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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
I absolutely loved the plot of this book and because of that I also had really high expectations which, sadly, had me deeply disappointed.
The characters were carelessly put together and ever though I liked their stories I just couldn't feel that closeness you can get, and whenever a character would start get interesting then it would only last for a few pages.
At some point after half of the book I actually thought it was getting pretty good but then the author compleeetly changed Jam's story and I got reeeally annoyed since it just made so little sense, the little relatable things I had with the main character just went down to 0 and I don't know if this is just me but yeah I didn't like the way she changed her story.
There are a lot more to say about this book, mostly bad things, but I'm going to keep this short but all-in-all it was a 'could-be' good story spoiled by bad decisions.
The characters were carelessly put together and ever though I liked their stories I just couldn't feel that closeness you can get, and whenever a character would start get interesting then it would only last for a few pages.
At some point after half of the book I actually thought it was getting pretty good but then the author compleeetly changed Jam's story and I got reeeally annoyed since it just made so little sense, the little relatable things I had with the main character just went down to 0 and I don't know if this is just me but yeah I didn't like the way she changed her story.
There are a lot more to say about this book, mostly bad things, but I'm going to keep this short but all-in-all it was a 'could-be' good story spoiled by bad decisions.
Devoured this. Incredibly fun YA read. Would gift any teenager this book. Lots to like in this book.
Imagine a small boarding school for “fragile” teens in rural Vermont and within that school an exclusive English class to which only 4 or 5 students are handpicked to join. With this Meg Wolitzer makes her debut in YA fiction. Having read and loved The Interestings, her last adult novel, I knew I had to give Belzhar a try. The school is The Wooden Barn and Jamaica (known as Jam) Gallahue has been sent there after her downward spiral when her boyfriend dies. She doesn’t care because she no longer cares about anything and when she is told that she is part of Mrs. Quenell’s Special Topics in English class, she doesn’t care about that either. Even when she learns that there is only one author taught for the entire semester and that the majority of the work involves writing twice a week in a journal provided by the teacher—that will never be read by anyone else—she still cannot muster the energy to participate.
The rest of this review is available at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks.com/2014/10/belzhar/
The rest of this review is available at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://gilmoreguidetobooks.com/2014/10/belzhar/
Kinda predictable although I didn't see the twist coming towards the end.
Jam Gallahue hasn't been coping since the tragic loss of her boyfriend, Reeve. Heartbroken and depressed, her parents send her to a boarding school for fragile youth in hopes that there Jam will get the help she needs. Despondent Jam doesn't want to move on from her grief. Chosen as one of a select few, Jam finds herself in a class studying The Bell Jar and it is there, with the help of her classmates and her special journal, that Jam starts to come to terms with her loss and starts to live again.
Belzhar is heartbreakingly relatable. Readers may not have suffered a loss such as the one Jam went though but her pain is all too realistic and authentic. The idea of writing in a magical journal and being transported back into ones past is slightly bizarre but the desire to go back before life changed for the worst is all too familiar. Jam and her new friends Sierra, Casey, Marc and Griffin are believable and my heart broke for each of them. I loved how they bonded as a group and how each of them faced their pasts. These characters are all so real and were great support for Jam yet each having their own things going on.
I loved how this book wasn't exactly what I was expecting and I was so absorbed in the story that I enjoyed being in the moment with the characters. So much so that I didn't spend any time speculating what was going to happen. Jam was a great choice to narrate the story and her pain at losing Reeve was palpable. I also appreciated how these characters may be slightly jaded and damaged because of their pasts yet for the most part they aren't completely closed off to the future. There is hope within each of them and it was lovely to see how they approached their presents considering their pasts.
The magical element of this book worked perfectly within the realistic contemporary setting. Each of the characters have experienced a little too much realism in their young lives and the journals provided them with comfort with a lovely dose of whimsy. Jam and the others each come to terms with the moments their lives changed forever and became stronger for having faced these pivotal situations.
This book is beautifully written. For a book dealing with remorse and grief Belzhar is wonderfully entertaining and a joy to read. Jam has to go though so much and the author handled her journey with care and consideration. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys powerfully haunting and exquisitely written fiction.
Thanks to S&S Australia for the review copy
Belzhar is heartbreakingly relatable. Readers may not have suffered a loss such as the one Jam went though but her pain is all too realistic and authentic. The idea of writing in a magical journal and being transported back into ones past is slightly bizarre but the desire to go back before life changed for the worst is all too familiar. Jam and her new friends Sierra, Casey, Marc and Griffin are believable and my heart broke for each of them. I loved how they bonded as a group and how each of them faced their pasts. These characters are all so real and were great support for Jam yet each having their own things going on.
I loved how this book wasn't exactly what I was expecting and I was so absorbed in the story that I enjoyed being in the moment with the characters. So much so that I didn't spend any time speculating what was going to happen. Jam was a great choice to narrate the story and her pain at losing Reeve was palpable. I also appreciated how these characters may be slightly jaded and damaged because of their pasts yet for the most part they aren't completely closed off to the future. There is hope within each of them and it was lovely to see how they approached their presents considering their pasts.
The magical element of this book worked perfectly within the realistic contemporary setting. Each of the characters have experienced a little too much realism in their young lives and the journals provided them with comfort with a lovely dose of whimsy. Jam and the others each come to terms with the moments their lives changed forever and became stronger for having faced these pivotal situations.
This book is beautifully written. For a book dealing with remorse and grief Belzhar is wonderfully entertaining and a joy to read. Jam has to go though so much and the author handled her journey with care and consideration. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys powerfully haunting and exquisitely written fiction.
Thanks to S&S Australia for the review copy
Really fun and moving book.
I was sucked in for the most part, but I really have a soft spot for kids put together in dorms. It wasn’t really a coming of age novel but a discovery of self novel, and I enjoyed both the plot and the characters.
I couldn’t go a full 5 stars since I felt a little betrayed by the author at the end and also because I could suspend my disbelief for some plot points, some of the actions of the characters didn’t seem to jive with a believable reaction.
I was sucked in for the most part, but I really have a soft spot for kids put together in dorms. It wasn’t really a coming of age novel but a discovery of self novel, and I enjoyed both the plot and the characters.
I couldn’t go a full 5 stars since I felt a little betrayed by the author at the end and also because I could suspend my disbelief for some plot points, some of the actions of the characters didn’t seem to jive with a believable reaction.
This is the first book in ages where I felt completely immersed in the story and full of pain for the main character. I yearned for the setting, I found the magical realism and unorthodox teacher trope not too invasive, and the lack of technology cleverly deployed. Three quarters of the way through I was ready to put up my five star review, despite some niggling problems with character voice/actions being too wise for their years. I read it way too fast to predict the plot twist, which made me hurt even more. So many Jam feels. But then it lost a star when it wrapped up WAY too tidily.
Lovely, but underwhelming.
This review can also be found at twoamreaders.blogspot.com
Genre: Paranormal-ish contemporary
Feelings: Yeah
Happiness: A bit
Cuteness: Ehhhh?
Fast pacing: Slow, but it wraps you up
Series: No
Read if you like: mysterious concepts and messed up characters
Content: Swearing. Some shirtless kissings but nothing explicit. A lesbian character.
In one sentence... A group of teens lost and struggling with their own problems find a place in a special boarding school that transports them to a realm where their terrible pasts are unwritten.
Overall:
Rating: 3/5 stars
This review is SPOILER FREE
The Lovely Bits:
Concept. This whole story is very concept driven. The idea was original and intriguing, and I found myself very much caught up in the world and the different characters with their different troubles and sorrows.
There was some really nice sibling love going on, some raw feelings and a few great characters.
There wasn't actually a whole lot that stood out to me as really good, which is sad, because this really was a good book. It wasn't bad... the concept was good enough that the bad things didn't make me hate the story.
The Less Lovely Bits:
Prose. It was so...lacking. And the telling? After a while I got tired of Jam telling us over and over that she was sad and lonely. I am also currently reading Burial Rites, a book in which the character never once states that she is sad and empty, but you can feel it.
Belzhar really needed a shot of that. I was sick of being told Jam was sad. I was tired of how the feelings were being shoved down are throat. It was even to the point where Jam pondered how goats must have it easier.
I found myself really more concerned and interested in the side characters tragedies instead of Jam. I couldn't understand how she was feeling...her boyfriend being dead and all...but still I didn’t relate to her. Everything was Reeve. She kept saying how she wasn't human without Reeve. I was beginning to think she had other mental issues, not just depression. Her whole storyline really didn't show depression that well.
That being said, I think it was hard for anyone to relate to her. In a situation where a character has a past experience few readers will understand the writing really has to be good enough to show what the character is feeling. Belzhar didn't have that, so I really didn't feel Jam's pain at all. I found a lot of the character relationships and interactions seemed forced and rushed.
All of these less lovely bits did detract from the story, but in the end, I don't regret reading it. I loved the concept and world enough that the lacking prose didn't bother me as much. I really just wish they had other POV's instead of Jam's.
Review for Don't You Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn to come soon! I actually finished this before Belzhar, but never got around to writing a review.
This review can also be found at twoamreaders.blogspot.com
Genre: Paranormal-ish contemporary
Feelings: Yeah
Happiness: A bit
Cuteness: Ehhhh?
Fast pacing: Slow, but it wraps you up
Series: No
Read if you like: mysterious concepts and messed up characters
Content: Swearing. Some shirtless kissings but nothing explicit. A lesbian character.
In one sentence... A group of teens lost and struggling with their own problems find a place in a special boarding school that transports them to a realm where their terrible pasts are unwritten.
Overall:
Rating: 3/5 stars
This review is SPOILER FREE
The Lovely Bits:
Concept. This whole story is very concept driven. The idea was original and intriguing, and I found myself very much caught up in the world and the different characters with their different troubles and sorrows.
There was some really nice sibling love going on, some raw feelings and a few great characters.
There wasn't actually a whole lot that stood out to me as really good, which is sad, because this really was a good book. It wasn't bad... the concept was good enough that the bad things didn't make me hate the story.
The Less Lovely Bits:
Prose. It was so...lacking. And the telling? After a while I got tired of Jam telling us over and over that she was sad and lonely. I am also currently reading Burial Rites, a book in which the character never once states that she is sad and empty, but you can feel it.
Belzhar really needed a shot of that. I was sick of being told Jam was sad. I was tired of how the feelings were being shoved down are throat. It was even to the point where Jam pondered how goats must have it easier.
I found myself really more concerned and interested in the side characters tragedies instead of Jam. I couldn't understand how she was feeling...her boyfriend being dead and all...but still I didn’t relate to her. Everything was Reeve. She kept saying how she wasn't human without Reeve. I was beginning to think she had other mental issues, not just depression. Her whole storyline really didn't show depression that well.
That being said, I think it was hard for anyone to relate to her. In a situation where a character has a past experience few readers will understand the writing really has to be good enough to show what the character is feeling. Belzhar didn't have that, so I really didn't feel Jam's pain at all. I found a lot of the character relationships and interactions seemed forced and rushed.
All of these less lovely bits did detract from the story, but in the end, I don't regret reading it. I loved the concept and world enough that the lacking prose didn't bother me as much. I really just wish they had other POV's instead of Jam's.
Review for Don't You Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn to come soon! I actually finished this before Belzhar, but never got around to writing a review.
Similar to We Were Liars, yet not so much like it.
Easy, quick to read.
Feels like a whimsical experiment by Wolitzer.
Easy, quick to read.
Feels like a whimsical experiment by Wolitzer.