A parent should reach for this book when their high-achieving teen is feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of college applications and the anxiety of an uncertain future. The story follows Audrey, a senior who feels she must have her entire life planned. After a chance encounter with a free-spirited boy, she impulsively embarks on a road trip to find him, hoping he holds the key to a less stressful life. This book directly addresses the intense anxiety many teens face about making the 'right' choices after high school. It’s a relatable, contemporary novel that normalizes these fears and reassures readers that it's okay not to have all the answers, and that self-discovery often happens in unexpected ways.
The book's core theme is mental health, specifically generalized anxiety related to academic pressure and the future. The approach is secular and presented as a direct, internal struggle for the protagonist. The resolution is hopeful and realistic. Audrey does not find a magic cure but instead learns valuable coping mechanisms and gains a healthier perspective on uncertainty, ending the book with a sense of self-acceptance rather than a perfectly mapped-out future.
Ideal Reader
This book is perfect for a 15- to 17-year-old who is academically driven but privately crumbling under the weight of expectations. They are likely a planner, a list-maker, and someone who is terrified of making the wrong choice about college or their career path. They will see their own internal monologue reflected in Audrey's journey.
Parent Prep
The book can be read cold without much context. Parents should be prepared for potential conversations about managing anxiety, the pressure they may (even unintentionally) be putting on their teen, and the value of taking a nontraditional path. The theme of teen independence and making some irresponsible choices (the road trip) is central. A parent has overheard their teen expressing significant stress about the future: "What if I don't get in anywhere?" or "Everyone else knows what they want to do with their life." The parent notices their teen is losing sleep over applications or seems overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed.
Age Experience
A younger reader (14-15) might enjoy this as a fun friendship and road trip story, focusing on the adventure. An older reader (16-18), who is in the thick of college planning, will connect deeply with Audrey's existential crisis and find her journey toward self-acceptance profoundly validating and resonant.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many YA contemporaries where the plot is driven by romance or external drama, this novel's central conflict is Audrey's internal battle with anxiety. It's a quiet, character-driven story that brilliantly captures the specific, modern pressure cooker of the American college application process. The focus is less on finding the boy and more on losing the need to have a foreseeable future.
Read plot summary
Audrey, a high-achieving high school senior, is consumed by anxiety about her future. Convinced that a boy named Clarke she briefly met holds the answers to a more carefree existence, she abandons her scheduled college tour. With her best friend, she embarks on a spontaneous road trip to track him down. The journey forces Audrey to confront her rigid expectations, her relationship with her family and friend, and her own deep-seated fears about growing up and the unknown.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Audrey puts a lot of pressure on finding Clarke, believing he has the answers to her future. Why do you think she idealizes him so much? Have you ever looked to someone else to solve your own problems?
2
Audrey and her friend Bee decide to skip a planned college tour for an impromptu road trip. Do you think this was a brave or a reckless decision? What did Audrey gain and what did she risk by doing this?
3
The title of the book is 'The Foreseeable Future'. At the end of the story, is Audrey's future more or less 'foreseeable' than it was at the beginning? What does the title mean to you after reading her story?
4
Audrey feels a lot of academic pressure from her mother. How did her relationship with her parents, and her desire to please them, influence her decisions throughout the book?
