The Quiet Part Out Loud

Mia and Alfie were high school sweethearts but are no longer together. Mia is supposed to be in NY when she runs into Alfie in San Francisco — he with his arm around a pretty girl. Mia freaks out, runs off without speaking to Alfie, and makes her way to her best friend Simi’s dorm room, where Mia is crashing. Shortly after Simi leaves for a study session, the dorm is rocked by a huge earthquake. Mia finds Simi, and they go on a quest to find Alfie, who is out trying to find Mia. As they search for each other, readers are immersed in their thoughts, as the story of their entire relationship is told in alternating chapters by Mia and Alfie.

Younger teens will probably love this book with all the teenage angst and high school drama, but there are problems. Mia is not a particularly likable character. She treats people badly, especially her friend Simi. The voices of Mia and Alfie sound just alike, and one really has to concentrate to know whose chapter it is. Alfie isn’t very realistic. Still, there is an audience for this book, and they will be entertained.