this book is down as a young adult book but can be enjoyed by anyone of any age it is fast paced funny and heartwarming it follows callum who decides not to go home but stay in paris without a plan in a heat wave and he ends up having an adventure with things happening - i've never heen to paris or france myself i imagine its easier to imagine if you have been/travelled..

Seventeen-year-old Callum has spent his summer on a disappointing French exchange. Staying with an aloof, sophisticated family undermined his already low self-esteem to the extent he didn't dare try out his limited French. Instead of coming of age and finding himself, he spent the visit in the company of the family dog, feeling invisible and miserable.
As he’s about to board the Eurostar home with the rest of his English cohort, he impulsively U-turns and, in a last-ditch attempt to find adventure, heads into Paris alone.
On a sweltering, sleepless night in the city, he gets caught up in an outrageous and uproariously funny caper involving a stolen oboe; a sultry, experienced older companion; high-value artwork; a motorcycle; a sex club; a protest demo; exotic street food; and a coachload of sightseeing Texans. (Three members of my close family have been on extended exchange visits in Europe and between us we experienced pretty much the same - except for the stolen oboe, obvs.)
The author does a great job of describing the atmosphere of the French capital in a heatwave and of conveying the clumsy, endearing angst of her protagonist.
This is billed as Young Adult, but it's laugh-out-loud funny for adults too, especially for those who've been on a stay abroad.
Much like a typical exchange visit, Almost Nothing Happened is short, wild and oodles of fun.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
Upon publication, I will post this review on my blog, on Amazon and on GoodReads.

I really like Meg Rosoff and loved 'The Great Godden' from a few years ago. I had high hopes for 'Almost Nothing Happened' but have been left somewhat disappointed. This isn't her best work, in my opinion.

So - the novella starts with Callum, who misses his Eurostar train back to London, from Paris. Clearly, in real life, it wouldn't be difficult for him to have caught the next train. In the story, though, he ends up on an escapade across Paris, witnessing his cousin's oboe being stolen, and getting caught up in protests and riding on the back of a motorbike. The premise sounds great - but I found some of it too pedestrian. Perhaps the book's title is quite apt in terms of the overall story and the impact on the reader?

Admittedly, this is quite current in terms of issues Rosoff raises. I just don't think it will be that interesting for its intended YA audience. Maybe it is just me, I don't know, but it left me with a 'meh' feeling. Hopefully Rosoff will be back on form in her next book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Almost Nothing Happened is a fantastic YA adventure full of humour, heart, and a sense of wild unpredictability. Meg Rosoff brings Paris to life in such a vivid and chaotic way that you can’t help but be swept along on Callum’s journey.

The character of Callum is incredibly relatable—his awkwardness and insecurities are spot-on for a teenager trying to find himself. The book is quick to read and so full of energy that it’s easy to get lost in the mayhem of Callum’s adventure.

It’s a perfect read for anyone looking for a funny, heart-warming story about finding your way in the world, even if your plans don’t always go according to, well, plan.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Callum is on his way home from an epic fail of a summer exchange in France when a panic attack in the station toilets leads to him missing his train and going into Paris in search of his long-lost cousin instead of heading home to his parents. An evening out at a concert with his oboe-playing cousin on the hottest night of the year leads to a crazy adventure crisscrossing Paris on the back of a motorbike with a stranger.
Almost Nothing Happened is a frenetically fast paced, funny, heart-warming journey of self-discovery for Callum who, after a long sleepless boiling hot 24 hours, discovers a different type of France and a different, more confident Callum.
A wonderful adventure for a YA audience.