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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
I really didn't have very high expectations for this book, and after reading it I'm left with kind of a funny feeling. The entire novel seemed to be leading up to a very different conclusion than we were given, and it makes the end feel unrealistic and contrived, even a bit disrespectful. The main character, Jam, is an unreliable narrator in every sense of the word, and I sort of wish I had known that going in. The writing style was really engaging and interesting, though--I finished the book in a day--which is what kept me from giving it a lower rating.
I'm torn: the story was interesting and the twist was somewhat of a surprise but I felt like everything else was pretty basic. The characters, their development and interactions, the dialogue...it was all very simple. I know this Belzhar is categorized as YA but it felt like there was a severe emphasis on the 'young'. I'm a little disappointed, but it wasn't terrible.
Reread this book in anticipation to my book club discussion later this month. I liked it less the second time around, but it is an intriguing and unique story.
Loved it! I've typed several reviews, and then erased them all.
Nothing will really do this book justice without spoiling it, so I'll just say that I highly recommend it. I absolutely love what Wolitzer does with words.
Beautiful, mysterious, and resonant.
Nothing will really do this book justice without spoiling it, so I'll just say that I highly recommend it. I absolutely love what Wolitzer does with words.
Beautiful, mysterious, and resonant.
I enjoyed this book. A group of kids in a school for "emotionally fragile" teens are picked for a special English class. They soon learn just how special the class is.
The book: Two stars.
The main character: One star. A half star. No stars.
Ridiculous.
The main character: One star. A half star. No stars.
Ridiculous.
I feel like this is a story that's going to stick with me for a while. That being said, I'm still not sure about my thoughts on this book.
Weird, mysterious, gripping, riveting, and suspenseful are words I'd use to describe this book.
Weird, mysterious, gripping, riveting, and suspenseful are words I'd use to describe this book.
This was a GREAT read for me until I got to the end...*SPOILERS* I didn't like how every other person at the school had a legitimate problem or had suffered a legitimate trauma, while the girl in this story had created a fantasy in her head and was destroyed when it was proven false. Older people I've talked to keep saying "but that's what teens are really like! Everything bad is the end of the world!" but in that situation, it seems like this girl has very real mental illness, but that isn't addressed at all.
This book is something.
I picked Meg Wolitzer's Belzhar up because the gist sounds promising and when I searched the book on Goodreads, the bookish community have mixed opinions on this one hence I braved the storm and try to give my own take on this book.
In my opinion, this book has good intention to represent but lacked in clever execution. I know I may sound bias with this but this one was published way before the world became awake with many societal issues that were being considered nowadays. The story revolved on five teens who were at a recovery facility called The Wooden Barn and enrolled at a mysterious class called Special Topics on English under the supervision of Mrs. Q. With their involvement with each other's 'fragile' lives comes a bigger responsibility for every one which is to always look out for each other. But their class will never be branded special without a reason and the mystery unravel right before their eyes with a huge dilemma involving their past and their future.
As I said before, I expected this one to be an astounding #ownvoices gem yet there were some goods that were not clearly delivered well. I love the entirety of the gist but the storyline focused on Jam Gallaghue and Reeve Maxfield's relationship rather than exploring the character development of both which would be way better than the former. Though the ending made the Jam-Reeve emotional dispute way clearer, the mystery of the Belzhar fell off and so the rest of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the first 200 pages of the book (which is 80% of it) so I'll still give this one a decent rating. Ciao.
RATING: 3stars
I picked Meg Wolitzer's Belzhar up because the gist sounds promising and when I searched the book on Goodreads, the bookish community have mixed opinions on this one hence I braved the storm and try to give my own take on this book.
In my opinion, this book has good intention to represent but lacked in clever execution. I know I may sound bias with this but this one was published way before the world became awake with many societal issues that were being considered nowadays. The story revolved on five teens who were at a recovery facility called The Wooden Barn and enrolled at a mysterious class called Special Topics on English under the supervision of Mrs. Q. With their involvement with each other's 'fragile' lives comes a bigger responsibility for every one which is to always look out for each other. But their class will never be branded special without a reason and the mystery unravel right before their eyes with a huge dilemma involving their past and their future.
As I said before, I expected this one to be an astounding #ownvoices gem yet there were some goods that were not clearly delivered well. I love the entirety of the gist but the storyline focused on Jam Gallaghue and Reeve Maxfield's relationship rather than exploring the character development of both which would be way better than the former. Though the ending made the Jam-Reeve emotional dispute way clearer, the mystery of the Belzhar fell off and so the rest of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the first 200 pages of the book (which is 80% of it) so I'll still give this one a decent rating. Ciao.
RATING: 3stars