Parents' Guide to

Like No Other

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Cross-cultural teen love story is heartfelt, enlightening.

Book Una LaMarche Contemporary Fiction 2014
Like No Other Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

Jaxon and Devorah live just across a major Brooklyn thoroughfare from each other, but they might as well be living in different countries. Studious Jaxon, the son of Caribbean immigrants, lives on the black (and increasingly hipster) side of Eastern Parkway, whereas devout Devorah, the daughter of Hasidic Jews, lives in the Orthodox-only part of the neighborhood. When a power outage at a local hospital leaves the two of them stranded in an elevator together, the two make an unexpected connection. Unable to stop thinking about each other, Jaxon and Devorah start a seemingly ill-fated romance that's forbidden by Orthodox law and unwise, given the history of tension between the communities.

Is It Any Good?

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Kids say (1 ):

Una LaMarche's ​LIKE NO OTHER, her second novel, is a multicultural Romeo and Juliet-like story that comes at a time when diversity in young adult books is desperately needed. The book's as much a compelling study of Brooklyn's ethnically and religiously diverse yet segregated Crown Heights neighborhood as it is a touching forbidden romance. Some readers might find the romance a bit too abrupt, but, hey, if it happened in one night in Shakespeare, who can blame LaMarche for having Devorah and Jaxon fall in love quicker than would seem wise, considering all their obstacles? The two aren't actually together nearly as often as they're thinking about being together, and that's what makes their scenes with each other so heightened with emotion.

Although LaMarche employs the popular dual narration, alternating perspectives between Dev and Jax, the story often favors Devorah's experience and gives her more page time than Jaxon. It's somewhat understandable, because the stakes are much higher for her than for Jaxon (she risks expulsion from her entire community, and he only risks disappointing his parents). But it will leave his fans wishing there had been more from his point of view. Ultimately, this is a tale of self-discovery, not simply falling for someone from the wrong side of the street. Even readers completely unfamiliar with Brooklyn, Hasidim, and the history of Crown Heights will find LaMarche's thoroughly researched novel as enlightening as it is poignant.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about cross-cultural or interracial dating. Why was Jaxon and Devorah's romance forbidden? Was it about race or religion? How did the teens handle their differences?

  • Many have compared the book to Romeo & Juliet. In what ways does the comparison hold up? How is this story different?

  • What do you think of the ending? Is it believable? Is it what you were expecting?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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