Can Ashley Schumacher do wrong? I think not.
Ever book I’ve had the pleasure of reading has been unique and perfectly enchanting. Schumacher delivers a fun novel that doesn’t shy away from very real, relatable, and tragic situations.
In The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway we meet Madeline, yeah, not Gwen, Madeline. Maddie is still reeling from the loss of her mother. She and her father have continued to do the Ren Faire route which has been certainly different, her mother’s absence almost feels phsyical. Maddie does talk to a therapist to work through her grief; but whether or not she’s coping is probably debatable. Especially when you learn about her journal of noticings.
Maddie is determined to pay attention to all the small details of the important people in her life. How many breakfasts do her and her father have together. How many phone calls do her and her best friend Fatima have a week? Does she do her nightly routine correctly? Most importantly, she cannot, CAN NOT, add more people to care about and notice about. Her brain just doesn’t have the capacity, it’s exhausting enough with just these two people to be concerned with.
And then Maddie runs into Art. A bard at the renaissance faire who walks a fine line between friendly and annoying. Art also refuses to call her Maddie, instead calling her Gwen. And Art doesn’t really care that Maddie insists they aren’t friends. He’s determined that Maddie will have a summer full of fun and random experiences with him.
The unfolding of this relationship is a joy to watch. Schumacher doesn’t make light of Maddie’s grief, nor her OR Art’s body image struggles. She manages to stick with the feel-good, YA-romance feelings while giving validation to other very real feelings young adults experience regularly.
And all of it is set inside a renaissance faire… what more could you ask for?
Better still, it debuts March 14th so go grab it!
Happy Reading!
Angela
Librarian Wannabe 