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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
This was a book group choice. Honestly, the book was fairly well written in terms of sentences and interest. But there wasn't a single character I liked and the plot could have been good with one or two explorations of stuff introduced already but mostly ended up not so great. Oh well.
Twin Peaks and Persona had a baby, and it is beautifully creepy as hell.
This book was amazing, hands down. If I had one word to describe it? Eery. But in a good way!
This books revolves around Chloe--and her sister Ruby. Chloe is the main character though, and the book begins two summers ago. (In THEIR time, not ours.) Chloe is at a party with Ruby. Ruby is the girl every girl wants to be, and every guy wants. Even more than just being a popular highschooler. She isn't even in high-school. She has something that abnormally draws people to her. Get my hint? Anyway, at this party Ruby tells a story. A story about an old town named Olive, drowned under the reservoir. (The party is taking place on the shore of the reservoir.) Ruby says that Chloe could go swim the reservoir now and bring back a souvenir from Olive. Chloe agrees, and dives off to do it. Instead she finds a boat. With a body.
Bear with me, because I'm trying to be careful. This is one of those books were if you literally say something you shouldn't; you could give a big part away. This is also the type of book where the things you'd forget about are the things that are the most important. Remember that.
Anyway, skip forward two summers. Chloe has been living with her dad. And Ruby drags her home. She assures Chloe that she won't have to worry anymore. That everything is like how it had been before she found the body of the girl. (London--that's the girl's name.) And here is where I stop! Now onto my critiques and so forth. =)
The writing style was so smooth and definitely affected you. It made you think, and it made you wonder. Made you imagine WHILST still reading the page. I felt like I was in this town, because even though the descriptiveness wasn't pages long--it did the trick. I loved the stories Ruby told and the way Chloe thought adoringly of her sister. Writing=10/10
Chloe was so loveable. She understood what it felt like to be overshadowed. Which I bet a lot of people know how that feels. She still loved her sister unconditionally though. Ruby on the other hand had that total factor—that YOU as the reader totally wanted. You wanted to be like her, but you were somewhat repulsed at the same time. At least I was. There were a few side characters that I would have liked a better back story with. A.k.a. Owen. Characters=8.5/10
Now I'm trying not to ramble or repeat myself. This is hard. I want to finish up now; but I do have a few more important things to say. This book gives you closure, but also leaves you with lingering thoughts that can last a long time. I won't be forgetting this book anytime soon. It leaves you with answers to the most detailed questions. . .but leaves you wondering about the overall idea. This is perfect. I won't be racking my brain (or the internet) to find out what happened, thinking I missed something. This book left you with a blank slate to fill in yourself once it was all over.
This books revolves around Chloe--and her sister Ruby. Chloe is the main character though, and the book begins two summers ago. (In THEIR time, not ours.) Chloe is at a party with Ruby. Ruby is the girl every girl wants to be, and every guy wants. Even more than just being a popular highschooler. She isn't even in high-school. She has something that abnormally draws people to her. Get my hint? Anyway, at this party Ruby tells a story. A story about an old town named Olive, drowned under the reservoir. (The party is taking place on the shore of the reservoir.) Ruby says that Chloe could go swim the reservoir now and bring back a souvenir from Olive. Chloe agrees, and dives off to do it. Instead she finds a boat. With a body.
Bear with me, because I'm trying to be careful. This is one of those books were if you literally say something you shouldn't; you could give a big part away. This is also the type of book where the things you'd forget about are the things that are the most important. Remember that.
Anyway, skip forward two summers. Chloe has been living with her dad. And Ruby drags her home. She assures Chloe that she won't have to worry anymore. That everything is like how it had been before she found the body of the girl. (London--that's the girl's name.) And here is where I stop! Now onto my critiques and so forth. =)
The writing style was so smooth and definitely affected you. It made you think, and it made you wonder. Made you imagine WHILST still reading the page. I felt like I was in this town, because even though the descriptiveness wasn't pages long--it did the trick. I loved the stories Ruby told and the way Chloe thought adoringly of her sister. Writing=10/10
Chloe was so loveable. She understood what it felt like to be overshadowed. Which I bet a lot of people know how that feels. She still loved her sister unconditionally though. Ruby on the other hand had that total factor—that YOU as the reader totally wanted. You wanted to be like her, but you were somewhat repulsed at the same time. At least I was. There were a few side characters that I would have liked a better back story with. A.k.a. Owen. Characters=8.5/10
Now I'm trying not to ramble or repeat myself. This is hard. I want to finish up now; but I do have a few more important things to say. This book gives you closure, but also leaves you with lingering thoughts that can last a long time. I won't be forgetting this book anytime soon. It leaves you with answers to the most detailed questions. . .but leaves you wondering about the overall idea. This is perfect. I won't be racking my brain (or the internet) to find out what happened, thinking I missed something. This book left you with a blank slate to fill in yourself once it was all over.
Beautiful prose, a mesmerizing setting, and a mysterious premise are, in the end, not quite enough to make up for the minimal character development and slow-moving plot in this ambitious and convoluted novel. IMAGINARY GIRLS is beautifully written, but the lack of attachment I felt for any of the characters meant that I actually had to struggle to finish this book.
The jacket copy for IMAGINARY GIRLS doesn’t tell you much, and it’s better if you go into the book knowing just the little you know. Nova Ren Suma writes in a languid style similar to Sarah Dessen when she is feeling particularly poignant, meaning that the small-town reservoir-side setting and the weirdness of the situation is well-evoked. IMAGINARY GIRLS is a very atmospheric novel—and even though it’s hard express the significance of the setting, it’s also probably impossible to imagine this story set elsewhere.
The fact that IMAGINARY GIRLS seems to focus more on beautiful prose than character development means that the characters—not the least of which is Chloe, the protagonist/narrator—come off as only vaguely intriguing, their interestingness born more out of the roles they are assigned in the story than they themselves. Chloe in particular is like a spluttering match next to Ruby’s Mag-lite glow—and yet Ruby’s magnetic persona, unfortunately, anchors its credibility in the telling of her magnetism rather than the showing of it. Chloe waxes eloquent for so long on Ruby this, Ruby that, that, “in the flesh,” Ruby is actually not as intriguing as Chloe makes her sound.
Chloe suffers from “everyone is more interesting than me”-itis. In short, Chloe has no personality. She has no defining characteristics besides being the narrator and Ruby’s younger sister, which I suppose is partially the point, but then she doesn’t grow a whit throughout the course of the novel. Why is it all too easy for protagonists in contemporarily set novels to be passive and bland? I really wish authors would catch themselves when they are writing bubbles as main characters: see-through substanceless creatures that threaten to disappear into nothing at the slightest touch.
IMAGINARY GIRLS didn’t work for me primarily because of these reasons, but I know that the majority of other readers have really loved this book, so don’t take my word for it. I wonder, though, if there are or will be other readers out there who had the same problems with this book as I did.
The jacket copy for IMAGINARY GIRLS doesn’t tell you much, and it’s better if you go into the book knowing just the little you know. Nova Ren Suma writes in a languid style similar to Sarah Dessen when she is feeling particularly poignant, meaning that the small-town reservoir-side setting and the weirdness of the situation is well-evoked. IMAGINARY GIRLS is a very atmospheric novel—and even though it’s hard express the significance of the setting, it’s also probably impossible to imagine this story set elsewhere.
The fact that IMAGINARY GIRLS seems to focus more on beautiful prose than character development means that the characters—not the least of which is Chloe, the protagonist/narrator—come off as only vaguely intriguing, their interestingness born more out of the roles they are assigned in the story than they themselves. Chloe in particular is like a spluttering match next to Ruby’s Mag-lite glow—and yet Ruby’s magnetic persona, unfortunately, anchors its credibility in the telling of her magnetism rather than the showing of it. Chloe waxes eloquent for so long on Ruby this, Ruby that, that, “in the flesh,” Ruby is actually not as intriguing as Chloe makes her sound.
Chloe suffers from “everyone is more interesting than me”-itis. In short, Chloe has no personality. She has no defining characteristics besides being the narrator and Ruby’s younger sister, which I suppose is partially the point, but then she doesn’t grow a whit throughout the course of the novel. Why is it all too easy for protagonists in contemporarily set novels to be passive and bland? I really wish authors would catch themselves when they are writing bubbles as main characters: see-through substanceless creatures that threaten to disappear into nothing at the slightest touch.
IMAGINARY GIRLS didn’t work for me primarily because of these reasons, but I know that the majority of other readers have really loved this book, so don’t take my word for it. I wonder, though, if there are or will be other readers out there who had the same problems with this book as I did.
I really didn't like this book. The beginning was very slow and felt so incredibly long and boring. Once you get to the middle things pick up a little, but really the plot is just dull. I didn't like any of the characters and didn't care what happened to them, and the book certainly wasn't scary or dramatic or whatever it is they were going for.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall, an intriging, mysterious tale that has your mind toeing between the is-this-or-is-this-not-supernatural speculations.
The writing style is reminiscent of old style horror that leaves the reader unbalanced to create a surreal, hazy atmosphere. However, I felt it didn't nail it. This novel is certainly better written than the average YA, but lacks emotional depth from the protagionist's point of view. I found the plot quite compelling but the length unnecessary, as it could have been a short, or shorter, story and I don't think it would have lost much, if anything. That said, it is a quick, easy read that's perfect for a stormy night in. If asked for a recommendation for a contemporary intro to surreal horror, I'd give you this, but I wouldn't put this on a "must reads" list.
The writing style is reminiscent of old style horror that leaves the reader unbalanced to create a surreal, hazy atmosphere. However, I felt it didn't nail it. This novel is certainly better written than the average YA, but lacks emotional depth from the protagionist's point of view. I found the plot quite compelling but the length unnecessary, as it could have been a short, or shorter, story and I don't think it would have lost much, if anything. That said, it is a quick, easy read that's perfect for a stormy night in. If asked for a recommendation for a contemporary intro to surreal horror, I'd give you this, but I wouldn't put this on a "must reads" list.
Liebes Imaginary Girls,
du stehst einer deiner Hauptfiguren Ruby in Nichts nach. Ihr seid beide faszinierend, egoistisch, mysteriös und unnahbar. Außerdem habt ihr Freude daran andere an der Nase herumzuführen und endlos zappeln zu lassen.
Warum das so ist, willst du wissen? Weil ihr nie sagt, was Sache ist. Ruby ist diese idealisierte große Schwester, die so fantastisch ist, dass jeder alles für sie tun würde. Mit ihren langen Beinen und den flatternden Sommerkleidern ist sie praktisch zu allem fähig, auch zu scheinbar übernatürlichen Dingen. Dabei lässt sie niemanden an sich heran. Schon gar nicht die vielen Kerle, die ihr nachhecheln. Die dürfen zwar ab und zu das Bett mit ihr teilen, aber dafür müssen sie auch vom Frühstück bis zum Hausbau alles andere leisten. Sogar ihre kleine Schwester Chloe scheint Ruby nie richtig nahe zu kommen.
Ruby ist so eine Figur, die ich nicht besonders sympathisch finde, über die ich aber trotzdem gern lese, weil es so faszinierend ist, ihre unglaubliche Wirkung auf andere Menschen zu beobachten. Deine eigentliche Protagonistin Chloe kommt im Vergleich viel langweiliger daher. Sie dient dir eigentlich nur als Fernrohr, um Ruby zu beobachten und diese hin und wieder auf den Boden der Tatsachen zurückzuholen.
Deine ruhige, volle Stimme hat mir sehr gefallen. Sie klingt nicht so durchschnittlich modern sondern als würde sie eine gewichtige, märchenhafte Geschichte erzählen. Das hat dich auf jeden Fall stimmiger gemacht und zu deiner versponnen Kompliziertheit beigetragen.
Damit hast du mir wiederum echt zu schaffen gemacht. Die ganze Zeit habe ich auf mehr Hinweise gewartet und versteckte Andeutungen gesucht, die deine Geschehnisse logisch erklären. Gegen Ende hatte ich mir schließlich meine eigene Theorie zusammengebastelt. Doch selbst danach habe ich immer darauf gewartet, dass du mir diese Idee bestätigen würdest – leider umsonst. Fand ich schon irgendwie enttäuschend. Ich mag es ja, dass deine Mama wollte, dass du deine Geschichte erzählst und jeder Zuhörer sich seinen eigenen Reim aus diesem Potpourri mitnehmen kann. Ich bin voll fürs Selbstdenken und Geschichtenspinnen, aber gerade bei deiner ganzen Verworrenheit hätte ich mir doch einen eindeutigen roten Faden gewünscht und nicht zig mögliche Wege, die alle ihre Stolpersteine zu bergen scheinen.
Wie gesagt, ich habe meine Theorie, nur eine Bestätigung deinerseits werde ich nie bekommen. Trotzdem war es interessant in deine Geschichte einzutauchen und diese beiden seltsamen Schwestern kennen zu lernen.
Alles Liebe,
Infinite Playlist
du stehst einer deiner Hauptfiguren Ruby in Nichts nach. Ihr seid beide faszinierend, egoistisch, mysteriös und unnahbar. Außerdem habt ihr Freude daran andere an der Nase herumzuführen und endlos zappeln zu lassen.
Warum das so ist, willst du wissen? Weil ihr nie sagt, was Sache ist. Ruby ist diese idealisierte große Schwester, die so fantastisch ist, dass jeder alles für sie tun würde. Mit ihren langen Beinen und den flatternden Sommerkleidern ist sie praktisch zu allem fähig, auch zu scheinbar übernatürlichen Dingen. Dabei lässt sie niemanden an sich heran. Schon gar nicht die vielen Kerle, die ihr nachhecheln. Die dürfen zwar ab und zu das Bett mit ihr teilen, aber dafür müssen sie auch vom Frühstück bis zum Hausbau alles andere leisten. Sogar ihre kleine Schwester Chloe scheint Ruby nie richtig nahe zu kommen.
Ruby ist so eine Figur, die ich nicht besonders sympathisch finde, über die ich aber trotzdem gern lese, weil es so faszinierend ist, ihre unglaubliche Wirkung auf andere Menschen zu beobachten. Deine eigentliche Protagonistin Chloe kommt im Vergleich viel langweiliger daher. Sie dient dir eigentlich nur als Fernrohr, um Ruby zu beobachten und diese hin und wieder auf den Boden der Tatsachen zurückzuholen.
Deine ruhige, volle Stimme hat mir sehr gefallen. Sie klingt nicht so durchschnittlich modern sondern als würde sie eine gewichtige, märchenhafte Geschichte erzählen. Das hat dich auf jeden Fall stimmiger gemacht und zu deiner versponnen Kompliziertheit beigetragen.
Damit hast du mir wiederum echt zu schaffen gemacht. Die ganze Zeit habe ich auf mehr Hinweise gewartet und versteckte Andeutungen gesucht, die deine Geschehnisse logisch erklären. Gegen Ende hatte ich mir schließlich meine eigene Theorie zusammengebastelt. Doch selbst danach habe ich immer darauf gewartet, dass du mir diese Idee bestätigen würdest – leider umsonst. Fand ich schon irgendwie enttäuschend. Ich mag es ja, dass deine Mama wollte, dass du deine Geschichte erzählst und jeder Zuhörer sich seinen eigenen Reim aus diesem Potpourri mitnehmen kann. Ich bin voll fürs Selbstdenken und Geschichtenspinnen, aber gerade bei deiner ganzen Verworrenheit hätte ich mir doch einen eindeutigen roten Faden gewünscht und nicht zig mögliche Wege, die alle ihre Stolpersteine zu bergen scheinen.
Wie gesagt, ich habe meine Theorie, nur eine Bestätigung deinerseits werde ich nie bekommen. Trotzdem war es interessant in deine Geschichte einzutauchen und diese beiden seltsamen Schwestern kennen zu lernen.
Alles Liebe,
Infinite Playlist
Very different from most YA novels these days. Supernatural with a poetic quality. Eerie and gorgeous all at the same time. Fantastic sense of place, I could fully imagine the town as if it were another fully fleshed-out character.
bleh. Boring story I couldn't care less about and no characters to root for.
4.5 stars
This book wasn't really what I thought it was going to be, but I actually loved it. The dreamy tone worked really well, and I LOVED our narrator's voice, even in first person. Very Twilight Zone-esque in nature, a great read for anyone looking for a complex story about sisterly relationships and what can happen when you love someone too much.
This book wasn't really what I thought it was going to be, but I actually loved it. The dreamy tone worked really well, and I LOVED our narrator's voice, even in first person. Very Twilight Zone-esque in nature, a great read for anyone looking for a complex story about sisterly relationships and what can happen when you love someone too much.