Ainslee’s Reviews > Mary Anne in the Middle > Status Update

The problem with a book about being in the middle is in real life it's AWFUL, so reading this FELT familiar, but in terms of the enjoyment I got out of this... Eh. Mary Anne just basically spent her whole time listening to Mallory and/or Jessi, and bizarrely her life otherwise was never described (except when Sharon shows up for two pages). It was fine, but it could've been better.

I feel like this could've been a stronger book from Jessi's POV (ESPECIALLY SINCE we haven't gotten a book from her since 115 and never will again). I get the book being from the standpoint of a friend caught in the middle of a fight, but it was weirdly impersonal for Mary Anne (although her voice sounded like her). Like I said, no interaction with Dawn, and she never even hangs out with Logan.

Anyway, I don't remember this book even though I'm PRETTY SURE I got it in a 3-pack with 124 and 126 from Scholastic Book Club back in the day, and I always thought the conflict was Jessi's mad Mallory's ditching her because Jessi is unable to live out her dream with Dance NYC in New York. But that aspect (Jessi being jealous) doesn't seem to be a factor whatsoever. Maybe in the last 2 chapters?

Weirdly, even though Mary Anne says she and Dawn are still friends, she makes it clear at the start of the book that Kristy's definitely back being her number one best friend now, and she has yet to call Dawn or interact with her at all. Usually when the main plot makes her think of Dawn, she always gets in touch with her, so I guess this change is to reflect California Diaries.

The Mallory and Jessi thing messes up club relations so much that I'm REALLY surprised Kristy didn't get involved, but I don't think she's addressed that situation at all so far. Weird!
The first half of the book does nothing with the Farewell Dawn similarities, but then Mary Anne tells Jessi that she should make up with Mallory before she leaves, because distance makes it harder to repair relationships.

SUBPLOT: The retirement home needs new holiday decorations, so the BSC makes/buys them brand-new ones and hosts them a party. IT... IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY NICE OF THEM?? I kind of hope it inspired some readers to do something similar.

OTHER SUBPLOT: Jessi tells literally every little kid that Mallory is ditching them. She's 11, it's realistic, but it's also vaguely jarring from Jessi.

BEST PART IN THIS WHOLE BOOK: The BSC is discussing who to replace Mallory with, and someone mentions Erica Blumberg, and Abby goes, "Nah, there's something I don't like about her." Then Claudia replies, "It's because she always thinks she knows better than you." WHAT!!! I don't remember the last time Erica was mentioned, and here it's just to SLAM HER. I LOVE IT.

Mallory's going to boarding school, she's MADE UP HER MIND, and Jessi hates her for deserting her and thinks she's being super selfish. Sound familiar? This is because it's a repackaged Farewell, Dawn, only this time it's from Mary Anne's POV, as she notes that Jessi's acting like she did back then. Mary Anne just wants the two of them to make up, but they're 11, and no one knows how to properly mediate.