'89 Walls

'89 Walls by Katie Pierson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Here's an interesting history lesson with some high school romance thrown in for fun.

The book takes place in 1989 and covers most of the political events of that time period. Quinn and Seth are students in a high school history class where their teacher is a bit of a liberal but who sparks a lot of good debate on current events. Seth's been in love with Quinn for forever but too shy to let her know. He sees the world in broader, more democratic way than Quinn, who is the only child in a very politically aware, Republican family. Quinn sees Seth as a raging liberal, albeit an interesting one. This is the story of their relationship as they finish high school.

The book has a decidedly political agenda, focusing on world events and American foreign policy in the late 1980's and early 1990's. There's a lot of commentary via the history class discussions and the book contains a world-event timeline and glossary of terms. It's a bit too much to really function as a backdrop; it takes center stage for the better part of the story and is also fleshed out in the actions of the main characters.

Seth is a great guy; he's honest and caring. His mother has been in a steady decline from MS and he is a devoted son without being a mama's boy. He's really much more of a dreamer trapped by circumstance. He's clever and witty, and fortunately Quinn sees this as soon as he expresses some interest in her. He's pretty much the perfect boyfriend, focused on things that matter. His only downfall is his tendency to look down on those who follow the status quo.

Quinn was a much more flighty character. She tended to try on relationships like clothing and was much more concerned with appearances. This follows even into her relationship with her dad. She does begin to see the error of her ways pretty early on, though.

The romance happens quickly but takes some time to develop overall. It was very realistic for teenagers then and now - this is definitely YA but it is older YA, age appropriate for high schoolers and up. It is a sweet story of taking chances and overcoming fears. A nice little slice of life.

It was a bit too info-dumpy and political for my taste. While written well and containing relatable, likable characters, the backdrop took over too often. It was a mix of history and the agenda of the author, which is fine but definitely biased. If she just wanted to show us what life was like in 1989, she could have done so without focusing so much on human rights, American foreign policy and even women's rights. It detracted from the story enough to feel like a history lesson.

This book has its place. It will likely be found on the shelves of high school libraries and even used in classrooms. Romance and political bias aside, it's a good look at America in 1989.



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