Roomies by Sara Zaar & Tara Altebrando Review

Roomies

by Sara Zaar & Tara Altebrando

Goodreads' Rating: 

3.73 stars out of 5

Summary: 

It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.

So, disclaimer, this book is only for girls. I honestly cannot imagine any member of the male species pridefully announcing that they read this book. 

That said, it's a drama depot and I LOOOOOOVED it. 

Normally, I stick to the dystopian/utopian novels: the Hunger Games, the Maze Runners, the Legends, the 1982s and Divergents of the world. I'll eventually make a review on all of these books, I'm sure. 

But, anyways, actual review material. 

The book features a alternating POV between two girls, Elizabeth (AKA E.B.) and Lauren, who are randomly assigned to be roommates at University of California, Berkeley. The switching is nice, I suppose, because they both are going through very different experiences in terms of growing up during the last summer that they have at home. Also, I'd imagine it'd be very one-sided if we were only to see how one roommate felt about the other and not vice versa. Their voices are also very distinguishable and I never got lost as to who was who. 

Each chapter also ends with an email between the girls. As the book progresses, the emails become more personal and the girls really do become each other's best friends, in a way. Elizabeth starts off as the warmer of the two, reaching out to Lauren, but by the end of things they're both excited to meet each other.

Without spoiling the book, I can say that E.B. and Lauren have sucky friends outside of one another, and this is where the writing falls short for me. For as well as Lauren and E.B. are characterized, the side characters that cause the most drama (their parents, siblings, friends, boyfriends, etc.) are flat, in my opinion. They are flat and predictable, and hardly matter aside from the drama they stir. They don't seem to go through any changes at all, which is weird for a book all about growing up, moving on, and going to college. 

I feel like I'm smashing the book, because it is quite good to read just for the heck of it, not expecting a master piece or taking anything seriously. I only grabbed it because I thought it was timely to the fact that we are all (mostly all of us, anyways) going to be going to college, near or far, and will most likely go through meeting strangers who will become our roommates while juggling facing "the lasts" back at home. The last time you'll ever eat at this local restaurant, the last time you'll paint at this small shop, the last you do this, speak to this person, etc. Even though it will not, really, be the last time, I can't help but think that it will feel that way. The book did a really good job making these exaggerations relatable, and I felt for E.B. and Lauren as they went through their tribulations. 

The emotional bits were handled very well. 

I didn't cry, but still. 

For me, I'd give the book the same rating as Goodreads, if not a 3.5. Despite all the shortcomings in minor character's characterization, the ability the authors had for conveying the emotions both E.B. and Lauren were going through was fantastic. I couldn't help but feel for them and wonder if I would feel the same way when I leave. 

Also, their boyfriends seemed very nice. No douchebags or unnecessary love triangles.That's always a plus.