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pyrokel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bickie's review against another edition
3.0
Ben has a group of friends who don't always make the best choices, but he often goes along with them anyway. One caper involving stolen liquor and a crossing guard run over by a bike results in Ben's mistakenly being labeled a troublemaker. His state-imposed punishment is to write in a journal (what we are reading), do some community service (with the lady who was run over), and take up a hobby (not interested in Dad's car mechanic class). Due to another misunderstanding, Ben ends up in knitting class instead of ceramics, and finds to his surprise that not only is he good at it, but it's actually a competitive sport. Lots of laughs as we follow Ben's year of atonement and struggles to be himself in a sometimes unfriendly world. Best for high schoolers and precocious middle schoolers. Parents engage in sexual innuendo, which Ben finds totally inappropriate; Ben fantasizes about a "hot" teacher; the liquor (Martini Rosso) is stolen in order to bring the requisite bottle each to a party at a popular person's house.
this_fishy_reads's review against another edition
4.0
As a knitter, I liked this book because--
1. Knitting!
2. Knitting without a mystery! Why is mystery always the genre for knitting books?
3. Knitting and kids! Getting a whole new generation interested in fiber, aw yeah.
As a knitter, I disliked this book because--
1. Either English knitting terminology is more different than I realized, or someone didn't finish his research. Or he was using more common terms for the non-knitting reader, which is fine, I guess. There were no crochet/knitting mix ups at least.
2. Knitting a sock in an hour. What kind of bulky-weight nonsense is that?
3. There is a...thing that happens every so often in knitting circles, which are, yes, mostly populated by women. There are plenty of knitters who are men, who are nice and talented and funny, and I know they get guff for being men who knit. But the thing that happens is that someone, usually a man, will come in and proclaim their superior knitting knowledge after doing ten rows of garter stitch, and now they're telling you how to knit because they're going to make millions of dollars. To be fair, that doesn't exactly happen in this book. But the sudden and extraordinary talent of the main character, which so easily turns into a viable business on Etsy, kinda butts up to that thing and makes me think of a certain fella who insists blue is waterproof, and another guy who has a new super hip YouTube channel, and that one dude who wanted to build us all a new Ravelry machine...
I did like this book. It's funny, though weird to see what bad boys have turned into in the last ten years.
1. Knitting!
2. Knitting without a mystery! Why is mystery always the genre for knitting books?
3. Knitting and kids! Getting a whole new generation interested in fiber, aw yeah.
As a knitter, I disliked this book because--
1. Either English knitting terminology is more different than I realized, or someone didn't finish his research. Or he was using more common terms for the non-knitting reader, which is fine, I guess. There were no crochet/knitting mix ups at least.
2. Knitting a sock in an hour. What kind of bulky-weight nonsense is that?
3. There is a...thing that happens every so often in knitting circles, which are, yes, mostly populated by women. There are plenty of knitters who are men, who are nice and talented and funny, and I know they get guff for being men who knit. But the thing that happens is that someone, usually a man, will come in and proclaim their superior knitting knowledge after doing ten rows of garter stitch, and now they're telling you how to knit because they're going to make millions of dollars. To be fair, that doesn't exactly happen in this book. But the sudden and extraordinary talent of the main character, which so easily turns into a viable business on Etsy, kinda butts up to that thing and makes me think of a certain fella who insists blue is waterproof, and another guy who has a new super hip YouTube channel, and that one dude who wanted to build us all a new Ravelry machine...
I did like this book. It's funny, though weird to see what bad boys have turned into in the last ten years.
hayleybeale's review against another edition
5.0
As part of Ben Fletcher's punishment for accidentally knocking over a lollipop lady, he takes a class in knitting which he discovers he's a natural at and really enjoys. With a wink at more serious addictions and secrets, this is snortingly funny. Read my full review here.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
Ben’s on probation. It’s all because his friends wanted to steal booze from Waitrose and he was the look-out. But it all went horribly wrong and an incident with a lollypop lady, a stolen bottle of Martini Rosso and a Porsche lands otherwise do-gooder Ben on the wrong side of the law. To make amends he must complete some community service and attend a course at the local college. His options are limited but when he sees the teacher he fancies is running a knitting class, he swallows his pride and signs up. Just as long as no one finds out…
Boys Don’t Knit is a fun and delightful read of one boy’s discovery of knitting. And he’s bloody good at it, I was a bit jealous of his very quick progress. I’m still struggling with knitting in the round. Ben goes to great lengths to hide his secret, but very few people would guess; when he slams down his laptop it’s not to hide porn like his mum thinks, it’s because he’s looking at a knitting website. He nearly gets caught out reading a knitting magazine in the newsagents but recovers by pretending he’s using it to hide Loaded.
On a more serious note, it’s good to see a book highlighting the fact that gender stereotypes can be harmful to men and boys too. There is absolutely nothing wrong with men knitting (my boyfriend does it); it’s relaxing and creative. But poor Ben feels he needs to hide it in order to not be ridiculed or hated, not just from his school mates but also from his dad. Ben tries to talk about football in a clichéd way so that he’s got something to talk about with his dad, which reminded me of The IT Crowd episode where they pretend to be “real men” and end up involved in a bank robbery. There’s a theme here, be true to yourself or risk living a life of crime!
I did like his parents’ silly innuendo at the dinner table. It’s a humorous book but with Ben coming across as a serious sort of boy, who really doesn’t want to get into trouble. He regularly writes to his probation officer and is the last person you think would get into trouble for stealing. I guess that’s the one thing that lets the story down, it’s hard to grasp that Ben would have been put on probation at all, especially as the accident seemed to mostly be the lollypop lady’s fault!
I’ve never known knitting to be so edge of the seat as the grand finale either. There’s a sequel out now too which I will definitely be getting hold of.
Boys Don’t Knit is a fun and delightful read of one boy’s discovery of knitting. And he’s bloody good at it, I was a bit jealous of his very quick progress. I’m still struggling with knitting in the round. Ben goes to great lengths to hide his secret, but very few people would guess; when he slams down his laptop it’s not to hide porn like his mum thinks, it’s because he’s looking at a knitting website. He nearly gets caught out reading a knitting magazine in the newsagents but recovers by pretending he’s using it to hide Loaded.
On a more serious note, it’s good to see a book highlighting the fact that gender stereotypes can be harmful to men and boys too. There is absolutely nothing wrong with men knitting (my boyfriend does it); it’s relaxing and creative. But poor Ben feels he needs to hide it in order to not be ridiculed or hated, not just from his school mates but also from his dad. Ben tries to talk about football in a clichéd way so that he’s got something to talk about with his dad, which reminded me of The IT Crowd episode where they pretend to be “real men” and end up involved in a bank robbery. There’s a theme here, be true to yourself or risk living a life of crime!
I did like his parents’ silly innuendo at the dinner table. It’s a humorous book but with Ben coming across as a serious sort of boy, who really doesn’t want to get into trouble. He regularly writes to his probation officer and is the last person you think would get into trouble for stealing. I guess that’s the one thing that lets the story down, it’s hard to grasp that Ben would have been put on probation at all, especially as the accident seemed to mostly be the lollypop lady’s fault!
I’ve never known knitting to be so edge of the seat as the grand finale either. There’s a sequel out now too which I will definitely be getting hold of.
reddyrat's review against another edition
4.0
Hilarious and sweet! I first heard great things about this book right after it was published in the UK. When I went to England in November, it was the first book that I purchased - even though I knew that it was soon to be released in the US.
Boys Don't Knit is basically three different books in one - maybe even four. You have Ben's requirements for his probation, which stems from something stupid he and his friends did that he got all the blame for. You have Ben's relationship with his friends, which is pretty toxic at times. You have Ben's newfound love for knitting. You have Ben's wish to get a girlfriend, whether someone his own age or an elusive older woman. And you have Ben's sometimes challenging relationship with his family, mostly his dad. So actually, it's five books. But of course they all link together in the end.
Ben is the type of boy whose head you enjoy inhabiting over the course of the book. He's very normal. Neither smart nor stupid. Neither popular nor hated (well, he is hated by some). He leans towards the geek side. And is awkward to the max. All in all, he is a nice kid who tries to do the right thing. The kind I would have been friends with.
I had trouble deciding about his friends. It often seemed like he didn't like them much. And they didn't like him. Perhaps like many teenagers, he stuck around them because there was no one better available. Or because he needed protection. But at times, they seemed like real friends to Ben. So perhaps the good and bad equal out.
Then there's the knitting. Ben catches on to knitting and becomes really good incredibly fast. Perhaps a bit too fast to be believed, but I'll set that aside. As a lapsed knitter, this made me want to take up my needles again. It's so much fun to here about the various patterns or stitches, but you don't need to be a knitter to enjoy it. Mostly I loved reading about the joy that Ben gets from knitting. How it allows him to escape from the difficulties of his every day.
The book is full of humor. Some intentional, some not. Typical teenage boy. And it also seems stereotypically British too. There's also a good deal of physical humor towards the end. It gets a bit silly for my taste, but I was able to go with the goofiness. The humor keeps the poignant moments from feeling sticky sweet. I loved seeing Ben grow as he learned to love knitting and even as he did his probation requirements, even though he didn't deserve to be on probation. He's a great guy and I liked seeing people realize that.
Speaking of British, the book feels very British. I'm curious to see how much they change in the American edition. I asked the author and he tweeted back that he didn't think much would change. The references to British culture, education, sports, and everything else is a large part of the book's charm for me, so I hope not much changes.
Boys Don't Knit is such a fun book. There aren't enough humorous, contemporary "boy" YA fiction. The closest comparison I can think of is Swim the Fly by Don Calame (which is a must-read). I'm so happy I picked this book up in London. It definitely lived up to my high expectations. And I'm even happier that I bought the sequel while I was there.
Recommendation: Buy
Boys Don't Knit is basically three different books in one - maybe even four. You have Ben's requirements for his probation, which stems from something stupid he and his friends did that he got all the blame for. You have Ben's relationship with his friends, which is pretty toxic at times. You have Ben's newfound love for knitting. You have Ben's wish to get a girlfriend, whether someone his own age or an elusive older woman. And you have Ben's sometimes challenging relationship with his family, mostly his dad. So actually, it's five books. But of course they all link together in the end.
Ben is the type of boy whose head you enjoy inhabiting over the course of the book. He's very normal. Neither smart nor stupid. Neither popular nor hated (well, he is hated by some). He leans towards the geek side. And is awkward to the max. All in all, he is a nice kid who tries to do the right thing. The kind I would have been friends with.
I had trouble deciding about his friends. It often seemed like he didn't like them much. And they didn't like him. Perhaps like many teenagers, he stuck around them because there was no one better available. Or because he needed protection. But at times, they seemed like real friends to Ben. So perhaps the good and bad equal out.
Then there's the knitting. Ben catches on to knitting and becomes really good incredibly fast. Perhaps a bit too fast to be believed, but I'll set that aside. As a lapsed knitter, this made me want to take up my needles again. It's so much fun to here about the various patterns or stitches, but you don't need to be a knitter to enjoy it. Mostly I loved reading about the joy that Ben gets from knitting. How it allows him to escape from the difficulties of his every day.
The book is full of humor. Some intentional, some not. Typical teenage boy. And it also seems stereotypically British too. There's also a good deal of physical humor towards the end. It gets a bit silly for my taste, but I was able to go with the goofiness. The humor keeps the poignant moments from feeling sticky sweet. I loved seeing Ben grow as he learned to love knitting and even as he did his probation requirements, even though he didn't deserve to be on probation. He's a great guy and I liked seeing people realize that.
Speaking of British, the book feels very British. I'm curious to see how much they change in the American edition. I asked the author and he tweeted back that he didn't think much would change. The references to British culture, education, sports, and everything else is a large part of the book's charm for me, so I hope not much changes.
Boys Don't Knit is such a fun book. There aren't enough humorous, contemporary "boy" YA fiction. The closest comparison I can think of is Swim the Fly by Don Calame (which is a must-read). I'm so happy I picked this book up in London. It definitely lived up to my high expectations. And I'm even happier that I bought the sequel while I was there.
Recommendation: Buy
ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
I don't even know why I add books to my TBR anymore. Mostly because this was added back in 2016 and I just came across it now?? Not sure how that makes sense but at least that's one more book off of my never ending TBR shelf. Woohoo!
Now Boys Don't Knit (in Public) was a pretty quick read for me. I wasn't expecting to laugh so much with this one either but I did. Which was a nice surprise for me. Personally, not a big fan of knitting because my mom knits EVERYWHERE. The car, the table when we are eating, the couch, wineries (pre COVID) and she probably knits in her sleep.
Don't get me wrong.. I don't hate knitting I just don't like it when she does it when the whole family is eating - ya know? Like sit back and talk to the family Ma.
Other than that, this was pretty enjoyable and if I find the next book via my library app - I might dive into it.
Now Boys Don't Knit (in Public) was a pretty quick read for me. I wasn't expecting to laugh so much with this one either but I did. Which was a nice surprise for me. Personally, not a big fan of knitting because my mom knits EVERYWHERE. The car, the table when we are eating, the couch, wineries (pre COVID) and she probably knits in her sleep.
Don't get me wrong.. I don't hate knitting I just don't like it when she does it when the whole family is eating - ya know? Like sit back and talk to the family Ma.
Other than that, this was pretty enjoyable and if I find the next book via my library app - I might dive into it.
inkstndfngrs's review against another edition
4.0
So, the quick and dirty summary: a boy gets into a spot of trouble involving a crossing guard and a bottle of liquor I've never heard of. He is sentenced to community service with said CG and to take a class a local community college (or...whatever the UK equivalent of that is) and decides that he is under zero circumstances going to spend more time with his dad doing something he hates (work on cars), so he'll try to take up knitting because then he can possibly chat up a really hot teacher. Well, Really Hot Teacher actually teaches pottery so he's stuck with the MILF of his high school aged crush. And hey --he's actually pretty dang good at this knitting thing! So much that it kind of takes over his entire life --but he's a dude so absolutely no one can know. Especially not Dad. Or any of his friends. But seriously, not Dad.
As for what I thought: I actually did really like it. I wasn't sure I was going to. Ben is...disgustingly naive about girls. And life in general. But does pretty well for himself. It's really his friends who get him into trouble --but he's not a popular dude so he's kind of stuck with them. I'm familiar with that feeling. (Apologies to my friends...but sometimes you guys...sometimes...) I wasn't sure where exactly the story was going, and the ending was kind of "duh" but it wasn't an overly weak ending.
I think this is a great standalone but I look forward to more stories from the author (T.S. is apparently well published in the UK, but this is his first US book). From this side of the pond: Thanks for sending us a great story!
As for what I thought: I actually did really like it. I wasn't sure I was going to. Ben is...disgustingly naive about girls. And life in general. But does pretty well for himself. It's really his friends who get him into trouble --but he's not a popular dude so he's kind of stuck with them. I'm familiar with that feeling. (Apologies to my friends...but sometimes you guys...sometimes...) I wasn't sure where exactly the story was going, and the ending was kind of "duh" but it wasn't an overly weak ending.
I think this is a great standalone but I look forward to more stories from the author (T.S. is apparently well published in the UK, but this is his first US book). From this side of the pond: Thanks for sending us a great story!
nattyg's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this one. I liked the thought of a teenage knitting, it made it seem like something I could learn... it is on my bucket list