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mdevlin923's review against another edition
2.0
John and Lorraine are two friends making prank phone calls when they meet Mr. Pignati (Pigman). He is a lonely, old man, but he has a youthful spirit. Mr. Pignati befriends John and Lorraine and becomes a father figure to both of them. But the Pigman's health is declining, and John and Lorraine must come to terms with his hospital stay and eventually his death.
While this book touches on the important themes of peer pressure, friendships, parental relationships, and death/loss...the language/situations really don't translate very well to our current time.
While this book touches on the important themes of peer pressure, friendships, parental relationships, and death/loss...the language/situations really don't translate very well to our current time.
marissagoodell92's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
carolinasz's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
pbraue13's review against another edition
3.0
I remember reading this in middle school and I have the same melancholy feelings then as I have now after finishing it. It's bitter and sad and ultimately a book that I believe kids should read in order to learn empathy, what the effects of trauma can be, and to be very careful what choices they make. It's a book that once you've read it you cannot forget. I will say the thing which held me from giving it a full five stars was it's datedness and Paul Zindel's writing style. Not that either were awful, but they distracted me quite a bit and stalled my reading experience a bit.
samabenamer's review against another edition
5.0
such a poignantly written story about belonging and finding your purpose and family in life
aholeistodig's review against another edition
5.0
Pigman was surprisingly complicated. And dark, and hilarious. I never read this one when I was young -- can't believe I missed out: I would've learned so much earlier on what boring, cruel, hollow shells most grownups are. Oh, YA lit's so fun.
4saradouglas's review against another edition
2.0
I was told this was a classic... my school has a class set of it and all the kids end up reading it... but I just didn't get it. It was old and aged and just felt really boring. I couldn't get into it. The ending was so didactic... I just really didn't like anything about it.
mariisbooks's review against another edition
5.0
What the fuck???
I'm sorry to whoever's unsuspecting grandmother reads this but holy shit. I need a serious debrief.
I read this book along side a group of unempathetic, undeserving, uneducated, illiterate (as it seems), group of friends. And never have I been so disappointed at the lack of reaction when they read this. Somehow, this book is just so out there in the best way. Like I could be anyone, and still relate to it in some way. Which comes as an ever bigger surprise when you realise the fact that thus was written in the (late) 1960s?? Shocking.
Im going to skip the whole summary thing and skip right to everything I want to talk about. 1. because I'm lazy and unbothered, 2. no ones gonna read this except a group of fresh book club mothers who probably already read the book.
John, John...John. Sweet sweet John. You need serious help. And not "I wanna be a psychiatrist when I grow up" Lorraine help (which I will get into later). Like Therapist help, babe. The miscommunication ging on with Johns father, and the constant lying. I honestly just felt so bad for him constantly throughout the book. And I was so disappointed when they introduced the Pigman and everything was going so well and I was just like "I am going to sob uncontrollably when this man dies." Then there was also that very small spark of hope inside me clinging on to him (not) dying.
Lorraine. I want to slap her but I also wanna hug her. The type of hug that you need to slap someones back until they let go because it feels like you're gonna choke, anyway. Lorraines character felt so busy, but so real at the same time. Since that's how life is, busy and confusing. As a girl with mommy issues (completely unnecessary to mention Maria...) Lorraine hit HARD. It was lowkey like looking in a mirror.
Lorraine was missing school to clean for her mother in the hopes to make her feel proud, and also keeping up with her school work. Along with always listening to her mother talk about how men are stupid/mad/dumb/only want one thing, and how boys only care about you spreading your legs, and yada yada. Which I don't blame her for since the "love of her life" did her dirtyyyy... But that doesn't mean the same will happen to everyone. Anyway, Lorraine was going through it. And even when she should've despised her mother, and wished the worst she always thought about her. Like when the Pigman wanted to buy her tights and she got them for her mother. Heartwarming but also made me angry. And that slap her mom gave her at the end? Cold. But I'm so proud of her for finally talking out to her mom in the end. I could never.
On to the Pigman ( I'm going to cry again). Never did I think I'd have to grieve a character. In a way he is just the father figure Lorraine couldn't have, and the dream dad John always wanted. And i felt so bad for him. For no reason since this man seemed perfectly fine. But he needed to grieve his wife, badly.
(skipping to the end because this review is WAYY too long.)
What the fuck was that party? John, you're stupid. Lorraine is just there. And never have I wanted to hit punch and fight a character so bad because NORTON. Why would you do that. Also the "fat girl" (Johns words not mine) why would you try to fit into a strangers dress? Let along a dead one. Proceed to hear it crack and CONTINUE to try to fit it in. Hell no. I felt so bad when they described Mr. Pigman went up the stairs with the dress in hand crying. My heart BROKE.
Now onto the ending because why?? Mr. Pigman dies, Bobo dies, book ends. WHERES THE ROMANCE??? I want a John and a Lorraine. I need the peace of an epilogue telling me they married and had a happily ever after.
Did I sob more than once and cry in front of a group of people at the end?? Yes. Am I ashamed? NO. I stand by my actions. (and to everyone who didn't cry at the end of even shed a small tear, you my friend have a cold heart.)
I'm sorry to whoever's unsuspecting grandmother reads this but holy shit. I need a serious debrief.
I read this book along side a group of unempathetic, undeserving, uneducated, illiterate (as it seems), group of friends. And never have I been so disappointed at the lack of reaction when they read this. Somehow, this book is just so out there in the best way. Like I could be anyone, and still relate to it in some way. Which comes as an ever bigger surprise when you realise the fact that thus was written in the (late) 1960s?? Shocking.
Im going to skip the whole summary thing and skip right to everything I want to talk about. 1. because I'm lazy and unbothered, 2. no ones gonna read this except a group of fresh book club mothers who probably already read the book.
John, John...John. Sweet sweet John. You need serious help. And not "I wanna be a psychiatrist when I grow up" Lorraine help (which I will get into later). Like Therapist help, babe. The miscommunication ging on with Johns father, and the constant lying. I honestly just felt so bad for him constantly throughout the book. And I was so disappointed when they introduced the Pigman and everything was going so well and I was just like "I am going to sob uncontrollably when this man dies." Then there was also that very small spark of hope inside me clinging on to him (not) dying.
Lorraine. I want to slap her but I also wanna hug her. The type of hug that you need to slap someones back until they let go because it feels like you're gonna choke, anyway. Lorraines character felt so busy, but so real at the same time. Since that's how life is, busy and confusing. As a girl with mommy issues (completely unnecessary to mention Maria...) Lorraine hit HARD. It was lowkey like looking in a mirror.
Lorraine was missing school to clean for her mother in the hopes to make her feel proud, and also keeping up with her school work. Along with always listening to her mother talk about how men are stupid/mad/dumb/only want one thing, and how boys only care about you spreading your legs, and yada yada. Which I don't blame her for since the "love of her life" did her dirtyyyy... But that doesn't mean the same will happen to everyone. Anyway, Lorraine was going through it. And even when she should've despised her mother, and wished the worst she always thought about her. Like when the Pigman wanted to buy her tights and she got them for her mother. Heartwarming but also made me angry. And that slap her mom gave her at the end? Cold. But I'm so proud of her for finally talking out to her mom in the end. I could never.
On to the Pigman ( I'm going to cry again). Never did I think I'd have to grieve a character. In a way he is just the father figure Lorraine couldn't have, and the dream dad John always wanted. And i felt so bad for him. For no reason since this man seemed perfectly fine. But he needed to grieve his wife, badly.
(skipping to the end because this review is WAYY too long.)
What the fuck was that party? John, you're stupid. Lorraine is just there. And never have I wanted to hit punch and fight a character so bad because NORTON. Why would you do that. Also the "fat girl" (Johns words not mine) why would you try to fit into a strangers dress? Let along a dead one. Proceed to hear it crack and CONTINUE to try to fit it in. Hell no. I felt so bad when they described Mr. Pigman went up the stairs with the dress in hand crying. My heart BROKE.
Now onto the ending because why?? Mr. Pigman dies, Bobo dies, book ends. WHERES THE ROMANCE??? I want a John and a Lorraine. I need the peace of an epilogue telling me they married and had a happily ever after.
Did I sob more than once and cry in front of a group of people at the end?? Yes. Am I ashamed? NO. I stand by my actions. (and to everyone who didn't cry at the end of even shed a small tear, you my friend have a cold heart.)
monicadee88's review against another edition
2.0
The cover of my edition says, "a most unusual story..." and indeed it is, the story of two high school kids in the 1960s who prank call a man (Mr. Pignati the titular Pigman) and end up becoming friends with him, discovering things about themselves and Mr. Pignati along the way. There isn't much substance to this book.; told from the POV of two teenagers, the story is almost overwhelmed by typical teenage problems (rebellion, individuality) and it's not until after reading and contemplating that I thought there could have been so much more. The ideas of death, mortality, and guilt pervade the pages but the story is too short and too angsty to carry the weight of such heavy themes. I can understand how this book could serve to introduce young readers to those ideas, but it wasn't much fun for me as an adult.