Review: Being Sloane Jacobs

By Lauren Morrill
Available now from Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House)
Review copy
Read my interview with Lauren

Sloane Emily Jacobs is a politician's daughter being forced into a figure-skating comeback by her mom, who basically thinks it's good publicity.  Sloane Devon Jacobs is a hockey player struggling with her emotions on the ice in the wake of her mother going to rehab.  The two girls meet in a hotel on their way to camps for their respective sports and decide to trade places, since no one knows them where they're going.  Each wants an escape and figures the other has it easier.

BEING SLOANE JACOBS is a slight book, but sometimes you want something cute that goes down easy.  There are some serious problems in both girls' lives, but they aren't the focus.  Both Sloane Jacobs grow more into themselves during the summer, but it's not a particularly painful process - except maybe physically.

If you're into sports and interested in that angle, do note that Lauren Morrill goes into more depth about the figure skating and the practice that goes into making it look effortless than she does the hockey.  There are several hockey games within the novel, however; it isn't completely glossed over.  And while the plot is somewhat improbable, I like that neither girl is instantly successful.  They have to work for any sort of basic proficiency, which is realistic.

I also like that they both develop friendships at the camps.  There can never be enough focus on friendship in teen books, in my opinion.  Friends are just such an important part of life, especially when you're young and away from home.  My one quibble would be that figure skating and hockey camps are great settings for some openly gay and lesbian characters and Morrill does not take advantage of that opportunity.

Both girls also get romances.  Sloane Emily's love interest has a bad reputation; Sloane Devon's knows her from high school and thus can't be allowed to notice she isn't actually at hockey camp.  I think I enjoyed Sloane Emily's more - they spend more time together and there's less of an age difference.  But both romances in BEING SLOANE JACOBS are quite sweet and get enough development to be believable.  Best of all, neither is presented as being some forever and ever love.

I think BEING SLOANE JACOBS is good comfort food.  It's got just enough edge from the sports and personal issues to not be completely mushy, and enough romance and personal triumph to put a smile on your face.  Plus, it's a good one to toss on your Winter Olympics reading list.  (Please tell me I'm not the only one who has one.)

Interview with Lauren Morrill

Lauren Morrill is the author of MEANT TO BE and BEING SLOANE JACOBS, which came out earlier this month.  BEING SLOANE JACOBS is the tale of two girls who have the same name, but different interests - and who decide to switch lives.  Read on to learn some more about the book and Lauren!

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1. I was super excited to read BEING SLOANE JACOBS because I did competitive figure skating as a kid and I still love to watch the sport and read books about it.  (Can't wait for the Winter Games!)  There's quite a bit of detail in the book about the work that goes into being a figure skater and a hockey player.  How did you research the sports?  Anything particularly interesting you couldn't fit into the book?

 

I watched a lot of figure skating tape on YouTube, paying close attention to the commentators. I also couldn't have done it without Nancy Kerrigan's book Artistry on Ice. It was really helpful in getting all the basics of figure skating down. As for hockey, I talked to a lot of friends who are hockey fans and also hit up a Boston Bruins game.

2.  Speaking of skating, your website mentions (several times) that you play roller derby.  That's obviously super cool.  How did you get into it?

 

A friend of mine played in the inaugural season of the Bleeding Heartland Rollergirls in Bloomington, IN. After cheering her on from the sidelines for a season, I knew I had to get out there. I tried out for the second season, and the rest is history! I played one year in Bloomington, then four years for the Boston Derby Dames. Now that I've moved to Georgia, I've been coaching the Middle Georgia Derby Demons.

3.  What is the best part of working with Lexa Hillyer and Lauren Oliver at Paper Lantern Lit?

 

I've learned a lot from them over the last couple of years, and I've really been able to grow my writing. Also, the parties are pretty fabulous!

4.  So far you're two for two with books set in foreign countries!  What setting would you like to explore next?

 

My next book, The Trouble With Destiny (Fall 2015) is set on a cruise ship, so that one's been fun to write! And for the one after that, I'm returning to the good old US of A. It's set in a small southern town that's just been taken over by a movie production. My Unscripted Life  is scheduled for Fall 2016.