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Absolutely Maybe Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Absolutely Maybe


This story is about Maybe who runs away to California in search of her biological father in the company of two friends and realizes that one has to work with what they have in life to be happy. Maybelline Chestnut, known as Maybe is the daughter of a beauty queen that became a charm school proprietor but it seems that the mother never actually grew out of the beauty queen phase. Chessy Chestnut is obsessed with image and disapproves of her daughter's way of presentation. Maybe likes Goth makeup and baggy clothes and changes hair color more times than she changes clothes probably. Chessy chooses her fiancé who will become her seventh husband over her daughter and Maybe decides to run off to find her biological father supposedly living in California at the time.
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She takes along her best friend Ted and hitch a ride with their friend, Hollywood who is registering for film school at the University of Southern California. When they arrive in California the harsh reality of life hits them very hard. Hollywood starts attending school and Ted and Maybe are homeless for a while when they alternate between college dorm lounges, but Ted gets a break, landing a job as a personal assistant. He finds that he likes waiting on the rich and famous and finds his networking there. Hollywood makes a documentary about Maybe and wins a film contest which propels his career of being a movie maker.

Maybe, who is the sole reason everyone is in California is the one who is struggling and works at a Taco truck for the summer before continuing her search for her father. She decides to live with one of Chessy's ex husbands, Sam during the search. In the end she finds that it is just better to work with what you have instead of what you want, because life does not always work out the way you want it.
Best part of story, including ending: I like that the story is about the main character going out on her own to find happiness or in this case, her long lost father in a different area and environment.

Best scene in story: I like the scene in chapter 67 when Ted asks Maybe whether she likes Hollywood and she replies that she does so as a friend. the plot goes unexpectedly when Maybe turns and confronts Ted that he is gay and likes Hollywood actually. He admits it and the scene is quite humorous but shows a bit of relief on all sides.

Opinion about the main character: I do not like that the main character is the one who does not have career drive more than her friends because she is the only one out of the trio that is continuously struggling while the rest adapt.

The review of this Book prepared by Nicholas Waithaka a Level 3 Eurasian Jay scholar

Chapter Analysis of Absolutely Maybe

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Plot & Themes

Tone of book?    -   very sensitive (sigh) Time/era of story    -   2000+ (Present Day) Internal struggle/realization?    -   Yes Struggle over    -   search for family/history Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Age 11-14

Main Character

Gender    -   Female Age:    -   a teen Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White (American)

Setting

United States    -   Yes

Writing Style

Sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   vague references only Amount of dialog    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Lisa Yee Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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