Reviews

If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth

readwithpassion's review against another edition

5.0

Lewis “Shoe” Blake struggles to fit in within two seemingly different worlds. He lives on the Tuscarora Indian reservation but attends school off of the reservation where he feels like he is invisible. In this not-so-historical text set in 1975, readers will consider themes of class, identity, friendship, and music.

hannahvangorder's review against another edition

4.0

Had to read this for a YA lit class, but I found it really enjoyable!! First time I’ve been moved to tears by a teen book in a while.

sarakday's review against another edition

4.0

This is a quiet book in many ways, observant and thoughtful. It doesn't offer easy solutions to its narrator's problems. I kinda love that.

profberta's review against another edition

5.0

Absolutely LOVED this book. Kinda like Sherman Alexie but without being him.

drchavez08's review against another edition

4.0

This is such a good book and one that I think everyone should be forced to read. I would definitely say it was more written as an educational tool than just a story to read, but that is by no means a bad thing. Lewis is a very likable protagonist, even if, at times, he seemed to talk like he was a lot older than he actually was. The story was quite realistic otherwise, the characters were almost annoyingly imperfect and ignorant. I like the way Gansworth chose to end the story, even if it was absolutely heartbreaking, it was the perfect ending for a young adult novel. It's definitely a slower read, there were times when I was a little bored, but overall it fit the story well to have such a slow pace. I am particularly impressed at Gansworth's abilities to weave together intricate family relationships. Each family had such a different yet relatable dynamic, and every single character in the story was well-rounded. Also, the musical element to the story was the perfect addition. Not only was it the obvious bonding point between Lewis and George, it grounded the story in its time period and certainly piqued my interest. Overall, I was really impressed with the story. It's something I never would have picked up on my own, which is honestly, the exact reason why I needed to be forced to read it. It was a definite reminder that though I may feel my reading is diverse, there is always more ground to be covered and more to educate myself on. I cannot recommend it enough, honestly.

dom_madz's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

5.0

novella42's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was a powerful #OwnVoices story about identity, friendship, the costs of staying and leaving, and the price you pay for honesty and pride. I almost stopped reading because the physical reality of the bullying was hard for me to read, but it seemed realistic and painfully unfair, which is exactly as it should be. I'm glad I read this, and though I don't live near a reservation, I can think of at least one guidance counselor in my past I wish I could give this book to. My favorite person in the book was his uncle Albert, who is definitely autistic-coded, and who is portrayed respectfully as a multi-dimensional character. 

Mild, vague spoilers.

I read a review from Rich in Color blog from 2013, and one of the reviewers had a critique that some characters seemed too perfect, and I know what they meant, but I also feel like there were plenty of racist microaggressions throughout the story, and ways those characters betrayed the main character, even if the overarching impact of their relationship was positive. As George says repeatedly, it's complicated.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Bullying, Classism, and Violence

Moderate: Gaslighting, Hate crime, Xenophobia, and Colonisation

Minor: Ableism, Miscarriage, Alcohol, and Cursing

mindfullibrarian's review against another edition

5.0

An AMAZING book - can't wait for his next title to come out in May 2018! This book gave me so much to think about, and I'm very happy that 1) I read this for a Librarian Battle of the Books and 2) I already had it in my MSHS library. Should be required reading in all schools in the US.

molly_dettmann's review against another edition

3.0

Things I liked: Lewis read like a really awkward kid just wanting to make friends and get through life a little easier. His loneliness was palpable at the beginning and while he did face unfair bullying and discrimination because of his race and where he lived, he also was hard to like sometimes because of his own undoing (a true 7th grader, in my opinion). His friendship with George was genuine and the way they came together and also grew apart so quickly was realistic.

Things I was meh on: The setting. Other than the music and some references the book did not read like it was set in 1975 so that overall just seemed off to me. It’s also a longer, slower read so it might be a harder sell to students.

Friendship, discrimination and prejudice, and identity are all major themes throughout and overall this was still a solid read in my book.

spiffysarahruby's review against another edition

4.0

This is a very good read. It's set in the late 1970s and that focuses on the friendship between a kid from "the rez," and his very first best friend, a military kid. It deals with the all the complications that can come between young friends: race, class, culture, girls, impermanence, etc. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because, honestly, it's just too damn long. Other than that, I don't have any complaints!

Now, I have to go listen to some Beatles...