Scan barcode
betwixt_the_pages's review against another edition
3.0
A diary of a Texas high school senior who dreams of living in New York City with her best friend and fellow artist, Kit, an Etsy entrepreneur. Both girls apply to a Manhattan art school. Piper is admitted, but without the necessary financial aid; Kit is not even accepted. What now?
Rating: 3.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: realistic and true-to-life; I LOVE how open-ended the ending is; an interesting glimpse into family dynamics and sibling rivalries; a focus on opportunity, self-preservation, and personal sacrifice; Piper has an entertaining, strong voice, but she comes off a bit unreliable at times
Huge thanks to Kayla Cagan, Chronicle Books Publishing, and Netgalley for granting me free early access to an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
The first thing you need to know about this book: it's written in diary form. Therefore, the only perspective we get is Piper's--and while I adored how strong and unique her voice is throughout this novel, I also struggled a bit with seeing the world through her eyes. Don't get me wrong--single perspective reads are not in any way a bad thing! However, Piper's perspective is (as to be expected, with diary entries) very biased. A couple of times, I found myself wondering if she was more unreliable than honest. You know that saying, "there's three sides to every story. His, hers, and the truth." ? I felt it applied to a lot of this book, when perhaps it shouldn't have.
I'm like Andy, taking what's already there and making it bolder, more in your face. But Marli? Marli is like the Escher poster hanging in Adams's classroom, staircases leading everywhere and nowhere at the same time. No matter which way you walk, you can't get out. You can't ever leave.
I really enjoyed the different themes that Kayla Cagan explored, though! One of the biggest focuses, sibling rivalry, was a new one for me to encounter in YA, and it was beautifully done. Growing up with a TON of half-siblings and one younger brother, I know just how volatile and dramatic such relationships can be. They are, at times, downright caustic. When you add in pregnancy and the additional hormones that come with it, it's pretty easy to believe in Marli's terrifying unpredictability.
Part of me wanted to cry. Part of me wanted to laugh. Part of me couldn't stop staring at my still-broken piece. No matter how we tried to repair it, to mend it, it was now just a thing with stitches.
In fact, the entire family dynamic was never once sugar-coated or glossed over. Kayla Cagan did an awesome job of asking the right questions, and then employing the answers in ways that shifted the plot and changed my perspective as a reader. Both parents are fully present and realistically flawed, acting and reacting in predictable AND surprising ways. After all, who hasn't done or said something out of character when stressed? Unlike a lot of YA reads with missing or "side-note" parents, I felt as if I got to know Piper's mom and dad as fully as I did Piper and Marli. I felt as if all these characters came to life for me, honestly--and that's a hard thing to do in writing, to make each character feel individualized and equally vibrant.
In the end, this was an entertaining and thought-provoking read. There are tons of moments filled with teen angst, family drama, and abstract philosophies or ideas. It is, at times, difficult to put yourself in Piper's shoes and understand where she's coming from. Marli is, throughout, downright terrifying--and, at times, emotionally abusive. Still, each character feels fleshed out and unique, and the ending is open-ended enough to let readers continue the story on their own, if they want. I recommend this to lovers of contemporary fiction, "differing" family dynamics, and the exploration of abstract ideas/human nature. This was an interesting read; I'll be keeping my eyes open for the next project Kayla Cagan tackles.
adeleashley's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a bit on the fence about this novel. I finished it because I was interested enough to keep reading, which is I'm giving it 3 stars and not 2, but it was a definite struggle.
Piper, the titular character, has no redeeming qualities. I get that she is going through a hard time and is seeing her dreams of art school slip away, but she does absolutely nothing to help herself, even as her parents are telling her how she can help them make things work. It's like she believes that because she likes art, and got accepted to art school things should just fall into her lap. She ends up coming across as entitled, bratty, condescending and self-absorbed.
I also found her sister Marli a bit over the top and unrealistic, as well as her parents reactions to the situations but since the entire story is told from Piper’s perspective, everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
To a certain degree, I felt like this novel was set in the wrong time period. If it was set 30 or 40 years earlier, the entire story might be a bit more realistic.
Piper, the titular character, has no redeeming qualities. I get that she is going through a hard time and is seeing her dreams of art school slip away, but she does absolutely nothing to help herself, even as her parents are telling her how she can help them make things work. It's like she believes that because she likes art, and got accepted to art school things should just fall into her lap. She ends up coming across as entitled, bratty, condescending and self-absorbed.
I also found her sister Marli a bit over the top and unrealistic, as well as her parents reactions to the situations but since the entire story is told from Piper’s perspective, everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
To a certain degree, I felt like this novel was set in the wrong time period. If it was set 30 or 40 years earlier, the entire story might be a bit more realistic.
kawarwick's review against another edition
4.0
Fast read since it is written as a diary. It's a fun look at Piper's last year of high school and what her future holds.
rmpenny247's review against another edition
2.0
I am finally done. Oh my goodness...
Well, the good thing is that I didn't need to force myself to read it. I actually wanted to know what would happen in the end for some of the characters. That desire surprised me a bit because most of the characters annoyed me a lot. Almost all of them. I think Marli is the most unpleasant character I've ever read about. I know that she wasn't supposed to be pleasant or liked, but it was way over the top for me. Way over. She is a big majority of the reason why I almost didn't make it through the book. I DNF'd this in June, but picked it back up again in September with the idea that the characters would have to develop throughout the book and be more likable in the end. I think I was wrong about that idea.
I gave this book 2 stars because I didn't completely dislike it. It had some rare moments of goodness. (Every situation surrounding Marli and how it was handled is another reason why the rating isn't higher.) It was just not for me, and I don't think I would recommend this book even if the person had an interest in art.
Well, the good thing is that I didn't need to force myself to read it. I actually wanted to know what would happen in the end for some of the characters. That desire surprised me a bit because most of the characters annoyed me a lot. Almost all of them. I think Marli is the most unpleasant character I've ever read about. I know that she wasn't supposed to be pleasant or liked, but it was way over the top for me. Way over. She is a big majority of the reason why I almost didn't make it through the book. I DNF'd this in June, but picked it back up again in September with the idea that the characters would have to develop throughout the book and be more likable in the end. I think I was wrong about that idea.
I gave this book 2 stars because I didn't completely dislike it. It had some rare moments of goodness. (Every situation surrounding Marli and how it was handled is another reason why the rating isn't higher.) It was just not for me, and I don't think I would recommend this book even if the person had an interest in art.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
1.0
I hate that I didn't love this one - but in January, I was already pretty sure I wouldn't love it.
I think this is a case of a reader and a book - just not destined to get a long. I found the story boring - I keep trying to imagine what I would tell someone the plot is and I think I'll go with "dysfunctional family and the few months before college." I just don't think anything stands out here. Told is a kind of journal format, each "chapter" section is broken out by Month. The story starts in January and runs through August as Piper waits for the answer to college, struggles to like her family, a boyfriend and keep her psycho sister from completely losing it and from Kit throwing yet another tantrum.
I didn't like the characters. That is almost always the way that books and I don't get along. I didn't like Kit or Enzo and I definitely didn't like Marli or Piper. I wish I could say I liked it more.
I think this is a case of a reader and a book - just not destined to get a long. I found the story boring - I keep trying to imagine what I would tell someone the plot is and I think I'll go with "dysfunctional family and the few months before college." I just don't think anything stands out here. Told is a kind of journal format, each "chapter" section is broken out by Month. The story starts in January and runs through August as Piper waits for the answer to college, struggles to like her family, a boyfriend and keep her psycho sister from completely losing it and from Kit throwing yet another tantrum.
I didn't like the characters. That is almost always the way that books and I don't get along. I didn't like Kit or Enzo and I definitely didn't like Marli or Piper. I wish I could say I liked it more.
universalbookworm's review
2.0
I received a sampler copy of this novel from Net Galley. Really, only a small sample so my views should be taken with a grain or two of salt.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise presented by the description - the main character "inhales air and exhales art" - however, in the short sampler I read there wasn't much development on this core plot piece.
Also, the diary entry writing style is very disjointed which can be disorienting for the beginning of the story. However, by the end of the sampler, I felt the writing style was indicative of Piper's changing views on life, and matched the character quite well. The author also makes an admirable attempt to make several references to how art and artists are perceived in popular culture. But at times the allusions seemed surface, with no real comparison to be made.
Ultimately, I think this is worth a read if you are at all interested in close mother-daughter relationships, coming of age tales that involve art, and wacky main characters.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise presented by the description - the main character "inhales air and exhales art" - however, in the short sampler I read there wasn't much development on this core plot piece.
Also, the diary entry writing style is very disjointed which can be disorienting for the beginning of the story. However, by the end of the sampler, I felt the writing style was indicative of Piper's changing views on life, and matched the character quite well. The author also makes an admirable attempt to make several references to how art and artists are perceived in popular culture. But at times the allusions seemed surface, with no real comparison to be made.
Ultimately, I think this is worth a read if you are at all interested in close mother-daughter relationships, coming of age tales that involve art, and wacky main characters.
mindfullibrarian's review
4.0
Piper is written entirely in a very casual stream-of-consciousness diary style, which did take some getting used to at first, but quickly turned into an absolute delight to read. It reads as exactly the style I like to write ~ no planning, little punctuation and a whole lot of feeling. This format makes it extremely easy to fall into Piper’s world and become invested in her messy family situation and her obsession with art, Andy Warhol, and getting the heck out of Texas and to NYC. The art focus is a joy to find in the YA market, as there just aren’t all that many books to hand to budding artists that this closely speak to the artist’s obsession with creation and design. I can’t wait to share this with my high school students!
One story line that I became especially interested in was Piper’s relationship with her sister, Marli. As you will find in the book, Marli is emotionally volatile and creates much tension for the entire family, as she has her entire life. I connected with this closely as a former special education teacher. In my work with students with emotional behavioral disabilities, many of the families I worked with were at a loss as to how to deal with the emotional turmoil their children exposed their families to. While Marli in this book is not technically labeled with a disorder or disability, the symptoms remain the same. I was heartbroken for both Piper and her parents as they struggled to absorb Marli’s wild mood swings. I was also heartbroken for Marli as she (in my opinion) needed professional help for her struggles. This part of the story was woven in throughout the book, and was probably supposed to be a backdrop for the art focus, but I didn’t read it like that. That’s the joy of books - we can all experience them through our own lens!
I will be purchasing a copy of this book for my high school library and another to check out to our high school art classroom. Cagan’s bio on her website states that she will be releasing another novel with Chronicle in 2018 - I can’t wait!
One story line that I became especially interested in was Piper’s relationship with her sister, Marli. As you will find in the book, Marli is emotionally volatile and creates much tension for the entire family, as she has her entire life. I connected with this closely as a former special education teacher. In my work with students with emotional behavioral disabilities, many of the families I worked with were at a loss as to how to deal with the emotional turmoil their children exposed their families to. While Marli in this book is not technically labeled with a disorder or disability, the symptoms remain the same. I was heartbroken for both Piper and her parents as they struggled to absorb Marli’s wild mood swings. I was also heartbroken for Marli as she (in my opinion) needed professional help for her struggles. This part of the story was woven in throughout the book, and was probably supposed to be a backdrop for the art focus, but I didn’t read it like that. That’s the joy of books - we can all experience them through our own lens!
I will be purchasing a copy of this book for my high school library and another to check out to our high school art classroom. Cagan’s bio on her website states that she will be releasing another novel with Chronicle in 2018 - I can’t wait!
iphi_kc13's review against another edition
2.0
The cover + the plot summary sold me. I almost bought this book straight out of the gate instead of my normal library first and then purchase procedure. I'm so glad I did not do that. Ugh. I dislike most all of the characters, including Piper. You are not a special butterfly, dear! The diary format was okay for me, but it would've been better if I actually liked the person writing the diary. :X
iriswindmeijer's review against another edition
3.0
Een beetje verf en stof, veel lessen beeldende vorming, een idool in de persoon van Andy Warhol en vooral vriendschap en je dromen achternagaan. Daar draait Piper Perish van Kayla Cagan om. Piper is geobsedeerd door kunst (vooral van haar idool Andy Warhol) en wil graag naar de kunstopleiding. Maar dat gaat niet zomaar, dus in de YA-roman volg je de worstelingen van Piper om haar dromen te volgen.
Dream big! Piper wil graag kunstenaar worden, en daarom wil ze naar een van de beste scholen uit het land: de New York School of Contemporary Fine Arts. Maar ze is niet van plan om alleen te gaan; samen met haar twee beste vrienden Kit en Enzo droomt ze van het moment dat ze verhuizen naar New York City, waar alles mogelijk is. Alleen nog even de eindexamens halen en daarna zijn ze klaar om te vertrekken.
Piper komt over als een personage dat weet wat ze wil en lijkt bereid om alles te doen om haar dromen waar te maken. Ze is daar heel doelbewust mee bezig en dat is bewonderingswaardig. Toch zijn er wat problemen: niet alles gaat volgens de regels der kunst. Haar beste vrienden gaan ineens niet meer mee naar New York, en dan wordt het onzeker of Piper zelf wel naar de stad van haar dromen kan gaan. Je leeft onwijs mee met Piper en gunt het haar – door haar enorme doorzettingsvermogen – dat ze haar doel bereikt.
De vriendschappen in Piper Perish zijn heel hecht en vertederend. Iedereen wil wel een Enzo, die ervoor zorgt dat je er perfect uitziet op je schoolfeest. Of een Kit, waarmee je ’s avonds gaat feesten en overdag kunst schept. Kunst is de basis van de vriendschappen, maar echt verdiepend zijn ze niet. Enzo en Kit zijn voornamelijk bijpersonages, en ondanks dat ze ook hun eigen verhaal (en problemen) krijgen, is het Piper die de show steelt.
De YA-roman is geschreven in dagboekvorm, waardoor het hele verhaal erg persoonlijk overkomt. De eerste persoon vertelsituatie komt alleen niet helemaal uit de verf door de vele dialogen in de tekst. De datumaanduidingen laten zien dat ze nog steeds in dagboekvorm verteld worden, maar dit komt niet altijd over.
De verwijzingen naar kunst en kunstenaars zijn geweldig. Bij deze YA-roman zou eigenlijk een bijlage moeten zitten met de besproken kunstwerken en kunstenaars. Gelukkig wist Emmy van Ruijven het boek ook passend te illustreren, waardoor het een wat meer visuele uitstraling heeft gekregen. Piper Perish is een boek dat je op een bankje in een museum moet lezen. Er zijn ook veel quotes van kunstenaars – voornamelijk Andy Warhol – opgenomen in Piper Perish, bijvoorbeeld:
Piper Perish steelt je hart en iedere keer als je je ogen dicht doet, zal je de kunstwerken voor je zien. De visuele schrijfstijl van Cagan en de kunstverwijzingen maken Piper Perish een schilderij of film die zich je voor je ogen afspeelt.
Al met al is Piper Perish een heerlijk boek. Het is niet bijzonder of geniaal, maar weet je wel volledig mee te slepen in de wereld van Piper en Warhol.
Dream big! Piper wil graag kunstenaar worden, en daarom wil ze naar een van de beste scholen uit het land: de New York School of Contemporary Fine Arts. Maar ze is niet van plan om alleen te gaan; samen met haar twee beste vrienden Kit en Enzo droomt ze van het moment dat ze verhuizen naar New York City, waar alles mogelijk is. Alleen nog even de eindexamens halen en daarna zijn ze klaar om te vertrekken.
Piper komt over als een personage dat weet wat ze wil en lijkt bereid om alles te doen om haar dromen waar te maken. Ze is daar heel doelbewust mee bezig en dat is bewonderingswaardig. Toch zijn er wat problemen: niet alles gaat volgens de regels der kunst. Haar beste vrienden gaan ineens niet meer mee naar New York, en dan wordt het onzeker of Piper zelf wel naar de stad van haar dromen kan gaan. Je leeft onwijs mee met Piper en gunt het haar – door haar enorme doorzettingsvermogen – dat ze haar doel bereikt.
De vriendschappen in Piper Perish zijn heel hecht en vertederend. Iedereen wil wel een Enzo, die ervoor zorgt dat je er perfect uitziet op je schoolfeest. Of een Kit, waarmee je ’s avonds gaat feesten en overdag kunst schept. Kunst is de basis van de vriendschappen, maar echt verdiepend zijn ze niet. Enzo en Kit zijn voornamelijk bijpersonages, en ondanks dat ze ook hun eigen verhaal (en problemen) krijgen, is het Piper die de show steelt.
De YA-roman is geschreven in dagboekvorm, waardoor het hele verhaal erg persoonlijk overkomt. De eerste persoon vertelsituatie komt alleen niet helemaal uit de verf door de vele dialogen in de tekst. De datumaanduidingen laten zien dat ze nog steeds in dagboekvorm verteld worden, maar dit komt niet altijd over.
De verwijzingen naar kunst en kunstenaars zijn geweldig. Bij deze YA-roman zou eigenlijk een bijlage moeten zitten met de besproken kunstwerken en kunstenaars. Gelukkig wist Emmy van Ruijven het boek ook passend te illustreren, waardoor het een wat meer visuele uitstraling heeft gekregen. Piper Perish is een boek dat je op een bankje in een museum moet lezen. Er zijn ook veel quotes van kunstenaars – voornamelijk Andy Warhol – opgenomen in Piper Perish, bijvoorbeeld:
‘Verliefd worden moet je eigenlijk met je ogen dicht doen.’ – Andy Warhol.
Piper Perish steelt je hart en iedere keer als je je ogen dicht doet, zal je de kunstwerken voor je zien. De visuele schrijfstijl van Cagan en de kunstverwijzingen maken Piper Perish een schilderij of film die zich je voor je ogen afspeelt.
Al met al is Piper Perish een heerlijk boek. Het is niet bijzonder of geniaal, maar weet je wel volledig mee te slepen in de wereld van Piper en Warhol.
angstyp's review against another edition
2.0
Probably would have been better as a graphic novel to be entirely honest. Lots of words explaining not a lot happening.