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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
A quick read with an unreliable narrator and a twist I didn't see coming, probably because I am so sleep deprived it's a wonder I can follow the thread of a narrative. Read largely in one day of feedings and being napped upon.
2.5 stars out of 5
As a fan of Wolitzer's "The Interestings", I approached her YA novel with some trepidation -- leaping from one genre to another is often tricky and leads to mixed results. The first 2/3 of the novel seemed almost cliche: teenage girl suffers loss, girl acts out, girl goes through journey of self-discovery, meets like-minded individuals, falls in love, etc. What surprised me was the withholding of her real backstory until the very end, when she is forced to make the ultimate choice: do I live in the past or do I choose to get better? These are some very adult questions Wolitzer asks of her characters, and she answers them well. The 'voices' and motives of each individual gradually change throughout the novel, something that Wolitzer has excelled at in other novels. There is an unexpected twist at the end that is executed nearly flawlessly, keeping me invested until the end. Wolitzer is less successful in her insertion of magic into the novel; it is a lacklustre system that might have been more believable if she hadn't been so heavy-handed with its inception. Given the adult themes in this YA novel (of which I was thoroughly impressed), I was disappointed with her conclusion in which everything is resolved like a picture-perfect, child-friendly book should. Wolitzer left herself ample opportunity to allow some of her characters' mistakes to be permanent and create a philosophical undertone to perhaps redeem the use of this half-designed magical universe as a plot-driver. Instead she chose the easy way out of the ending, making what could have been the makings of an excellent novel into one that is merely above average.
As a fan of Wolitzer's "The Interestings", I approached her YA novel with some trepidation -- leaping from one genre to another is often tricky and leads to mixed results. The first 2/3 of the novel seemed almost cliche: teenage girl suffers loss, girl acts out, girl goes through journey of self-discovery, meets like-minded individuals, falls in love, etc. What surprised me was the withholding of her real backstory until the very end, when she is forced to make the ultimate choice: do I live in the past or do I choose to get better? These are some very adult questions Wolitzer asks of her characters, and she answers them well. The 'voices' and motives of each individual gradually change throughout the novel, something that Wolitzer has excelled at in other novels. There is an unexpected twist at the end that is executed nearly flawlessly, keeping me invested until the end. Wolitzer is less successful in her insertion of magic into the novel; it is a lacklustre system that might have been more believable if she hadn't been so heavy-handed with its inception. Given the adult themes in this YA novel (of which I was thoroughly impressed), I was disappointed with her conclusion in which everything is resolved like a picture-perfect, child-friendly book should. Wolitzer left herself ample opportunity to allow some of her characters' mistakes to be permanent and create a philosophical undertone to perhaps redeem the use of this half-designed magical universe as a plot-driver. Instead she chose the easy way out of the ending, making what could have been the makings of an excellent novel into one that is merely above average.
No stars for this waste of time by an author I actually really like. I can't remember the last time I read something this awful.
Massive disappointment. In The Interestings, Wolitzer writes about adolescence in such moving and true ways. Here, everything feels forced and unexamined.
A gaspingly great book. Starts of strong, with perfect little touches. And then, just when it seemed it was going to disappoint me and turn into something else, it turned out to be more wonderful.
And when the gut punch comes, as you know it will, it was so harrowing that I had to set it down for a moment (and, no, it's not a suspense/horror novel).
Don't want to say too much, and I suggest you don't even read the jacket. Just grab and read.
Perfect length, though I wish I were able to spend a little more time with the characters.
And when the gut punch comes, as you know it will, it was so harrowing that I had to set it down for a moment (and, no, it's not a suspense/horror novel).
Don't want to say too much, and I suggest you don't even read the jacket. Just grab and read.
Perfect length, though I wish I were able to spend a little more time with the characters.
This was... very mediocre. And honestly I was disappointed. I had heard good things about Meg Wolitzer, but this book definitely did not live up to my expectations. I still want to read more of Wolitzer’s books, but this one was slightly off putting.
I don’t even understand the “plot twist” at the end. It seemed contrived and a desperate way to make Reece dead-but-not-dead. I didn’t even understand why Jam’s brain worked the way it did - and I am a mental health professional... so that’s how unrealistic it was.
Also, Belzhar was never actually explained.
So many irritating things about this book and not very many positives.
Needless to say, do not recommend.
I don’t even understand the “plot twist” at the end. It seemed contrived and a desperate way to make Reece dead-but-not-dead. I didn’t even understand why Jam’s brain worked the way it did - and I am a mental health professional... so that’s how unrealistic it was.
Also, Belzhar was never actually explained.
So many irritating things about this book and not very many positives.
Needless to say, do not recommend.
Interesting book about dealing with grief. The students in the book read Sylvia Plath's Bell Jar, so I read that as well.
3.5 stars
I need to discuss this one I think. There is a lot I really liked. The ending was a little rushed for me. Powerful messages though.
I need to discuss this one I think. There is a lot I really liked. The ending was a little rushed for me. Powerful messages though.