It always surprises me how the YA genre has so many adult fans while the middle grade genre is relegated mostly to its target audience. Those upper elementary and middle school years have a lot to offer adult readers who have lived through the torment and confusion of pre-adolescence.
My first self-published novel was about an 11-year-old girl who was learning to adjust to that giant leap of a transition from elementary to middle school. So, I was fascinated by the premise of My Name is Layla by Reyna Marder Gentin. This book delivered on the coming-of-age trope in entertaining yet poignant ways. Below is my review of My Name is Layla, a book that middle grade fans of all ages can appreciate.
My Name is Layla book summary
Eighth grader Layla, known as ‘munk to her older brother, Nick, and overworked mother, is your average thirteen-year-old who struggles in school and longs for a home life that is more stable like her best friends, Liza and Sammy. Ever since her father left 12 years ago, her mother has worked nights as a nurse at a hospital, leaving Layla and Nick to look after themselves.
So, it’s not hard to hide the fact that her grades have been suffering more than usual. Even her supportive English teacher, Mr. McCarthy, can’t seem to get through to her. As the parent-teacher conferences near, Layla grows desperate to hide her failings. In her desperation, she ends up making a compulsive decision which leads to disastrous consequences.
The story
My Name is Layla packs a ton of story into a small number of pages. That’s not to say that the story feels rushed or unfinished. Instead, it utilizes its space, establishing characters, conflicts, and situations in a fluid yet compact way.
The story is about real characters dealing with real situations. This is my favorite type of narrative. Layla’s reading issues take front and center, even more so than the sudden reappearance of her father in town or her developing feelings for Sammy. But it’s often the ordinary, everyday conflicts that occupy the majority of our worries over the more dramatic ones. Yet, Gentin gives them all adequate space to develop.
The characters
The cast of characters at play in Layla’s story are all interesting and multidimensional. A lot of this has to do with their interactions. Layla, in particular, has a strong, witty, and likable personality. Gentin knows how to inject sarcasm, bitterness, sadness, and even flaws in the right doses in order to create well-developed characters.
This is prevalent in the characters’ dialogue, from Mr. McCarthy’s nurturing yet relaxed teaching style to the banter between Layla and her friends and brother. The teen characters are a bit more multidimensional than the parents. But this is typical of the genre. Layla’s mom is constantly reminding her kids that she’s tired and busy. Her father is the typical, well-intentioned yet absent dad who attempts to crawl back into their lives with his tail between his legs.
Nobody in the story is perfect. However, their flaws and wrong decisions aren’t irredeemable either. They make mistakes, learn from them, and keep going. None of the story’s conflicts are magically fixed at the end. But together, the characters all steer themselves toward a happy resolution.
An excerpt from My Name is Layla
“And this is where the dream gets really strange. My dad sits down and after a few minutes of polite small talk, he tells me that he has come to solve all my problems. I know that sounds crazy, but in the dream I tell him a lot of stuff about school and about mom, and he’s really focused and listening. And then he comes up with a plan for how to fix it all.”
The narration
The story is narrated by Layla herself in a present tense which was always a bit jarring whenever I’d pick up where I left off but was able to reacclimate myself easily. She’s a bit of an unreliable narrator, not necessarily keeping things from the reader but not recognizing certain things or interpreting them correctly, such as her reading issues or others’ perceptions of her.
Layla is a bit of an outcast, but she’s comfortable in her own skin. I like that she’s always herself without preaching it to the reader or to the other characters. Those in her tight-knit group wouldn’t have her any other way, and it’s a good message to send to young readers without cramming it down their throats. She lives an authentic life which is really hard to do at thirteen.
Nothing she does is to conform for popularity’s sake but for the sake of her genuine happiness. And she doesn’t necessarily get the storybook ending, but she gets a happy one that fits into the unique and comfortable life in which she lives.
My recommendation
I recommend My Name is Layla to anyone who has struggled with reading, who has longed for a more traditional home life, or is looking for a short, fun read with serious elements but doesn’t take itself too seriously. There are several intense situations that occur, but they stay within the realm of realism and never get too intense or traumatic. Instead, they liven up the story and keep you reading on.
Because at the end of the day, you’re rooting for Layla and all that she represents about how to maneuver through a world that doesn’t always accommodate for you. Whether you’re a seasoned adult wanting to relive your middle school years or a teen reader who is still wading in the thick of it, My Name is Layla is an entertaining, poignant, and ultimately fun read.
Buy it!
Buy a copy of My Name is Layla here, and help support the author, this blog, and local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
Pin it!
Life where it intersects with school and the difficulties of home life is tough, so I love that this book provides and interesting narrative of one girl’s story. My name is Layla too, so there is also that fun connection. 🙂
That’s a good point. The only MG we typically read are the Diary of A Wimpy Kid Book. This book sounds interesting though.