Infinite in Between

by Carolyn Mackler

Overview

The Breakfast Club meets Boyhood in this striking young adult novel from Printz Honor author Carolyn Mackler, which chronicles the lives of five teenagers through the thrills, heartbreaks, and joys of their four years in high school.

"Characters live, grow, and ultimately come of age in a beautifully constructed world,” raved Kirkus in a starred review.

Zoe, Jake, Mia, Gregor, and Whitney meet at freshman orientation. At the end of that first day, they make a promise to reunite after graduation. But so much can happen in those in-between years. . . .

Zoe fears she will always be in her famous mother’s shadow. Jake struggles to find the right connections in friendship and in love. Mia keeps trying on new identities, looking for one that actually fits. Gregor thought he wanted to be more than just a band geek. And Whitney seems to have it all, until it’s all falling apart around her.

Carolyn Mackler skillfully brings the stories of these five disparate teens together to create a distinct and cohesive whole—a novel about how we can all affect one another’s lives in the most unexpected and amazing ways.

Infinite in Between received four starred reviews, was listed on several best books of the year lists, and is perfect for fans of books by Jandy Nelson, Sara Zarr, and E. Lockhart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062323057
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/01/2015
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	496
Lexile:	HL660L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Carolyn Mackler is the author of the award-winning teen novels The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book; The Future of Us, coauthored with Jay Asher; Tangled; Love and Other Four-Letter Words; Vegan Virgin Valentine; and Guyaholic. She lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/13/2015
During high school orientation, five ninth graders write letters to their future selves, promising to reunite on graduation day and read them together. Each student starts school with hopes and fears, and over time faces trials related to friends, family, unrequited love, body image, school, and extracurricular interests. In eighth grade, Jake came out to his best friend, who promptly dropped him; knowing that word has spread, Jake avoids sports teams and hides in the art room, trying to find his niche. Popular Whitney repeatedly chooses friends who prove not to be friends, leaving her with no confidence when her parents’ divorce shatters her world. While the five rarely interact at first, they become increasingly supportive of each other, fostering courage: while family chaos has long threatened Zoe’s happiness, “she realized that, somehow, she was going to muddle through.” The story unfolds by year and month; each month contains short chapters from one or more teen’s perspectives. Mackler (The Future of Us) keeps all five story lines clear, absorbing, and integral to the larger story of friendship, perseverance, and hope. Ages 13–up. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

PRAISE FOR INFINITE IN BETWEEN: “Elevated by both the humanity of the characters and the intricate ways that they weave in and out of each other’s lives. Characters live, grow, and ultimately come of age in a beautifully constructed world.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The author expertly illustrates how all moments, little or huge, have an impact on who we are. A wonderfully written peek into adolescence gushing with relatability.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“Mackler keeps all five story lines clear, absorbing, and integral to the larger story of friendship, perseverance, and hope.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The characters’ insight, humor, and idiosyncrasies ring true.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)

“No one writes more honestly and empathetically about teenage lives than Carolyn Mackler. She doesn’t write teens as adults want them to be; she writes teens as they are.” — Gabrielle Zevin, bestselling author of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

“The Infinite In Between will leave you aching for all the changes that come in high school, and grateful to the true-blue friends who get you through.” — Katie Cotugno, author of How to Love

“A clear, true portrait of life as it is for many teenagers.” — ALA Booklist

“Carolyn Mackler has created a new way to tell the story of high school. The grand journey here is a great one. I highly recommend you check out Infinite in Between. There’s a lot to love and a lot to learn from her characters.” — Hypable

“Mackler’s attention to some of the more realistic, mundane details of young-adulthood sets this story apart.” — Examiner.com

PRAISE FOR TANGLED: “Subtle then intense, hilarious then heartbreaking, TANGLED grabs you and doesn’t let go.” — Jay Asher, New York Times bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why

“Make it not end! I *loved* reading about Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen. I loved getting a peek into their messy, juicy, miserable, wonderful lives, and I loved being reminded that existence itself is all about the tangling of souls.” — Lauren Myracle, New York Times bestselling author of Shine

“Carolyn Mackler is a remarkably astute observer of human frailties and hearts. In four interlocking tales of redemption and romance, she reminds us why we’re alive and what we might mean to one another if we’d only reach out.” — E. Lockhart, author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

“Well, there goes your weekend. You’ve just picked up Carolyn Mackler’s TANGLED. Cancel your plans. You’re not going to want to be anywhere else.” — Daniel Handler, New York Times bestselling author of Why We Broke Up

“With her trademark humor and insight, Carolyn Mackler offers a dynamic tale of four wholly different yet totally relatable teens whose lives intersect in fascinating and touching ways.” — Rachel Cohn, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

“Brimming with girl appeal and emotionally generous… deftly demonstrate[s] that people aren’t always who they seem to be.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Mackler expertly creates believable characters, plots, and settings. The various viewpoints weave together to create a compelling and cohesive whole. A story that begs for discussion.” — School Library Journal

“The often–hilarious story, which takes place over a four-month period, builds in poignant layers as each character narrates in a fresh, frank voice that defies stereotype. Their insecurities, desires, and questions about family, self–worth, and first love are timeless.” — ALA Booklist

From the Publisher

The Infinite In Between will leave you aching for all the changes that come in high school, and grateful to the true-blue friends who get you through.

Katie Cotugno

A clear, true portrait of life as it is for many teenagers.

ALA Booklist

Mackler’s attention to some of the more realistic, mundane details of young-adulthood sets this story apart.

Examiner.com

PRAISE FOR TANGLED: “Subtle then intense, hilarious then heartbreaking, TANGLED grabs you and doesn’t let go.

Jay Asher

Carolyn Mackler has created a new way to tell the story of high school. The grand journey here is a great one. I highly recommend you check out Infinite in Between. There’s a lot to love and a lot to learn from her characters.

Hypable

No one writes more honestly and empathetically about teenage lives than Carolyn Mackler. She doesn’t write teens as adults want them to be; she writes teens as they are.

Gabrielle Zevin

The characters’ insight, humor, and idiosyncrasies ring true.

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)

Make it not end! I *loved* reading about Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen. I loved getting a peek into their messy, juicy, miserable, wonderful lives, and I loved being reminded that existence itself is all about the tangling of souls.

Lauren Myracle

With her trademark humor and insight, Carolyn Mackler offers a dynamic tale of four wholly different yet totally relatable teens whose lives intersect in fascinating and touching ways.

Rachel Cohn

Well, there goes your weekend. You’ve just picked up Carolyn Mackler’s TANGLED. Cancel your plans. You’re not going to want to be anywhere else.

Daniel Handler

Carolyn Mackler is a remarkably astute observer of human frailties and hearts. In four interlocking tales of redemption and romance, she reminds us why we’re alive and what we might mean to one another if we’d only reach out.

E. Lockhart

★ 09/01/2015
Gr 7 Up—What are the four years spent in high school made up of? Teens tend to focus on the big moments—midterms and finals, homecoming and prom, first dates and first loves. But what about those unexpected battles and victories that truly shape and change them? Mackler follows five young adults from freshman orientation to senior graduation. Jake, Zoe, Whitney, Gregor, and Mia all have their own expectations for where they want to be at the end of high school. With shifting viewpoints among the five of them, readers get short but insightful glimpses at each of the protagonists. It can feel clunky to follow a character through high school in just one book, but Mackler does it deftly here with all five. This work even takes on several tough topics, including death, coming out, and addiction. Instead of feeling like a "very special episode," each situation is presented in a genuine and gentle way. This title is a slow burn: the author expertly illustrates how all moments, little or huge, have an impact on who we are. Readers will empathize with and cheer on Zoe, Whitney, Mia, Gregor, and Jake as they change, grow, and reevaluate who they are and who they want to be. VERDICT A wonderfully written peek into adolescence gushing with relatability.—Emily Moore, Camden County Library System, NJ

School Library Journal

★ 2015-06-29
A Breakfast Club-style, randomly assigned freshman orientation group experiences the highs and lows of four years of high school. The prologue gives the concept—five teens write letters to their future selves during freshman orientation and agree to assemble again after graduation to read them—and teases the whens and whats of big surprises to come. Gregor's a small, quiet musician; Zoe, the daughter of a famous actress; Jake, the all-American type; Mia, the weird brainiac; and Whitney, the beautiful, popular girl. Their storylines over the next four years occasionally cross paths and share reoccurring supporting characters. Gregor is hopelessly in love with Whitney, whose primary social entanglements aren't her series of boyfriends but the best friends she falls in and out of favor with. Mia tries to reinvent herself, while Jake tries to accept himself, and Zoe's too busy trying to hide from expectations to figure out who she wants to be. Protagonists experience fleeting loves and lose attachments, they develop emotionally and sexually, and each tackles varying degrees of family conflicts and—for some—tragedies. Despite the prologue's forecasting, many twists still surprise. Problem-novel subjects are elevated by both the humanity of the characters and the intricate ways that they weave in and out of each other's lives. Characters live, grow, and ultimately come of age in a beautifully constructed world. (Fiction. 13 & up)

Kirkus Reviews