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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
Intriguing premise, some interesting ideas, but so much that's problematic. And since so much of what's problematic involves spoilers, I won't go into what troubled me. I will say that this book read like what people often think YA should be like. Which is to say, it's not on a par with some of the best that's happening in the YA world right now.
What a strange book... While I was reading it, I assumed it was an older Wolitzer book I hadn't heard of, so I was really surprised to see that it's brand new! Something about it-- maybe that it's YA, but I don't really think so, as I really think her writing is so well-suited to YA -- made me think it was earlier in her career. Anyway, I really liked it! I tore through it-- it was very easy to read, and I am not usually one for dream sequences/journal entries but I really liked how they worked in this book.
I know a lot of people HATED the big twist, but I loved it. I had a feeling that Jam was not telling us the whole story about Reeves' death, but I didn't expect the truth to be so sad. Wolitzer did (and does in many of her books) a great job at capturing what it's like to be a girl on the margins. Not every tragedy has to involve death or great love or dystopia-- sometimes its enough to just FEEL that way.
I know a lot of people HATED the big twist, but I loved it. I had a feeling that Jam was not telling us the whole story about Reeves' death, but I didn't expect the truth to be so sad. Wolitzer did (and does in many of her books) a great job at capturing what it's like to be a girl on the margins. Not every tragedy has to involve death or great love or dystopia-- sometimes its enough to just FEEL that way.
This book was not what I expected, but that might be because I bought it forever ago and only just got around to reading it. Oops. I’m so glad I did read it though, because it is a wonderfully written book about the multitude of power contained in words and stories, as well as the realities and multiplicities of mental illness and recovery.
Jam has such a clear and distinctive voice with a subtle sense of humor that cleverly cuts through some of the heavier topics she’s faced with. The twist was also, though not entirely unexpected, well-executed and navigated with the appropriate care.
A more subtle achievement of this book, but one no less deserving of praise, is that Meg tackles issues and traumas that come with being a teen girl without condescending or trivializing them.
PLUS THERE IS A SEMI-IMPORTANT SECONDARY CHARACTER WHO IS QUEER. I DID NOT KNOW THIS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT, OKAY, FELLOW QUEERS WHERE YOU AT????
Jam has such a clear and distinctive voice with a subtle sense of humor that cleverly cuts through some of the heavier topics she’s faced with. The twist was also, though not entirely unexpected, well-executed and navigated with the appropriate care.
A more subtle achievement of this book, but one no less deserving of praise, is that Meg tackles issues and traumas that come with being a teen girl without condescending or trivializing them.
PLUS THERE IS A SEMI-IMPORTANT SECONDARY CHARACTER WHO IS QUEER. I DID NOT KNOW THIS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT, OKAY, FELLOW QUEERS WHERE YOU AT????
Solid YA book. I had issues with the way the boyfriend was portrayed (or really, how the main character talked about her boyfriend) but in the end it made sense. And the end surprised me. Which never happens.
This book was a wild ride. I opened it not expecting much, and really I only even got it because it's on the battle of the books list. But once I started, I knew that I was going to love this book pretty much right away. The characters and the premise dragged me in pretty quickly, if you ask me, and never let me go. The concept of Belzhar is fascinating, and I was addicted to finding out the backstories of each character as they began to present themselves.
I pretty much tore through this book- I don't think I've ever been able to say this before in my life, but I basically didn't put it down a single time when I was reading it because I practically physically couldn't.
However, what I really wasn't prepared for was But I guess this time around it made sense. I'm still angry about it, but there was no real way to avoid that truth.
Amazing book, though. I would love to read this again and everyone ever should at least try to read it.
(I need to raise my BOB expectations. The book choosers know what they're doing)
I pretty much tore through this book- I don't think I've ever been able to say this before in my life, but I basically didn't put it down a single time when I was reading it because I practically physically couldn't.
However, what I really wasn't prepared for was
Spoiler
the final plot twist. Usually I hate that about a book- you wrote this entire story about this character and her entire storyline is based on her backstory, but then it turns out that she was actually insane and had made it all up because she was obsessed and psychotic? No thank you.Amazing book, though. I would love to read this again and everyone ever should at least try to read it.
(I need to raise my BOB expectations. The book choosers know what they're doing)
What an interesting, amazing book. I never would have thought of this idea. I wish I had written this one. I wish I could have taken a Special Topics class in high school and had a journal experience like the students had. I thought the twist in the story was interesting. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I thought it was believable. In spite of everything, I still did like the main character. Overall, it was a great read.
There are a lot of flaws with this book. I started out really enjoying the story and setting, but this quickly changed. This novel lacks maturity more than anything. Even for the YA crowd, this just comes off as kinda silly and pathetic in the end, especially for a book that continuously praises classic literature. I also despise this need to tie up all loose ends with pretty little bows, this isn't a fairytale...
I'm grappling with how to feel about this book. Part of me knows that my high school self would have devoured it, but my today self spent a lot of time rolling her eyes at it.
It has lots of my hot plots for books: Boarding school! Angsty high schoolers! Using classic literature as a catalyst for self-discovery! High emotions and tension! These are enough to get me to forego sleep in order to read.
But some moments were a little spotty. The story moved along wonderfully at parts, but then slowed down or skipped ahead a little jarringly.
Jam's delusions make a mockery of real pain and destruction in peoples' lives. To compare this nonsensical story she told herself to the real trauma of her classmates' is a bit sickening. I wish she'd felt a little more remorse after hearing the stories of her peers, and for being placed in the same group as them.
And yet, I wanted to keep reading after it ended. And I want to find out what it was like for students in years past. And I want more backstory from the teacher's life. Sigh.
It has lots of my hot plots for books: Boarding school! Angsty high schoolers! Using classic literature as a catalyst for self-discovery! High emotions and tension! These are enough to get me to forego sleep in order to read.
But some moments were a little spotty. The story moved along wonderfully at parts, but then slowed down or skipped ahead a little jarringly.
Jam's delusions make a mockery of real pain and destruction in peoples' lives. To compare this nonsensical story she told herself to the real trauma of her classmates' is a bit sickening. I wish she'd felt a little more remorse after hearing the stories of her peers, and for being placed in the same group as them.
And yet, I wanted to keep reading after it ended. And I want to find out what it was like for students in years past. And I want more backstory from the teacher's life. Sigh.
I thought the first 19 chapters were ok, not great but ok, but then Chapter 19 actually pissed me off. The "twist" was ridiculous! Maybe this is something you have to be 16 years old to appreciate, but I doubt it. I read a review that said something like, anyone who has grieved should read this book. I strongly disagree--I personally found it downright insulting. I'll admit, there are some parts of the book where the author does get grief "right," but she undoes it all at the end. Ugh.
Good idea, poor execution. I'm sure I'm being extra hard on Meg Wolitzer because I adored The Interestings, but still.
Good idea, poor execution. I'm sure I'm being extra hard on Meg Wolitzer because I adored The Interestings, but still.