The nature of jade

Title: The Nature of Jade
Author: Deb Caletti
# of pages: 288

Review:

Jade DeLuna occasionally suffers from panic attacks, and she already has scheduled therapy sessions and prescribed medication. She realizes that she can also help treat her anomaly by spending more time at the nearby zoo. She sets up the elephant exhibit's webcam in her room so that she can watch the elephants' daily routines, until she notices a boy around her age carrying a baby who visits the elephants every day. Intrigued by him, she eventually volunteers with the elephants, admiring their grace and semblance to human minds, and meets Sebastian.

Later on, she struggles to balance her life of hiding her relationship with Sebastian from her friends and family, increasingly-estranged friends and family, and maintaining good grades in her Advanced Placement courses. Although she feels at times that she has not done so successfully, she still tries her best to make ends meet.

The Nature of Jade was quite an interesting read for me. Jade faces the same obstacles in her life as many other teenage girls do. She seeks solace in caring for the elephants. When the members of her own family distance themselves from each other, she almost treats Sebastian's family as her own. She uses alternative methods to deal with stress that prove to be very useful.

In some way, this novel was similar to Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies). Jade is trying to find herself amidst several looming problems in her life, the same as when Patty Ho was in a stage of self-discovery. There are conflicts to deal with on the way, but through all of the struggle, they learn to appreciate themselves and their families.

The Nature of Jade is highly recommended for people of all ages: those who understand well enough to accept who they are, and those who have yet to find themselves.

Screen Name: WaterfallOfDestiny
Branch: Angus Glen