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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I liked a lot of things about this book, but hesitate to give it 4 stars.
It was well-written, and replete with literary references that, while intelligible, were not obnoxious, self-indulgent, or in-your-face.
It did seem to have a political agenda (gay rights). Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I felt a little preached to, which was annoying.
It was well-written, and replete with literary references that, while intelligible, were not obnoxious, self-indulgent, or in-your-face.
It did seem to have a political agenda (gay rights). Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I felt a little preached to, which was annoying.
This was a fun book. It was recommended to me and I am glad it was. It is the tale of a children's librarian named Lucy who kidnaps/is kidnapped by a 10-year old boy named Ian. They run away together on this cross-country trip from Hannibal, Missouri to Vermont. Along the way they have encounters with her Russian mafia father, her boyfriend Glenn and a variety of people. I am not sure if the journey was more of a self-discovery for Ian or Lucy but I think Lucy. She discovers more about herself and her family history. I am not sure if Ian really learns anything but atleast he gets away from his family for awhile. There is a message here about being who you are and that it is ok to be gay and books are great. All good messages and not shoved down your throat. They are told with humor and insight. I liked the characters in the book; they are quirky and fun. I have to admit that the book did start out pretty slow for me and didn't really pick up until they hit the road, which was about 1/3-1/2 way into the book. But the story was fun and enjoyable. Not very realistic, but fun. I was a little shaky about the ending because there didn't seem to be any consequences for either Lucy or Ian and it was just a bit too easy but overall it was a good book. I would recommend it to my library friends.
This book kind of threw me for a loop at the end. I spent much of the novel somewhat frustrated on a variety of levels with the author. I even contemplated not finishing. Then, the end sucked me in and I'm much happier for having finished it. The moral of the story, the finest point. I'd certainly recommend this to others.
Awww! There's hope, after all, for the ones who might get lost in their own homes. At least, according to Rebecca Makkai.
Many confusing feelings about this book and I get the theme that you can't change who you are but ultimately it just evoked a lot of dread. Kidnapping a child from a parent who is trying to religion the gay out of him. Eek. I did enjoy Lucy's Russian gangster family.
A really special book that was about so many things, especially literature. This odd little book was about music, Russia, conversion therapy, and human nature. It was quite different, and ultimately satisfying. Or at least, I like to think so.
I enjoyed this book. The author has a very clear voice and the characters are rich and well-drawn, if one or two may seem to be a bit of a stereotype. The best way to describe the story, I think, would be to call it a youth fiction book for grown-ups.
This book is about a children's librarian and a 10 year old boy. The boy is a passionate reader, and is probably gay. His mother tries to censor what he reads, and sends him to an evangelical class to make him heterosexual. When the boy runs away to the library, the librarian helps him, and essentially kidnaps him. What makes this book great--the references to children's literature, the reverence with which it treats reading, and the growing, learning, and forgiving process of the librarian. It took me to the end to appreciate what a great book it is.
Clever and wordy, this is a book that pulls from classic literature of all categories. It is a book that uses writing and book tropes to write a book. The writing is clever, but also lengthy. The ending brings things full circle in a way I wouldn’t have guessed.