understand her at all. I thought the classes and the discussions were amazing and if there's one thing I learned from this book, it's that I love politics and that I would really enjoy being in a debate club - even if Quinn despised it.
However, I didn't really care about the characters' relationship. I can't really point out what is lacking in this book, but I couldn't get in the story at some times and it really felt like what it was: me, reading a book. I love to immerge myself completly in a storyline and care for the characters, but there's something about the way it's written that made it impossible for me. This is my main negative point about this book, because it was a recurrent one. Also, not everything made sense, in the way that some actions felt precipitated and unrealistic.
I still enjoyed reading this book, but I think there is some work to do related to the way actions are described.
(Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
I have very mixed feelings towards this book. I could relate a lot to Quinn, yet sometimes I couldn't understand her at all. I thought the classes and the discussions were amazing and if there's one thing I learned from this book, it's that I love politics and that I would really enjoy being in a debate club - even if Quinn despised it.
However, I didn't really care about the characters' relationship. I can't really point out what is lacking in this book, but I couldn't get in the story at some times and it really felt like what it was: me, reading a book. I love to immerge myself completly in a storyline and care for the characters, but there's something about the way it's written that made it impossible for me. This is my main negative point about this book, because it was a recurrent one. Also, not everything made sense, in the way that some actions felt precipitated and unrealistic.
I still enjoyed reading this book, but I think there is some work to do related to the way actions are described.
(Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
May 28, 2015
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Katie Pierson, NetGalley and Wise Ink. A copy of this review will be posted on my blog, too: www.flyingbookpages.wordpress.com
This book is about two teens who were raised in different political backgrounds. Seth, a less-privileged guy, lives and takes care of his single mom who suffers from MS. Quinn is a privileged girl who lives with her conservative parents. She could be considered wealthy based on the descriptions on the book. Despite having their differences, the two fell in love and worked their way to understand one another.
There are some points that I really liked in this book and of course, there are some that I didn't.
What I liked:
- Ms. Levine. I loved Mr. Levine's character. I loved his class so much. As a lover of debate (only those in class), I love discussing opinions and suggestions inside the classroom. I love how he incorporated current events into his class and asked his students to share their opinions. I also liked that I learned a lot about American Politics here because I do not reside in the US so we do not really study that.
- I liked how Quinn and Seth opposed each other during their class discussions. It somehow served as their "getting-to-know stage" too.
- I liked both characters. They were relatable and fun to be with. I had my problems with both, too, but it doesn't change the fact that I liked them both.
- THE COVER! It looks so gorgeous and I just want to hug it right now. I need to see this on my shelves.
What I didn't like:
- I didn't like Trish. I found her annoying and I kept rolling my eyes whenever she said something.
- I understand that the politics angle in this story was a major angle because it was their issue and I expected a lot of things that would have been affected but I saw none. I mean, I thought it would be some kind of Romeo and Juliet where Quinn's family would not approve of Seth because he wasn't a Republican and because he was poor. I didn't really see this angle hinder anything from the plot. It was like their main problem was Seth's mother dragging him down.
- As much as I loved Quinn and Seth together, I didn't like how they got together. It was so fast and it felt sort of wrong. It bothered me that she got together with Seth the day after she broke up with her ex just because "he didn't get her". I admit, the sneaking out and the hiding was fun but why were they hiding again? Because of Trish? She could just suck it up and leave them alone.
- There was this one scene that bothered me, too. It was when Quinn decided to tell her mom her "problem". (It's so hard to review this without spoiling things!!! HAHA) I thought they were conservative ? HER MOTHER'S REACTION TO HER PROBLEM WASN'T WHAT I EXPECTED TO SEE FROM A CONSERVATIVE MOTHER! It made me so mad I wanted to yell at her mother. (I came from a country where Quinn's solution is discouraged. So I don't understand why the mother let her do it, considering they were a "conservative" family.)
- Finally, the ending. I was hoping to see Seth for the last time and his life after all he's been through. We got to see Quinn's life after high school so far so I thought we could see Seth's but no. I was hoping to read his point of view as the last chapter of the book but it was Quinn's and it felt incomplete.
There's so much I liked about this book but I was really disappointed in some parts and I couldn't help but rant about them. I loved the political aspect of this and their romance was really cute and it was fun to be with them and witness their love story. I just really hoped I'd see Seth one last time.
This book is about two teens who were raised in different political backgrounds. Seth, a less-privileged guy, lives and takes care of his single mom who suffers from MS. Quinn is a privileged girl who lives with her conservative parents. She could be considered wealthy based on the descriptions on the book. Despite having their differences, the two fell in love and worked their way to understand one another.
There are some points that I really liked in this book and of course, there are some that I didn't.
What I liked:
- Ms. Levine. I loved Mr. Levine's character. I loved his class so much. As a lover of debate (only those in class), I love discussing opinions and suggestions inside the classroom. I love how he incorporated current events into his class and asked his students to share their opinions. I also liked that I learned a lot about American Politics here because I do not reside in the US so we do not really study that.
- I liked how Quinn and Seth opposed each other during their class discussions. It somehow served as their "getting-to-know stage" too.
- I liked both characters. They were relatable and fun to be with. I had my problems with both, too, but it doesn't change the fact that I liked them both.
- THE COVER! It looks so gorgeous and I just want to hug it right now. I need to see this on my shelves.
What I didn't like:
- I didn't like Trish. I found her annoying and I kept rolling my eyes whenever she said something.
- I understand that the politics angle in this story was a major angle because it was their issue and I expected a lot of things that would have been affected but I saw none. I mean, I thought it would be some kind of Romeo and Juliet where Quinn's family would not approve of Seth because he wasn't a Republican and because he was poor. I didn't really see this angle hinder anything from the plot. It was like their main problem was Seth's mother dragging him down.
- As much as I loved Quinn and Seth together, I didn't like how they got together. It was so fast and it felt sort of wrong. It bothered me that she got together with Seth the day after she broke up with her ex just because "he didn't get her". I admit, the sneaking out and the hiding was fun but why were they hiding again? Because of Trish? She could just suck it up and leave them alone.
- There was this one scene that bothered me, too. It was when Quinn decided to tell her mom her "problem". (It's so hard to review this without spoiling things!!! HAHA) I thought they were conservative ? HER MOTHER'S REACTION TO HER PROBLEM WASN'T WHAT I EXPECTED TO SEE FROM A CONSERVATIVE MOTHER! It made me so mad I wanted to yell at her mother. (I came from a country where Quinn's solution is discouraged. So I don't understand why the mother let her do it, considering they were a "conservative" family.)
- Finally, the ending. I was hoping to see Seth for the last time and his life after all he's been through. We got to see Quinn's life after high school so far so I thought we could see Seth's but no. I was hoping to read his point of view as the last chapter of the book but it was Quinn's and it felt incomplete.
There's so much I liked about this book but I was really disappointed in some parts and I couldn't help but rant about them. I loved the political aspect of this and their romance was really cute and it was fun to be with them and witness their love story. I just really hoped I'd see Seth one last time.
April 8, 2015
I received a copy of ’89 Walls in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Wise Ink and Netgalley. A copy of this review is also on my blog: www.bookblogbird.weebly.com
’89 Walls tells the story of Quinn and Seth, two teenagers living in Lincoln, Nebraska, attending the same high school and the same social sciences class. Quinn comes from an affluent Republican background; Seth comes from a disadvantaged liberal background. Despite the fact that they clash regularly in class over their political beliefs, Seth has a huge crush on Quinn and eventually summons up the courage to tell her.
I should make a disclaimer here: I’m from England and I don’t know a whole lot about American politics, other than what I’ve seen on The West Wing (it’s a documentary, right?). I know that the Republicans are basically similar to our Conservative party and that the democrats are a kind of Labour/LibDem hybrid, and that’s about it.
I say this because ’89 Walls is a very political book. The author clearly has a defined (liberal) political agenda, which she incorporates into her writing. In addition to this, the class in which Quinn and Seth meet (and clash) is a social studies class where the kids and teacher discuss politics (and they discuss it with better-informed opinions than my friends and I did when we were at school!).
I thought the choice of year that the book is set in was very relevant. 1989 was an incredibly important year, politically-speaking. Even I know that. The Berlin Wall, Tiananmen Square, the first free elections in Poland, glasnost and the fatwah on Salman Rushdie. And yet, despite the fact that ’89 Walls is set twenty-six years ago, there are echoes of what happened then in today’s politics, especially with the current tension in Russia and the Ukraine and the rise of religious fundamentalism.
Against this political backdrop, Quinn and Seth go from being attracted to each other to forming a relationship, despite the differences in their opinions and backgrounds. I thought the way their relationship was written was incredibly sweet: the author doesn’t rely on instalove or love triangles to create tension (thank god); the tension is all about their material and ideological differences and having to figure out whether their beliefs are the right ones, or whether their relationship has changed their viewpoints.
I thought the author balanced her characters out nicely and showed really good character development. Quinn’s dad, a republican, could have been painted as a full-on bad guy complete with devils horns, but in fact Ms Pierson shows the reasoning behind his politics, in a kind of ‘This is why Quinn’s dad thinks this way. He’s not the antichrist, he genuinely thinks that his policies are the best ones for the American people.’ Similarly, Seth’s mum, a former activist and liberal, now suffering from MS, could have been painted as a saint, but actually she comes across as cranky and bigoted in her own way, especially when she assumes that Quinn is going to string Seth along and then dump him, purely because she’s from a wealthy background. All the characters in the book develop as the story moves along and all of them are challenged in their beliefs to some extent.
So here’s a question I kept asking myself: Would I have enjoyed the book as much if I didn’t agree with Ms Piersons political standpoint? I’m honestly not sure. I’m trying to imagine if I would enjoy a book that advocated pro-life as firmly as the author advocates pro-choice and I’m coming up blank.
All in all, though, I really enjoyed ’89 Walls. It made a refreshing change from a lot of the YA fiction that’s going around at the moment. It had a lot of layers and gave me a lot to think about.
8.5/10
’89 Walls tells the story of Quinn and Seth, two teenagers living in Lincoln, Nebraska, attending the same high school and the same social sciences class. Quinn comes from an affluent Republican background; Seth comes from a disadvantaged liberal background. Despite the fact that they clash regularly in class over their political beliefs, Seth has a huge crush on Quinn and eventually summons up the courage to tell her.
I should make a disclaimer here: I’m from England and I don’t know a whole lot about American politics, other than what I’ve seen on The West Wing (it’s a documentary, right?). I know that the Republicans are basically similar to our Conservative party and that the democrats are a kind of Labour/LibDem hybrid, and that’s about it.
I say this because ’89 Walls is a very political book. The author clearly has a defined (liberal) political agenda, which she incorporates into her writing. In addition to this, the class in which Quinn and Seth meet (and clash) is a social studies class where the kids and teacher discuss politics (and they discuss it with better-informed opinions than my friends and I did when we were at school!).
I thought the choice of year that the book is set in was very relevant. 1989 was an incredibly important year, politically-speaking. Even I know that. The Berlin Wall, Tiananmen Square, the first free elections in Poland, glasnost and the fatwah on Salman Rushdie. And yet, despite the fact that ’89 Walls is set twenty-six years ago, there are echoes of what happened then in today’s politics, especially with the current tension in Russia and the Ukraine and the rise of religious fundamentalism.
Against this political backdrop, Quinn and Seth go from being attracted to each other to forming a relationship, despite the differences in their opinions and backgrounds. I thought the way their relationship was written was incredibly sweet: the author doesn’t rely on instalove or love triangles to create tension (thank god); the tension is all about their material and ideological differences and having to figure out whether their beliefs are the right ones, or whether their relationship has changed their viewpoints.
I thought the author balanced her characters out nicely and showed really good character development. Quinn’s dad, a republican, could have been painted as a full-on bad guy complete with devils horns, but in fact Ms Pierson shows the reasoning behind his politics, in a kind of ‘This is why Quinn’s dad thinks this way. He’s not the antichrist, he genuinely thinks that his policies are the best ones for the American people.’ Similarly, Seth’s mum, a former activist and liberal, now suffering from MS, could have been painted as a saint, but actually she comes across as cranky and bigoted in her own way, especially when she assumes that Quinn is going to string Seth along and then dump him, purely because she’s from a wealthy background. All the characters in the book develop as the story moves along and all of them are challenged in their beliefs to some extent.
So here’s a question I kept asking myself: Would I have enjoyed the book as much if I didn’t agree with Ms Piersons political standpoint? I’m honestly not sure. I’m trying to imagine if I would enjoy a book that advocated pro-life as firmly as the author advocates pro-choice and I’m coming up blank.
All in all, though, I really enjoyed ’89 Walls. It made a refreshing change from a lot of the YA fiction that’s going around at the moment. It had a lot of layers and gave me a lot to think about.
8.5/10
November 16, 2015
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion in any shape or form.
In 1989 my mom was 17 going on 18 so I really wanted to read this book and get a glimpse of my mom the year before she got pregnant with me. When I had the opportunity to journey back in time to 1989, I wasn’t sure what to expect when it came to 89 Walls but I can say I am pleasantly surprised I really enjoyed the book.
It took me a long time to finish this book it seems that each and every time I tried to pick this up, I’d end up in a reading slump thanks to another book. But I was finally able to pick this up and finish it. 89 walls revolves around Seth and Quinn and their senior year. Quinn and Seth are from different worlds, Quinn can afford to go to college and not have to worry about the money and Seth has to take care of his sick mom. They’re from two different worlds but together they find each other and that was my favorite part of the story.
I am not big on politics it is something I find boring and I just can’t seem to pay attention when it comes politics so for me 89 walls was a bit heavy on the politics and sometimes I had to read passages over again to understand. But what I DID love about it was that I really liked how Quinn was trying to find her own views, she wanted to understand every aspect of an issue and would ask questions even if she felt dumb afterwards. I thought it was really awesome for her to want to form her own opinion. I really liked Seth especially his T-shirts. I loved his point of view of things and I especially loved how caring he was towards his mom. It was really nice to see a great relationship between mother and son.
Overall, I wasn’t sure I was going to like this because it was a bit political but I ended up learning something. You never know what can happen when you take a chance on a book you didn’t think you’d enjoy.
P.S. Katie is super awesome and includes a bunch of books that take place in the 80s in the back plus she also includes what political issues it has.
P.S.S. She also includes a timeline of things that happened in 1989 and its awesome to see what happened back then, it turns out my birthday was mentioned in the back so I really loved it.
In 1989 my mom was 17 going on 18 so I really wanted to read this book and get a glimpse of my mom the year before she got pregnant with me. When I had the opportunity to journey back in time to 1989, I wasn’t sure what to expect when it came to 89 Walls but I can say I am pleasantly surprised I really enjoyed the book.
It took me a long time to finish this book it seems that each and every time I tried to pick this up, I’d end up in a reading slump thanks to another book. But I was finally able to pick this up and finish it. 89 walls revolves around Seth and Quinn and their senior year. Quinn and Seth are from different worlds, Quinn can afford to go to college and not have to worry about the money and Seth has to take care of his sick mom. They’re from two different worlds but together they find each other and that was my favorite part of the story.
I am not big on politics it is something I find boring and I just can’t seem to pay attention when it comes politics so for me 89 walls was a bit heavy on the politics and sometimes I had to read passages over again to understand. But what I DID love about it was that I really liked how Quinn was trying to find her own views, she wanted to understand every aspect of an issue and would ask questions even if she felt dumb afterwards. I thought it was really awesome for her to want to form her own opinion. I really liked Seth especially his T-shirts. I loved his point of view of things and I especially loved how caring he was towards his mom. It was really nice to see a great relationship between mother and son.
Overall, I wasn’t sure I was going to like this because it was a bit political but I ended up learning something. You never know what can happen when you take a chance on a book you didn’t think you’d enjoy.
P.S. Katie is super awesome and includes a bunch of books that take place in the 80s in the back plus she also includes what political issues it has.
P.S.S. She also includes a timeline of things that happened in 1989 and its awesome to see what happened back then, it turns out my birthday was mentioned in the back so I really loved it.
May 30, 2015
*I received this novel through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This novel sounded promising and had me interested immediately. I was expecting it to be a mix of teen romance and politics. In some ways it was just that. Unfortunately it tried to delve into too many deeply rooted social issues that I never felt I could connect with the characters.
The prologue was promising and I found myself pulled into the story. Once I was a few chapters in I found it very difficult to connect with. The relationships were rushed and felt forced to me. The characters seemed to make spur of the moment decisions or begin arguments with seemingly no introduction and little resolution.
This novel just fell far too short of the mark for me to enjoy. Too much was being tackled with not enough development behind it. This novel reads like a novel written for young adults, but I personally wouldn't classify it in that category. I'm not sure what category it belongs in, honestly.
The concept was promising, but for me it didn't live up to my expectations.
This novel sounded promising and had me interested immediately. I was expecting it to be a mix of teen romance and politics. In some ways it was just that. Unfortunately it tried to delve into too many deeply rooted social issues that I never felt I could connect with the characters.
The prologue was promising and I found myself pulled into the story. Once I was a few chapters in I found it very difficult to connect with. The relationships were rushed and felt forced to me. The characters seemed to make spur of the moment decisions or begin arguments with seemingly no introduction and little resolution.
This novel just fell far too short of the mark for me to enjoy. Too much was being tackled with not enough development behind it. This novel reads like a novel written for young adults, but I personally wouldn't classify it in that category. I'm not sure what category it belongs in, honestly.
The concept was promising, but for me it didn't live up to my expectations.
April 22, 2015
'89 Walls is a refreshing take on the classic class conflict romance story.
Seth and Quinn come from drastically different backgrounds. Seth lives with his liberal mom - a single mother suffering from MS - who he takes care of. Quinn lives a privileged life with both of her wealthy conservative parents and doesn't really want for anything. Despite their differences, they find common ground and a wonderfully sweet romance blossoms between them.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, I felt that I really connected with them, and I loved that they were well-rounded and we got to see their flaws and their virtues.
I loved the references to pop culture from the era but I skimmed over the political parts as I have never been able to pay attention to politics.
I think that the sex scenes in the book would be too much to handle for younger teens, so would probably only give it out to more mature kids.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Seth and Quinn come from drastically different backgrounds. Seth lives with his liberal mom - a single mother suffering from MS - who he takes care of. Quinn lives a privileged life with both of her wealthy conservative parents and doesn't really want for anything. Despite their differences, they find common ground and a wonderfully sweet romance blossoms between them.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, I felt that I really connected with them, and I loved that they were well-rounded and we got to see their flaws and their virtues.
I loved the references to pop culture from the era but I skimmed over the political parts as I have never been able to pay attention to politics.
I think that the sex scenes in the book would be too much to handle for younger teens, so would probably only give it out to more mature kids.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2015
*I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I want to keep my review short, because I have nothing positive to say, sadly. The author tried to put way too much in such a short book. 240 pages and we have angsty teen romance, politics, illness, abortion...I mean, too much. These are themes that require some depth and here there wasn't.
Seth is in love with Quin, or so it seems, but what he truly did for half the book was to attack her. And she was there, being a doormat, saying "Sorry Seth". Sorry my butt, girl, come on! Seth's mother illness was dealt with in a poor way in my opinion. The same can be said for Quin and her dad's fights because of politics. And really there was so much awkwardness in that sex scene. I mean, guys, the phrase "Breast pancakes" shouldn't exist.
I'm sorry but for its lack of depth this book deserves one star. Themes like these shouldn't be dealt with like this.
I want to keep my review short, because I have nothing positive to say, sadly. The author tried to put way too much in such a short book. 240 pages and we have angsty teen romance, politics, illness, abortion...I mean, too much. These are themes that require some depth and here there wasn't.
Seth is in love with Quin, or so it seems, but what he truly did for half the book was to attack her. And she was there, being a doormat, saying "Sorry Seth". Sorry my butt, girl, come on! Seth's mother illness was dealt with in a poor way in my opinion. The same can be said for Quin and her dad's fights because of politics. And really there was so much awkwardness in that sex scene. I mean, guys, the phrase "Breast pancakes" shouldn't exist.
I'm sorry but for its lack of depth this book deserves one star. Themes like these shouldn't be dealt with like this.
February 13, 2018
I received this book via a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
So this book was originally gonna get 3 stars from me. The writing itself isn't bad, per se, but it wasn't something that really gripped me. That combined with the fact that it felt like this book was trying to conquer every social issue going on in 1989....it felt clunky. Like, if the author had just picked 2 or 3, that would have worked SUPER well. But that, combined with the need to have philosophizing arguments between the characters kinda turned me off of enjoying this. (When I mean philosophizing arguments, I mean it literally felt formatted like a Socratic dialogue.)
But then, THE REASON THIS GETS ONE STAR showed up. The way the author was describing/contextualizing disability in the narrative felt very off to me (a Real Life Disabled Person), tho I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Turns out the reason it felt weird?? is bc it's being set up for the disabled character to commit suicide because they're a ~burden~ to their able-bodied child. Yeah, it's a spoiler, no I'm not hiding it bc I absolutely do not want anyone to read a book that makes this seem like an acceptable or valid way of writing a disabled character. We are not burdens, we deserve to live just as much as anyone else does, and I will not let an ableist author spread this mentality without saying something myself.
Absolutely would not recommend this book to anyone. There is no room for ableism in a book written in 2015, and there's certainly no room for reading an ableist book in 2018.
So this book was originally gonna get 3 stars from me. The writing itself isn't bad, per se, but it wasn't something that really gripped me. That combined with the fact that it felt like this book was trying to conquer every social issue going on in 1989....it felt clunky. Like, if the author had just picked 2 or 3, that would have worked SUPER well. But that, combined with the need to have philosophizing arguments between the characters kinda turned me off of enjoying this. (When I mean philosophizing arguments, I mean it literally felt formatted like a Socratic dialogue.)
But then, THE REASON THIS GETS ONE STAR showed up. The way the author was describing/contextualizing disability in the narrative felt very off to me (a Real Life Disabled Person), tho I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Turns out the reason it felt weird?? is bc it's being set up for the disabled character to commit suicide because they're a ~burden~ to their able-bodied child. Yeah, it's a spoiler, no I'm not hiding it bc I absolutely do not want anyone to read a book that makes this seem like an acceptable or valid way of writing a disabled character. We are not burdens, we deserve to live just as much as anyone else does, and I will not let an ableist author spread this mentality without saying something myself.
Absolutely would not recommend this book to anyone. There is no room for ableism in a book written in 2015, and there's certainly no room for reading an ableist book in 2018.
June 13, 2017
I have taught teenagers for 26 years and have a couple of my own at home. This book not only resonated with me, but will resonate with so many young adults. It seems, thankfully for me, that the days of vampire fiction are behind us and '89 Walls is a fresh, smart take on a tumultuous time in our history that will appeal to an audience that desperately needs it. A smart book for teenagers... refreshing! The writing is beautifully crafted, I connected with the characters, and cared about the outcome. Who knew the old guy could shed a tear or two when reading young adult fiction? Way to go, Katie Pierson, for giving us, and our students, something smart and realistic to read.
June 21, 2015
From my tscpl.org review
In a provocative teen romance set in 1989, the politics get personal when a cynical, liberal high school senior who supports his dying mother with his minimum wage job falls hard for a girl who has believed everything her wealthy, conservative father has taught her about the world.
Seth spends his minimum wage on groceries and fakes happiness to distract his mom from the MS they both know will kill her.
Quinn’s finishing high school on top. But that cynical, liberal guy in her social studies class makes her doubt her old assumptions. Challenging the rules now would antagonize her conservative dad and make her a hypocrite.
Seth and Quinn’s passionate new romance takes them both by surprise, but it’s 1989 and politics suddenly get personal.
•This is a satisfying teen romance novel, set entirely in 1989.
•This is a starting place for teens to ask questions about their own world, their parents, their politics.
•This is a starting place for teens to ask questions about abortion, apartheid, states rights, gun control, welfare, AIDS, foreign policy.
•Actually, let's not limit these questions to teens. This is a starting place for adults, too.
•This is a reason to think, notice, ask, question, begin to find ways to make a difference.
•And did I mention how it's also a satisfying teen romance story?
This story couldn't have happened any other time. All of the politics and issues didn't pull me out of the story, they kept pulling me back into 1989. This setting is as important to the story as the romance.
I hope kids who read this book go ask questions about how the world got from 1989 to 2015. Because looking at the world 25 years ago makes some things now seem more clear and more terrible. The one thing I didn't do (and don't want to do) is to fast forward Seth and Quinn and imagine these characters as 42 years olds living in 2015. No matter how their relationship turns out, I know that in 2015 there is too much heartbreak in this world they care about. I wouldn't wish that on their fictional-selves any more than I would wish it on our real-selves.
Original typo-ridden review I wrote on my phone:
This. This is a satisfying teen romance novel, set entirely in 1989 but...
This is a starting place for teens to ask questions about those world, their parents, their politics
This is a starting place for teens to ask questions about abortion, apartheid, states rights, gun control, welfare, aids, foreign policy
Forget teens, this is a starting place for adults to think, notice, ask, question, begin to find ways to make a difference
And did I mention how it's also a satisfying teen romance?
All of the politics and issues didn't pull me out of the story, they kept pulling me back into 1989.
I hope kids who read this go ask questions about how the world got from 1989 to 2015. Because looking at the world 25 years ago makes some things now quite a bit clearer and more terrible. The one thing I didn't do and don't want to do is imagine these characters at 42 years old living in 2015, because no matter how their relationship turns out, there is too much heartbreak in the world they care about that I wouldn't wish on their fictional selves.
In a provocative teen romance set in 1989, the politics get personal when a cynical, liberal high school senior who supports his dying mother with his minimum wage job falls hard for a girl who has believed everything her wealthy, conservative father has taught her about the world.
Seth spends his minimum wage on groceries and fakes happiness to distract his mom from the MS they both know will kill her.
Quinn’s finishing high school on top. But that cynical, liberal guy in her social studies class makes her doubt her old assumptions. Challenging the rules now would antagonize her conservative dad and make her a hypocrite.
Seth and Quinn’s passionate new romance takes them both by surprise, but it’s 1989 and politics suddenly get personal.
•This is a satisfying teen romance novel, set entirely in 1989.
•This is a starting place for teens to ask questions about their own world, their parents, their politics.
•This is a starting place for teens to ask questions about abortion, apartheid, states rights, gun control, welfare, AIDS, foreign policy.
•Actually, let's not limit these questions to teens. This is a starting place for adults, too.
•This is a reason to think, notice, ask, question, begin to find ways to make a difference.
•And did I mention how it's also a satisfying teen romance story?
This story couldn't have happened any other time. All of the politics and issues didn't pull me out of the story, they kept pulling me back into 1989. This setting is as important to the story as the romance.
I hope kids who read this book go ask questions about how the world got from 1989 to 2015. Because looking at the world 25 years ago makes some things now seem more clear and more terrible. The one thing I didn't do (and don't want to do) is to fast forward Seth and Quinn and imagine these characters as 42 years olds living in 2015. No matter how their relationship turns out, I know that in 2015 there is too much heartbreak in this world they care about. I wouldn't wish that on their fictional-selves any more than I would wish it on our real-selves.
Original typo-ridden review I wrote on my phone:
This. This is a satisfying teen romance novel, set entirely in 1989 but...
This is a starting place for teens to ask questions about those world, their parents, their politics
This is a starting place for teens to ask questions about abortion, apartheid, states rights, gun control, welfare, aids, foreign policy
Forget teens, this is a starting place for adults to think, notice, ask, question, begin to find ways to make a difference
And did I mention how it's also a satisfying teen romance?
All of the politics and issues didn't pull me out of the story, they kept pulling me back into 1989.
I hope kids who read this go ask questions about how the world got from 1989 to 2015. Because looking at the world 25 years ago makes some things now quite a bit clearer and more terrible. The one thing I didn't do and don't want to do is imagine these characters at 42 years old living in 2015, because no matter how their relationship turns out, there is too much heartbreak in the world they care about that I wouldn't wish on their fictional selves.
June 9, 2015
'89 Walls/Katie Pierson This is a take on the timeless idea of a privileged girl falling for a less-privileged boy.
The strongest point in my opinion was seeing Quinn and Sean's relationship with Quinn's dad and one of their teachers. Quinn develops a lot of her own political beliefs across the book and learns how to represent these with facts and with emotions. This felt very real.
Quinn and Seth's relationship was initially too cute, though the way she acted at the first party was kind of odd and jarring--I had to go back and double check that I hadn't missed anything.
I also found the setting delightful. Pierson threw in a lot of references to the time, including music as well as politics. (I instantly fell in love with Quinn's first boyfriend, Jason, for loving New Order and The Cure...) Though this may date some people, I found it really fascinating to imagine being a teenager around the time and experiencing life during the end of the Cold War.
And for that, the book loses merit. Purely based on the title and description, I expected more information about the USSR/US communism/capitalism details. I wanted to really get a feel for what it might be like living in those times. I was disappointed when the Berlin Wall came down and we only heard about it through a couple of paragraphs in a letter. The politics and time period are what sets this book apart from your run of the mill YA book, and they fall just short of their potential. Quinn also went through a challenging situation that was then rarely mentioned, though I thought it would have had a bigger emotional effect on her.
While I loved the first two thirds of this book, the ending felt a little forced to me. It may just be my having a problem with happily-ever-after endings, but I felt like there should be a bit more conflict or struggle. It just wasn't a very believable ending, having seen the characters as they grew up.
However, I did enjoy reading this and was amused by the characters. I enjoyed seeing Quinn mature and develop her own views on life, and I was never bored, reading this book straight through in one setting. I definitely recommend reading this book, especially if you're interested in politics.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The strongest point in my opinion was seeing Quinn and Sean's relationship with Quinn's dad and one of their teachers. Quinn develops a lot of her own political beliefs across the book and learns how to represent these with facts and with emotions. This felt very real.
Quinn and Seth's relationship was initially too cute, though the way she acted at the first party was kind of odd and jarring--I had to go back and double check that I hadn't missed anything.
I also found the setting delightful. Pierson threw in a lot of references to the time, including music as well as politics. (I instantly fell in love with Quinn's first boyfriend, Jason, for loving New Order and The Cure...) Though this may date some people, I found it really fascinating to imagine being a teenager around the time and experiencing life during the end of the Cold War.
And for that, the book loses merit. Purely based on the title and description, I expected more information about the USSR/US communism/capitalism details. I wanted to really get a feel for what it might be like living in those times. I was disappointed when the Berlin Wall came down and we only heard about it through a couple of paragraphs in a letter. The politics and time period are what sets this book apart from your run of the mill YA book, and they fall just short of their potential. Quinn also went through a challenging situation that was then rarely mentioned, though I thought it would have had a bigger emotional effect on her.
While I loved the first two thirds of this book, the ending felt a little forced to me. It may just be my having a problem with happily-ever-after endings, but I felt like there should be a bit more conflict or struggle. It just wasn't a very believable ending, having seen the characters as they grew up.
However, I did enjoy reading this and was amused by the characters. I enjoyed seeing Quinn mature and develop her own views on life, and I was never bored, reading this book straight through in one setting. I definitely recommend reading this book, especially if you're interested in politics.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2015
I was a teen in the eighties, and this book was like a finding a snapshot of those days -- a time when politics and relationships felt so important. Quinn and Seth's journey to find each other was sweet and realistic. Their rocky beginnings as school rivals don't stop them from helping each other with real life problems. I appreciated the author's frank approach to issues like pregnancy, parental illness, and suicide, and the way Quinn and Seth face the world head on. Both personally and politically, the walls come tumbling down.
May 11, 2015
*Thanks to Wise Ink, Katie Pierson and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book*
So I struggled with what to rate this as, just because in some ways the book really annoyed me, but in other ways it made me want to stay up until 3:30am to finish it. Having seen mixed reviews, I was really intrigued as to how I would feel about it.
First off, negatives:
- I felt like there were some gaps in the plot, in a way that some things just moved way too quickly. It seemed like the writing was rushed. For example, . The book wasn't long and I feel like there could have been more added in places.
- I think the daddy-daughter political fighting plotline was unnecessary. Aside from providing tension at home, I didn't really feel like it served any purpose, especially when there were other things that could have gone in. Maybe it was just me, but it did nothing for me. I started to skim over a lot of it toward the end .
Positives:
- I think for a young adult book with politics involved, Pierson picked a good time for the setting just because there was a lot going on in the world and it was a big period of transition. It's not an era of foreign or national policy that I've studied in-depth (or really at all since sophomore year in high school), but for the sake of optimism, the fact that there was glossary in the back and her degrees, I'm going to assume that it was all on the mark, fact-wise.
- I really liked how Seth had been pining for Quinn for years despite never really having talked to her. I think it's relatable and that it happens a lot more than people think. If only it always ended the way Seth and Quinn did...
- Even though there was a lot going on, I didn't think it was too much (aside from the daddy-daughter political battles mentioned above). If you completely took out the politics and put Seth and Quinn in a regular history class or something, I don't think it would have worked out as well. I think adding the political aspect kind of worked well with their romance.
- I always love when things are told in alternating points of view. Especially boy-girl.
I'd definitely recommend it. It's a pretty solid debut novel. The plot had a lot of big topics going on that normally wouldn't be combined into one book, but I enjoyed it. I think the uniqueness of it is what won me over. It's not like this amazing, poetic writing or anything, but it works, despite seeming rushed. It's definitely better than a lot of other young adult stuff out there.
So I struggled with what to rate this as, just because in some ways the book really annoyed me, but in other ways it made me want to stay up until 3:30am to finish it. Having seen mixed reviews, I was really intrigued as to how I would feel about it.
First off, negatives:
- I felt like there were some gaps in the plot, in a way that some things just moved way too quickly. It seemed like the writing was rushed. For example, . The book wasn't long and I feel like there could have been more added in places.
- I think the daddy-daughter political fighting plotline was unnecessary. Aside from providing tension at home, I didn't really feel like it served any purpose, especially when there were other things that could have gone in. Maybe it was just me, but it did nothing for me. I started to skim over a lot of it toward the end .
Positives:
- I think for a young adult book with politics involved, Pierson picked a good time for the setting just because there was a lot going on in the world and it was a big period of transition. It's not an era of foreign or national policy that I've studied in-depth (or really at all since sophomore year in high school), but for the sake of optimism, the fact that there was glossary in the back and her degrees, I'm going to assume that it was all on the mark, fact-wise.
- I really liked how Seth had been pining for Quinn for years despite never really having talked to her. I think it's relatable and that it happens a lot more than people think. If only it always ended the way Seth and Quinn did...
- Even though there was a lot going on, I didn't think it was too much (aside from the daddy-daughter political battles mentioned above). If you completely took out the politics and put Seth and Quinn in a regular history class or something, I don't think it would have worked out as well. I think adding the political aspect kind of worked well with their romance.
- I always love when things are told in alternating points of view. Especially boy-girl.
I'd definitely recommend it. It's a pretty solid debut novel. The plot had a lot of big topics going on that normally wouldn't be combined into one book, but I enjoyed it. I think the uniqueness of it is what won me over. It's not like this amazing, poetic writing or anything, but it works, despite seeming rushed. It's definitely better than a lot of other young adult stuff out there.
June 5, 2015
'89 Walls was originally introduced to me as a book about abortion and the politics of 1989 that came with it. '89 Walls delves into abortion, but mostly it's the story of Quinn and Seth who are at opposing sides of political parties. They engage in intense, thought-provoking arguments about the world they live in their history class. I don't know about everybody else, but I loved history class in high school yet I don't remember reading about so much of the politics that was going on today or actively watching the news. Both Quinn and Seth have immersed themselves in politics and their own political views. They question those beliefs and where they stand in their lives. Quinn and Seth must balance the fine line of political views, economic status, and where they see their unexpected romance going in '89 Walls.
Politics is always a touchy subject. There were a lot of questioning and arguments that had to do with politics and the difference of economic status between our two main characters. Luckily, it wasn't difficult to follow along with what was going on in the world even with the history lessons I was receiving. History lessons that I've never really paid attention to in the past. '89 Walls made me think of our past and the way it's changed so much today with abortion, civil rights, and war. All very touchy subjects in everyday life, but real things that need to be discussed. There was something that Quinn mentioned and her teacher did too about how we try to be neutral, but we can never be. We can't believe in the right of equality and say we are neutral. We all have different lives and points of view. Seeing Quinn and Seth's POV really puts into perspective how involved some people are in politics and how others (like me) are laid back. It made me question whether I should do something more or at least educate myself with what is going on in the world and assessing my views on it.
The other side of the story was Quinn and Seth's sudden romance. I liked them together because they respected each other and their opinions. I think respect in a relationship is one of the best thing's you can have. I didn't enjoy reading about their sexual exploits. I didn't need the step by step coverage on that. Otherwise, I liked their relationship although, it didn't have me squealing with joy or anything. I liked their family dynamics more than anything actually. Quinn has affluent parents who are conservative and talk to her about politics. Seth has to take care of his mother who has MS. Seth and his mother hurt me inside. It's such a crappy situation to know that your body is failing you and that your son has to watch while putting his life on the backburner.
'89 Walls made me think about the world and how little I know about what brought us to this point in the US. It was a very enjoyable and thought provoking read. If you like politics, you will especially like '89 Walls, but even if you don't you still can get something from Quinn and Seth's story like I did.
Politics is always a touchy subject. There were a lot of questioning and arguments that had to do with politics and the difference of economic status between our two main characters. Luckily, it wasn't difficult to follow along with what was going on in the world even with the history lessons I was receiving. History lessons that I've never really paid attention to in the past. '89 Walls made me think of our past and the way it's changed so much today with abortion, civil rights, and war. All very touchy subjects in everyday life, but real things that need to be discussed. There was something that Quinn mentioned and her teacher did too about how we try to be neutral, but we can never be. We can't believe in the right of equality and say we are neutral. We all have different lives and points of view. Seeing Quinn and Seth's POV really puts into perspective how involved some people are in politics and how others (like me) are laid back. It made me question whether I should do something more or at least educate myself with what is going on in the world and assessing my views on it.
The other side of the story was Quinn and Seth's sudden romance. I liked them together because they respected each other and their opinions. I think respect in a relationship is one of the best thing's you can have. I didn't enjoy reading about their sexual exploits. I didn't need the step by step coverage on that. Otherwise, I liked their relationship although, it didn't have me squealing with joy or anything. I liked their family dynamics more than anything actually. Quinn has affluent parents who are conservative and talk to her about politics. Seth has to take care of his mother who has MS. Seth and his mother hurt me inside. It's such a crappy situation to know that your body is failing you and that your son has to watch while putting his life on the backburner.
'89 Walls made me think about the world and how little I know about what brought us to this point in the US. It was a very enjoyable and thought provoking read. If you like politics, you will especially like '89 Walls, but even if you don't you still can get something from Quinn and Seth's story like I did.
September 13, 2015
I want to thank the author for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.
I am a child of the 80s. I was in HS in the 80s. So when I read the blurb of this book, with kids who were in HS in the 80s, I knew I had to give it a try!
Quinn and Seth, frenemies. Well, sort of. More like rivals. But for a long time Seth has loved Quinn. Yet she's been out of his league. At least he thinks she has until one day he decides to let her know exactly how he feels. And from there we watch a new friendship grow. I liked that the romance in this was a slow burn. Even though Seth has had a thing for Quinn for a while, she doesn't fall completely and madly in love with him overnight. As she learns about who he is and what he believes, she sees they are more aligned then she ever thought.
Seth is fighting demons, though. Stuck in a life where he's forced to take care of his sick mother, he doesn't see himself going to college as he surely should. Whereas Quinn has her life laid out for her. She's smart and ambitious and ready to go.
I have never been much into politics, but as I watched the debates happen in this book during Quinn and Seth's social studies class, I realize I knew more and was more involved than I ever thought! It was easy for me to connect with the characters on this level, which I never thought possible.
This book is very politically driven. I think because I grew up during this time, it was easy for me to understand it and see what was happening. I'm not so sure others who don't understand the background would. I can't necessarily see kids who are teens in this day and age understanding the politics that ruled during the 1980s and would honestly think it might be hard for them to connect with that area of this book.
But those same teens would certainly connect with the characters, who have real life struggles with which they must live. Seth supports Quinn during a very hard time in her life and I found this to be sweet. It definitely endeared him to me more. And Quinn certainly supports Seth when tragedy strikes.
For me the ending of this book fell a bit flat. It just kind of ended with no wrap up. And it was a little to neat for me. Just as the relationship is starting the characters are separated, but they seem just fine with it (no tears, no one is upset, etc). For me this is unrealistic. I would have liked to see more of an ending with the characters perhaps making promises to each other or striving for a common goal.
Overall I liked the story. The writing was easy and flowed well. I would certainly pick up another book by this author to see where it leads.
I am a child of the 80s. I was in HS in the 80s. So when I read the blurb of this book, with kids who were in HS in the 80s, I knew I had to give it a try!
Quinn and Seth, frenemies. Well, sort of. More like rivals. But for a long time Seth has loved Quinn. Yet she's been out of his league. At least he thinks she has until one day he decides to let her know exactly how he feels. And from there we watch a new friendship grow. I liked that the romance in this was a slow burn. Even though Seth has had a thing for Quinn for a while, she doesn't fall completely and madly in love with him overnight. As she learns about who he is and what he believes, she sees they are more aligned then she ever thought.
Seth is fighting demons, though. Stuck in a life where he's forced to take care of his sick mother, he doesn't see himself going to college as he surely should. Whereas Quinn has her life laid out for her. She's smart and ambitious and ready to go.
I have never been much into politics, but as I watched the debates happen in this book during Quinn and Seth's social studies class, I realize I knew more and was more involved than I ever thought! It was easy for me to connect with the characters on this level, which I never thought possible.
This book is very politically driven. I think because I grew up during this time, it was easy for me to understand it and see what was happening. I'm not so sure others who don't understand the background would. I can't necessarily see kids who are teens in this day and age understanding the politics that ruled during the 1980s and would honestly think it might be hard for them to connect with that area of this book.
But those same teens would certainly connect with the characters, who have real life struggles with which they must live. Seth supports Quinn during a very hard time in her life and I found this to be sweet. It definitely endeared him to me more. And Quinn certainly supports Seth when tragedy strikes.
For me the ending of this book fell a bit flat. It just kind of ended with no wrap up. And it was a little to neat for me. Just as the relationship is starting the characters are separated, but they seem just fine with it (no tears, no one is upset, etc). For me this is unrealistic. I would have liked to see more of an ending with the characters perhaps making promises to each other or striving for a common goal.
Overall I liked the story. The writing was easy and flowed well. I would certainly pick up another book by this author to see where it leads.
May 29, 2016
I want to put this book into teen's hands.
It looks at something that very few books for teens do: Politics. And it does this is such a brilliant way, a way that isn't horrendously alienating for liberal or conservative readers. Quinn is a Young Republican--from an upper-middle class background who for the most part agrees with her conservative parents on the issues. Seth is a liberal--poor, blue collar son of a single mother with a Vote Dukakis sticker in his locker. That's part of what makes the political conversation so great for teens; the book is set in 1989, a date that feels so long ago, but not so long that it feels ancient. The political issues raised are ones still very important in our modern political landscape, but they don't elicit the same knee-jerk response that those currently in the news would for a reader.
Along with having a pair of protagonist who are at odd politically (but compatible romantically), we get great family and classroom discussions that interrogate these differences in political opinion in informed, intelligent, and open-minded discourse. It is a book that emphatically tells readers that there are smart people on both sides of the issue and that having that informed discourse is an important part of politics and of understanding other people. It also allows that being passionate and emotional about issues that affect us deeply is alright and that having emotions in our arguments does not necessarily nullify them.
In addition to all the wonderful political aspects, this book grapples with some often difficult issues that plenty of teens have to navigate. Teen pregnancy and abortion, poverty, disability, teens as caretakers, sex positivity, and more secondarily issues around race and queerness. Not only does '89 Walls thoughtfully handle these issues, it also includes a fair amount of back matter, including a glossary of historically and politically relevant terms, a timeline of 1989, further reading, and a book list leading teens to other YA fiction that is related to the included topics.
Tack on to that midwestern setting and a MN author, and I am so on board getting this into the hands of as many kids as possible, even though I'm sure there will be difficulties with that because of the profanity and frank depictions of sex.
It looks at something that very few books for teens do: Politics. And it does this is such a brilliant way, a way that isn't horrendously alienating for liberal or conservative readers. Quinn is a Young Republican--from an upper-middle class background who for the most part agrees with her conservative parents on the issues. Seth is a liberal--poor, blue collar son of a single mother with a Vote Dukakis sticker in his locker. That's part of what makes the political conversation so great for teens; the book is set in 1989, a date that feels so long ago, but not so long that it feels ancient. The political issues raised are ones still very important in our modern political landscape, but they don't elicit the same knee-jerk response that those currently in the news would for a reader.
Along with having a pair of protagonist who are at odd politically (but compatible romantically), we get great family and classroom discussions that interrogate these differences in political opinion in informed, intelligent, and open-minded discourse. It is a book that emphatically tells readers that there are smart people on both sides of the issue and that having that informed discourse is an important part of politics and of understanding other people. It also allows that being passionate and emotional about issues that affect us deeply is alright and that having emotions in our arguments does not necessarily nullify them.
In addition to all the wonderful political aspects, this book grapples with some often difficult issues that plenty of teens have to navigate. Teen pregnancy and abortion, poverty, disability, teens as caretakers, sex positivity, and more secondarily issues around race and queerness. Not only does '89 Walls thoughtfully handle these issues, it also includes a fair amount of back matter, including a glossary of historically and politically relevant terms, a timeline of 1989, further reading, and a book list leading teens to other YA fiction that is related to the included topics.
Tack on to that midwestern setting and a MN author, and I am so on board getting this into the hands of as many kids as possible, even though I'm sure there will be difficulties with that because of the profanity and frank depictions of sex.
July 23, 2015
'89 Walls is a consuming coming of age novel that takes readers on a journey through the lives, loves, struggles, and triumphs of two teens as they prepare to graduate high school and enter adulthood.
Quinn and Seth are high school seniors in Lincoln, Nebraska. Quinn has a bright future ahead of her as she prepares to head off to college at George Washington. Seth who's also quite intelligent has an uncertain future. He desires a college education and a chance to escape his circumstances, but that seems unlikely. The pair couldn't be more different, but an old love letter and chance encounter lead to a whirlwind romance fueled by political differences, deep rooted beliefs, and intense attraction.
As a high school student in 1989, there was a lot from this story I was able to identify with like the opening of the Berlin Wall, protesting in Tiananmen Square, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill to name a few. In a period of political unrest and changing times the author uses Quinn and Seth to represent the differing views in America as well as to demonstrate the importance of those differences in shaping the United States in a post Cold War world.
'89 Walls is well researched and cleverly penned resulting in an intriguing thought-provoking read. Quinn and Seth are complex characters who evolve over the course of the book adding to their believability. Although the story is set in 1989 the plot and characters are timeless and it could have easily taken place in 2015.
The story had me completely captivated and I read it in only a day. '89 Walls is a read both teens and adults will enjoy. I highly recommend picking up a copy.
Quinn and Seth are high school seniors in Lincoln, Nebraska. Quinn has a bright future ahead of her as she prepares to head off to college at George Washington. Seth who's also quite intelligent has an uncertain future. He desires a college education and a chance to escape his circumstances, but that seems unlikely. The pair couldn't be more different, but an old love letter and chance encounter lead to a whirlwind romance fueled by political differences, deep rooted beliefs, and intense attraction.
As a high school student in 1989, there was a lot from this story I was able to identify with like the opening of the Berlin Wall, protesting in Tiananmen Square, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill to name a few. In a period of political unrest and changing times the author uses Quinn and Seth to represent the differing views in America as well as to demonstrate the importance of those differences in shaping the United States in a post Cold War world.
'89 Walls is well researched and cleverly penned resulting in an intriguing thought-provoking read. Quinn and Seth are complex characters who evolve over the course of the book adding to their believability. Although the story is set in 1989 the plot and characters are timeless and it could have easily taken place in 2015.
The story had me completely captivated and I read it in only a day. '89 Walls is a read both teens and adults will enjoy. I highly recommend picking up a copy.
April 7, 2015
I asked NetGalley for a copy of ’89 Walls in exchange for an honest review. I must clarify that I am an elementary school librarian who reads mostly middle grade books and a few older titles, so please take this review in that context.
As I began to read '89 Walls I kept on thinking of the instructional uses of the book. I remember '89 clearly, so all the discussions brought forth in the book fell on fertile territory and thus I enjoyed reading about them. The relationship between the two main characters seemed believable and to a degree, understandable. The title of the book was cleverly chosen. This is all positive, so why give three stars to '89 Walls?
As I read the book, I felt all the positive aspects of the book did not seem to balance with each other. The length of the politics and history parts overwhelm the relationship between the two characters; the one sex scene didn't seem (to me) necessary, since it did not add energy or answers to the plot, just seemed an extra addition.
As I began to read '89 Walls I kept on thinking of the instructional uses of the book. I remember '89 clearly, so all the discussions brought forth in the book fell on fertile territory and thus I enjoyed reading about them. The relationship between the two main characters seemed believable and to a degree, understandable. The title of the book was cleverly chosen. This is all positive, so why give three stars to '89 Walls?
As I read the book, I felt all the positive aspects of the book did not seem to balance with each other. The length of the politics and history parts overwhelm the relationship between the two characters; the one sex scene didn't seem (to me) necessary, since it did not add energy or answers to the plot, just seemed an extra addition.
August 24, 2015
YA book for the older teen due to adult themes. Like the author, I too was in high school in the late eighties. The political and social climate described is spot on. The characters are faced with navigating their independence, sexual awakenings, political awareness and maturation with the background of apartheid, Roe v Wade, Christian coalitions, growing end of the cold war, AIDS, and conservatism of the tale end of Reagan trickle down economics. Classic romance of boy meets girl from the other side of the tracks. Fun social and cultural references throughout the novel. Smartly written with each chapter highlighting a political theme of the time.
February 7, 2017
More like a 3.5.
This book was passed to me by a friend and I'm glad because I'm not sure I would have ever found this novel on my own. It had some good bits and would probably be very knowledgeable to its target audience; young adults.
Pretty much all the information in this book was know to me because I lived through '89 (though I was eight) and remember it. But if I was younger it might feel more like discovering a time capsule. Because while this book is ostensibly a romance... it's really about politics. It doesn't even attempt to be coy.
Lucky for me, I like politics. And I don't hate a little romace. So, it worked for me. But it was sort of an odd little book.
This book was passed to me by a friend and I'm glad because I'm not sure I would have ever found this novel on my own. It had some good bits and would probably be very knowledgeable to its target audience; young adults.
Pretty much all the information in this book was know to me because I lived through '89 (though I was eight) and remember it. But if I was younger it might feel more like discovering a time capsule. Because while this book is ostensibly a romance... it's really about politics. It doesn't even attempt to be coy.
Lucky for me, I like politics. And I don't hate a little romace. So, it worked for me. But it was sort of an odd little book.
April 13, 2015
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.
This is a beautiful story set in 1989. Quinn Ganey has a wonderful life with a nice home and parents that love her. But it's not like that for everyone out there. The cold war has ended but people are struggling still.
Seth has it rough in life. And while he has waited three years to talk to the girl he likes, he doesn't really think that it will work out between them.
The way their love story grows and how they face all the problems, it just captures me. I really loved every single minute of this.
This is a beautiful story set in 1989. Quinn Ganey has a wonderful life with a nice home and parents that love her. But it's not like that for everyone out there. The cold war has ended but people are struggling still.
Seth has it rough in life. And while he has waited three years to talk to the girl he likes, he doesn't really think that it will work out between them.
The way their love story grows and how they face all the problems, it just captures me. I really loved every single minute of this.
March 12, 2017
4 stars.
'89 Walls is important because it talks intelligently about heavy issues — nuclear disarmament, abortion, conservative/liberal ideals — without being preachy. And this is the first YA I've read (to my knowledge) that had a main character who chose to have an abortion AND talked about the process with candor. I appreciated this contribution to destigmatizing abortion.
Don't fret, it's not all political — the love story is very well done. I would give this book as a gift (and I'm very picky about book gifts). I look forward to more of Katie Pierson's work!
'89 Walls is important because it talks intelligently about heavy issues — nuclear disarmament, abortion, conservative/liberal ideals — without being preachy. And this is the first YA I've read (to my knowledge) that had a main character who chose to have an abortion AND talked about the process with candor. I appreciated this contribution to destigmatizing abortion.
Don't fret, it's not all political — the love story is very well done. I would give this book as a gift (and I'm very picky about book gifts). I look forward to more of Katie Pierson's work!
February 21, 2016
This book was provided to me for free through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Quinn and Seth are two high school seniors facing the end of high school and the end of the 80s at the same time. Their backgrounds are distinctly different, but it doesn't stop them from being drawn together: Quinn is influenced by her wealthy Republican parents, and clashes with Democrat-leaning Seth, who spends his free time working at the lumberyard to support himself and his mother, who is suffering from MS.
To read the synopsis on Netgalley or Goodreads, one would think that the main attraction of the novel is their "passionate romance." It is important, and it is passionate, but I found their individual character arcs far more interesting. Usually when a story is framed to be about a relationship, it's about the trials and tribulations of that relationship. I felt like the story was more about the trials and tribulations Quinn and Seth faced separately, which sometimes affected their relationship, but also did not. In this sense, it didn't feel like such an angst-filled teen drama, but a very real, very human exploration of growing up.
Spoilers ahead!
So, first off, it was an interesting experience for me, reading this book as someone who was a little kid in 1989. (I would've been six, during the events of this novel.) At first, all of the 80s references felt a little heavy-handed at the beginning of the book when it feels a little more light and cutesy. (Let's throw in as many 80s bands we can think of!) But once we start reading scenes from Quinn and David's social studies class, and the discussion of foreign policy, communism, terrorism, etc., begins, that's when the book really begins to shine. In fact, the way Pierson navigates the major political events and issues of 1989 from both sides was the most fascinating aspect of the novel for me, as someone who was too young to understand anything then, and as someone who is old enough to know now. And I found it interesting how relevant the issues in the book were to modern-day issues - I'm sure that was purposeful. We're STILL having discussions about abortion right now. We're STILL having discussions about whether America is really helping other countries or just trying to help ourselves to their resources.
And something I REALLY appreciated was that it was the most nuanced portrayal of Republicans by a pro-Democrat piece in a long time. I got a very strong feeling that the narrative leans Democrat along with Seth, Mr. Levine (the history teacher), and eventually Quinn herself, but I was really impressed by how Quinn's parents were written. Quinn clashes with her father often, as she tries her hand at verbal parrying with someone who clearly has the advantage of an adult perspective. All we hear of Republicans these days - well, all I hear, anyway, but then again, my social circle slants quite liberal/Democrat - is how backwards they are, how racist/sexist/etc. they are, etc. etc. I'm not arguing that there aren't Republicans who are conservative in the extreme, but I am saying that that's kind of all I hear about. So it was really, really fascinating when, in regard to Roe v. Wade, Quinn's father turns to her and says, "You know I'm pro-choice, right? Your mom and I both are." He clarifies that they're both staunchly Republican in the sense that they believe that less government involvement is better, and that that includes being pro-choice.
What a thing to say! What a thing for me to read! I don't think I've ever in my life heard anyone say that, especially not public figures in mainstream media.
This point is made all the more interesting considering how, by the time we actually reach this point in the story, Quinn has already had an abortion without her father's knowledge. I feel like this is so remarkable because for so long, it was rare to see a character make this decision and have it not be a big deal. I've only ever seen one character on television experience this - Cristina Yang on Grey's Anatomy - and only read about one other character in another book (that I won't name here, because I do plan to review it on this blog). Most of the time, they keep the baby (*cough* Bella Cullen *cough*) or they conveniently miscarry (like Julia Salinger in Party of Five. I don't mean that miscarriages themselves are convenient, because they are not, but from a pop culture/political culture standpoint, sometimes writers find it easier to just have the character miscarry instead of making her choose one way or the other and then having viewers get up in arms about it).
So, Quinn, who is still under 18, finds out she's pregnant by her ex and decides to have an abortion, and the only drama that happens comes not from her mother (who handles it beautifully), or from her new boyfriend Seth (who also handles it beautifully), but from the protesters outside the clinic. That moment, rather than the abortion itself, is intense and scary and rather vomit-inducing. And that's it. She doesn't get punished for it. It doesn't completely change the course of her life or become a turning point in the novel. It's an episode that happens, and then it's over. And I thought that was pretty great.
On the other hand, something that is a lifechanger is Seth's mother's illness. It's debilitating for her, and it's a difficult life he leads, taking care of them both. (This book really was an exploration of privilege and lack of privilege.) As far as I could tell (and I am no expert on depictions of disability, so please correct me nicely if I'm wrong), it felt realistic. There were good moments and there were bad moments. There were moments where Seth's mother and Seth himself behave admirably, and there were moments where Seth's mother and Seth himself behave in selfish or flawed ways. Regardless, it's clear how much they both relied on each other before her diagnosis, how much their mother-son relationship changed as her conditioned worsened, and how devastating it is when his mother makes the decision to take her own life. It changes everything for Seth, and her final words to him via suicide note (which definitely made me cry) are the impetus for his choice to go to college.
Hopefully now you can see why I say that Quinn and Seth's romantic relationship is not the most interesting part of the novel. And I don't mean that in a negative way either. All of the above would be difficult to sum up on a book jacket, you know? And I did enjoy seeing them get together. I like how they are drawn to each other - Seth has had a crush on her since 10th grade, and even though it would embarrass him greatly to date a Republican, he sees her kindness and admires it, while Quinn is intrigued by his depth of knowledge and the passion with which he states his views. There is a lot of focus on their sexual feelings for each other, which eventually culminate in consummation, but it's written with care. It's not lurid and erotic, but it's not overly precious either - it feels real. There aren't any cinematic, dreamy-filtered moments. And the conflicts or tensions between one kid and the other kid's parents aren't angsty either, but well-written and real.
I really enjoyed this book. It took a couple chapters for me to really get into it (because, again, it was Mr. Levine's social studies class where things started to pick up for me), but I'm really glad I stuck with it. It was an interesting way for me to relive the events that I didn't remember living through at the time, and to ponder issues and conflicts that are still relevant today through the eyes of teens in another decade.
Quinn and Seth are two high school seniors facing the end of high school and the end of the 80s at the same time. Their backgrounds are distinctly different, but it doesn't stop them from being drawn together: Quinn is influenced by her wealthy Republican parents, and clashes with Democrat-leaning Seth, who spends his free time working at the lumberyard to support himself and his mother, who is suffering from MS.
To read the synopsis on Netgalley or Goodreads, one would think that the main attraction of the novel is their "passionate romance." It is important, and it is passionate, but I found their individual character arcs far more interesting. Usually when a story is framed to be about a relationship, it's about the trials and tribulations of that relationship. I felt like the story was more about the trials and tribulations Quinn and Seth faced separately, which sometimes affected their relationship, but also did not. In this sense, it didn't feel like such an angst-filled teen drama, but a very real, very human exploration of growing up.
Spoilers ahead!
So, first off, it was an interesting experience for me, reading this book as someone who was a little kid in 1989. (I would've been six, during the events of this novel.) At first, all of the 80s references felt a little heavy-handed at the beginning of the book when it feels a little more light and cutesy. (Let's throw in as many 80s bands we can think of!) But once we start reading scenes from Quinn and David's social studies class, and the discussion of foreign policy, communism, terrorism, etc., begins, that's when the book really begins to shine. In fact, the way Pierson navigates the major political events and issues of 1989 from both sides was the most fascinating aspect of the novel for me, as someone who was too young to understand anything then, and as someone who is old enough to know now. And I found it interesting how relevant the issues in the book were to modern-day issues - I'm sure that was purposeful. We're STILL having discussions about abortion right now. We're STILL having discussions about whether America is really helping other countries or just trying to help ourselves to their resources.
And something I REALLY appreciated was that it was the most nuanced portrayal of Republicans by a pro-Democrat piece in a long time. I got a very strong feeling that the narrative leans Democrat along with Seth, Mr. Levine (the history teacher), and eventually Quinn herself, but I was really impressed by how Quinn's parents were written. Quinn clashes with her father often, as she tries her hand at verbal parrying with someone who clearly has the advantage of an adult perspective. All we hear of Republicans these days - well, all I hear, anyway, but then again, my social circle slants quite liberal/Democrat - is how backwards they are, how racist/sexist/etc. they are, etc. etc. I'm not arguing that there aren't Republicans who are conservative in the extreme, but I am saying that that's kind of all I hear about. So it was really, really fascinating when, in regard to Roe v. Wade, Quinn's father turns to her and says, "You know I'm pro-choice, right? Your mom and I both are." He clarifies that they're both staunchly Republican in the sense that they believe that less government involvement is better, and that that includes being pro-choice.
What a thing to say! What a thing for me to read! I don't think I've ever in my life heard anyone say that, especially not public figures in mainstream media.
This point is made all the more interesting considering how, by the time we actually reach this point in the story, Quinn has already had an abortion without her father's knowledge. I feel like this is so remarkable because for so long, it was rare to see a character make this decision and have it not be a big deal. I've only ever seen one character on television experience this - Cristina Yang on Grey's Anatomy - and only read about one other character in another book (that I won't name here, because I do plan to review it on this blog). Most of the time, they keep the baby (*cough* Bella Cullen *cough*) or they conveniently miscarry (like Julia Salinger in Party of Five. I don't mean that miscarriages themselves are convenient, because they are not, but from a pop culture/political culture standpoint, sometimes writers find it easier to just have the character miscarry instead of making her choose one way or the other and then having viewers get up in arms about it).
So, Quinn, who is still under 18, finds out she's pregnant by her ex and decides to have an abortion, and the only drama that happens comes not from her mother (who handles it beautifully), or from her new boyfriend Seth (who also handles it beautifully), but from the protesters outside the clinic. That moment, rather than the abortion itself, is intense and scary and rather vomit-inducing. And that's it. She doesn't get punished for it. It doesn't completely change the course of her life or become a turning point in the novel. It's an episode that happens, and then it's over. And I thought that was pretty great.
On the other hand, something that is a lifechanger is Seth's mother's illness. It's debilitating for her, and it's a difficult life he leads, taking care of them both. (This book really was an exploration of privilege and lack of privilege.) As far as I could tell (and I am no expert on depictions of disability, so please correct me nicely if I'm wrong), it felt realistic. There were good moments and there were bad moments. There were moments where Seth's mother and Seth himself behave admirably, and there were moments where Seth's mother and Seth himself behave in selfish or flawed ways. Regardless, it's clear how much they both relied on each other before her diagnosis, how much their mother-son relationship changed as her conditioned worsened, and how devastating it is when his mother makes the decision to take her own life. It changes everything for Seth, and her final words to him via suicide note (which definitely made me cry) are the impetus for his choice to go to college.
Hopefully now you can see why I say that Quinn and Seth's romantic relationship is not the most interesting part of the novel. And I don't mean that in a negative way either. All of the above would be difficult to sum up on a book jacket, you know? And I did enjoy seeing them get together. I like how they are drawn to each other - Seth has had a crush on her since 10th grade, and even though it would embarrass him greatly to date a Republican, he sees her kindness and admires it, while Quinn is intrigued by his depth of knowledge and the passion with which he states his views. There is a lot of focus on their sexual feelings for each other, which eventually culminate in consummation, but it's written with care. It's not lurid and erotic, but it's not overly precious either - it feels real. There aren't any cinematic, dreamy-filtered moments. And the conflicts or tensions between one kid and the other kid's parents aren't angsty either, but well-written and real.
I really enjoyed this book. It took a couple chapters for me to really get into it (because, again, it was Mr. Levine's social studies class where things started to pick up for me), but I'm really glad I stuck with it. It was an interesting way for me to relive the events that I didn't remember living through at the time, and to ponder issues and conflicts that are still relevant today through the eyes of teens in another decade.
June 27, 2015
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author as a part of a book tour for a fair and honest review and rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
A coming of age story set in Lincoln, Nebraska, ’89 Walls by Katie Pierson is a genre crossing mix filled with teenage angst, first love, sex, politics, and religion. It’s also a mix of first and third person point of view, colorful and diverse characters and the reminder that regardless of how you may feel, time marches on to the beat of its own drum and takes you along for the journey. While written for the Teen/Young Adult crowd, this is a book many adults would enjoy.
Ms. Pierson does a good job developing both Quinn and Seth’s characters from the very start; while they are both the same age, in the same grade and even attend one class together at the same high school, they come from different political backgrounds, different socio-economic backgrounds and of course different genders. While they’ve attended school together for some time they don’t belong to the same “cliques” and have never really gotten to know each other on a personal basis. All of that changes when Seth takes a chance and gives Quinn a note letting her know he thinks she’s got it going on and hints at his willingness to go out on a date sometime – if she is so inclined. While Quinn is surprised, and is dating a young man in her own social circle, she soon realizes that she’s really interested in him and that her “current relationship” is going nowhere and is simply convenient.
The secondary characters play a large role in this book, especially Quinn’s parents, Seth’s mom and their history/current events teacher Mr. Levine. Using the political events taking place in 1989 (hence the title of the book0, Ms. Pierson covers a variety of topics that are still politically hot: War (the end of the Cold War and the future of the U.S. versus Communism), Race Relations (Apartheid), China and Human Rights (Tienemen Square), Women’s Rights via the battle over Roe vs Wade (Abortion), life threatening diseases, treatment and who gets to pay for it (Aids and M.S.). While Ms. Pierson allows some of her own political bias to come through in some of the commentary, she did try to respect other viewpoints and pointed out in the story that everyone should have a voice and be respectful of other’s opinions.
Ms. Pierson’s voice as a writer is enjoyable, her story is well paced and it’s hard to believe this is her debut novel; I’ve read quite a few books covering part of these topics from much more experienced authors that weren’t as well written. While I think this is an excellent book for young adults to read, I would have to caution against anyone under 17 reading this book. I think the subject matter is too mature for anyone younger than that. Overall I really enjoyed reading this story and wish something like this had been available when I was a freshman in college covering a part of my youth.
Will Quinn and Seth’s mutual attraction lead to their first real love? Will the issues they discuss and learn in school help them as they get ready to graduate from high school and begin their lives as adults? You’ll have to read ’89 Walls to find out. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Ms. Pierson’s work.
I would like to close out my review with a personal comment; while reading ’89 Walls, I was reminded of a song by Bob Dylan. While Mr. Dylan’s song was written when the characters in this book would not even have been born, yet I do feel that this song best describes how time and politics marches on as we and our children age. It was also the background music during a pivotal scene in the movie Watchmen that this book brought to mind – and yes, that’s a good thing:)
"The Times They Are A-Changin'" Music and Lyrics by Bob Dylan
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.
A coming of age story set in Lincoln, Nebraska, ’89 Walls by Katie Pierson is a genre crossing mix filled with teenage angst, first love, sex, politics, and religion. It’s also a mix of first and third person point of view, colorful and diverse characters and the reminder that regardless of how you may feel, time marches on to the beat of its own drum and takes you along for the journey. While written for the Teen/Young Adult crowd, this is a book many adults would enjoy.
Ms. Pierson does a good job developing both Quinn and Seth’s characters from the very start; while they are both the same age, in the same grade and even attend one class together at the same high school, they come from different political backgrounds, different socio-economic backgrounds and of course different genders. While they’ve attended school together for some time they don’t belong to the same “cliques” and have never really gotten to know each other on a personal basis. All of that changes when Seth takes a chance and gives Quinn a note letting her know he thinks she’s got it going on and hints at his willingness to go out on a date sometime – if she is so inclined. While Quinn is surprised, and is dating a young man in her own social circle, she soon realizes that she’s really interested in him and that her “current relationship” is going nowhere and is simply convenient.
The secondary characters play a large role in this book, especially Quinn’s parents, Seth’s mom and their history/current events teacher Mr. Levine. Using the political events taking place in 1989 (hence the title of the book0, Ms. Pierson covers a variety of topics that are still politically hot: War (the end of the Cold War and the future of the U.S. versus Communism), Race Relations (Apartheid), China and Human Rights (Tienemen Square), Women’s Rights via the battle over Roe vs Wade (Abortion), life threatening diseases, treatment and who gets to pay for it (Aids and M.S.). While Ms. Pierson allows some of her own political bias to come through in some of the commentary, she did try to respect other viewpoints and pointed out in the story that everyone should have a voice and be respectful of other’s opinions.
Ms. Pierson’s voice as a writer is enjoyable, her story is well paced and it’s hard to believe this is her debut novel; I’ve read quite a few books covering part of these topics from much more experienced authors that weren’t as well written. While I think this is an excellent book for young adults to read, I would have to caution against anyone under 17 reading this book. I think the subject matter is too mature for anyone younger than that. Overall I really enjoyed reading this story and wish something like this had been available when I was a freshman in college covering a part of my youth.
Will Quinn and Seth’s mutual attraction lead to their first real love? Will the issues they discuss and learn in school help them as they get ready to graduate from high school and begin their lives as adults? You’ll have to read ’89 Walls to find out. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Ms. Pierson’s work.
I would like to close out my review with a personal comment; while reading ’89 Walls, I was reminded of a song by Bob Dylan. While Mr. Dylan’s song was written when the characters in this book would not even have been born, yet I do feel that this song best describes how time and politics marches on as we and our children age. It was also the background music during a pivotal scene in the movie Watchmen that this book brought to mind – and yes, that’s a good thing:)
"The Times They Are A-Changin'" Music and Lyrics by Bob Dylan
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.
May 22, 2021
I loved the premise of the book, but not so much the way it was executed. Came across as too obvious in it's moral agendas which were good teaching lessons but distracted a lot from the story. Ultimately the plot fell flat.
June 22, 2015
This book interested me right away, because hey--I was a high school senior in 1989. Would the author be able to take me back to that time, and still make it relatable to today's high schoolers? I had to find out. Clearly, I was destined to read this one.
The answer to both of my questions turns out to be yes. Though I wasn't nearly as politically involved/aware as Seth and Quinn while in high school, I do remember most of the major events mentioned in the book. (Though somehow the fact that the Berlin Wall actually came down in '89 surprised me. I do remember it coming down, just not that it happened that year--I'm going to plead to being distracted by my first semester of freshman year here.) For people who weren't around in the late 1980s, or who didn't pay attention in their 20th-century history classes (though the fact that events from my childhood happened long enough ago to be taught in history classes boggles my mind. Denial. It's not just a river in Egypt), Ms. Pierson gives both a glossary of terms and a 1989 timeline at the end of the book.
I especially loved the timeline...so many things on it had me nodding my head, saying, "Yep! I saw that on TV," or "Yeah, that happened." I totally remember the major controversy around Madonna's "Like a Prayer", for example, when Pepsi dropped her in less time than it took to hairspray my bangs into submission.
But back to the story...
I loved Seth and Quinn. Quinn was a bit harder to like at first--I've always had a soft spot for the quiet, geeky guys who aren't afraid to do well in school and who love their moms--but she definitely became a more sympathetic character as the book continued. I could really identify with her relationship with her dad, and of course she fell for my boy Seth, so she was all good in my book.
The story had a lot going on in it. Most of the major political/world issues of the day were discussed in Seth and Quinn's U.S. Foreign Relations class and at Quinn's home. Seth's mother has a pretty severe case of Multiple Sclerosis, and he has to juggle school, work, and being her primary caretaker. He's turning 18 and graduating, which means their Social Security checks will be coming to an end soon, so he doesn't think college is in the cards for him even though he scored in the top 5% on the ACTs. Quinn's going away to college in the fall and has had a fairly privileged upbringing. He's a liberal Democrat with the t-shirt collection to back it up; she tends toward conservative Republicanism like her dad.
On paper it doesn't seem like they could work. Even the two of them have their doubts. But somehow when they're together those doubts seem to disappear...
There were some things that I would have liked more time and attention spent on--the epilogue, for example, was really short. I was expecting a response from Seth (the epilogue is a letter from Quinn to him) but instead the book just ended there. Quinn, Seth, and Quinn's mom make a trip to Omaha at about the 50% mark, and what happens there is something pretty major. It felt like it should have had more of a lasting impact, especially on Quinn, than it seemed to. (And when Quinn's best friend Trish mentions having made a similar trip? That whole conversation was way too short and quickly forgotten. I'd almost rather it had not been there at all...)
Overall, though, I was so charmed by Seth and Quinn's relationship and the trip down memory lane the book took me on that it was easier to overlook its few shortcomings. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
The answer to both of my questions turns out to be yes. Though I wasn't nearly as politically involved/aware as Seth and Quinn while in high school, I do remember most of the major events mentioned in the book. (Though somehow the fact that the Berlin Wall actually came down in '89 surprised me. I do remember it coming down, just not that it happened that year--I'm going to plead to being distracted by my first semester of freshman year here.) For people who weren't around in the late 1980s, or who didn't pay attention in their 20th-century history classes (though the fact that events from my childhood happened long enough ago to be taught in history classes boggles my mind. Denial. It's not just a river in Egypt), Ms. Pierson gives both a glossary of terms and a 1989 timeline at the end of the book.
I especially loved the timeline...so many things on it had me nodding my head, saying, "Yep! I saw that on TV," or "Yeah, that happened." I totally remember the major controversy around Madonna's "Like a Prayer", for example, when Pepsi dropped her in less time than it took to hairspray my bangs into submission.
But back to the story...
I loved Seth and Quinn. Quinn was a bit harder to like at first--I've always had a soft spot for the quiet, geeky guys who aren't afraid to do well in school and who love their moms--but she definitely became a more sympathetic character as the book continued. I could really identify with her relationship with her dad, and of course she fell for my boy Seth, so she was all good in my book.
The story had a lot going on in it. Most of the major political/world issues of the day were discussed in Seth and Quinn's U.S. Foreign Relations class and at Quinn's home. Seth's mother has a pretty severe case of Multiple Sclerosis, and he has to juggle school, work, and being her primary caretaker. He's turning 18 and graduating, which means their Social Security checks will be coming to an end soon, so he doesn't think college is in the cards for him even though he scored in the top 5% on the ACTs. Quinn's going away to college in the fall and has had a fairly privileged upbringing. He's a liberal Democrat with the t-shirt collection to back it up; she tends toward conservative Republicanism like her dad.
On paper it doesn't seem like they could work. Even the two of them have their doubts. But somehow when they're together those doubts seem to disappear...
There were some things that I would have liked more time and attention spent on--the epilogue, for example, was really short. I was expecting a response from Seth (the epilogue is a letter from Quinn to him) but instead the book just ended there. Quinn, Seth, and Quinn's mom make a trip to Omaha at about the 50% mark, and what happens there is something pretty major. It felt like it should have had more of a lasting impact, especially on Quinn, than it seemed to. (And when Quinn's best friend Trish mentions having made a similar trip? That whole conversation was way too short and quickly forgotten. I'd almost rather it had not been there at all...)
Overall, though, I was so charmed by Seth and Quinn's relationship and the trip down memory lane the book took me on that it was easier to overlook its few shortcomings. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2015
'89 Walls
First of all, thank you Ms. Katie Pierson for sending me a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review. A copy of this review will be posted on my blog too. > https://yooheereadsinneverland.wordpr...
'89 Walls is about two teenagers that have different political background wherein Seth is in the Democratic Party and Quinn comes from the Republican Party. They have different political beliefs that they had a debate sometimes in their class.
Seth Burton came from a poor family. His father died when he was still a child and her mother has MS that makes it harder for them.
I think that Seth being a Democrat gives him more privilege to speak up about his political beliefs and what I like about him is that every time he speaks in class he knows what he's saying.
Quinn has her own perception or opinion regarding some matters although she was raised in Republican Party. I believe I can consider her wealthy based on what I’ve imagined on the book, on how she talks, act, etc.
I like it how Seth and Quinn compete against each other in their class in order to support or to defend their own beliefs. :)
I also like their ‘getting to know each other stage’. I found it so cute like on how they greet each other wherein someone has to greet that person first and when they simply hold each other hands. <3
Another one is Mr. Levine. He’s the teacher who asks questions on something that happened in their history before. What I like about him is that he accepts and respected each and everyone’s opinion. That he himself gives his own opinion too about that particular topic. :)
The cover really attracts my attention. It’s simple yet so gorgeous and like the author, it has my favorite colors on it too. <3
I think ’89 walls suits the title very well because there are so many things that happen in 1989, one of these is the end of cold war.
For me, the dialogue is easy to understand but of course there are some parts of the book that I cant relate to what are they saying especially on that politics kind of conversation.
But just keep reading and reading and soon you’ll get it. :)
Now let’s talk and go into the Abortion part. I, myself, have this 50-50 opinion with it. In my country, Philippines, abortion is illegal. Although there are some senators or just some people who gave some Proposals. Most especially the ‘RH Bill’.
I think you have heard the ‘RH Bill’ or the Reproductive Health Law. It is a law in our country, Philippines, which agrees to have universal access to methods on contraception, sexual education, fertility control, and maternal care (includes abortion) but have always been opposed by the Catholic Church. That as much as possible the Elders taught us how to be responsible in such things.
My grandmother was one of those people who support the ‘RH Bill’. She said that it will be good for the people and in our country also. For me, I think that in some way it is good because there are some people who aren’t yet ready to raise their children.
All in all I gave this book 3.5 stars. It’s my first time reading a book that has abortion and political aspects on it, but I enjoyed reading it and in some way I learned some events and what impact did it give to the people. :)
Plus! I really appreciated the hard work of Katie Pierson in writing this book that she really did some research and she even included a glossary and a 1989 timeline at the back pages of the book which help us readers to fully understand some terms. :)
You should definitely check out this one too! :)
-yooheereads
First of all, thank you Ms. Katie Pierson for sending me a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review. A copy of this review will be posted on my blog too. > https://yooheereadsinneverland.wordpr...
'89 Walls is about two teenagers that have different political background wherein Seth is in the Democratic Party and Quinn comes from the Republican Party. They have different political beliefs that they had a debate sometimes in their class.
Seth Burton came from a poor family. His father died when he was still a child and her mother has MS that makes it harder for them.
I think that Seth being a Democrat gives him more privilege to speak up about his political beliefs and what I like about him is that every time he speaks in class he knows what he's saying.
Quinn has her own perception or opinion regarding some matters although she was raised in Republican Party. I believe I can consider her wealthy based on what I’ve imagined on the book, on how she talks, act, etc.
I like it how Seth and Quinn compete against each other in their class in order to support or to defend their own beliefs. :)
I also like their ‘getting to know each other stage’. I found it so cute like on how they greet each other wherein someone has to greet that person first and when they simply hold each other hands. <3
Another one is Mr. Levine. He’s the teacher who asks questions on something that happened in their history before. What I like about him is that he accepts and respected each and everyone’s opinion. That he himself gives his own opinion too about that particular topic. :)
The cover really attracts my attention. It’s simple yet so gorgeous and like the author, it has my favorite colors on it too. <3
I think ’89 walls suits the title very well because there are so many things that happen in 1989, one of these is the end of cold war.
For me, the dialogue is easy to understand but of course there are some parts of the book that I cant relate to what are they saying especially on that politics kind of conversation.
But just keep reading and reading and soon you’ll get it. :)
Now let’s talk and go into the Abortion part. I, myself, have this 50-50 opinion with it. In my country, Philippines, abortion is illegal. Although there are some senators or just some people who gave some Proposals. Most especially the ‘RH Bill’.
I think you have heard the ‘RH Bill’ or the Reproductive Health Law. It is a law in our country, Philippines, which agrees to have universal access to methods on contraception, sexual education, fertility control, and maternal care (includes abortion) but have always been opposed by the Catholic Church. That as much as possible the Elders taught us how to be responsible in such things.
My grandmother was one of those people who support the ‘RH Bill’. She said that it will be good for the people and in our country also. For me, I think that in some way it is good because there are some people who aren’t yet ready to raise their children.
All in all I gave this book 3.5 stars. It’s my first time reading a book that has abortion and political aspects on it, but I enjoyed reading it and in some way I learned some events and what impact did it give to the people. :)
Plus! I really appreciated the hard work of Katie Pierson in writing this book that she really did some research and she even included a glossary and a 1989 timeline at the back pages of the book which help us readers to fully understand some terms. :)
You should definitely check out this one too! :)
-yooheereads
February 23, 2016
I enjoyed reading '89 Walls. But before I go any further I will say that I'm from Scotland so I know next to nothing about American politics (aside from the constant Sky News coverage during a presidential election). Therefore, I learned quite a bit whilst reading and this was something that I didn't really expect to happen in such a short YA novel.
I wasn't too sure about the political premise of the story. I can't really remember myself or anyone I went to school with being as interested in politics as the age of 17 as the characters in '89 Walls. (Of course, that did change with the onset of the Independence issue in Scotland.) But perhaps it's different in America, I've not been (yet) so I don't really know to much about America other than what I read or watch. Then again both Quinn and Seth have parents with strong political views (more on Quinn's side) so this may have just rubbed off onto both Quinn and Seth. Plus, they appear to study a lot of politics in social studies, a subject that wasn't offered at my school which in hindsight is kinda stupid. So in a way, I guess the political premise really does work given Quinn and Seth's upbringing. If '89 Walls gets more young people interested in politics that can only be a good thing.
'89 Walls is told via the third person and switches between the point of view of both Seth and Quinn. I liked this as it gives the reader a clear insight into their totally different upbringings - Quinn with her privileged background and Seth who was brought up by an ill single parent. The plot is your typical polar opposite teenagers falling for each other and going through the various associated problems but the political aspect does add something different. It was enjoyable, however I wish there was more to the ending, perhaps including Seth's viewpoint in the epilogue.
I did like both Quinn and Seth but I really liked Seth. He just had so much weight on his shoulders and I just wanted to hug him. He's just so cute, independent and emotionally strong. He works a minimum wage job just so his mother doesn't have to worry. You can easily tell how much he adores his mother and will do anything for her. He is basically her carer. I just wanted everything to work out for Seth and I really hope it did in the end. Seth just doesn't see what he's worth and I'm so glad that Quinn does. I know it is first love but I really hope they found their happily ever after. Quinn is also very brave - she learns to stand up for her views and even tells her mum something that was probably quite terrifying to do.
I also liked the secondary characters of Quinn's dad and Mr Levine. They both stood up for their beliefs but also allowed the kids to work out their own beliefs whilst guiding them. Although they could both be a bit pushy in their own way. But everyone tends to get a bit pushy when politics is involved.
I would definitely recommend '89 Walls. Perhaps to young adults around 16 and older - it does contain a bit of sex. I definitely learned a lot about American politics and learning something new is always a bonus when reading. I look forward to seeing what Katie Pierson writes next.
I wasn't too sure about the political premise of the story. I can't really remember myself or anyone I went to school with being as interested in politics as the age of 17 as the characters in '89 Walls. (Of course, that did change with the onset of the Independence issue in Scotland.) But perhaps it's different in America, I've not been (yet) so I don't really know to much about America other than what I read or watch. Then again both Quinn and Seth have parents with strong political views (more on Quinn's side) so this may have just rubbed off onto both Quinn and Seth. Plus, they appear to study a lot of politics in social studies, a subject that wasn't offered at my school which in hindsight is kinda stupid. So in a way, I guess the political premise really does work given Quinn and Seth's upbringing. If '89 Walls gets more young people interested in politics that can only be a good thing.
'89 Walls is told via the third person and switches between the point of view of both Seth and Quinn. I liked this as it gives the reader a clear insight into their totally different upbringings - Quinn with her privileged background and Seth who was brought up by an ill single parent. The plot is your typical polar opposite teenagers falling for each other and going through the various associated problems but the political aspect does add something different. It was enjoyable, however I wish there was more to the ending, perhaps including Seth's viewpoint in the epilogue.
I did like both Quinn and Seth but I really liked Seth. He just had so much weight on his shoulders and I just wanted to hug him. He's just so cute, independent and emotionally strong. He works a minimum wage job just so his mother doesn't have to worry. You can easily tell how much he adores his mother and will do anything for her. He is basically her carer. I just wanted everything to work out for Seth and I really hope it did in the end. Seth just doesn't see what he's worth and I'm so glad that Quinn does. I know it is first love but I really hope they found their happily ever after. Quinn is also very brave - she learns to stand up for her views and even tells her mum something that was probably quite terrifying to do.
I also liked the secondary characters of Quinn's dad and Mr Levine. They both stood up for their beliefs but also allowed the kids to work out their own beliefs whilst guiding them. Although they could both be a bit pushy in their own way. But everyone tends to get a bit pushy when politics is involved.
I would definitely recommend '89 Walls. Perhaps to young adults around 16 and older - it does contain a bit of sex. I definitely learned a lot about American politics and learning something new is always a bonus when reading. I look forward to seeing what Katie Pierson writes next.
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