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Better Nate Than Ever #3
Nate Expectations
Third time’s a charm! Nate Foster returns home to Jankburg, Pennsylvania, to face his biggest challenge yet—high school—in this final novel in the Lambda Literary Award–winning Nate trilogy, which The New York Times calls “inspired and inspiring.”
When the news hits that E.T.: The Musical wasn’t nominated for a single Tony Award—not one!—the show closes, leaving Nate both out of luck and out of a job. And while Nate’s cast mates are eager to move on (the boy he understudies already landed a role on a TV show!), Nate knows it’s back to square one, also known as Jankburg, Pennsylvania. Where horror (read: high school) awaits.
Desperate to turn his life from flop to fabulous, Nate takes on a huge freshman English project with his BFF, Libby: he’s going to make a musical out of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. (What could possibly go…right?) But when Nate’s New York crush ghosts him, and his grades start to slip, he finds the only thing harder than being on Broadway is being a freshman — especially when you’ve got a secret you’re desperate to sing out about.
This magical conclusion to Tim Federle’s beloved Nate series is a love letter to theater kids young and not-so-young—and for anyone who ever wondered if they could truly go home again. Especially when doing so means facing everything you thought you’d left behind.
When the news hits that E.T.: The Musical wasn’t nominated for a single Tony Award—not one!—the show closes, leaving Nate both out of luck and out of a job. And while Nate’s cast mates are eager to move on (the boy he understudies already landed a role on a TV show!), Nate knows it’s back to square one, also known as Jankburg, Pennsylvania. Where horror (read: high school) awaits.
Desperate to turn his life from flop to fabulous, Nate takes on a huge freshman English project with his BFF, Libby: he’s going to make a musical out of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. (What could possibly go…right?) But when Nate’s New York crush ghosts him, and his grades start to slip, he finds the only thing harder than being on Broadway is being a freshman — especially when you’ve got a secret you’re desperate to sing out about.
This magical conclusion to Tim Federle’s beloved Nate series is a love letter to theater kids young and not-so-young—and for anyone who ever wondered if they could truly go home again. Especially when doing so means facing everything you thought you’d left behind.
254 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2018
19 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
About the author
Tim Federle
18 books701 followersTim Federle is the showrunner and executive producer of "High School Musical: the Musical: the Series," which he created for Disney+. His novels include the New York Times Notable Book "Better Nate Than Ever" and its Lambda Literature Award–winning sequel—which Lin-Manuel Miranda called “a wonderful evocation of what it’s like to be a theater kid” (New York Times). A film adaptation of Nate, written and directed by Federle, premiered on Disney+ on April 1, 2022. The film stars Aria Brooks, Joshua Bassett, Lisa Kudrow, and Rueby Wood as Nate.
Tim’s hit series of cocktail recipe books, including "Tequila Mockingbird," have sold over half a million copies worldwide. He cowrote the Broadway musical adaptation of "Tuck Everlasting," and won the Humanitas Prize for cowriting the Golden Globe and Academy Award–nominated Best Animated Feature "Ferdinand," starring John Cena and Kate McKinnon.
A former Broadway dancer, Tim was born in San Francisco, grew up in Pittsburgh, and now divides his time between Los Angeles and the internet.
Tim’s hit series of cocktail recipe books, including "Tequila Mockingbird," have sold over half a million copies worldwide. He cowrote the Broadway musical adaptation of "Tuck Everlasting," and won the Humanitas Prize for cowriting the Golden Globe and Academy Award–nominated Best Animated Feature "Ferdinand," starring John Cena and Kate McKinnon.
A former Broadway dancer, Tim was born in San Francisco, grew up in Pittsburgh, and now divides his time between Los Angeles and the internet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
October 8, 2024
I wasn't sure if the third book in the Nate series would match the charm and joy of the first two.
It took me about a paragraph to realize that yes, it would.
My laughter was non-stop reading this book, and the tears were real.
My only complaint is that the way this book ends seems like a conclusive end to the series, which makes me sad, cuz no more Nate stories. Boo!
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO READ THIS SERIES!
It took me about a paragraph to realize that yes, it would.
My laughter was non-stop reading this book, and the tears were real.
My only complaint is that the way this book ends seems like a conclusive end to the series, which makes me sad, cuz no more Nate stories. Boo!
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO READ THIS SERIES!
July 3, 2018
*i received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I love this series so friggin much and i will never understand why it’s not more popular. If i had a kid, this is a series I’d beg them to read.
I love this series so friggin much and i will never understand why it’s not more popular. If i had a kid, this is a series I’d beg them to read.
November 15, 2018
I'm not ready to say goodbye to Nate; I feel like I've watched him grow up over the course of his three books. The character's voice feels so real to me, and his interactions with his parents, in particular, brought me to tears. If this truly is the end of the series, then Tim Federle certainly ends it on a Broadway-belted high note.
And, duh--listen to the audiobook on this one. ;-P
And, duh--listen to the audiobook on this one. ;-P
July 3, 2019
So after running away from home to audition for E.T.: The Musical in NYC and landing a part in it, the sad news that the show is closing because it didn't get even a single Tony nomination has Nate Foster, now 14, saying goodbye to Broadway, his kinda sorta boyfriend Jordan, and his NYC guardian Aunt Heidi, and heading back to Jankburg, PA and a new high school.
But at least best friend Libby is there and happy to have Nate home again. And to his surprise, Nate isn't the target for bullies that he had been in middle school. Being on Broadway has given him some notoriety and, except for one homophobic name calling, the kids are pretty open and curious about his experience. Too bad the school has cancelled all "arts" classes, tearing down the auditorium to make a lacrosse field.
But that doesn't stop Nate from deciding to be creative for his English teacher, Mr. English, and planning a musical based on Charles Dickens' Great Expectations for his big English project (LOL - I read this my freshman year, too). With Libby's help, posters are made for auditions and lots of kids actually show up. The part of Miss Havisham is promised to shy Paige, the gym coach's niece in exchange for using the gym for the only performance of the Nate's musical.
Nate really throws himself into his production, while trying to keep up a long distance relationship with Jordan, who is part of the cast of a television show. At the same time, Nate meet Ben Mendoza, Mr. English's secret star student. Ben shows up at Nate's auditions, but doesn't want a part, just hangs around, filming stuff on his phone.
To make a musical requires music, so Nate and Libby decide to use some of Mr. English's favorite songs for the cast to lip-sync, song by people like Joni Mitchell, Elvis, Simon and Garfunkel. And it looks like Nate's musical version of Great Expectations is going to happen. And when Ben films the final dress rehearsal and posts it online, it gets so many hits, even Jordan in NYC watches it. Unfortunately, so do some lawyers representing the music Nate plans to use - and sure, he can continue to use those songs by those famous musicians for a mere $25,000 per song. Why? Because a ticket to the musical version of Great Expectations in the gym costs $5.00 and as any blogger knows, if you are making money, you gotta pay for what you use if it belongs to someone else.
It looks like Nate's show won't go on - or will it?
I was actually hoping Federle would write a third Nate book because between Better Nate than Ever and Five, Six, Seven, Nate! I just didn't feel as though Nate's story was over. So I was really happy to see Nate Expectations. Sure, he had a crush on Jordan and there was some kissing backstage, but Nate hadn't officially come out as gay by the time he returns home to Jankburg (well, except to Libby). But that part of Nate's journey is part of the focus in Nate Expectations and Federle does a great job of presenting it. And even though the tackles Nate's coming out, and even though he's a freshman in high school, this is still very much an upper middle grade fiction.
Nate again narrates his story, told in usual first person stream of consciousness that has all the energy, humor and snarkiness of a 14 year old, which can be a lot. I really liked the inclusion of Ben in this book because he's a much nicer kid and a lot more funk than self-centered Jordan. Nate and Ben both come from homes with some parental problems and hit it off almost immediately. I almost wish there were a book about Ben, too, cause I would love to know his whole story.
I don't usually comment on book covers but I was really disappointed by the cover of this book compared to the first two. They were so bright, colorful, and theatrical and this one is really kind of dull.
I love theater and I've been going to see shows on and off broadway since I was in elementary school, so I really enjoyed reading this whole series, even when some of it was funny but a little far-fetched. And I could accept that - after all, Broadway is magical. So if your middle grade readers are looking for an entertaining trilogy this summer, you can't go wrong with the Nate books, especially if they are theater-struck the way Nate and Libby are.
This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This book was an EARC received from EdelweissPlus
But at least best friend Libby is there and happy to have Nate home again. And to his surprise, Nate isn't the target for bullies that he had been in middle school. Being on Broadway has given him some notoriety and, except for one homophobic name calling, the kids are pretty open and curious about his experience. Too bad the school has cancelled all "arts" classes, tearing down the auditorium to make a lacrosse field.
But that doesn't stop Nate from deciding to be creative for his English teacher, Mr. English, and planning a musical based on Charles Dickens' Great Expectations for his big English project (LOL - I read this my freshman year, too). With Libby's help, posters are made for auditions and lots of kids actually show up. The part of Miss Havisham is promised to shy Paige, the gym coach's niece in exchange for using the gym for the only performance of the Nate's musical.
Nate really throws himself into his production, while trying to keep up a long distance relationship with Jordan, who is part of the cast of a television show. At the same time, Nate meet Ben Mendoza, Mr. English's secret star student. Ben shows up at Nate's auditions, but doesn't want a part, just hangs around, filming stuff on his phone.
To make a musical requires music, so Nate and Libby decide to use some of Mr. English's favorite songs for the cast to lip-sync, song by people like Joni Mitchell, Elvis, Simon and Garfunkel. And it looks like Nate's musical version of Great Expectations is going to happen. And when Ben films the final dress rehearsal and posts it online, it gets so many hits, even Jordan in NYC watches it. Unfortunately, so do some lawyers representing the music Nate plans to use - and sure, he can continue to use those songs by those famous musicians for a mere $25,000 per song. Why? Because a ticket to the musical version of Great Expectations in the gym costs $5.00 and as any blogger knows, if you are making money, you gotta pay for what you use if it belongs to someone else.
It looks like Nate's show won't go on - or will it?
I was actually hoping Federle would write a third Nate book because between Better Nate than Ever and Five, Six, Seven, Nate! I just didn't feel as though Nate's story was over. So I was really happy to see Nate Expectations. Sure, he had a crush on Jordan and there was some kissing backstage, but Nate hadn't officially come out as gay by the time he returns home to Jankburg (well, except to Libby). But that part of Nate's journey is part of the focus in Nate Expectations and Federle does a great job of presenting it. And even though the tackles Nate's coming out, and even though he's a freshman in high school, this is still very much an upper middle grade fiction.
Nate again narrates his story, told in usual first person stream of consciousness that has all the energy, humor and snarkiness of a 14 year old, which can be a lot. I really liked the inclusion of Ben in this book because he's a much nicer kid and a lot more funk than self-centered Jordan. Nate and Ben both come from homes with some parental problems and hit it off almost immediately. I almost wish there were a book about Ben, too, cause I would love to know his whole story.
I don't usually comment on book covers but I was really disappointed by the cover of this book compared to the first two. They were so bright, colorful, and theatrical and this one is really kind of dull.
I love theater and I've been going to see shows on and off broadway since I was in elementary school, so I really enjoyed reading this whole series, even when some of it was funny but a little far-fetched. And I could accept that - after all, Broadway is magical. So if your middle grade readers are looking for an entertaining trilogy this summer, you can't go wrong with the Nate books, especially if they are theater-struck the way Nate and Libby are.
This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This book was an EARC received from EdelweissPlus
December 4, 2018
My heart was full when I finished this book, and therefore, this series. It had a satisfying, happy ending, and I think any young theatre geek would enjoy it. I certainly would have then, and I still do now. I am grateful beyond grateful that books like this exist... that kids who don't fit the mold can find books... fulfilling, real-life, happy ending, accepting books... with characters like them. I wish these books would have been around for my friends who took so long to find and to accept themselves because they didn't see anyone around who looked or acted or felt like they did. That's what books are for... to help us see our possible selves and to help us know we're not alone in this world. <3
November 19, 2018
Such a sweet, perfect ending to the Nate trilogy. Our little Natey is growing up! I might have been crying through the last 25 pages...
August 1, 2021
4.5 stars
Super cute book that shows you what life is like for a theatre kid! In this book, Nate comes back from Broadway after ET the Musical doesn't receive any Tony nominations and ends up closing. The school has torn down the auditorium and is replacing art and music with more sports, and his relationship with his parents is pretty much the usual. He is expecting the usual bullying, and lots of grief from the teachers, especially his brother's old coach. Except his English teacher assigns them a Great Expectations presentation where they have to read the book and present it in a creative way and he decides he needs to present Great Expectations in musical form. He teams up with his BFF Libby and everything goes perfectly, right? I love how the more Nate embraces his true self, the more it affects the people around him in a positive way. Libby is the perfect complement to Nate and their efforts end up attracting all the marginalized kids, which is really awesome. Tim Federle does it again and makes me wish I had been a theatre kid in high school! There were some surprises with the adults around him, but my favorites were the English teacher and the Coach. If you haven't read this series yet, you need to read all of them starting with the first one! Each of them are quick reads and so much fun!
Super cute book that shows you what life is like for a theatre kid! In this book, Nate comes back from Broadway after ET the Musical doesn't receive any Tony nominations and ends up closing. The school has torn down the auditorium and is replacing art and music with more sports, and his relationship with his parents is pretty much the usual. He is expecting the usual bullying, and lots of grief from the teachers, especially his brother's old coach. Except his English teacher assigns them a Great Expectations presentation where they have to read the book and present it in a creative way and he decides he needs to present Great Expectations in musical form. He teams up with his BFF Libby and everything goes perfectly, right? I love how the more Nate embraces his true self, the more it affects the people around him in a positive way. Libby is the perfect complement to Nate and their efforts end up attracting all the marginalized kids, which is really awesome. Tim Federle does it again and makes me wish I had been a theatre kid in high school! There were some surprises with the adults around him, but my favorites were the English teacher and the Coach. If you haven't read this series yet, you need to read all of them starting with the first one! Each of them are quick reads and so much fun!
March 10, 2018
Tim Federle has created a third installment to the Better Nate Than Ever series. Nate has returned home now that his time on Broadway is over, and he is attending high school for the first time in his life. Nate decides to create a musical of Dickens's Great Expectations for his English project, and he enlists the help of his new friends in doing so. Meanwhile, his Broadway boyfriend is starring in a television show, and they are attempting a long-distance relationship. Oh, and Nate hasn't come out to his parents yet.
I thought the first book in this series was adorable. This book is also adorable, but it's losing some of that simply because the main character is now in high school. Normally, a book with a main character in high school is considered young adult, but this book still definitely reads like a tween book. Nate has a chatty, stream-of-consciousness narrative voice which can be trying at times if a reader simply wants to know what happened next. The Nate books haven't been popular at my library, but I think that is due to the library's location rather than the writing quality of the books themselves. I recommend this book where the first two in the series are popular, or where a librarian sees the need to add more queer literature to the tween section.
Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: One homophobic slur on Nate's first day at high school
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Edelweiss for the purpose of review.
I thought the first book in this series was adorable. This book is also adorable, but it's losing some of that simply because the main character is now in high school. Normally, a book with a main character in high school is considered young adult, but this book still definitely reads like a tween book. Nate has a chatty, stream-of-consciousness narrative voice which can be trying at times if a reader simply wants to know what happened next. The Nate books haven't been popular at my library, but I think that is due to the library's location rather than the writing quality of the books themselves. I recommend this book where the first two in the series are popular, or where a librarian sees the need to add more queer literature to the tween section.
Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: One homophobic slur on Nate's first day at high school
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Edelweiss for the purpose of review.
October 16, 2018
This is a really sweet and funny ending to this trilogy. <3 Nate!
January 23, 2019
The addition of another book to the Nate series totally surprised me, but a good one. Few middle grade novels click with me, but Federle's series absolutely did for the power of the voice and the humor. Of course, I also loved the heck out of the Broadway setting, which we lose in Nate Expectations. This is a weird series ender because it's in some ways very anti-climactic and maybe shouldn't work but it absolutely does.
At the opening of Nate Expectations, the inevitable happens: E.T. the Musical closes after a brief run on Broadway which fails to earn any Tony nominations. This might be surprising to kids, but honestly the writing was on the wall for this one from the first book. There was noooo way this was actually going to be good, and all the musical dialog ever shared in the books is awful.
For Nate, this certainly is a surprising and crushing development, one that sends him away from Jordan (the boy he's kissing and star of the show) and his aunt Heidi (with whom he had been living in NYC) back to Jankburg, PA. Everything happens so quickly and Nate's depressed to be going back to school, which he doesn't like with people he doesn't like (aside from Libby). He's also not excited about living with his dad again after the freedom and acceptance of the free-spirited, liberal Heidi.
After a Broadway musical, the fact that Nate Expectations centers on Nate's production of a Great Expectations musical as an English project should be seriously anticlimactic. And in some ways it definitely is. Nate Expectations doesn't have the wish fulfillment and big city glam of the first two books. Nate's firmly back in normal life, and the book feels much more realistic. However, the emotional journey of this installment is so strong that it keeps the novel from feeling like an anticlimax. It is in confronting his real life with his new confidence and lessons from New York that Nate truly grows.
There's more adorable m/m middle grade romance, including a homecomingposal that would have made me literally flee in embarrassment. It's super sweet watching Nate's play become a refuge for the nerdy kids of the school. I like, too, that his teacher tells him off for focusing all of his energies on this way overboard project; it's a great microcosm of his journey, in which he's learning to deal with reality over fantasy.
The only thing I didn't like was the fact that the series ends with one of my least favorite tropes: the series is something Nate writes in the series. That's a personal distaste, and certainly there was an awareness to the narration that revealed he was looking back at everything so it's not a huge surprise. I just find that this trope highlights the fictional aspect rather than making it feel more authentic.
At the opening of Nate Expectations, the inevitable happens: E.T. the Musical closes after a brief run on Broadway which fails to earn any Tony nominations. This might be surprising to kids, but honestly the writing was on the wall for this one from the first book. There was noooo way this was actually going to be good, and all the musical dialog ever shared in the books is awful.
For Nate, this certainly is a surprising and crushing development, one that sends him away from Jordan (the boy he's kissing and star of the show) and his aunt Heidi (with whom he had been living in NYC) back to Jankburg, PA. Everything happens so quickly and Nate's depressed to be going back to school, which he doesn't like with people he doesn't like (aside from Libby). He's also not excited about living with his dad again after the freedom and acceptance of the free-spirited, liberal Heidi.
After a Broadway musical, the fact that Nate Expectations centers on Nate's production of a Great Expectations musical as an English project should be seriously anticlimactic. And in some ways it definitely is. Nate Expectations doesn't have the wish fulfillment and big city glam of the first two books. Nate's firmly back in normal life, and the book feels much more realistic. However, the emotional journey of this installment is so strong that it keeps the novel from feeling like an anticlimax. It is in confronting his real life with his new confidence and lessons from New York that Nate truly grows.
There's more adorable m/m middle grade romance, including a homecomingposal that would have made me literally flee in embarrassment. It's super sweet watching Nate's play become a refuge for the nerdy kids of the school. I like, too, that his teacher tells him off for focusing all of his energies on this way overboard project; it's a great microcosm of his journey, in which he's learning to deal with reality over fantasy.
The only thing I didn't like was the fact that the series ends with one of my least favorite tropes: the series is something Nate writes in the series. That's a personal distaste, and certainly there was an awareness to the narration that revealed he was looking back at everything so it's not a huge surprise. I just find that this trope highlights the fictional aspect rather than making it feel more authentic.
July 19, 2019
Not on the level of the first 2 books ... but a fun & entertaining wrapup to the trilogy, nonetheless!
May 17, 2021
this is the thrid time that i am trying to write this review because everytime that i start writing i just have to stop and cry a little bit. that's what this book did to me.
technically it's not a sad book, but everything about it it's so perfect in a way that just makes me want to lay in my bed and cry (of happiness!!!) because this book is everything i KNEW i needed it but i thought i would never have.
nate is probably one of my favorite main characters ever: he is charismatic, funny, and he tells things in a way that makes you feel like you're talking with your best friend. sometimes i just wanted to go inside the book and give him a hug becausec he is so amazing and it hurted so much seeing how bad people treated him just because he choose to be himself even when everyone else always told him not to.
the first two books we're amazing, i loved follow nate's journey chansing his dream and then his journey during his dream. in this book nate is back home and things are different because now he is a broadway star and suddenly people aren't mean with him anymore and this is something so unusual for him that he barely know how to act.
"This isn’t how coming home was supposed to feel. I was all prepped to be hated. My armor was up for that. I know how to struggle through the feeling of being the underdog. I don’t have enough practice at being liked"
i loved the new characters and i loved even more the fact that, after all the hate that nate recevied from people for being who he was, he created a space safe for people just like him and found people that loved him for being exactly who he is. and also i love ben with all my heart.
i don't think i could ever be able to express how this book (the whole trilogy, actually) means to me, i just know that it helped me feel less alone and showed me that sometimes all you have to do is keep fighting for what you believe because, even if everything sucks, things will eventually get better.
technically it's not a sad book, but everything about it it's so perfect in a way that just makes me want to lay in my bed and cry (of happiness!!!) because this book is everything i KNEW i needed it but i thought i would never have.
nate is probably one of my favorite main characters ever: he is charismatic, funny, and he tells things in a way that makes you feel like you're talking with your best friend. sometimes i just wanted to go inside the book and give him a hug becausec he is so amazing and it hurted so much seeing how bad people treated him just because he choose to be himself even when everyone else always told him not to.
the first two books we're amazing, i loved follow nate's journey chansing his dream and then his journey during his dream. in this book nate is back home and things are different because now he is a broadway star and suddenly people aren't mean with him anymore and this is something so unusual for him that he barely know how to act.
"This isn’t how coming home was supposed to feel. I was all prepped to be hated. My armor was up for that. I know how to struggle through the feeling of being the underdog. I don’t have enough practice at being liked"
i loved the new characters and i loved even more the fact that, after all the hate that nate recevied from people for being who he was, he created a space safe for people just like him and found people that loved him for being exactly who he is. and also i love ben with all my heart.
i don't think i could ever be able to express how this book (the whole trilogy, actually) means to me, i just know that it helped me feel less alone and showed me that sometimes all you have to do is keep fighting for what you believe because, even if everything sucks, things will eventually get better.
April 10, 2022
Perhaps with a little distance, I'll enjoy this book more - I spent a lot of it sad about what it chose to be, instead of savouring what it was and wanted to say.
Which, if you end up reading this book, you'll realise is a pretty apt description of the predicament Nate finds himself in, now that his first Broadway show has closed and he's back home and in high school, in the town where he was bullied and never felt quite able to be himself.
I think, having read the second book right before this one, I'd been hoping that we would get to see more of Nate and his first boyfriend, Jordan. The way their relationship plays out in this book felt disappointing to me - maybe because I found Jordan far more interesting than this third book has decided he is.
Putting that aside, I enjoyed a lot of what happens here, even if the writing continues to zip along at an intensely frenetic pace. The two people who enter and change Nate's life and perspective - Ben Mendoza and Mr. English - are lovingly drawn, and I'm glad we leave Nate in a better, stronger place than we found him three books ago.
Which, if you end up reading this book, you'll realise is a pretty apt description of the predicament Nate finds himself in, now that his first Broadway show has closed and he's back home and in high school, in the town where he was bullied and never felt quite able to be himself.
I think, having read the second book right before this one, I'd been hoping that we would get to see more of Nate and his first boyfriend, Jordan. The way their relationship plays out in this book felt disappointing to me - maybe because I found Jordan far more interesting than this third book has decided he is.
Putting that aside, I enjoyed a lot of what happens here, even if the writing continues to zip along at an intensely frenetic pace. The two people who enter and change Nate's life and perspective - Ben Mendoza and Mr. English - are lovingly drawn, and I'm glad we leave Nate in a better, stronger place than we found him three books ago.
April 8, 2019
Nate has loved everything about being on Broadway, but when his show closes, he must return to the Pittsburgh suburbs his family calls home. He dreads attending public high school, but is surprised to find that it’s not quite what he expected. His Broadway experience seems to have given him a certain amount of... could it be? ... popularity? As he attempts to stage an ambitious musical version of Great Expectations with the help of long-time bestie Libby, he starts to worry that his secret New York City boyfriend is pulling away from him.
A fun ending to Federle’s Nate series. Though Nate is a little older than he was in the first book, the tone and content are still appropriate for upper elementary and middle school readers. I thought the character development was lacking a bit, especially concerning a certain new relationship, where I just didn’t feel any emotional connection. Still, I’d recommend this to readers who enjoyed the first two books.
A fun ending to Federle’s Nate series. Though Nate is a little older than he was in the first book, the tone and content are still appropriate for upper elementary and middle school readers. I thought the character development was lacking a bit, especially concerning a certain new relationship, where I just didn’t feel any emotional connection. Still, I’d recommend this to readers who enjoyed the first two books.
October 16, 2019
Yes, this book is found in the section where my niece buys her books, but I don’t care! Tim Federle is a great author and the Nate series is so enjoyable. Kids are lucky to have books like these available to them now, and adults are, as well!
July 20, 2018
In this final book in the Nate Foster trilogy, Nate finds himself back home in Pennsylvania, but his return is not quite what he expected or feared. It proves that you can take the boy out of Broadway, but you can't take Broadway out of the boy. Highly recommended for fans of the series, which should be mandatory reading for musical theater buffs. For grades 5 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
March 3, 2019
Nate is seriously the best. I love this series! 100% relatable teen angst with many fully developed characters and all different kinds of parents, just like real life. So good!
June 14, 2019
I think this was my fave of the three and I love the ending tbh. Just such a fun and cute series
August 5, 2019
This series is great on audio.
June 19, 2021
This book really suffers by being the third in the Nate series, as opposed to a standalone. As a standalone story about a boy coming into his own and bringing a small community together through theatre, it’s actually very charming. But it really serves to cheapen the entire Nate series – “Remember how we spent two books with Nate achieving his dream of being on Broadway? Forget that. Remember the really sweet romance with Jordan? Forget that. Remember all the lovable characters from the first two books? Forget them.” Other than Nate having some experience on Broadway he can reference, it’s as if the first two books never happened.
Federle also tells us instead of showing us about how the scrappy bunch of kids became a family by putting on a show together – at one point, you turn the page and he’s all like “Oh, look, the kids all love each other and became a family.” The part where they grow close is the ENTIRE POINT of heart-warming stories about putting on a musical, not an afterthought! Federle clearly understands this in his writing for HSM:TM:TS, so maybe this book was him working out his kinks.
This book is also filled with really short chapters – a page or two – that almost seem like vignettes, without really building up any scenes – it made for a very choppy reading experience. And the ending, where an English teacher tells our protagonist to write their life story, which is the books we’ve been reading… that is so hackneyed my eyes nearly rolled out of my head.
As for the positive: this book wears its heart on its sleeve, and is really quite charming. Nate’s parents are really great in their own gruff way, and the gym coach is a really great against-type character. I think this book would be a lovely wish-fulfillment book for a lot of Nate-like kids in Jankburg, PA, and for that it should be applauded.
Federle also tells us instead of showing us about how the scrappy bunch of kids became a family by putting on a show together – at one point, you turn the page and he’s all like “Oh, look, the kids all love each other and became a family.” The part where they grow close is the ENTIRE POINT of heart-warming stories about putting on a musical, not an afterthought! Federle clearly understands this in his writing for HSM:TM:TS, so maybe this book was him working out his kinks.
This book is also filled with really short chapters – a page or two – that almost seem like vignettes, without really building up any scenes – it made for a very choppy reading experience. And the ending, where an English teacher tells our protagonist to write their life story, which is the books we’ve been reading… that is so hackneyed my eyes nearly rolled out of my head.
As for the positive: this book wears its heart on its sleeve, and is really quite charming. Nate’s parents are really great in their own gruff way, and the gym coach is a really great against-type character. I think this book would be a lovely wish-fulfillment book for a lot of Nate-like kids in Jankburg, PA, and for that it should be applauded.
September 18, 2018
Loved it! Excellent way to end the series, but I am also holding out the hope that he will decide to keep Nate Foster's story going!
November 13, 2018
I have one (1) wish in life and that is to hug Nate Foster.
Like, I know I've said this in all three of the reviews for Nate's books but that is THE most present emotion I get from these. I just really, really want to hug Nate. Is that too much to ask?
He has grown up so much throughout the series and Im so freaking proud of him.
I just hope all those poor college students who saw me, earbuds in, either sobbing or laughing out loud as I walked around campus on my way to class didn't get too concerned. I'm fine. Really.
This was just exactly what I needed right now. Hearing Nate's voice again is like listening to a really good friend you haven't talked to in a while. And honestly? It was a healing experience.
Highly recommend the audiobook. The books in general too, of course, but definitely one of the best audiobooks.
Man, I love Nate.
Like, I know I've said this in all three of the reviews for Nate's books but that is THE most present emotion I get from these. I just really, really want to hug Nate. Is that too much to ask?
He has grown up so much throughout the series and Im so freaking proud of him.
I just hope all those poor college students who saw me, earbuds in, either sobbing or laughing out loud as I walked around campus on my way to class didn't get too concerned. I'm fine. Really.
This was just exactly what I needed right now. Hearing Nate's voice again is like listening to a really good friend you haven't talked to in a while. And honestly? It was a healing experience.
Highly recommend the audiobook. The books in general too, of course, but definitely one of the best audiobooks.
Man, I love Nate.
July 6, 2025
Fans of the first two Nate books, who are willing to employ some suspension of disbelief (the part with the lawyers was hard to believe), should be satisfied with Nate Expectations. I would have liked more closure to what's going on between Nate and Jordan, though.
EDIT: It also seemed weird how, after spending two books mentioning how the kids at his school constantly bullied Nate and called him homophobic slurs, Nate was completely accepted at high school and there was zero drama when he was outed (by a large group of kids orchestrating him a date to the school homecoming dance, no less). Like, it's nice to not have to read about more homophobia, yeah, but it seemed like the author was really hand-waving away the past two books.
EDIT: It also seemed weird how, after spending two books mentioning how the kids at his school constantly bullied Nate and called him homophobic slurs, Nate was completely accepted at high school and there was zero drama when he was outed (by a large group of kids orchestrating him a date to the school homecoming dance, no less). Like, it's nice to not have to read about more homophobia, yeah, but it seemed like the author was really hand-waving away the past two books.
August 4, 2018
I just, can't resist anything about Nate. But the true hero here might be the Coach, for loving his theater dork niece so much. And Libby, for being the best.
April 13, 2022
STARTING OVER AT FOURTEEN
Nate Expectations (2018) is a fine successor to Federle’s first two books in his Nate Foster series. In the
first book, Better Nate Than Ever (2013), a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a Stonewall Book Awards Honor Book, thirteen-year-old Nate Foster tells us that musical comedy has been a “magical escape” from the bullying that he has experienced all his life. He dreams that the theater could be his “one-shot” ticket out of Jankburg, Pennsylvania. Encouraged by his best friend Libby, Nate boards a bus to New York City to audition for E.T.: The Musical, a new Broadway show.
In Five, Six, Seven, Nate! (2014), the second book, which won a Lambda Literary Award, Nate is cast as the second—the second!—understudy for the part of E.T. Then, through fortuitous circumstances, he is given the lead role of Elliott to perform at matinees. Nate’s dream has come true. But when E.T.: The Musical doesn’t receive a Tony nomination, the producers decide to close the show. Nate has no choice but to return to Jankburg—and high school.
So, in Nate Expectations, Nate Foster finds himself starting over in life—at the ripe old age of fourteen! He has had adventures in New York that his classmates could never imagine. He has matured since he took that bus from Jankburg to Broadway. The first two Nate Foster stories were written for middle school readers. Nate Expectations ventures into young adult territory. (In between the second and third Nate Foster books, Tim Federle published a bona fide young adult novel, The Great American Whatever (2016)). On his first day as a freshman, when someone calls him a fag, he thinks, “Oh, there’s the word I was expecting! I am home!”
In the previous stories, when Nate made a “gay” reference, it was muted and almost like a throwaway line. Early in Nate Expectations, Nate observes, “Coming out is weird.” When Ben Mendoza, a classmate, expresses interest in Nate, he candidly says, “I know how to struggle through the feeling of being the underdog. I don’t have enough practice at being liked.” Nate is learning to become himself.
When Nate’s English teacher assigns the class to come up with “unique” reports on Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Nate ambitiously creates a musical version of the novel. He finds that writing, casting, and directing his musical—with Libby producing, of course!—reflects in many way his experiences with E.T.: The Musical. I can’t say more for fear of giving away spoilers. I’ll just say that show business is pretty much the same whether on Broadway or in a small-town high school.
Later in the novel, Nate’s supportive English teacher says to him, “I want you to write yourself out of this place.” He tells Nate to write the story of the day he was born. “Like, the day I count as when I finally became myself?” Nate asks him. Nate jumps at the opportunity to write more than the fifty words he was allowed for his E.T. program bio to describe his life “spent hiding from bullies in bathroom stalls.” He decides to title his story Better Nate Than Ever.
A fine movie was made of Becky Abertalli’s young adult novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. If Simon Spiers can have his own movie, Nate Foster deserves a movie, too. The beautiful, crazy scene in which Ben Mendoza asks Nate to go to Homecoming with him would be worth the price of admission. Clever dialogue from the Nate Foster books, as well as Nate’s many sharp-witted wisecracks, would provide a ready-made script for a movie.
Tim Federle’s perceptive writing chronicles the ups, downs, lulls, and surprises of young Nate Foster’s life. Federle rousingly conveys Nate’s enthusiasm for the theater. Queer—and straight—middle and high school readers will be able to identify with Nate and his dreams. Adult readers who are musical comedy fans—and even those who aren’t—will also enjoy the Nate Foster stories. Maybe Tim Federle will revisit Nate Foster when Nate is a new adult.
Nate Expectations (2018) is a fine successor to Federle’s first two books in his Nate Foster series. In the
first book, Better Nate Than Ever (2013), a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a Stonewall Book Awards Honor Book, thirteen-year-old Nate Foster tells us that musical comedy has been a “magical escape” from the bullying that he has experienced all his life. He dreams that the theater could be his “one-shot” ticket out of Jankburg, Pennsylvania. Encouraged by his best friend Libby, Nate boards a bus to New York City to audition for E.T.: The Musical, a new Broadway show.
In Five, Six, Seven, Nate! (2014), the second book, which won a Lambda Literary Award, Nate is cast as the second—the second!—understudy for the part of E.T. Then, through fortuitous circumstances, he is given the lead role of Elliott to perform at matinees. Nate’s dream has come true. But when E.T.: The Musical doesn’t receive a Tony nomination, the producers decide to close the show. Nate has no choice but to return to Jankburg—and high school.
So, in Nate Expectations, Nate Foster finds himself starting over in life—at the ripe old age of fourteen! He has had adventures in New York that his classmates could never imagine. He has matured since he took that bus from Jankburg to Broadway. The first two Nate Foster stories were written for middle school readers. Nate Expectations ventures into young adult territory. (In between the second and third Nate Foster books, Tim Federle published a bona fide young adult novel, The Great American Whatever (2016)). On his first day as a freshman, when someone calls him a fag, he thinks, “Oh, there’s the word I was expecting! I am home!”
In the previous stories, when Nate made a “gay” reference, it was muted and almost like a throwaway line. Early in Nate Expectations, Nate observes, “Coming out is weird.” When Ben Mendoza, a classmate, expresses interest in Nate, he candidly says, “I know how to struggle through the feeling of being the underdog. I don’t have enough practice at being liked.” Nate is learning to become himself.
When Nate’s English teacher assigns the class to come up with “unique” reports on Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Nate ambitiously creates a musical version of the novel. He finds that writing, casting, and directing his musical—with Libby producing, of course!—reflects in many way his experiences with E.T.: The Musical. I can’t say more for fear of giving away spoilers. I’ll just say that show business is pretty much the same whether on Broadway or in a small-town high school.
Later in the novel, Nate’s supportive English teacher says to him, “I want you to write yourself out of this place.” He tells Nate to write the story of the day he was born. “Like, the day I count as when I finally became myself?” Nate asks him. Nate jumps at the opportunity to write more than the fifty words he was allowed for his E.T. program bio to describe his life “spent hiding from bullies in bathroom stalls.” He decides to title his story Better Nate Than Ever.
A fine movie was made of Becky Abertalli’s young adult novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. If Simon Spiers can have his own movie, Nate Foster deserves a movie, too. The beautiful, crazy scene in which Ben Mendoza asks Nate to go to Homecoming with him would be worth the price of admission. Clever dialogue from the Nate Foster books, as well as Nate’s many sharp-witted wisecracks, would provide a ready-made script for a movie.
Tim Federle’s perceptive writing chronicles the ups, downs, lulls, and surprises of young Nate Foster’s life. Federle rousingly conveys Nate’s enthusiasm for the theater. Queer—and straight—middle and high school readers will be able to identify with Nate and his dreams. Adult readers who are musical comedy fans—and even those who aren’t—will also enjoy the Nate Foster stories. Maybe Tim Federle will revisit Nate Foster when Nate is a new adult.
May 14, 2025
I had loved the previous two books in the Better Nate than Ever series so I was so happy when I found a copy of Nate Expectations in a local charity shop - I hadn’t known there was a third one in the series. I always love it when fate gives you a little bit of happiness.
I don’t know what it was but when I first began Nate Expectations, I struggled to get lost in the book and Nate came across as whiny and a little arrogant and self-absorbed which made me sad. I’m so glad I took a day off from it, reminding myself that I had really enjoyed the previous two and I wanted to know how Nate’s story would come to an end. That was the key and I spent the next day chuckling at the author’s ability to breathe life into the cast of characters, especially Nate’s best friend Libby.
We start at the end of Nate’s run on Broadway when unsurprisingly E.T. the Musical run had come to an absent end, which to anyone reading it whether young or old, will not come as a surprise. I loved how Nate however was amazed at this revelation, and it had me giggling because I cannot imagine anything so bad as a musical adaptation of this classic eighties movie. (I love E.T. btw.) Saying goodbye to not only his dreams but also the boy he’s been kissing and an Aunt who Nate’s grown close to is hard as is the adjustment to normal school for the young dreamer. I liked how you see these moments of realism for Nate because he’s got to live a life few ever accomplish and showing the small moments of day to day life he now has to adapt to in his hometown is well-written. From I imagine tutors to full-time school and all that involves for Nate is hard and his charm offensive and the ‘norm’ of talking to adults as if he’s equal won’t work - his inner monologue had me laughing out loud because he knows he can’t say what he wants.
The core part of the story is as the title may explain, Nate deciding to use his skills to bring Great Expectations to the stage as a musical in a bid to win over the English teacher who wants something different from his pupils. Once again, I couldn’t imagine how an adaptation of such a dark and often maudlin book could work but Nate is indeed a dreamer (and perhaps a little too arrogant at times) and he is convinced he can do it with help from Libby. With a cast of self-proclaimed nerds, the niece of the gym teacher who is a theatre kid in a school where the arts are lost in favour of sports and a boy who initially seems disinterested and the polar opposite of the vivacious Nate? Great Expectations slowly begins to take shape against all the odds…
It’s not just a story of the theatre kid fighting for success, and perhaps a B+ as a mark in English, but of Nate himself growing up and seeing he’s worthy of more in general, especially in regards to kissing boys. I think the reader sees the writing on the wall of Nate and the star of E.T, Jordan’s ‘relationship’ long before he does and I wanted to reach into the book and give him a good shake. He’s the boy that was there rather than the boy who is wanted and it’s sad to see - Nate deserves much more and slowly we get to see him grow and see that the grass can indeed be better on the other side.
I’m so glad I got to read this final book in the series, it came together in such a lovely way and it felt like we had gone on the journey to and from New York with Nate and we got to see him realise he’s not just the theatre kid. He’s a good friend, perhaps a boyfriend and can stand tall on his own and with those who love him all around.
I don’t know what it was but when I first began Nate Expectations, I struggled to get lost in the book and Nate came across as whiny and a little arrogant and self-absorbed which made me sad. I’m so glad I took a day off from it, reminding myself that I had really enjoyed the previous two and I wanted to know how Nate’s story would come to an end. That was the key and I spent the next day chuckling at the author’s ability to breathe life into the cast of characters, especially Nate’s best friend Libby.
We start at the end of Nate’s run on Broadway when unsurprisingly E.T. the Musical run had come to an absent end, which to anyone reading it whether young or old, will not come as a surprise. I loved how Nate however was amazed at this revelation, and it had me giggling because I cannot imagine anything so bad as a musical adaptation of this classic eighties movie. (I love E.T. btw.) Saying goodbye to not only his dreams but also the boy he’s been kissing and an Aunt who Nate’s grown close to is hard as is the adjustment to normal school for the young dreamer. I liked how you see these moments of realism for Nate because he’s got to live a life few ever accomplish and showing the small moments of day to day life he now has to adapt to in his hometown is well-written. From I imagine tutors to full-time school and all that involves for Nate is hard and his charm offensive and the ‘norm’ of talking to adults as if he’s equal won’t work - his inner monologue had me laughing out loud because he knows he can’t say what he wants.
The core part of the story is as the title may explain, Nate deciding to use his skills to bring Great Expectations to the stage as a musical in a bid to win over the English teacher who wants something different from his pupils. Once again, I couldn’t imagine how an adaptation of such a dark and often maudlin book could work but Nate is indeed a dreamer (and perhaps a little too arrogant at times) and he is convinced he can do it with help from Libby. With a cast of self-proclaimed nerds, the niece of the gym teacher who is a theatre kid in a school where the arts are lost in favour of sports and a boy who initially seems disinterested and the polar opposite of the vivacious Nate? Great Expectations slowly begins to take shape against all the odds…
It’s not just a story of the theatre kid fighting for success, and perhaps a B+ as a mark in English, but of Nate himself growing up and seeing he’s worthy of more in general, especially in regards to kissing boys. I think the reader sees the writing on the wall of Nate and the star of E.T, Jordan’s ‘relationship’ long before he does and I wanted to reach into the book and give him a good shake. He’s the boy that was there rather than the boy who is wanted and it’s sad to see - Nate deserves much more and slowly we get to see him grow and see that the grass can indeed be better on the other side.
I’m so glad I got to read this final book in the series, it came together in such a lovely way and it felt like we had gone on the journey to and from New York with Nate and we got to see him realise he’s not just the theatre kid. He’s a good friend, perhaps a boyfriend and can stand tall on his own and with those who love him all around.
October 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this whole trilogy (which I listened to on audio back to back) and thought this was a really perfect ending to the story. As a now grown up theatre kid I related to Nate so much reflecting back on my own childhood and dreams.
I’m not going to rehash the story here, but I did have one issue with this installment in the series - there were a number of discrepancies in timeline and moments mentioned in this book compared to the other books. In no particular order:
1. The biggest and most glaring: In book two Nate moves to NY and begins rehearsals shortly after New Years. With previews beginning 5 weeks later and an opening night in late February/early March. in Chapter 3 of this book nate says it’s been “three whole months...” of doing the show. Tony nominations are announced (happens annually at the end of April with the awards at the beginning of June) every year (don’t challenge a theatre nerd on Tony timeline. But at the beginning of that chapter he says it’s August, describes how hot it is, and comments on Aunt Heidi’s “summer scarf”. When they announce that evening the show will close in a few weeks, Nate travels home to PA when the show closes and starts school only two weeks late (so the beginning of September).
2. In this book, Nate mentions the Lucky rabbit foot Jordan gives him as a gift to replace the one Libby gave him that he took on his audition and lost on the bus ride home. 2 things: 1. at the end of book 1 it’s inferred that Nate drives home with his Mom. 2. At the beginning of book 2 Nate gives Libby the (original) lucky rabbit foot back so she can have good luck with her mom before he leaves for New York - then at the end of book 2, Libby brings the rabbit foot back to New York and it’s described as falling into the pillows on Heidi’s futon.
3. In book 1 Nate says his parents are away for a few days because his dad was making up for having an affair. The affair is mentioned two or three times. They never mention it in this book and Nate even asks his mom “Has Dad ever hurt you? And how did you forgive him?” Clearly he knows about the affair so why word it that way?
4. This last one I’m having trouble locating the exact wording so I might have misheard it: There’s a part where Nate mentions spending the better part of a decade in Libby’s house, but in book one He says Libby has been his friend since moving to Janksburg 2 and a half years prior to the year before this book takes place.
I’m not going to rehash the story here, but I did have one issue with this installment in the series - there were a number of discrepancies in timeline and moments mentioned in this book compared to the other books. In no particular order:
1. The biggest and most glaring: In book two Nate moves to NY and begins rehearsals shortly after New Years. With previews beginning 5 weeks later and an opening night in late February/early March. in Chapter 3 of this book nate says it’s been “three whole months...” of doing the show. Tony nominations are announced (happens annually at the end of April with the awards at the beginning of June) every year (don’t challenge a theatre nerd on Tony timeline. But at the beginning of that chapter he says it’s August, describes how hot it is, and comments on Aunt Heidi’s “summer scarf”. When they announce that evening the show will close in a few weeks, Nate travels home to PA when the show closes and starts school only two weeks late (so the beginning of September).
2. In this book, Nate mentions the Lucky rabbit foot Jordan gives him as a gift to replace the one Libby gave him that he took on his audition and lost on the bus ride home. 2 things: 1. at the end of book 1 it’s inferred that Nate drives home with his Mom. 2. At the beginning of book 2 Nate gives Libby the (original) lucky rabbit foot back so she can have good luck with her mom before he leaves for New York - then at the end of book 2, Libby brings the rabbit foot back to New York and it’s described as falling into the pillows on Heidi’s futon.
3. In book 1 Nate says his parents are away for a few days because his dad was making up for having an affair. The affair is mentioned two or three times. They never mention it in this book and Nate even asks his mom “Has Dad ever hurt you? And how did you forgive him?” Clearly he knows about the affair so why word it that way?
4. This last one I’m having trouble locating the exact wording so I might have misheard it: There’s a part where Nate mentions spending the better part of a decade in Libby’s house, but in book one He says Libby has been his friend since moving to Janksburg 2 and a half years prior to the year before this book takes place.
May 12, 2022
Debo decir que cuando terminé hace unos días Five, Six, Seven, Nate! quise inmediatamente ver la trama de este libro y en ese momento odié a Tim Federle, por destruir todo lo que construyó al final de la anterior novela. No estaba seguro de querer leer esta, pero una vez lo hice, terminé dándome cuenta de que todo lo que autor hizo fue para mejor.
Al final de la anterior novela Nate Foster estaba en la cima de su vida: su sueño de triunfar en Broadway se había convertido en realidad, acaba de entenderse mejor con respecto a su orientación sexual y al final había conocido a alguien especial. Pero al comenzar este libro todo se va a la basura cuando el musical de E.T. no recibe ninguna nominación al Tony y es cancelado. Por esto, Nate se ve obligado a volver a su ciudad natal, el lugar desde donde quería escapar.
La historia no le da mucho tiempo a Nate para sentirse desgraciado por sí mismo, algo que agradezco. Pronto lo lanza a su nuevo proyecto y pone al chico de pie de nuevo, preparando una versión musical del libro Grandes Expectativas de Charles Dickens. Con la ayuda de Libby, su eterna compinche, ambos montarán una versión musical que comienza como un pequeño proyecto para la escuela, pero que crece hasta convertirse en una experiencia catártica para Nate.
Siento que la historia progresa naturalmente. Si los dos primeros libros era sobre Nate buscando el estrellato, este libro nos demuestra que no era más que una excusa para escapar de la vida en su ciudad natal, de la mala relación con sus padres y su hermano, del bullying y de sentirse menospreciado. La historia nos mostrará que el mayor obstáculo de Nate no es conseguir un papel en Broadway, sino el entender cual es su lugar en el mundo y como quiere que sean sus relaciones familiares. Una de las cosas que critiqué del libro anterior fue que ignoraron en gran parte las temáticas familiares de Nate, y es que claramente era para poder explorarla aquí. Aunque quedé al debe con un momento de Nate y su hermano Anthony.
Otra cosa es la historia romántica. Al final del libro anterior consiguió una pareja que me terminó gustando, aunque de buenas primeras no la esperaba. En ese libro Federle destruye esa relación y yo odié eso. Pero luego entendí que era necesario, para que Nate madurara, para que se diera cuenta de lo que vale y fuera capaz de seguir adelante.
Nate Expectations es una novela acerca de encontrar tu lugar en el mundo, de ser capaz de adaptarte, mejorar y no quedarse en un pasado de sueños, sino de aprender a forjar tu camino cada día. Es un broche de oro para terminar una saga que se ganó mi corazón desde el primer momento, pero que con este final se ha transformado en una de mis trilogías favoritas.
Al final de la anterior novela Nate Foster estaba en la cima de su vida: su sueño de triunfar en Broadway se había convertido en realidad, acaba de entenderse mejor con respecto a su orientación sexual y al final había conocido a alguien especial. Pero al comenzar este libro todo se va a la basura cuando el musical de E.T. no recibe ninguna nominación al Tony y es cancelado. Por esto, Nate se ve obligado a volver a su ciudad natal, el lugar desde donde quería escapar.
La historia no le da mucho tiempo a Nate para sentirse desgraciado por sí mismo, algo que agradezco. Pronto lo lanza a su nuevo proyecto y pone al chico de pie de nuevo, preparando una versión musical del libro Grandes Expectativas de Charles Dickens. Con la ayuda de Libby, su eterna compinche, ambos montarán una versión musical que comienza como un pequeño proyecto para la escuela, pero que crece hasta convertirse en una experiencia catártica para Nate.
Siento que la historia progresa naturalmente. Si los dos primeros libros era sobre Nate buscando el estrellato, este libro nos demuestra que no era más que una excusa para escapar de la vida en su ciudad natal, de la mala relación con sus padres y su hermano, del bullying y de sentirse menospreciado. La historia nos mostrará que el mayor obstáculo de Nate no es conseguir un papel en Broadway, sino el entender cual es su lugar en el mundo y como quiere que sean sus relaciones familiares. Una de las cosas que critiqué del libro anterior fue que ignoraron en gran parte las temáticas familiares de Nate, y es que claramente era para poder explorarla aquí. Aunque quedé al debe con un momento de Nate y su hermano Anthony.
Otra cosa es la historia romántica. Al final del libro anterior consiguió una pareja que me terminó gustando, aunque de buenas primeras no la esperaba. En ese libro Federle destruye esa relación y yo odié eso. Pero luego entendí que era necesario, para que Nate madurara, para que se diera cuenta de lo que vale y fuera capaz de seguir adelante.
Nate Expectations es una novela acerca de encontrar tu lugar en el mundo, de ser capaz de adaptarte, mejorar y no quedarse en un pasado de sueños, sino de aprender a forjar tu camino cada día. Es un broche de oro para terminar una saga que se ganó mi corazón desde el primer momento, pero que con este final se ha transformado en una de mis trilogías favoritas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2023
Satisfying ending to the series. Nate and his friends have a new challenge.
What I liked: HS is better than MS and this story demonstrates this in a wonderful way. Nate's relationship with his parents and his aunt are both much better in this book. His idea to adapt Great Expectations for a project is a really good one and his teacher plays along in a wonderful way. The side characters and new love interest are all sweet. Oh! and they fixed the thing from the first book and say "sitting cross-legged." whew. The idea to have the cast sing pop songs instead of originals was perfect.
What I didn't: at the end of everything, after all the literal drama Nate should have had more to turn in for his project. A copy of the adapted script or even more minimally, the list of scenes from the book they dramatized, stage directions, production notes, anything more than two pages of notes. Spoiler Alert for this and 5, 6, 7, Nate: Nate's relationships/crushes. Yes, Jordan was distracted and kinda full of himself, but Nate also didn't seem interested in Jordan at all. He didn't care that his tv character was killed - not even a "does this mean you're done on the show?" Nate turned his phone off instead of engaging with Jordan after the national lie and while yes, of course Nate was rightfully upset, ghosting someone is never the healthy response. Follow-up, at the very end Nate is proud of himself for not responding to Jordan's text "for the first time ever" but literally didn't respond weeks ago during the previous crisis. Nate's self-centeredness continues with the long-suffering Sam. While I'm happy they're going to homecoming together, Sam deserved more than Nate avoiding the amazing proposal for over 24 excruciating hours.
Neutral: It's fun to note that my sense of the year in "Better Nate than Ever" was somewhere between 2007-2010, which I could be wrong, but the book was published in 2013 so it's not a huge stretch to imagine the first draft settling into that time. This book is set a year later but also post-Hamilton. While Hamilton should be acknowledged by theater geeks everywhere, a book taking place a year after the first 2013 book, even if that book is set in 2013, would not know about Hamilton. Didn't bother me enough to make it a negative, just an observation.
What I liked: HS is better than MS and this story demonstrates this in a wonderful way. Nate's relationship with his parents and his aunt are both much better in this book. His idea to adapt Great Expectations for a project is a really good one and his teacher plays along in a wonderful way. The side characters and new love interest are all sweet. Oh! and they fixed the thing from the first book and say "sitting cross-legged." whew. The idea to have the cast sing pop songs instead of originals was perfect.
What I didn't: at the end of everything, after all the literal drama Nate should have had more to turn in for his project. A copy of the adapted script or even more minimally, the list of scenes from the book they dramatized, stage directions, production notes, anything more than two pages of notes. Spoiler Alert for this and 5, 6, 7, Nate: Nate's relationships/crushes. Yes, Jordan was distracted and kinda full of himself, but Nate also didn't seem interested in Jordan at all. He didn't care that his tv character was killed - not even a "does this mean you're done on the show?" Nate turned his phone off instead of engaging with Jordan after the national lie and while yes, of course Nate was rightfully upset, ghosting someone is never the healthy response. Follow-up, at the very end Nate is proud of himself for not responding to Jordan's text "for the first time ever" but literally didn't respond weeks ago during the previous crisis. Nate's self-centeredness continues with the long-suffering Sam. While I'm happy they're going to homecoming together, Sam deserved more than Nate avoiding the amazing proposal for over 24 excruciating hours.
Neutral: It's fun to note that my sense of the year in "Better Nate than Ever" was somewhere between 2007-2010, which I could be wrong, but the book was published in 2013 so it's not a huge stretch to imagine the first draft settling into that time. This book is set a year later but also post-Hamilton. While Hamilton should be acknowledged by theater geeks everywhere, a book taking place a year after the first 2013 book, even if that book is set in 2013, would not know about Hamilton. Didn't bother me enough to make it a negative, just an observation.
September 15, 2020
Like with the previous books in the Better Nate Than Ever series, I really enjoyed this story. I went with the audio version again, since I read the other two that way. I like the way Tim Federle voiced his own characters. He made it even more fun and entertaining.
It was nice to see Nate in a regular high school environment and I liked how he turned his assignment into a musical. It was fun to see (or hear) it all come together, even with some of the snafus along the way. I like how Jordan was still incorporated into this story, adding to all the complications of being a teenager. There were other interesting facets in this novel, but I don't want to give any spoilers. It was funny how they were trying to incorporate certain songs into the musical.
I probably would have finished this five-hour audio book a lot sooner, but I don't get as much time to listen as I used to.
Overall, it was a cute third act and I definitely recommend reading all the novels in this series. I introduced the series to my son and he's enjoying the first two novels, so I'm excited for him to read this one, as well.
Movie casting suggestions:
Nate: Luca Padovan (I also would cast my son as Nate, but I think he might be in college by the time a movie gets made. Then again, the same issue would apply to the other teenagers and I'd just have to re-cast it at that time.)
Libby: Ava Acres
Ben: Tomaso Sanelli
Jordan: Peter DaCunha
Mr. English: Tony Goldwyn
Nate's mom: Radha Mitchell
Nate's dad: Andrew Lincoln
Paige: Amiah Miller
Coach: James Marsden
It was nice to see Nate in a regular high school environment and I liked how he turned his assignment into a musical. It was fun to see (or hear) it all come together, even with some of the snafus along the way. I like how Jordan was still incorporated into this story, adding to all the complications of being a teenager. There were other interesting facets in this novel, but I don't want to give any spoilers. It was funny how they were trying to incorporate certain songs into the musical.
I probably would have finished this five-hour audio book a lot sooner, but I don't get as much time to listen as I used to.
Overall, it was a cute third act and I definitely recommend reading all the novels in this series. I introduced the series to my son and he's enjoying the first two novels, so I'm excited for him to read this one, as well.
Movie casting suggestions:
Nate: Luca Padovan (I also would cast my son as Nate, but I think he might be in college by the time a movie gets made. Then again, the same issue would apply to the other teenagers and I'd just have to re-cast it at that time.)
Libby: Ava Acres
Ben: Tomaso Sanelli
Jordan: Peter DaCunha
Mr. English: Tony Goldwyn
Nate's mom: Radha Mitchell
Nate's dad: Andrew Lincoln
Paige: Amiah Miller
Coach: James Marsden
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