Reviews

By Alyssa King

STAFF REPORTER

“You Can Go Your Own Way” by young adult author Eric Smith, is a peculiar story with a unique plot that follows two old friends, Adam Stillwater and Whitney Mitchell. After falling out of love, life pushed them back together.

Adam and Whitney both run the social media accounts for their families’ gaming businesses and constantly find themselves trading insults on Twitter. When a huge snowstorm hits their town, they find themselves trapped in Adam’s family’s pinball arcade. One thing I especially love about this storyline is how it takes two old friends that have suffered from copious amounts of grief and brought them back together in a way I haven’t experienced before.

Smith does a great job at showing the difficult nature of letting go of something, especially if it is something you love that brings you happiness. Adam cannot let go of his father’s arcade and of his legacy. Whitney cannot let go of her position as a social media manager, desiring more than anything to be acknowledged by her father.

The storyline is great but there are some questionable art elements that were added. Throughout the chapters, text chains and Twitter posts will appear between the main characters and their families. It made me feel as though I was scrolling through someone’s text messages instead of reading a book. It was distracting at times and was unnecessary to the story line. Additionally, the constant perspective changing was completely redundant. The chapters go back and forth from Adam’s and Whitney’s point of view. I usually enjoy books with perspective changes, but it doesn’t seem to fit this book very well and seemed to rush the storyline at times.

Although this is a YA romance, I wish the women throughout the story were more than side characters. Even Whitney, one of the main characters, was written as more of a love interest than a real character. Smith attempted at making her character fit into the modern feminist stereotype but completely fell short. All of her ambitions and wants that weren’t focused on boys were completely glossed over. It would’ve elevated the story even more if her character actually showed some depth.

The pacing of the story was completely off. The whole main plot of the book is that Adam and Whitney get stuck in the arcade, but that doesn’t even happen until you’re over halfway through the story. Up until that point, the entire book is just establishing background information that it honestly could have done without. When I finally did get to the climax of the story, it felt rushed. I wanted to read more of Adam and Whitney together, rather than their separate lives. The story has great underlying themes, but the pacing messes up the execution entirely. “You Can Go Your Own Way” is a unique story but the book just isn’t for me. I don’t know if it’s the odd art elements, Whitney's character falling short or the unusual pacing, but I do not see myself picking this book up ever again. All in all, I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

GOODREADS

By Gabby Miller

INTERN

Estia Greek Street Food opened Dec. 6, adding diversity to the collection of restaurants on Mack. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere, yet is spacious with plenty of tables. Its layout is very organized, and you are led to a line towards the back with a buildyour-own meal setup. Notably, the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Honestly, I was conflicted and had no idea of what I should order, but the server explained all the combinations as he prepared the food in front of me.

From my first glance at the menu, the greek fries side instantly caught my eye. When I got home and took a look at the dish, the fries were crispy with a golden brown finish. I was impressed that the fries weren’t soggy or drenched in grease like one may find to be true of the carryout at many other restaurants.

The fries themselves were great, however the real star of the show was the sprinkled feta cheese on top, hence the name “Greek fries”. As humorous as it sounds, the feta cheese was the best part of my meal overall, as it is imported from Greece. It was soft, creamy, and melted in my mouth creating the perfect contrast to the crispy fries.

For my entrée, I knew I wanted a gyro, but was debating which flavor direction I should take. Thankfully the server was extremely patient and gave

great advice. He guided me through my decision of a lamb gyro on their homemade pita wrap, with onions, garlic spread, hummus, oregano, olive oil and the show-stopping feta cheese. For $8.95, the portion size was extremely generous, as it was packed with as much food as the wrap could fit. The lamb on the gyro was delicious and thinly sliced, complimentary of all the spreads. The onions were also thinly sliced which I enjoyed, as it prohibited the onion’s flavor from being overpowering. Greek and Mediterranean food is a favorite of mine, so it is safe to say that I’ve had plenty of experience with garlic spread and hummus, and Estia's was the best I’ve ever had. The flavor of the chickpeas and garlic is distinguishable and has the smoothest and creamiest consistency. Each of the flavors together blended into the perfect combination, making my meal only more enjoyable. I am beyond excited for my next visit, and have already begun to recommend the restaurant to friends and family. The staff is welcoming and eager to help, and the food is outstanding. Estia is my new personal GABBY MILLER favorite spot for Greek food in Grosse Pointe Woods, deserving of a five star rating.

GABBY MILLER