Is Change of Plans Worth Reading?
by Sarah Dessen
Ada’s Score
Sarah Dessen, the reigning queen of literary YA, returns with the coming-of-age story of Finley, who takes a last-minute trip with her emotionally distant mother. Dessen's trademark strengths are intact: emotionally precise prose, a richly drawn sense of place, and a heroine whose interior growth feels authentic rather than tidy. The mother-daughter dynamic gives the book more substance than a typical summer romance, though the pacing drifts and the romantic subplot feels secondary and underexplored. Longtime Dessen readers will recognize a slightly quieter, more introspective entry in her enduring catalog.
“Dessen at her most introspective — the mother-daughter thread is the real heart. The romance feels almost like an afterthought this time.”
Ada Brief
AI reading intelligence“Dessen at her most introspective — the mother-daughter thread is the real heart. The romance feels almost like an afterthought this time.”
Ada’s reservations
The romantic subplot is underdeveloped to the point of feeling vestigial, included because Dessen books usually have one rather than because this story needs it — the pacing sags whenever it surfaces.
Ada’s score reflects both strengths and reservations.
Book Details
- Language
- English
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Ada’s Score Breakdown
4.1
This breakdown reflects how Ada weighs the book’s strengths and flaws, not aggregated reader data.
Common Questions About Change of Plans
- Is Change of Plans worth reading?
- Dessen at her most introspective — the mother-daughter thread is the real heart. The romance feels almost like an afterthought this time. Ada rates it 4.1 out of 5.
- What are the main weaknesses of Change of Plans?
- The romantic subplot is underdeveloped to the point of feeling vestigial, included because Dessen books usually have one rather than because this story needs it — the pacing sags whenever it surfaces.
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