What? I could have sworn I'd written a review for this back when I originally read it . . . I just went in to give it another tag today, and it looks What? I could have sworn I'd written a review for this back when I originally read it . . . I just went in to give it another tag today, and it looks like I never reviewed it. I feel like I even remember some of what I wrote before . . . weird. Oh well.
Basically, I found the book derivative, but liked it more than I expected to given that....more
Hey prof, way to assign a book that makes the librarian laugh at me. :P
I liked that the book was aggressively nonjudgmental. For example, it says straHey prof, way to assign a book that makes the librarian laugh at me. :P
I liked that the book was aggressively nonjudgmental. For example, it says straight up, though tactfully, that homosexuality is neither a choice nor hurtful to anyone, and is not wrong, no matter what anyone's religion may say....more
History has never been my strong suit, but I like to think I know a little about the integration movement. I attended the Prince Edward County public History has never been my strong suit, but I like to think I know a little about the integration movement. I attended the Prince Edward County public schools, which were part of the Brown versus Board of Education lawsuit, and the community remembers this strongly. Still, I didn’t know much about the Montgomery bus boycott - certainly not how long it lasted. I knew what it had accomplished, and about the role of Rosa Parks and Reverend King, and had heard some of the other names here, but the magnitude of the boycott was much greater than I knew.
Reading this, I was in awe of the bravery and determination of the leaders and the thousands who added a little difficulty to their lives in order to make our country a better place. I was also deeply impressed with just how clearly, convincingly, and repeatedly Reverend King stressed nonviolence. I wish the world had more leaders like him.
The writing of this book is clear and straightforward. It offers both descriptions and photos of many specific examples of segregation that may surprise people - I definitely didn’t know there were white-only drink machines.
The book’s liveliness and inclusion of detail make it more accessible and interesting than the accounts in most textbooks. Going into the details of how people arranged to spend thirteen months without riding buses, and describing the meetings of boycott organizers and the rallies for the thousands who followed them, reflects the reality of what happened in Montgomery and makes it all the more amazing....more
This was great. (I mean, in a way that's sad, and not full of rollicking adventure or fantasy.) I don’t read a lot of biography or nonfiction about reThis was great. (I mean, in a way that's sad, and not full of rollicking adventure or fantasy.) I don’t read a lot of biography or nonfiction about recent events, and while I certainly knew Malcolm X’s name, I was far from clear on what role he played in the civil rights movement. (I also knew he was assassinated, but had no idea why.)
The illustrations were clear, compelling, and dramatic, and the composition of the pages made it easy to navigate the panels and understand the action.
The tension, too, is very well done. Toward the end, especially, the close play-by-play view of Malcolm X’s last few days had me following anxiously.
The author even does a good job pointing out things which, in a work of fiction, might be interpreted as “themes of the story,” and showing the drama of incidents that read like something from a novel - like the fact that Malcolm X has his house burned down as a child, then again shortly before his death....more
I reviewed this book at No Flying No Tights, a site that reviews graphic novels with librarians especially in mind (though the reviews apply pretty weI reviewed this book at No Flying No Tights, a site that reviews graphic novels with librarians especially in mind (though the reviews apply pretty well regardless, I think). You can read it here....more
I liked the photos, and I liked very much the poem on page sixty-nine, with the line, "My love song cowering the city." It made me think of an amorousI liked the photos, and I liked very much the poem on page sixty-nine, with the line, "My love song cowering the city." It made me think of an amorous dragon....more
Due to time constraints on getting the reserve copy returned, I had to finish this book in the graduate library. For the last hour of reading, I was sDue to time constraints on getting the reserve copy returned, I had to finish this book in the graduate library. For the last hour of reading, I was streaming tears like some kind of human Niagara. My poor scarf has never had to be so absorbent in all its life.
I liked the book. If I were a reviewer, I’d wax enthusiastic, because I found The Book Thief incredibly well-written, a good story uniquely told, and generally very high-quality. I'd give it more stars. In terms of my personal reaction, though, I can’t say anything too bubbly. I liked it, and I thought it was a good book, but it made me miserable. I did not enjoy my reading experience. I didn’t learn anything factual, either, which makes me kind of wonder how I can still have liked the book.
Partly, I suppose, I just appreciated the quality of the writing. I’ve also always liked the idea of a personified, compassionate Death, first introduced to me by Terry Pratchett, and this was a good one. Then, too, the emotion running through the whole thing was - ahem - powerful.
Possibly what impressed me most was Liesel’s relationship with Ilsa Hermann. That whole arc was touching and beautiful, and I personally can appreciate it more - let alone be happier to write about it now - because remembering it doesn’t shred up my insides and squeeze them out through my eyes, which hurt already.
I did note with interest that the narrator frequently used “who” to refer to things like skies and trees - appropriate, for the voice of a personification.
Edit: Reflecting on this book years later, I am bumping it up from 3 stars to 4 because it definitely impressed me and made an impact on me. (Though I can still remember crying until my eyes literally hurt. :P)...more
**spoiler alert** What a silly, silly book! Epically ‘90s and cheesy. I read a zillion books like this when I was, like, twelve.
As a kid, I probably w**spoiler alert** What a silly, silly book! Epically ‘90s and cheesy. I read a zillion books like this when I was, like, twelve.
As a kid, I probably would have liked this in a non-ironic way, as opposed to the laughing way that I kind of enjoyed it now. We have an intrepid fifteen-year-old heroine who wants to be a writer and in the meantime can recognize the Shah of Iran in a photo and barely flinch at the murdered body of her great-uncle. What do these eclectic characteristics have in common? They all make Sam the perfect protagonist to solve this rather silly mystery.
It’s pretty funny how easily the characters narrow the suspects to the wrong set of people. (And they don’t even consider the possibility, however remote, that this could have been an outside job.) Even though one character jokes about the old “the butler did it” cliché, it doesn’t occur to anyone (except, um, the reader) that the help could have played a role in Mr. Trevor’s murder.
The emotional content of the book was very low. Not to say I expected Sam to mourn, but I didn’t feel a lot of fear there, either, really. Her most intensely-portrayed emotions are in the scene after she realizes where the manuscript is, when she’s trying to hide her excitement. I didn’t feel the tension was all that high, either - the one scene in which Sam seems actually in danger, with Mrs. Engstrom at the end, is resolved quickly and peacefully. In general, I wouldn’t say Sam acted like a person trapped in a house with a murderer.
Also, how weird is that whole ghost thing? Contributes to the whole stuck-in-a-creepy-castle-in-a-storm mood, very gothic, but kind of out there....more
Yeah, those dates are right. I read this one and What I Saw and How I Lied cover-to-cover in one day. And while this one didn't make me cry, I don't rYeah, those dates are right. I read this one and What I Saw and How I Lied cover-to-cover in one day. And while this one didn't make me cry, I don't recommend the back-to-back readings, unless you are or would like to be insane.
Still, I liked this book. The humor was really well-done, so that I winced for Elvin without finding him whiny or his story depressing.
I appreciated the realism, too. One of my favorite parts was when Elvin first launched himself into wrestling, was startled to realize that he was good, really good, and then learned that he wasn’t allowed to do the stuff he’d been doing.
Naturally, the book was a downer in places. After all, most of it was bad thing after bad thing happening to a basically-good kid and sometimes his friends. If not for the humor, it would be unbearable (to me, at least).
Slot Machine could be heartening for readers who just are not athletic, no matter how hard they try - or who really don’t care to try, and wish everyone would just shut up about it. Elvin tries, and even thinks he has found a place in wrestling, but - as many kids and teens are heartbroken to discover - sometimes your best isn’t good enough for whoever is calling the shots. This can be brutally true with athletics, especially.
It's also great to have YA books that present overweight teen protagonists whose worlds go beyond being overweight, just as it’s good for them to show members of any underrepresented group as well-rounded characters, real people. Elvin is overweight, but he’s also hilarious, practical, and compassionate. This could make Slot Machine a good read for overweight teens, boys especially, who have a tough time finding themselves in mainstream YA literature....more
(Some slight teariness, but no out-and-out crying. A plus for me!)
Wow. This book, and its protagonist, were really compelling. It’s amazing that the a(Some slight teariness, but no out-and-out crying. A plus for me!)
Wow. This book, and its protagonist, were really compelling. It’s amazing that the author pulled off that ending.
More than anything, the book reminded me of Rebecca. Part of it was the innocent, relatable young protagonist in love with an older man, learning things about his relationship with another woman. A little was the temporal setting - certainly not the same, but with some similar language and feel. Some of it was the internal ethics of the courtroom scenes, the protagonist deciding to support the one(s) she loves at the expense of the truth.
I was interested to read about the characters’ attitudes toward Jewish people. I wasn’t especially surprised by their prejudices - one just gets used to stories that are set in the past, even the not-that-distant past, including some nastiness of that sort. Still, it was unfamiliar to me, partly, I suppose, because I’ve never lived anywhere with a significant Jewish population.
Again, the ending really impressed me. Not only does the author manage not to tell us whether Peter was murdered, but the fact that Peter is gone means that a slew of other questions - like how he really felt about Evie - aren’t answered, either.
Even before the end, the tension is excellent. As soon as the boat puts out with Evie’s parents and Peter aboard and a hurricane coming, things are edge-of-the-seat for almost the whole rest of the book.
I liked that Evie gave her dad’s money to the Graysons. It was a nice touch, and reminds the reader that Evie really is a well-meaning person who is trying her best to do right, even in the face of terrible choices....more
I got a little teary at the end of this, too, but a step up, happiness-wise, from the messy weepfests of earlier books. Yay!
Not that this book was witI got a little teary at the end of this, too, but a step up, happiness-wise, from the messy weepfests of earlier books. Yay!
Not that this book was without its share of darkness, almost darker for being dealt with more lightly. For example, Remy skims over the fact that her first sexual encounter was basically rape - not that different from what happened in Speak. And unlike in Speak, where the whole point was coming to terms with this, Remy never tells anyone, just gets on with her moderately-dysfunctional life.
I liked a lot of the supporting characters. I didn’t necessarily dislike Remy, but I guess I had some empathy issues because she is so different from me. Partly, this was the cynicism thing - which I could understand, but had some difficulty really relating to - and partly the, “I’m a super-independent teen who has a pretty good upper-middle-class life and rolls her eyes while taking care of her childlike parent” business. Driving everywhere while not always even sober, staying out all night without anyone worrying, getting drunk regularly while in high school . . . I’m certainly not saying it doesn’t happen, but it just doesn’t read like a world I’m at all familiar with.
I liked the repeating theme of the song, and the humor, especially Remy’s great familiarity with wedding planning. The parallels between Remy’s life, her mom’s life, and her mom’s novel, were interesting. I also liked Remy’s revelation that her mom, whom she pities for her string of relationships that don’t work out, sees strength in continuing to try at life rather than in resigning oneself like Remy does.
I found the pace a little slow, which is unusual for me. Maybe had to do with the characters being unsure about so many things? Maybe had to do with just having read The Lightning Thief? Don’t know....more
One of the most upsetting books I've ever read. I wept. My scarf got soaked.One of the most upsetting books I've ever read. I wept. My scarf got soaked....more
I don’t understand why people have tried to ban this book. I mean, I guess I know why, but I don’t really understand. Yes, rape is a controversial subI don’t understand why people have tried to ban this book. I mean, I guess I know why, but I don’t really understand. Yes, rape is a controversial subject, but it is absolutely something people need to know about and be able to talk about. And yes, Melinda reacts to it in some ways that aren’t what people would hope, but the whole book is about how that doesn’t help her and how she has to stop being silent about what happened.
If the story elicits frustration from some readers who can’t help but think how much better things might have gone for Melinda if she’d spoken up from the beginning, that could be valuable. Like a lot of books, it offers the chance for readers to learn from characters’ mistakes.
I think part of what makes this book so powerful is that it addresses what is probably the greatest fear of many rape victims - that they won’t be believed, and may even be accused of lying for malicious reasons. When Melinda gets this reaction from her former best friend, it is horrifying. Still, the book’s ending is uplifting, showing that the truth will not stay hidden after Melinda finally brings herself to speak....more
A good book. (I think my tolerance for books with lots of suffering in them is going up from the reading list for this class. When I actually WAS a teA good book. (I think my tolerance for books with lots of suffering in them is going up from the reading list for this class. When I actually WAS a teen, I would have put this down at the end and said, “Ack, fistfights and cutting and brutality. Somebody get me Howl’s Moving Castle and some kittens, stat.”)
I was impressed that Danny was so relatable, given that his failure to talk at some important moments could have been incredibly annoying to readers. Danny and Uno’s interest in baseball also generalized well. I personally have a deep, sometimes aggressive lack of interest in sports, but this book focuses on the characters and their passion rather than on technical stuff, so I was able to care because they did.
The title is interesting given that, after the beginning, I felt there wasn’t much focus on Danny’s race. More on Uno’s, really. Several characters just refer to Danny as “Mexican,” even in an environment where virtually everyone seems to be “more Mexican” in blood and upbringing than he is. The fact that he doesn’t speak Spanish seems like a bigger deal than the color of his skin, and no one calls him “whiteboy” for speaking English.
Some scenes are eerie, like Danny’s cutting, while others, like the incident with Uncle Ray and the car, are shocking. The pitching scenes were very strong, and had me really rooting for Danny and worrying about him.
Random thought: I feel like I’ve read other books where teenaged boys get into physical fights before becoming best friends. In fact, waaait a second . . . *Looks up The Chosen online* Baseball, one kid injures the other (if somewhat accidentally) before they become friends . . . one of them’s even named Danny! I knew something seemed oddly familiar about this book....more
An unusual book in that it not only deals with teen pregnancy from the boy's point of view, but in its tone. I appreciated that it wasn't gritty, gritAn unusual book in that it not only deals with teen pregnancy from the boy's point of view, but in its tone. I appreciated that it wasn't gritty, grittiness not being my thing, and am in fact hard-pressed to describe it exactly. The tone is somehow urgent yet gentle, terrified and awestruck and tender all at the same time. The characters are very real.
Gods, have any of the books I've read for this class not made me cry?
I enjoyed a lot about this book. It was well-written, with neat characters and fascinating descriptions of Mexican American traditions. I liked that iI enjoyed a lot about this book. It was well-written, with neat characters and fascinating descriptions of Mexican American traditions. I liked that it showed people who reacted so positively toward Sofia and her culture, like Coach Clarke and Brooke.
The only big thing I didn’t much like was the death of Sofia’s father. Partly, this is because I feel that, in contemporary books with protagonists from minority/underrepresented groups, family members and friends have an alarming mortality rate. Sometimes, as in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, this is making a point about some kind of suffering associated with the group. Here, though, we just have a random cancer that comes blitzing out of nowhere.
I understand that this book wanted to show some of the attitudes of Mexican Americans about death. I can respect that, but the fact is that, to me at least, it seemed kind of gimmicky, almost matter-of-course. (“Minority protagonist, hunh? Better throw some more suffering in there. Which family member will it be?”) I saw it coming. Also, it made me cry. Like, weep. There is a level of being impressed by a story that touches me emotionally, but then again, it’s really easy to make me cry, and I really don’t like to.
The thing about the random tragedies that are so common in contemporary books with protagonists from minority groups is that it greatly lowers my expectations for those characters' happiness. Heck, I was happy to get through this book without Sofia being raped. What might expectations like these say to people who are members of these groups?
I was also sad about the lightning bugs. Who squishes lightning bugs? That’s like pulling the wings off butterflies. And Sofia also says she’s fried ants with her magnifying glass. Young sociopath, much? (I know this is an extreme reaction. I just didn’t like that her father condoned the squishing of lightning bugs. For me, fireflies are sacred. You catch them, but you do it gently in cupped hands, and once they light up, you let them go and watch them fly away.)
Made me more appreciative of Boy Meets Boy. If I were Mexican American, especially me as I was as a teen, I’d be frustrated about finding a book with which I could identify in some ways, but which pulls an obligatory tragedy out of a hat at the end....more
What a great book! I love how seriously it acknowledges the pressures and dangers of life in low-income urban neighborhoods, the temptation to get invWhat a great book! I love how seriously it acknowledges the pressures and dangers of life in low-income urban neighborhoods, the temptation to get involved with drugs and crime, and the things that people sometimes do without thinking them through. It also shows good examples of people supporting teens, whether through encouragement, discipline, or forgiveness. I thought it a very strong point that Rameck could have had his dreams derailed at least twice if not for the understanding of people like his biology teacher and the student he assaulted in college - people he had clearly wronged, but who chose not to destroy his future with vindictiveness. Obviously, people do need to know that their actions have consequences, but it would have been tragic for a smart, hard-working, well-intentioned young man to lose everything he had worked for.
I found it interesting, too, how Rameck and Sampson seemed to struggle more with keeping out of trouble than George. It sometimes seems like no one wants to tell the story of the kid who follows the rules. I know this tends to make a less-interesting story, but at the same time, what message does it send to young consumers of stories?
My favorite part, I think, is the little note that Ms. Dickson called the students “Drs.” Davis, Jenkins, and Hunt from their first day at Seton Hall. It’s a wonderfully specific example of the kind of encouragement - and high standards - that helped the Three Doctors succeed....more
If I could bestow negative stars, this book would have earned them handily.
First, and let me say that this is the LESSER problem I have with this bookIf I could bestow negative stars, this book would have earned them handily.
First, and let me say that this is the LESSER problem I have with this book, Flyy Girl spends hundreds of pages following young teens (think "thirteen") in abusive, manipulative sexual relationships. The book is five hundred pages long, and for about four hundred fifty of them, no character speaks or thinks anything that is not directly related to sex. There are about three swear words per page on average, many of them used in anger, but many used in extremely tiresome expressions that confound by being apparently well-intended: "You got some pretty-ass eyes," "You cute as shit."
One character who the author describes repeatedly as a "nice guy" cheats on, then dumps, his girlfriend because they've been dating for a few months and she hasn't had sex with him. She's fourteen.
The above would already have made it not my type of book at best, but this book is vast, lonely galaxies away from "at best." This leads me to the point that bothered me even more about this book than horny tweens: the writing.
A few things the author does:
- Describe the skin tone, hairstyle, eye color, and full outfit with brand names of clothes, of almost every character to appear. Even the ones who don't get names, like every random stranger a character dances with at a party.
- Switch haphazardly between viewpoints, sometimes for a paragraph, sometimes half a scene or half a chapter. The author seems paranoid about the idea that the reader might not know every single solitary thing the author intended, even if the character has no reason to know it. For example, whenever someone lies, he says "s/he lied" right there in the speech tag. After most lines of dialogue, especially in tense scenes, the author includes a bland, blunt sentence or two to tell us exactly what the character is thinking. Heaven forbid there be tension caused by not knowing exactly what someone's up to, or that he should try to show someone's motivations or feelings.
(It's worth a note that for most of the book, this makes it crystal clear that none of the characters has any redeeming characteristics. The guys are shameless, abusive horndogs, and our female protagonist is a jealous, manipulative, gold-digging man-stealer.)
- Give frequent descriptions of shopping trips, including lists of the objects characters bought, told with all the interest implied in the combined terms "shopping" and "list."
- Make value judgments about characters and their actions, giving the book a badly-written-moral-text feel. He continued to steal, deviously, sticking up stores and everyday citizens around the city. His friends feared his destructive path. Timmy was developing into an all-out criminal at the tender age of sixteen.
- Frequently use speech tags that tell you things the dialogue already told you - responded, retorted, challenged, repeated, admitted, pleaded, insisted - sometimes adding even more unnecessary words - "But what about you? Are you gonna get help or something?" Tracy asked, concerned about her.
- DIALECT. "What 'chew be doin'?"
- Include slang terms in quotations and explaining them, even if their meanings are obvious. Lisa, on the other hand, was real light-skinned, or "damn-near white."
- Constantly use phrases like "leave out of there" and "inside of her room." Everything is always "inside of," as in, "he turned and walked inside of the living room." It's as if the author feels prepositions will get lonely by themselves.
Also, remember the physical descriptions I mentioned? These are often worked into passages in bizarre, awkward ways. She shook her earrings-wearing head.
The plot, if it can be called that, is episodic and strange, veering off into tangents about the quest of a minor character to get laid or the arrest of another minor character for stealing. Amazingly, none of this is interesting, probably in part because none of the characters is worth caring about.
The best part? I was assigned to do a project on this book wherein I create and perform a book talk to promote it....more
A very quick read. Still, any time spent with this protagonist was almost too much for me.
The tone of this book reminded me of the movie Juno. I likedA very quick read. Still, any time spent with this protagonist was almost too much for me.
The tone of this book reminded me of the movie Juno. I liked Juno, but maybe it's easier to watch a bunch of teens be unbearably glib and witty, with hints that there's more to them than that, than it is to read a first-person story that shows you the glib and witty thoughts behind the glib and witty exterior.
Paul has everything. He's that kid in high school that you hate and wish you could be - the one who's got tons of friends and tons of confidence, can talk to everyone, is fashionable, runs committees effortlessly, has the respect of adults as well as peers . . . you name it. And frankly, I didn't find him interesting. I found him kind of wishy-washy, shallow, not generally very brave, and sometimes just weird. (He speaks matter-of-factly about things like his "origami closet.") The author certainly tries to give him insecurities, but I thought Paul was pretty darn cavalier about those, too. His struggles are largely his own fault, and regardless, I ultimately just don't care.
I do want to give the author props for trying to portray a world mostly free of homophobia. It's a noble goal. I'm not sure, though, that he does it that well. He can't seem to make up his mind about whether GLBTQ characters are totally don't-bat-an-eye accepted, seen as no different from the rest of the population, or whether their whole world is one big Gay Pride event. Certainly Paul seems hyper-aware of his orientation - the word "gay" appears five times in the first two pages - which seems a little odd for a world that (a) seems largely post-homophobia, and (b) seems to consist of about seventy-five percent GLBTQ people.
Also, I don't know whether it's a function of the world they live in, but the characters speak kind of weirdly even outside of their obnoxious wittiness. Multiple times, Paul refers to being with someone romantically as "grooving with" him. And most of the characters have a kind of unbearably constant retro "cool."
As a minor note, I'm kind of sick of the stereotyping of artists. I whined about this a little in my review of Shiver. Here, though, it's more of a romantic objectification. Seriously, whenever an artist character wafts dreamily around with paint-flecked arms, Seeing the World in New Ways and taking everyone's breath away by putting pure emotion into material form, I feel a little like I think people must feel who see someone of their ethnicity being described as "exotic," or, heaven forbid, "spicy."
One thing I will say for this book: I heartily appreciate a love story between two guys that doesn't end in tragedy. There aren't enough of those out there....more
Don't get me wrong - this book was good. It really was. But I didn't actually like it. I cried, which I don't like to do, and do far too easily, especDon't get me wrong - this book was good. It really was. But I didn't actually like it. I cried, which I don't like to do, and do far too easily, especially with this kind of book. "Underprivileged kid gets kicked around by life a whole lot and eventually makes good, probably, one hopes." I should really make an acronym for it, especially as I see a bunch more on the horizon of my YA Lit class.
How about, "Underprivileged, Nervy Hero(ine) Avoids Persisting, Possibly, In Never-Ending Sad Spiral." Yeah, I'm going to spend a lot of this semester reading about U.N.H.A.P.P.I.N.E.S.S.
*EDIT*
After some thought, I realize that, when I initially reveiwed this, I was actually just bummed at being deluged with downer books for my YA lit class. In fact, this book is awesome....more
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