Finding Cassie Crazy

Infobox Book |
name = Finding Cassie Crazy, or, The Year of Secret Assignments
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Jaclyn Moriarty
illustrator =
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country = flag|Australia
language = English
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = Pan Macmillan
release_date = 2003
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback) & Audio book
pages = 340
isbn = ISBN 978-03303643869 (first edition, paperback)
preceded_by = Feeling Sorry for Celia
followed_by = The Betrayal of Bindy Mackenzie

"Finding Cassie Crazy" (Titled "The Year of Secret Assignments" outside of Australia and the UK. ) is a novel by Jaclyn Moriarty. It was first published 2003 in Australia. While it can easily stand as a novel on its own, it is a companion book to 'Feeling Sorry for Celia.'

Plot summary

The novel follows the correspondence between students from two rival schools. Cassie Aganovic, Emily Melissa-Anne Thompson, and Lydia Jaackson-Oberman attend the prestigious, private Ashbury High; Matthew Dunlop, Charlie Taylor, and Sebastian Mantegna ("Seb") attend the public and notoriously rough Brookfield High. In a special pen-pal program between the schools, Cassie begins to write to Matthew; Emily writes to Charlie; and Lydia exchanges letters with Seb.

The letters are initially hostile at first. Emily and Charlie poke fun at each other's writing, while Lydia and Seb bicker about school prejudice. Matthew continuously threatens Cassie (i.e. "I'll break your fingers one by one"), but she responds calmly.

Over time, however, the letters change tones. Charlie and Emily go on "practice dates" to help Charlie date the girl of his dreams, and Lydia and Seb participate in "Secret Assignments" that eventually lead to their close relationship. Cassie and Matthew begin to go down a similar path and plan a meeting. However, he first stands her up and then, on a following meeting, Matthew proceeds to rip up a letter that she had sent and make fun of her. This is especially hard for Cassie, because her father had recently died of cancer and she and her mother are participating in therapy. The reason why Cassie initially started writing the letters to Matthew (besides the fact that the project is a school assignment) is because her therapist suggested that she talk to a stranger about her life.

When Lydia and Emily find out what Matthew has done, they ask with Seb and Charlie to try to punish Matthew. But Matthew doesn't seem to exist and they hatch numerous plots to find who Matthew really is. By the clever use of glitter they discover that Matthew Dunlop's true identity is Paul Wilson, the form captain and star of the school drama club. He is also coincidentally the boyfriend of the girl Charlie likes, Christina. The five work together for revenge, although at first Cassie is reluctant. Seb beats Paul up after Paul humorously tells him the story of his deception. Seb is set to be going to an art show the very next morning, and Paul threatens to tell the principal in an attempt to try and penalize Seb. But just when this is about to happen, Lydia, Emily, and Cassie pretend to be casting agents and call Paul, telling him he needs to come to a certain time to get his makeup done and practice lines for a last-minute movie rehearsal. The girls' prank is successfully pulled off, and Paul realizes at the end that it was all an elaborate plan to stop him from telling the school principal. During all this time Emily and Charlie seem to show signs that they like each other. Meanwhile, Lydia and Sebastian kiss on a secret assignment. But trouble is near...

A small amount of time goes by before Brookfield is attacked. However, during this time Charlie and Emily get into a fight about a prank that had been pulled off earlier in the year; Seb and Lydia also argue, this time about a Secret Assignment that involved discovering each other first at a cafe without knowing what the other looked like (an Assignment which Seb cheated on). There are cruel sayings (e.g "Brooker Bites") spray-painted on the walls of Brookfield High, each phrase followed by the Ashbury crest. Reasonably, the Brookfielders retaliate. For a time, acts of vandalism are perpetrated between the schools, and a Brookfield student--whom the staff keep anonymous--pinpoints Cassie, Emily, and Lydia as the criminals. When told by their form mistress, Mrs. Lilydale, that diaries, letters, etc. are going to be read for clues, the girls are angered. In coordination with Cassie's mother, Mrs. Lilydale arranges a trial so that the girls can prove that this would inflict unjustly on their privacy. Emily, fascinated by law, is appointed to represent the students in a Brookfield-Ashbury co-trial.

When the time for the trial comes, only Emily and Lydia are present. In a red-hot trial, Emily turns the tables on the staff and proves that she, along with her classmates, has a right to privacy, and the administration agrees not to read their letters. But then Cassie bursts in during the middle of the trial, with Seb and Charlie behind her. They are carrying evidence of the vandalism, such as the paint used to write "Brooker Bites" on the wall and the grapeseed oil that is used to smear the science laboratory floors. When questioned by Emily, Charlie reveals that the items came from the bedroom closet of none other that Paul Wilson.

When Paul attempts to fight back, he is cornered by the fact of his guilt. He runs out the door in tears, and all charges are dropped against the Ashbury students, as the Brookfield attacks were "inside jobs." The story ends happily as the year wraps up with the makeup of Charlie and Emily, and Seb and Lydia. Seb and Lydia decide to take their relationship to the next level and Charlie and Emily show signs of great interest. An art show is put on by the students of both schools. Lydia, an aspiring author, and Seb, a talented arist, contribute a children's book. Emily and Charlie take on a refreshment stand. Last but not least, Cassie uses words from a fake but sweet letter from "Matthew" as the lyrics to a song she writes and sings. This is important to her because before her father died of cancer, he told her that he thought he'd gotten sick because of the nervousness and fear he'd experienced his whole life had built up. Cassie, hearing this, had promised her father "not to be scared." Singing in public is scary for her, and upon hearing that Cassie will go ahead and do it, not just for the memory of her father but also for her sake, her friends support her.

The conflict between the schools has finally been resolved.

Characters

Cassandra "Cassie" Aganovic: A shy, vulnerable girl whose father has recently died of cancer. She rarely opens up, even to her best friends. She's very musical and sings like an "angel in disguise". Although she seems meek, she may actually be the bravest of the three.

Emily Melissa-Anne Thompson: A talkative chocoholic. Emily aspires to be a lawyer. She misuses words in a comical way. She is slightly idealistic, always wanting things to be "fair" and for wrongs to be righted. Emily stands up for her beliefs in a strong way, and tends to believe that her manner of thinking is the correct one. Her pride is hurt when suggested otherwise.

Lydia Jaackson-Oberman: The daredevil of the group, and an aspiring author. She seems fearless, but she is actually afraid of many things, including not reaching her dream of writing a book. She spins tales because she is afraid of reality sometimes. Her stories often end with all of the characters dying in violent manners. Lydia is also afraid that somebody will judge her only by her looks and not her "real self." She is the one who convinces Cassie and Emily to ditch school to see movies quite often.

Charles "Charlie" Taylor: A sweet, endearing guy. He is the youngest of brothers with police and gang connections, and has a penchant for nice cars. He is a sometimes-car-thief, and has taken a teacher's car out for a joyride. Because of this, he is attractive to girls at Brookfield, but he is oblivious to this. Charlie believes that he is impaired when it comes to "dates with girls." Charlie claims he has a supersonic memory, of which he is proud.

Sebastian "Seb" Mantegna: An excellent artist with a major soccer obsession. He is described as "dark and sexy." Seb has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and a problem controlling his anger. He has beat up people "who deserve it." He has gotten almost expelled several times; Seb also beats up Paul Wilson after his cruel meeting with Cassie.

Awards and Nominations

"Finding Cassie Crazy" is a nominee for the Georgia Peach Award under its American name, "The Year of Secret Assignments".