amyolive's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘You should always protect the things you can’t do without.’
Chloe, a teenager from a small town in Maine, wants to travel to Barcelona with her best friend Hannah and their boyfriends Blake and Mason before leaving home to attend college. Her very protective parents are reluctant to permit the trip, but eventually an agreement is reached. Chloe’s grandmother wants the four of them to travel first through Eastern Europe, to Latvia and to Poland where she has family, and memories of the past. Chloe is reluctant, but agrees. Her grandmother agrees to fund the trip for the four of them. Barcelona beckons. Each of the four has a different motivation for travelling. While Chloe wants a taste of independence, Blake is looking for material to write a short story which he hopes to enter into a competition. Hannah has her own reasons for wanting a change, while Mason is happy to join in.
The four friends arrive in Europe, and while travelling on a crowded train in Latvia, they meet a young man with a guitar who calls himself Johnny Rainbow. Johnny works as a tour guide and busks in Riga. Blake (Hannah’s boyfriend) takes an instant dislike to Johnny, and it isn’t long before Johnny’s presence impacts on the group.
I found it impossible to put this novel down. Following the group through the challenges of their travel, the turmoils of teenaged relationships, and (for some, at least) the recognition of the impact of war on Eastern Europe was like undertaking the journey with them. We see a number of situations from the differing perspectives of the friends, how something which enthrals one irritates another. And all the time, Johnny’s presence (or absence) has its own impact on the friends.
And after the trip? What happens when the friends return to the USA? How will the journey shape the lives of Chloe, Blake, Hannah and Mason? And what about Johnny? You’ll need to read the novel to find out.
‘IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN.’
I’m a long time reader of Ms Simons’s novels, and I’ve yet to read one that I didn’t enjoy. In this novel, Ms Simons makes the friends (especially Chloe and Blake) emerge as individuals. There are other characters, too, who’ve stayed with me (especially Lupe, and Chloe’s mother Lang).
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for an opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Chloe, a teenager from a small town in Maine, wants to travel to Barcelona with her best friend Hannah and their boyfriends Blake and Mason before leaving home to attend college. Her very protective parents are reluctant to permit the trip, but eventually an agreement is reached. Chloe’s grandmother wants the four of them to travel first through Eastern Europe, to Latvia and to Poland where she has family, and memories of the past. Chloe is reluctant, but agrees. Her grandmother agrees to fund the trip for the four of them. Barcelona beckons. Each of the four has a different motivation for travelling. While Chloe wants a taste of independence, Blake is looking for material to write a short story which he hopes to enter into a competition. Hannah has her own reasons for wanting a change, while Mason is happy to join in.
The four friends arrive in Europe, and while travelling on a crowded train in Latvia, they meet a young man with a guitar who calls himself Johnny Rainbow. Johnny works as a tour guide and busks in Riga. Blake (Hannah’s boyfriend) takes an instant dislike to Johnny, and it isn’t long before Johnny’s presence impacts on the group.
I found it impossible to put this novel down. Following the group through the challenges of their travel, the turmoils of teenaged relationships, and (for some, at least) the recognition of the impact of war on Eastern Europe was like undertaking the journey with them. We see a number of situations from the differing perspectives of the friends, how something which enthrals one irritates another. And all the time, Johnny’s presence (or absence) has its own impact on the friends.
And after the trip? What happens when the friends return to the USA? How will the journey shape the lives of Chloe, Blake, Hannah and Mason? And what about Johnny? You’ll need to read the novel to find out.
‘IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN.’
I’m a long time reader of Ms Simons’s novels, and I’ve yet to read one that I didn’t enjoy. In this novel, Ms Simons makes the friends (especially Chloe and Blake) emerge as individuals. There are other characters, too, who’ve stayed with me (especially Lupe, and Chloe’s mother Lang).
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for an opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
kimberlycarrington's review against another edition
1.0
Vaya por delante que soy muy muy fan de la trilogÃa El jinete de bronce y que hasta casi casi el final iba a dar a Lone Star entre dos y tres estrellas pero no se merece más de una y estoy siendo generosa.
[Como no voy a reseñar este libro en el blog me permito hacer una reseña más extensa aquÃ. Menos mal que hace un par de dÃas que lo terminé y no lo reseño en caliente porque es tan grande el cabreo que pillé cuando que no sé qué tipo de reseña habrÃa hecho 😂].
Empecé a leer este libro con muchÃsimas ganas porque en mi altarcito particular y en mi estanterÃa 5 Gandys Superplus están los tres libros de El jinete de bronce en un puesto destacado. La escritura de Paullina Simons se mete dentro de mis venas y me emociona como muy pocas lo han logrado. Por eso no entiendo qué se le pasó por la cabeza a la hora de escribir este libro, que parece directamente escrito por otra persona. Esa prosa extraña y emocionante que conocemos de ella aquà se convierte en algo sin sentido que parece más fruto de un porro supremo que de una escritora que transmite como nadie los sentimientos y las sensaciones a través de las palabras.
Lone Star es una especie de road movie literaria, una viaje destinado a cambiar la vida de sus protagonistas y hacerles pasar de la adolescencia a la vida adulta a golpe de tren y de experiencias. Suena bonito, verdad? Pues no lo es, al menos no para mÃ. Para mà ha sido un libro al que no he logrado engancharme por más que lo he intentado, sobre todo por la extrañÃsima narración porrera (diferentes puntos de vista pero unos en tercera persona y otros en primera, y luego un narrador omnisciente cuando Paullina cambiaba de porro, debe ser), las actitudes incoherentes e incomprensibles de algunos personajes y el casi nulo atractivo de los personajes (donde hay que incluir a la protagonista -y si no conectas con el personaje principal vamos mal-). Únicamente me han gustado Blake (al que me parece que trata injustamente) y Johnny Rainbow (y antes que hablar de él me callo porque estoy mucho más guapa 😂).
Como os he dicho ni la historia me llegaba a enganchar ni sentÃa especial simpatÃa por la mayorÃa de los personajes pero bueno, al final no puedes evitar acabar picándote y leyendo con más interés para ver con qué nos va a sorprender Paullina Simons. Y en este aspecto Paullina nunca decepciona, tiene el bate de béisbol preparado para arrearte con él cuando menos te lo esperas, cosa que siempre es una putada pero que si eres como yo, de las que disfrutas con el sufrimiento lector, agradeces. AquÃ, no, aquà te cae como un jarro de agua frÃa y te hace pensar que qué necesidad habÃa de meterte un libro como este para al final hacer eso. Pero no es este hecho lo que me ha hecho bajarle la puntuación (ya que, al fin y al cabo, es decisión de la escritora llevar la historia por el lugar que más le apetezca). Es otra cosa la que me hace pensar que o bien este libro se lo ha escrito alguien o lo ha escrito sin ganas o no es una escritora capaz de respetar a sus lectores ni a su propia obra. No voy a spoilear por lo que no voy a poner nada en concreto pero lo mÃnimo que pido cuando leo es que, si se va a relacionar una obra con otra previamente escrita y publicada, la conexión resulte coherente y lógica, no que se hable de alguien y ya se nos cuente su destino para escribir en un libro posterior sobre ese mismo personaje y pasarte por el forro de los ovarios lo previamente escrito y publicado para darle un destino totalmente distinto, además, por supuesto, de que haya fallos en las fechas y blablabla, consecuencia de no se capaz de mirar tu propia obra para que todo case. Si Paullina ha considerado que era algo maravilloso destinado a que nos salieran estrellitas por los ojos que sepa que conmigo ha pinchado en hueso pues me parece algo totalmente innecesario y destinado a hablar muy mal de ella como escritora. Es algo intolerable y ciertamente muy muy muy cabreante. Por eso le doy a este libro una estrella y porque Goodreads no me deja ponerle menos, porque ha sido una lectura que me ha hecho cabrearme supremamente. No sé si volveré a leer un libro de ficción de Paullina Simons aunque, por supuestÃsimo, seguiré adorando El jinete de bronce como la suprema maravilla que es.
Y esta, queridas mÃas, es mi reseña reposada y no cabreada 😂😂😂.
[Como no voy a reseñar este libro en el blog me permito hacer una reseña más extensa aquÃ. Menos mal que hace un par de dÃas que lo terminé y no lo reseño en caliente porque es tan grande el cabreo que pillé cuando que no sé qué tipo de reseña habrÃa hecho 😂].
Empecé a leer este libro con muchÃsimas ganas porque en mi altarcito particular y en mi estanterÃa 5 Gandys Superplus están los tres libros de El jinete de bronce en un puesto destacado. La escritura de Paullina Simons se mete dentro de mis venas y me emociona como muy pocas lo han logrado. Por eso no entiendo qué se le pasó por la cabeza a la hora de escribir este libro, que parece directamente escrito por otra persona. Esa prosa extraña y emocionante que conocemos de ella aquà se convierte en algo sin sentido que parece más fruto de un porro supremo que de una escritora que transmite como nadie los sentimientos y las sensaciones a través de las palabras.
Lone Star es una especie de road movie literaria, una viaje destinado a cambiar la vida de sus protagonistas y hacerles pasar de la adolescencia a la vida adulta a golpe de tren y de experiencias. Suena bonito, verdad? Pues no lo es, al menos no para mÃ. Para mà ha sido un libro al que no he logrado engancharme por más que lo he intentado, sobre todo por la extrañÃsima narración porrera (diferentes puntos de vista pero unos en tercera persona y otros en primera, y luego un narrador omnisciente cuando Paullina cambiaba de porro, debe ser), las actitudes incoherentes e incomprensibles de algunos personajes y el casi nulo atractivo de los personajes (donde hay que incluir a la protagonista -y si no conectas con el personaje principal vamos mal-). Únicamente me han gustado Blake (al que me parece que trata injustamente) y Johnny Rainbow (y antes que hablar de él me callo porque estoy mucho más guapa 😂).
Como os he dicho ni la historia me llegaba a enganchar ni sentÃa especial simpatÃa por la mayorÃa de los personajes pero bueno, al final no puedes evitar acabar picándote y leyendo con más interés para ver con qué nos va a sorprender Paullina Simons. Y en este aspecto Paullina nunca decepciona, tiene el bate de béisbol preparado para arrearte con él cuando menos te lo esperas, cosa que siempre es una putada pero que si eres como yo, de las que disfrutas con el sufrimiento lector, agradeces. AquÃ, no, aquà te cae como un jarro de agua frÃa y te hace pensar que qué necesidad habÃa de meterte un libro como este para al final hacer eso. Pero no es este hecho lo que me ha hecho bajarle la puntuación (ya que, al fin y al cabo, es decisión de la escritora llevar la historia por el lugar que más le apetezca). Es otra cosa la que me hace pensar que o bien este libro se lo ha escrito alguien o lo ha escrito sin ganas o no es una escritora capaz de respetar a sus lectores ni a su propia obra. No voy a spoilear por lo que no voy a poner nada en concreto pero lo mÃnimo que pido cuando leo es que, si se va a relacionar una obra con otra previamente escrita y publicada, la conexión resulte coherente y lógica, no que se hable de alguien y ya se nos cuente su destino para escribir en un libro posterior sobre ese mismo personaje y pasarte por el forro de los ovarios lo previamente escrito y publicado para darle un destino totalmente distinto, además, por supuesto, de que haya fallos en las fechas y blablabla, consecuencia de no se capaz de mirar tu propia obra para que todo case. Si Paullina ha considerado que era algo maravilloso destinado a que nos salieran estrellitas por los ojos que sepa que conmigo ha pinchado en hueso pues me parece algo totalmente innecesario y destinado a hablar muy mal de ella como escritora. Es algo intolerable y ciertamente muy muy muy cabreante. Por eso le doy a este libro una estrella y porque Goodreads no me deja ponerle menos, porque ha sido una lectura que me ha hecho cabrearme supremamente. No sé si volveré a leer un libro de ficción de Paullina Simons aunque, por supuestÃsimo, seguiré adorando El jinete de bronce como la suprema maravilla que es.
Y esta, queridas mÃas, es mi reseña reposada y no cabreada 😂😂😂.
dreamer4ever's review against another edition
5.0
I have loved this author since I read The Bronze Horseman many years ago. I've been a part of this world in Lone Star for the last week, it's a bit of a long book, a little over 600 pages, I feel like I lived in this book, like I know these people, I loved this story. It is a wonderful coming of age novel that about killed me with the ending but things have a way sometimes of turning out for what we don't know we need, it was bittersweet. I will hopefully have the pleasure of reading all of the authors books during my lifetime, she is just sensational.
eantoinette285's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely adored every minute I spent with Chloe traipsing across Europe. Being with her and her friends made me realize that I don’t miss those teen years where kids are petty about every little thing. Chloe’s friends were no different. They knew how and when to bring the drama with them as they moved.
It’s when they met Johnny Rainbow on a train that things begin to change. Each character began to face realizations about themselves and about each other. There’s nothing like traveling with others to make you realize what kind of people you’ve surrounded yourself with.
I enjoyed getting more history lessons from Simons and her characters as they moved through Poland and other areas of Europe to visit family and locations that impacted humanity and left their dark marks in the world. Chloe’s friend Hannah might not have appreciated the group’s excursions but I certainly did. Once Johnny was in the picture, he brought both knowledge and incredible tension to the little group. Still, I enjoyed witnessing Chloe being so disgusted by him and then slowly evolve to become totally enthralled by him.
It’s when things go awry in Europe and everyone eventually makes it back state-side that life shifts gears completely. All the craziness Chloe, Hannah, their boyfriends Mason and Blake, and their latest companion, Johnny have to endure in trying to move from city-to-city causes them to grow apart more than come together. Once they’re home again, they’re not the happy quartet they once were and adulthood shifts their perspectives on life.
Chloe and Johnny are from two different worlds, and she spends her college years trying to find him again, and that research and adventure leads her to things and people she never thought she’d find.
This was a longer story, almost 700 pages, but listening to it on Audible just made it feel so magical for me. Paullina is absolutely phenomenal with her words. I did compare this story to The Bronze Horseman a LOT because that series is one of my favorites and I wanted the same feeling of enchantment to wash over me with this book too, and it did, in its own way. I won’t give anything away because the last thing I want to do is spoil this for you, but if you are a fan of The Bronze Horseman trilogy, you need to give this a go. I promise, the comparisons and familiarity is there for a reason and you won’t be disappointed when you get closer to the end of the story.
Lone Star was filled with adventure, friendship, romance, tragedy, history, and utter heartbreak, but my goodness, with the good and the bad combined, it was an absolutely fantastic journey.
If you’re looking for something to read this weekend, look no further and check out this utterly gorgeous story!
It’s when they met Johnny Rainbow on a train that things begin to change. Each character began to face realizations about themselves and about each other. There’s nothing like traveling with others to make you realize what kind of people you’ve surrounded yourself with.
I enjoyed getting more history lessons from Simons and her characters as they moved through Poland and other areas of Europe to visit family and locations that impacted humanity and left their dark marks in the world. Chloe’s friend Hannah might not have appreciated the group’s excursions but I certainly did. Once Johnny was in the picture, he brought both knowledge and incredible tension to the little group. Still, I enjoyed witnessing Chloe being so disgusted by him and then slowly evolve to become totally enthralled by him.
It’s when things go awry in Europe and everyone eventually makes it back state-side that life shifts gears completely. All the craziness Chloe, Hannah, their boyfriends Mason and Blake, and their latest companion, Johnny have to endure in trying to move from city-to-city causes them to grow apart more than come together. Once they’re home again, they’re not the happy quartet they once were and adulthood shifts their perspectives on life.
Chloe and Johnny are from two different worlds, and she spends her college years trying to find him again, and that research and adventure leads her to things and people she never thought she’d find.
This was a longer story, almost 700 pages, but listening to it on Audible just made it feel so magical for me. Paullina is absolutely phenomenal with her words. I did compare this story to The Bronze Horseman a LOT because that series is one of my favorites and I wanted the same feeling of enchantment to wash over me with this book too, and it did, in its own way. I won’t give anything away because the last thing I want to do is spoil this for you, but if you are a fan of The Bronze Horseman trilogy, you need to give this a go. I promise, the comparisons and familiarity is there for a reason and you won’t be disappointed when you get closer to the end of the story.
Lone Star was filled with adventure, friendship, romance, tragedy, history, and utter heartbreak, but my goodness, with the good and the bad combined, it was an absolutely fantastic journey.
If you’re looking for something to read this weekend, look no further and check out this utterly gorgeous story!
boredgoldfish's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I wasn't expecting how serious it was, but a romance book I couldn't put down.
sarcrawsh's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I didn't realize this was a YA book, and was hoping for an epic similar to TBH. But it's definitely not. The kids, minus Blake, are spoiled and whiny at the beginning of the story, especially Hannah. It was hard to like them. But they gradually got better, particularly Chloe, which is good since she's the primary storyteller.
Johnny is quite the interesting character. I had some guesses about how everything would turn out, and most of them came true (minus Mason being gay. Totally thought he was). I was absolutely slammed over the head with Johnny's true identity, though I probably should have seen it coming.
Johnny is quite the interesting character. I had some guesses about how everything would turn out, and most of them came true (minus Mason being gay. Totally thought he was). I was absolutely slammed over the head with Johnny's true identity, though I probably should have seen it coming.
lisah04's review against another edition
4.0
After finishing Lone Star, I had a major book hangover. It took me 4 days to pick up something new. Paullina Simons seems to have that affect on me - first with The Bronze Horseman series and now Lone Star.
Chloe Divine is graduating from college and dreams of traveling to Spain with her friends before starting a life on her own. Her grandmother offers to pay for the trip, with conditions attached. Before Spain, Chloe and her friends must visit Eastern Europe. There, Chloe meets Johnny Rainbow, a street musician/tour guide/bad boy.
Unlike other reviewers, I was hooked from the very beginning. When Johnny entered the picture, I wasn't so sure I wanted him to be a part of Chloe's life.
Fans of The Bronze Horseman will enjoy a nod to the story at the end of Lone Star.
Chloe Divine is graduating from college and dreams of traveling to Spain with her friends before starting a life on her own. Her grandmother offers to pay for the trip, with conditions attached. Before Spain, Chloe and her friends must visit Eastern Europe. There, Chloe meets Johnny Rainbow, a street musician/tour guide/bad boy.
Unlike other reviewers, I was hooked from the very beginning. When Johnny entered the picture, I wasn't so sure I wanted him to be a part of Chloe's life.
Fans of The Bronze Horseman will enjoy a nod to the story at the end of Lone Star.