Like No Other

Like No Other by Una LaMarche

Like No Other by Una LaMarche. Razorbill, New York City, 2014. ISBN: 978-1595146748

Summary

Devorah and Jaxon come from completely different worlds. Devorah was raised in a Hasidic family and has always been known as the perfect, good girl of her family. She dresses modestly, never goes out after curfew, and listens to everything her parents ask of her. Devorah’s fate is to be a good wife and mother and to marry someone else who was raised in a Hasidic family. But sometimes, being a good and obedient daughter just gets too boring.

Jaxon is the only boy in his family and has grown up with four sisters. Despite being around girls most of his life, he’s still not comfortable talking with any of the pretty girls in his class. He considers himself to be a nerd and would love more than anything then to break out of his shell—or at least talk to a pretty girl without freezing up.

Jaxon and Devorah’s paths never would have crossed before the day of the hurricane.  They both find themselves at the hospital—Devorah’s sister has just given birth, Jaxon’s best friend broke his arm—and end up getting stuck in an elevator together, when the power goes out. While they wait for help, they end up talking and having a connection they can’t describe--and a connection they can't have. But despite all of the reasons why they can’t be together, both Jaxon and Devorah find themselves thinking about each other.

Critical Evaluation

The romance in Like No Other is cute and refreshing compared to other teen romances. Both Jaxon and Devorah try to live their own lives and don’t spend every minute pining over each other. The choices the teens make about their relationship and their own lives are realistic, if bittersweet.  Aside from the romance, Like No Other deals with its characters trying to figure out what they want in life. While teens may not be able to relate to Devorah’s religion and culture, they can relate to her feelings of being trapped by her family and wanting to find her own route to happiness.

LaMarche explains the beliefs and rituals of Jaxon and Devorah’s religion and culture well with italicized terms and simple definitions. The alternating first person point of view chapters allows readers to get inside both Jaxon and Devorah’s minds, as well as learn about their family and everyday life.   Teen readers looking for their next romantic read will appreciate the diverse characters and cute romance in Like No Other.

Reader’s Annotation

Jaxon gets nervous around girls and Devorah’s religion doesn’t allow her to be alone with any guys.  But when the two teens get stuck in an elevator together during a storm, they end up falling in love.

About the Author

“Una LaMarche is the author of two young adult novels, FIVE SUMMERS and LIKE NO OTHER, and UNABROW, a forthcoming collection of humor essays based on some of her more questionable life choices. She is also a contributing writer for The New York Observer and The Huffington Post, and blogs at The Sassy Curmudgeon. Una lives in Brooklyn with her husband and son. You can follow her on Twitter @sassycurmudgeon, and if you pre-order her next book, somewhere up in heaven, a dance circle will form and an angel will successfully jump over its own leg.”

(Una LaMarche.  Retrieved November 8^th, 2014 from http://www.amazon.com/Una-LaMarche/e/B00ALJSTMQ)

Genres

Romance

Curriculum Ties

Comparative Religion

Social Science

Booktalking Ideas

1:  Have you ever felt that your life was already decided for you?

2:  How does Devorah change the way Jaxon acts around girls?

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 14+

Grades 9+

Challenge Issues

N/A

Literary Awards

Junior Library Guild Selection (2014)

Why included?

I included the Like No Other for its cute, clean romance, its message of deciding your own fate, and the diverse characters and setting of New York City.