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I was so excited when I received a copy of Me and Mr J to review because I’ve loved the sound of it since it first came to my attention a few months ago.
A theme I see a lot in YA is privileged characters that come from a rich background and get whatever they want. I was pleased to read in Me and Mr J that McIntyre has decided to push this trope away and Lara, the protagonist, and her family aren’t in the most ideal financial situation. It was very refreshing to read!
The main plot point in Me and Mr J is the student-teacher relationship. It was important to me that this felt realistic because I’m in school myself and I believed it was only possible to have a certain degree of believability. I was pleasantly surprised that I became very invested in the relationship.
A major theme in the novel is bullying. Lara’s mistreatment from her peers was heart-wrenching and I just wanted to reach inside the novel and give her a hug. Whilst I wouldn’t actively seek out a book about bullying myself, I do think this is an element that will appeal to many young people. It was also good to read an original novel about bullying – many of them blur into one for me!
Written in diary extracts, Me and Mr J was a quick and easy read that got me thinking and I found it very engaging. I can see it being read by many because it’s easy to relate to whether you’re a teenager or an adult.
I enjoyed Me and Mr J and am looking forward to reading more from Rachel McIntyre in the future.