Middle grade fiction is my new favorite thing these days. I have less time to read, so I’ve been listening to audiobooks when I’m busy. I just finished Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand, and it’s one of those books that makes you feel a little lost afterwards! It feels like no book could measure up to it. While this is a book written for 10+ year olds, even adults will enjoy reading about 11-year-old Finley Hart and her eventful summer.
Things Finley Hart doesn’t want to talk about:
-Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)
-Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.
-Never having met said grandparents.
-Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)
Finley’s only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents’ house and realizes the Everwood is real—and holds more mysteries than she’d ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn’t allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.
With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she’ll first have to save herself.
The first thing I noticed about this audiobook right from the start was how talented the narrator is. I’ve listened to audiobooks where the narrator isn’t expressive and worse, doesn’t do different voices for the characters! Tina Wolstencroft does a spectacular job drawing you into the world of Finley Hart and Hart House, making the characters come alive. I felt like I was right there with Finley and her cousins, living life at Hart House.
This book is unlike any I’ve read in that it’s a combination of reality and fantasy. But not the “character is transported into a different world from her own” sort of fantasy. Finley is always at Hart House, but she is so used to the Everwood and knows everything about it that it becomes real to her. I thought this was a fascinating story element that is extremely well done. Some of the chapters talk about “the orphan girl”, an allegorical Finley who lives in the Everwood. As the book progresses, the orphan girl shows up less and less.
The characters of Some Kind of Happiness are all unique, with distinctive personalities. Each person adds something different to the narrative. Finley’s aunts Dee, Bridget, and Stick all love and care for Finley in their own ways; they act as though Finley has been a part of the family activities forever. They are the kind of aunts I want to be. Additionally, Finley’s five cousins make life around Hart House interesting, especially once they all join in to help save the Everwood.
Some Kind of Happiness deals with some important themes, including anxiety, belonging, and acceptance. These are all big things to tackle in an MG novel, but Claire Legrand does an excellent job. I’ve struggled with anxiety, and I thought that she portrayed both topics in an authentic way. The prose is beautiful and lyrical; like it really was penned by an 11-year-old girl.
Secrets play a big part in Finley’s story. Why doesn’t Finley’s dad visit his family? Why can’t she and her cousins play with the boys across the river? What is Grandma hiding, and why does she look so tired? Tension is created with the back-and-forth conflict between Finley, who wants to know, and her grandmother, who feels the need to look like the perfect family. However, Finley herself harbors a secret. Her battle with anxiety and depression, her “blue days,” is unknown to even her parents. Eventually, she does get help, and I appreciated how the story doesn’t have a “quick fix.” Finley–and the rest of her family–have to work to get better. There is progress, and there is hope.
In conclusion, Some Kind of Happiness is a fabulous book to read by yourself or with your family. It’s a coming-of-age tale that will have you laughing and crying right along with the characters.
