What people are saying about
MATTHEW OLSHAN'S FINN: A NOVEL

"With remarkable skill and a modern plot, Matthew Olshan beautifully captures the lively and exciting world of Mark Twain -- on several levels. Teen-aged boys and girls won't be able to tear themselves away from these absorbing pages. And, unless I miss my bet, they'll be discussing Finn: a novel with all their friends, too."
-- RUTH F. BOORSTIN, POET, LONGTIME CHILDREN'S NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST, AND EDITOR OF NUMEROUS BOOKS, INCLUDING THE DANIEL J. BOORSTIN READER

"Finn: a novel is a smart, provocative re-imagining of Twain's novel, catapulted into
contemporary culture. Paired with the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, it will make for powerful classroom discussions about values, class, literary influence, and stereotypes."
-- RACHEL EISLER, FORMER ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIRWOMAN, BRYN MAWR SCHOOL (BALTIMORE, MD)

"I finished reading Finn: a novel last night and I couldn't help but be impressed with Matthew Olshan's writing. He certainly has created a resourceful character in Chloe. I also couldn't help but feel a bit sad that more than 100 years after Huckleberry Finn was originally published, the prejudices and ignorance portrayed in that novel remain on full display. Chloe is just as surprised as Huck to find that Silvia and other minorities are fully realized human beings. This book begs to be read and discussed."
- DEBORAH TAYLOR, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE YOUNG ADULT LIBRARY SERVICES ASSOCIATION (YALSA) OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (1996-97); COORDINATOR OF SCHOOL AND STUDENT SERVICES FOR THE ENOCH PRATT FREE LIBRARY (BALTIMORE, MD); CHAIR OF THE ALA CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD JURY (2000); AND ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES

"This clever, lively novel for teenagers is a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, with girls-a pregnant Mexican maid and a tomboyish, private-school narrator-as protagonists and illegal immigration, rather than slavery, at the moral heart of the matter."
-- HARVARD MAGAZINE

"[T]elling the story from Chloe's perspective makes the improbable seem plausible. Vivid descriptions and realistic details involve the reader. Chloe and Silvia are counterparts of Twain's Huck and Jim, and their adventures echo those of their fictional predecessors. Young readers will admire Chloe, who overcomes adversity and is clever, perceptive, and vulnerable. Her story is funny, pathetic, and engrossing."
-- VOYA

"Finn, Olshan's well-crafted contemporary novel, combines fine story-telling and astute social observation. It will engage mature teen readers--and their parents--and provoke serious discussion about modern American culture."
- JOANN FRUCHTMAN, OWNER, THE CHILDREN'S BOOKSTORE (BALTIMORE, MD)

"Feisty teenage Chloe is fearless and resourceful but believably naïve in some respects; when she returns to her grandparents from her adventures, she does so with new perspectives on camaraderie, racism, and the underbelly of America's cities. The sections dealing with her experiences in the railroad yard are particularly strong, with a memorably nightmarish feel about themFor those unfamiliar with Twain, this first novel will work as an adventure story. Readers who know Adventures of Huckleberry Finn might enjoy searching out the parallels and differences…A novel to ponder and discuss."
-- KLIATT

"I sat down to read Finn: a novel with a light snow falling, and the cat curled up at my feet. I should have fastened my seatbelt. This is a powerful book. I'm in awe of Matthew Olshan's skills as a writer. He's made Finn: a novel an engaging, vivid, and wonderful story. I look forward to the sequel!"
--TRUDI RISHIKOF, FORMER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND, AND FORMER PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATIONS, HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL AND GEORGETOWN BUSINESS SCHOOL

"Finn: a novel is an urban epic with a balance of toughness and humor reminiscent of
Mark Twain's Mississippi writings. Matthew Olshan has taken Twain's social commentary and confronted us with its present-day mirror image: urban blight, violent housing projects, and obdurate social injustice, for illegal immigrants in particular. But there is still hope: the ability of young people, like heroine Chloe "Finn" Wilder, to take action. Finn herself is a rarity -- a young character who's resourceful, crafty, tough, and smart, much more so than the adults around her realize or are willing to admit. Finn rings true. She will be a hero to young readers, and a reminder to older ones of the oft-forgotten resiliency and intelligence of childhood."
--JOSHUA MCKEON, LIBRARIAN, FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY (WASHINGTON, DC)

"Stereotypes of ethnic, religious, and racial groups abound; some fit in the context of Chloe's observations of her surroundings, while others are left for readers to ponder ... The book is written in short chapters that will appeal to reluctant readers. Chloe is a spirited, resourceful, observant, and humorous heroine who will keep readers interested until the end, when things are wrapped up neatly, but believably."
--SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

"Finn is an interesting work seen through the eyes of a young female teenager who has been around the block a few times. The aspect I admired the most was how many different social issues it addresses while maintaining a storyline and moving the action along. Although it's touted as a modern version of Huck Finn, what it says about issues such as mindless racism,
homelessness, child abuse (emotional and physical), the difference between different generations, etc., is so much more worthy of attention. One important theme was the central role that self-worth and esteem plays in the young protagonist's mind. This is a book worth rereading every so often just to see what else we didn't get the first or second time we read it."
-- BOB SPEAR, THE BOOK BARN, LEVENWORTH, KS (A BOOK SENSE INDEPENDENT)

"Fast-paced plot. Exciting adventure after exciting adventure. Less than typical female heroine. Intense scenes. Expressive language. Surprise finish. And serious 'dealing-with-the-world' issues. What's not to love in Finn: a novel?"
--CARIN BORTZ, MT. WASHINGTON, MD, AND 13 at the time of reading FINN

"Finn is a novel that does something few novels can do -- straddle the adult and young adult genres -- but does it wittily, intelligently, engrossingly, and electrically for both audiences, and without playing down or up to either of them. It's a great story, funny and fast-paced, concise and clear, and Chloe is one of the more lively and endearing characters I've read in some time."
--STEPHEN DIXON, PROFESSOR, JOHNS HOPKINS WRITING SEMINARS PROGRAM; NOVELIST (TWO-TIME NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST AND ONE-TIME PEN/FAULKNER AWARD FINALIST); AND SHORT-STORY WRITER

"Masterfully written and skillfully paced, Finn: a novel tells a Huckleberry Finn story for our time, a picaresque adventure which will engage and enlighten teenage readers. The protagonist is a teenage girl whose sense of moral responsibility and social injustice leads her to confront disquieting aspects of American society. Girls will respond to Chloe Wilder's courage and clear-sightedness. Matthew Olshan has given them a heroine to emulate."
--ELEANOR W. KINGSBURY, FORMER HEAD OF SPRINGSIDE SCHOOL (PHILADELPHIA, PA) AND OF THE BERMUDA HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

"Chloe and her grandparents' pregnant, illegal maid, Silvia, are thrust into urban danger after a series of disasters that follow Chloe's kidnapping by her unstable mother. Cleverly wrought and loosely based on Mark Twain's Huck Finn, Finn: a novel swiftly launches the characters onto a ride of terror -- from the mind-numbing security of upper-class America, to ground zero itself, where predators, anonymity, and hopelessness prevail. With a dry-witted, often hilarious narrative, and through interaction between the two main characters, author Matthew Olshan succeeds in his first novel by turning consciousness-raising into entertainment. At a time when most of us fret about the instability of the Dow, a burgeoning stratum of U. S. society continues to hang tenuously above the precipice of obscurity and extinction. Olshan's Finn: a novel seamlessly merges some of the least publicized social crimes of our age. Because of FINN's very high interest level, and its easily manageable skill level, young adults should be transfixed by Chloe's 'been there,' often funny and relevant narrative. Olshan keeps the action interesting without resorting to heavy-handedness and, despite its sobering message, his FINN is compellingly entertaining throughout."
-- GARY PACKARD, PROFESSOR OF READING AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY IN CHICAGO AND HEAD OF THE TEACHERS' READING RESOURCE, WHICH SEARCHES OUT NOTEWORTHY BOOKS OF YA FICTION WORTHY OF TEACHING IN THE CLASSROOM TO COLLEGE STUDENTS REQUIRING REMEDIAL HELP IN READING

"Throughout the book, author Matthew Olshan uses two especially striking literary tricks. First, he makes no character good or bad; each one has good and bad qualities, even the villains. Similarly, every situation has both good and bad options. In other words, he makes the story like real life. Secondly, Olshan packs the book with description. He makes it easy for readers to see the sights and hear the sounds as Chloe and Sylvia experience them in the suburbs, the projects, and the hidden places they end up. The book focuses on the theme of ignorance and highlights the things that Chloe and Sylvia learn. Without learning, they wouldn't survive their journey. The book also makes you ask questions about race, and it put many things into perspective for me and probably for you, too. While reading, imagine what you would do in the same situations…If you have read Huck Finn, you'll notice many similarities. Even if you haven't read Huck Finn, you're in for a story with plenty to grab your attention."
-- BRANDON DRAKE, STUDENT AT HOT SPRINGS COUNTY HS, THERMOPOLIS, WY, REVIEWING THE BOOK FOR TOPICS MAGAZINE AND RECOMMENDING IT FOR SUMMER READING (MAY 2001)

"Rollicking but literary, Matthew Olshan's Finn: a novel is a beautifully crafted and remarkably absorbing story about strength and ingenuity. Overflowing with hilarious turns of phrase, essential observations, and lovely metaphors, it's a remarkably clear tale of economic disparity and emotional endurance. Narrated tautly by young Chloe Wilder (aka Finn), a teenager endowed with innate strength and enormous resourcefulness, Finn: a novel reads like a supreme adventure."
--JONATHON SCOTT FUQUA, author of the novel "The Reappearance of Sam Webber," WINNER OF THE ALEX AWARD; NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY'S 2000 BOOKS FOR THE TEEN AGE LIST; THE AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS FOUNDATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION'S LIST FOR BOOKS ON VIOLENCE AND YOUTH; SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL'S ONE OF THE TOP FIVE ADULT NOVELS FOR YOUNG ADULTS IN 1999; ANDBOOKLIST'S EDITORS' CHOICE '99 FOR ADULT BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

"Even though I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn some time ago, I think Matthew Olshan's idea of a modern Huck Finn is brilliant, and I can clearly see its connection to Twain's original work. I easily related to everything in FINN's plot (Is the Field School a real school? If not, it is the perfect modern name), and my favorite character, Marian, had a terrific personality and was hilarious! The beginning was funnier than anything, and no one could have asked for a better ending. The ending suggests a sequel. Is there to be one? Please!!!"
-- ADAM BULKLEY, TOWSON, MD, AND 12 AT THE TIME OF READING FINN

"A redo of Huckleberry Finn would be a tall order for anybody, but there are flashes of brilliance in Matthew Olshan's attempt, and the voice of his heroine (for better or worse) is as true to our time as Huck's was to his."
-- MADISON SMARTT BELL, DIRECTOR, GOUCHER COLLEGE CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM; AND AUTHOR OF 10 NOVELS (HIS EIGHTH NOVEL, ALL SOULS RISING, WAS A FINALIST FOR THE 1995 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND THE 1996 PEN/FAULKNER AWARD AND WINNER OF THE 1996 ANISFIELD-WOLF AWARD FOR THE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR DEALING WITH MATTERS OF RACE)

"Like most of my friends, I love reading books about girls my age. They're just easier to relate to. But to say I related to Chloe Wilder in Finn: a novel is an understatement. I felt like I personally experienced her experiences, lived her adventures, and survived her hardships right along with her. What I also really liked about this really good book was how Chloe's sidekick, Silvia Morales, made me think. On a recent family vacation in San Diego, I saw first-hand that many recent immigrants are living and working in the U.S., and that some Americans put down, discourage, and ridicule them, whether or not they are citizens, and especially if they speak Spanish. Even Chloe acted in a racist way towards Silvia in the beginning of the book, but she came to realize what kids my age don't know or sometimes forget - people are people, regardless of their country of origin."
- JULIE ANN TAYLOR, PIKESVILLE, MD, AND 12 AT THE TIME OF READING FINN

"In Finn:a novel, Matt Olshan has produced a wonderfully entertaining, suspenseful, and thought-provoking parallel to Mark Twain's classic novel. Olshan's debut fiction succeeds as both a lively coming-of-age tale and a critical examination of contemporary American social values. It'll be very appealing to teenage as well as adult readers."
-- PAUL BARRETT, ACADEMIC DEAN, ST. ALBANS SCHOOL FOR BOYS (WASHINGTON, DC)

"If you're a modern feminist who enjoys classics, you'll love this spunky girl version of Huckleberry Finn. It gives you everything the original book gave you, and so much more. At first, I thought it was just another book. Boy (or, should I say, Girl?) was I wrong! And it isn't just for girls, either. It'll also appeal to teenage boys, who'll enjoy Chloe because of her rebelliousness. This witty book, Finn, will leave you begging for more!"
-- CHANA LAPINE (13), HOUSTON, TX

"I was intrigued by the idea behind Finn: a novel as soon as I heard about it, and was anxious to find out the adventures Matthew Olshan's female Huck would experience. Chloe Wilder turns out to be quite a real and wonderful character. She pays attention to her world, tries to make sense of it, and wants to make it a better place. She thinks a great deal about everything, which is so typical of a teenage girl! And despite all the instability in her life, she has a certain sense of who she is, and her insistence on sticking to her beliefs throughout the story demonstrates her strength. I'm confident that our magazine's readers will relate to her, be entertained by her adventures, and be challenged by her ideas. I myself didn't want to put the book down!"
-- ELLEN L. RUNNELS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, TOPICS MAGAZINE, which connects students to the world by providing teachers with affordable, time-saving, and engaging learning tools

"Chloe and Silvia's hair-raising, yet often hilarious, adventures amongst urban America's 'haves' and 'have-nots' will keep every reader - adult and young adult - enthralled, intrigued, and, best of all, turning the pages."
-- PAT BATES, RETIRED COORDINATOR, MARYLAND CENTER FOR THE BOOK

"If I really like a book, I lend it to a friend. I lent FINN to my friend Conner. I told him that FINN was fast moving with a surprise finish -- and he'd really enjoy reading it. I told him that the book's heroine, Chloe Wilder, was smart and easy-going, could handle just about any situation -- even the most dangerous ones -- and had an attitude he'd like. I told him that FINN was a bit like Harry Potter because Chloe Wilder and Harry Potter both had serious problems they had to solve. I told him that reading FINN was a good way to find out what Huckleberry Finn was like if he hadn't read it yet. And I told him that boys like him and like me would find FINN cool, even though the main characters are girls. I expect that Conner's gonna read it too."
-- ADAM BORTZ, POTOMAC, MD, 13 AT THE TIME OF READING FINN

"I found Matthew Olshan's debut novel thoroughly enjoyable and very well-written. In fact, I found myself laughing out loud on many occasions! Although our Discover Great New Writers program doesn't consider children's or young adult titles, I can't think of one good reason why younger readers, as well as parents and educators, shouldn't add FINN to their collections...and pray that Olshan writes a second novel !"
-- JILL LAMAR, DIRECTOR, BARNES & NOBLE'S DISCOVER GREAT NEW WRITERS PROGRAM, AND A FORMER DELL DELACORTE YOUNG ADULT EDITOR

"I greatly admired FINN's main character, Chloe, for her amazing strength and bravery. I could never have endured all that she went through. As for the story, its many fast paced adventures kept me permanently glued to the book. Any time I gave the slightest thought to putting FINN down, even for a couple of minutes, something new, exciting, and interesting happened, and I just had to keep right on reading."
--STACY COOPER, Owings Mills, MD, 13 AT THE TIME OF READING FINN

"Cloe Wilder (aka Finn and described by some as a modern-day Huck Finn) takes her grandparents' pregnant maid and the reader on a fast-paced, action-packed adventure to reunite Silvia with the baby's father in California. Strap on your safety belt -- there's no time to stop once you've joined 'life on the run.' Although Finn battles stereotyping and prejudice throughout the story, the reader will be satisfied with the positive ending."
-- HANNAH PICKWORTH, MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN, ROLAND PARK COUNTRY SCHOOL (BALTIMORE, MD)

"Finn boasts a strong, accessible narrator's voice -- you can't help liking Chloe Wilder/Finn, despite the fact that she lies all the time and has some serious problems. And it is a wonderful story -- filled with great imagery and fast-moving scenes."
-- KIM CHILDRESS, BOOK EDITOR, GIRL'S LIFE MAGAZINE

"I was so impressed with the voice of Finn that I couldn't believe it had been written by a man. And I can very well see how the book can be read alongside Huck Finn."
-- LESLIE GOETSCH, CHAIR, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, ROLAND PARK COUNTRY SCHOOL (UPPER DIVISION)

"Like Twain's Huckleberry Finn, Olshan's Finn: a novel is both a thrilling story and a social document. Every child will enjoy it--and every adult will learn from it."
-- JESSE NORMAN, FOUNDER AND BOARD CHAIRMAN OF WIDELEARNING, A LONDON-BASED E-LEARNING COMPANY

"If it hadn't been for lunch, I would've finished FINN without a break this past Sunday. As it was, it took me just that single, final day of the Thanksgiving Day holiday to ride through this fast-paced, scenic series of unforgettable adventures. The waterfall scene, for example, was a peaceful and calming interlude smack in the midst of an underworld of grime and crime, and was, quite literally, a cool episode. Another superb scene was the one near the end with King D. What an odd but memorable environment that surreal character created for himself. And when James was steering Finn and Silvia around the debris of his life, I felt such a sense of immediacy that I wouldn't have been surprised to look up and see him right there in my living room, doing his street dancing between the chalk marks.
"Chloe Wilder, a fast-thinking and resourceful girl toughened up by a week of unanticipated exploits, still reminded me of many of my female friends. Though vulnerable, she desperately tried to hide her vulnerability. And, with that mask on, she brushed up against a rough world seemingly not far from her own fairly comfortable existence, but in fact a world away. FINN will appeal to teen readers -- male and female -- wherever jagged cities give way to seemingly smooth suburbs."
--CHLOE LEGENDRE, REISTERSTOWN, MD, AND 13 AT THE TIME OF READING FINN

"The author provokes a lively debate about racism in America, especially as experienced by our young people."
--BARBARA MEADE, CO-OWNER, POLITICS & PROSE (WASHINGTON, DC)

"The book prints applause from 20 advance readers who like Finn's spunk, responsibility, and sense of injustice, and who admire Olshan's ability to engage both teen-age and adult readers. Make that 21."
- BALTIMORE SUN

"In Matthew Olshan's FINN, the author doesn't so much update Mark Twain's classic, THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, as use it as a device to avoid the PC police. It's a brilliant move, really, because it saves him from a trap that often plagues writers of teen books, i.e., how do you make good, nice, wholesome people interesting. ..Although the book is geared towards older teenagers, its brisk plotting and trendy subject matter make it a quick and enjoyable read for just about anyoneFinn is a wonderful hero, and a fully modern oneIn keeping with the tradition of the original, the pair journey through a fantastical slice of American life where danger and excitement abound. "
--TEENREADS.COM

"…Author Matthew Olshan cannot upgrade The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but has modernized the story, which he has made over into a tale of inner city homelessness and teen survival that parallels Twain's masterpiece. Teens will like how Chloe, a sassy, angry teen, cleverly uses her wits to save herself and also take care of Silvia, her grandparents' Mexican maid."
-- WARREN-TRUMBULL COUNTY (OHIO) PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHICH DESIGNATED "FINN" A "RECOMMENDED READ FOR TEENS"

"An engaging yet controversial modern retelling of Mark Twain's classic Huckleberry Finn, this recent selection of the Teen People Book Club features a teenage girl and pregnant Latina as protagonists, and clearly illustrates that prejudice still affects human understanding, behavior, and language.
- HOWARD COUNTY (MD) PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM

"Like its titled predecessor, FINN: a novel can be read on varying levels. An exciting young adult adventure becomes, with major social issues addressed, a thought-provoking adult tale. Author Matthew Olshan accomplishes quite a task. He blends social commentary into an interesting adventure story that never preaches, only entertains."
--HARRIET KLAUSNER, AMAZON'S #1 VOLUNTEER REVIEWER, GIVING FINN 5 STARS

In addition, Finn, at barious times, was in line for a number of prestigious honors:

• Outside nomination for the Michael L. Printz Award
• Consideration for Booklist's Editor Choice Awards
• Nomination for the National Book Award
• Nomination for the NYPL's Young Lion Award
• Consideration for PEN/Faulkner
• Nomination for YALSA Quick Picks (for reluctant teen readers)
• Nominated to Bookreporter.com by readers as the best book of 2001