A review by whatsheread
Plan A by Deb Caletti

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Deb Caletti always writes timely stories that explore the nuances of being female. While she writes for a young adult audience, her themes cross age barriers and are meaningful for readers of all ages. In Plan A, she presents a story that could be ripped from the headlines and does so in a way that makes you ache for the suffering of every person with a uterus in this post-Roe era. 

 Plan A is a beautiful story. Ms. Caletti approaches her subject matter with care. Never too preachy, she lets her characters share pertinent facts. Where Ms. Caletti shines, however, is in showcasing her characters' emotional toil. Not only do we see firsthand the turmoil Ivy experiences, but we also get to see how Ivy's story impacts her family and her boyfriend. 

Plan A is not an easy read, but it is so powerful. Ms. Caletti perfectly captures the fears, loneliness, doubt, and general shock of an unexpected pregnancy. She does so while exploring the idea of choice. Again, she never pontificates. Neither does she condemn others for their beliefs. Instead, she presents one girl's situation and experiences that will, hopefully, allow readers to understand and empathize. Plan A is one of those books I want everyone to read. It is a subject that only Ms. Caletti could tackle, and I'm glad she did.