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dilchh's review against another edition
4.0
Now this definitely vindicate my horrible experience with The Glittering World as my first book in 2016, I should have read this one instead, but then again on my defence I technically read The Glittering World in 2015, it’s just that I finished it in 2016, but whatever I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to talk about the amazing book that is Mosquitoland. Honestly, I didn’t expect this book to be this much fun, but it did and that’s why I am beyond excited to share this at right about now.
Mim’s adventure going to Cleveland is definitely the fruit of my nightmare; every single thing that had happened to her (safe for the awesome adventure that Mim had with her newfound family) is nothing if not crazy (and not the good kind of crazy), but it definitely make for a great story, some is definitely interesting but some is definitely just too crazy, even for me. The highlight of the story is definitely our main character, Mim. It really helps that she’s a sarcastic and a smartypants, and that’s just my kind of girl.
If I have to be completely honest, the premise of the story is a common one; an angsty teenage girl runaway from home to come to his/her mum/dad because they don’t like living with the other set of the parents. The road trip that he/she took will be nothing if not wrong and full of problems, only for her/him to form an awesome friendship along the way. Then when she/he reached her/his destination, they’re just going to be disappointed by what they found, be it that their other set of parents that are not interested in them or for other reasons. So, now you know why I didn’t expect to like this book, right? Thankfully, the fast paced and the witty voice of our heroine made the story felt incredibly fresh and enjoyable. I could totally be friends with Mim in real life, but I get the feeling she wouldn’t want to be my friend though.
Oh one thing that nags me, Beckett van Buren? That does not sound like a real name at all. But, it’s not important, because he seems to be a cool person so I’ll give it a pass. And at the end of the day, I wished for a good ending for Walt. And, yes please, do give this book a try even if coming of age stories is not your thing; you can at least give this book a go for its misadventures and the impeccable Mim Malone that she is. Seriously, Mim Malone is the highlight of this book; her voice and her personality gave this book life and I would like to applaud the author for making that happen.
Mim’s adventure going to Cleveland is definitely the fruit of my nightmare; every single thing that had happened to her (safe for the awesome adventure that Mim had with her newfound family) is nothing if not crazy (and not the good kind of crazy), but it definitely make for a great story, some is definitely interesting but some is definitely just too crazy, even for me. The highlight of the story is definitely our main character, Mim. It really helps that she’s a sarcastic and a smartypants, and that’s just my kind of girl.
If I have to be completely honest, the premise of the story is a common one; an angsty teenage girl runaway from home to come to his/her mum/dad because they don’t like living with the other set of the parents. The road trip that he/she took will be nothing if not wrong and full of problems, only for her/him to form an awesome friendship along the way. Then when she/he reached her/his destination, they’re just going to be disappointed by what they found, be it that their other set of parents that are not interested in them or for other reasons. So, now you know why I didn’t expect to like this book, right? Thankfully, the fast paced and the witty voice of our heroine made the story felt incredibly fresh and enjoyable. I could totally be friends with Mim in real life, but I get the feeling she wouldn’t want to be my friend though.
Oh one thing that nags me, Beckett van Buren? That does not sound like a real name at all. But, it’s not important, because he seems to be a cool person so I’ll give it a pass. And at the end of the day, I wished for a good ending for Walt. And, yes please, do give this book a try even if coming of age stories is not your thing; you can at least give this book a go for its misadventures and the impeccable Mim Malone that she is. Seriously, Mim Malone is the highlight of this book; her voice and her personality gave this book life and I would like to applaud the author for making that happen.
zsarge's review against another edition
2.0
"I AM MARY Iris Malone, and I am not okay."
- First sentence of the book.
However you feel about that sentence will determine how you feel about this book.
- First sentence of the book.
However you feel about that sentence will determine how you feel about this book.
rockymthorrorshow's review against another edition
5.0
No it's fine, not like I'm crying or anything
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Amazingly funny and human, well worth your time. This is definitely going in the re-read pile.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Amazingly funny and human, well worth your time. This is definitely going in the re-read pile.
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
Ik ben absoluut geen fan van roadtrips. Over het algemeen vind ik het nodeloze omwegen die nergens heen gaan. En hoewel dit boek overduidelijk wel wat diepgang mist om dat volledig te ontkrachten, moet ik het boek toch vier sterren geven omdat het me aan het huilen heeft gekregen.
Wat opvalt aan het boek is de prachtige schrijfstijl waarin het geschreven is. Aan de ene kant past de schrijfstijl perfect bij het personage, aan de andere kant zitten er prachtige zinnen in met woordspelingen die ik zelf nooit zou kunnen bedenken. Mijn complimenten ook voor de vertaler van Blossom Books. Het is ongetwijfeld geen makkelijke klus geweest, maar de boodschap komt prima over.
Daarnaast weet Arnold in de weinige pagina's die dit verhaal telt toch levendige karakters te creëren. We weten niet alles van ze. We weten eigenlijk heel weinig van ze, maar door hun aparte karaktertrekken, hun eigenheid en het feit dat ze gewoon zijn wie ze zijn, zijn ze wel heel realistisch, echt en uniek.
Het is misschien niet het meest spectaculaire verhaal dat ik ooit gelezen heb, maar het was wel lief en aandoenlijk en bij vlagen doordrenkt met hele nuttige wijze raad. En al met al, heb ik er toch wel van genoten.
Wat opvalt aan het boek is de prachtige schrijfstijl waarin het geschreven is. Aan de ene kant past de schrijfstijl perfect bij het personage, aan de andere kant zitten er prachtige zinnen in met woordspelingen die ik zelf nooit zou kunnen bedenken. Mijn complimenten ook voor de vertaler van Blossom Books. Het is ongetwijfeld geen makkelijke klus geweest, maar de boodschap komt prima over.
Daarnaast weet Arnold in de weinige pagina's die dit verhaal telt toch levendige karakters te creëren. We weten niet alles van ze. We weten eigenlijk heel weinig van ze, maar door hun aparte karaktertrekken, hun eigenheid en het feit dat ze gewoon zijn wie ze zijn, zijn ze wel heel realistisch, echt en uniek.
Het is misschien niet het meest spectaculaire verhaal dat ik ooit gelezen heb, maar het was wel lief en aandoenlijk en bij vlagen doordrenkt met hele nuttige wijze raad. En al met al, heb ik er toch wel van genoten.
thecurseofchris's review against another edition
4.0
A nice coming-of-age road trip story, and the ending is not what you expect. The characters you meet along the way are all very likable, and the story is very fun. Audiobook was narrated perfectly.
chuskeyreads's review against another edition
4.0
For 16-year old Mim, life is anything but normal. In fact, the first chapter simply states, “I am Mary Iris Malone, and I am not okay.” Mim’s father and stepmother Kathy have uprooted her from her home in Ohio with her mother to Jackson, Mississippi (aka “Mosquitoland”). If that weren’t enough, Mim overhears her dad discussing her mother’s “disease.” She steals a can of cash from her “evil stepmother,” hops on a Greyhound bus, and embarks on a bizarre 947-mile odyssey to save her mother. Mim is joined by Walt, a homeless boy with Down’s Syndrome, and Beck, the “god of Devastating Attractiveness” as they drive to Cleveland in a truck named “Phil.” Teens will be able to identify with Mim as she tackles issues of divorce, mental illness, insecurity, and sexual assault. There are, however, a few cultural references that may be off-putting to some readers. Several times throughout the novel, Mim uses her mother’s lipstick to paint her face with “warpaint” as a coping mechanism when she’s upset. Another touchy subject is that of the treatment of Walt’s character, who reminds me of a cross between Steinbeck’s Lenny and Warren from the movie There’s Something About Mary. At one point, Walt is in need of medical care and is treated by a veterinarian. Later, Beck and Mim joke that Walt is like their “pet.” Overall, Arnold masterfully crafts Mim’s character: a quirky, sarcastic, overly dramatic, mentally ill teen. Mim’s journey, as seen through her first-person narrative and letters to Isabel, is humorous, sad, endearing, and even frightening at times, but it’s a story that will resonate with many adolescent readers.
juanitad15's review against another edition
3.0
This book kind of always leaves you hanging, which always makes you want more. This novel that lasts over 3-4 days manages to always keep you interested and keep the book open. This is a good read.
renee_c's review against another edition
3.0
Mosquitoland by David Arnold is a novel about self-discovery and growth, set against the physical journey of bussing from Mississippi, aka Mosquitoland, to Ohio. This is the story of Mim, short for Mary Iris Malone, and how she fumbles her way through the avalanche of disasters that is her life.
Mim is an unreliable narrator and Arnold's capturing of her character, though from first person, never lets you forget it. I greatly enjoyed reading the wild tangents Mim's imagination would bring her to, and loved her fun exaggeration because it made me question the events of the novel.
Full review at https://reinereviews.blogspot.com !
Mim is an unreliable narrator and Arnold's capturing of her character, though from first person, never lets you forget it. I greatly enjoyed reading the wild tangents Mim's imagination would bring her to, and loved her fun exaggeration because it made me question the events of the novel.
Full review at https://reinereviews.blogspot.com !
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review against another edition
1.0
1/5
I was excited for this book but it went downhill when I opened it on Libby and it was over 400 pages. I felt like the whole trip in this book was slow and I found the journey boring. I almost DNFed this book more then once in the two long hours it took to finish this book.
I was excited for this book but it went downhill when I opened it on Libby and it was over 400 pages. I felt like the whole trip in this book was slow and I found the journey boring. I almost DNFed this book more then once in the two long hours it took to finish this book.