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missprint's review
2.0
It kind of feels like the author read [b:The Mother-Daughter Book Club|318016|The Mother-Daughter Book Club (The Mother-Daughter Book Club, #1)|Heather Vogel Frederick|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266523140s/318016.jpg|308806], was nauseated, and felt the need to rebut.
In theory, a good call. In execution, Julie Schumacher had not the talent. The characters are uninspired - CeeCee is almost interesting, as the flippant "popular girl" type with a surprising interest and insight into the books. But the narrator (Adrienne? I've already forgot) is as bland as everyone informs her she is; Jill also treads the "almost interesting" line (though behind CeeCee) but ultimately swings between being every club president you've ever met, and feeling overlooked and thus whiny about it; and Wallis is as awkward as her name, in every stereotypical, awkward, social-maladjusted way possible. She doesn't even ever hit us with cliched hidden depths. She remains pathetic.
Nothing here struck me as original. Not the relationships - CeeCee pushes Adrienne around in breaking-out-of-the-shell antics that we've seen in EVERY tale about Boring Girls Meets Quirky Girl. Not even the setting (a summer story set largely at/around the pool - how novel!). The only relationship that feels remotely genuine is that between Adrienne and her mother. They push and pull each other in ways I remember from teenagerdom, where every parental question is an invasion, but the lack of any is neglect. Schumacher captures that moody restlessness very well.
...Which is probably why this book got two whole stars. That and Adrienne doesn't actually get romantically involved with Jeff. I dread that inevitable twist and was glad when it didn't happen. (Though, Jeff possibly abusing Wallis at some point? Boring and unnecessary.)
In theory, a good call. In execution, Julie Schumacher had not the talent. The characters are uninspired - CeeCee is almost interesting, as the flippant "popular girl" type with a surprising interest and insight into the books. But the narrator (Adrienne? I've already forgot) is as bland as everyone informs her she is; Jill also treads the "almost interesting" line (though behind CeeCee) but ultimately swings between being every club president you've ever met, and feeling overlooked and thus whiny about it; and Wallis is as awkward as her name, in every stereotypical, awkward, social-maladjusted way possible. She doesn't even ever hit us with cliched hidden depths. She remains pathetic.
Nothing here struck me as original. Not the relationships - CeeCee pushes Adrienne around in breaking-out-of-the-shell antics that we've seen in EVERY tale about Boring Girls Meets Quirky Girl. Not even the setting (a summer story set largely at/around the pool - how novel!). The only relationship that feels remotely genuine is that between Adrienne and her mother. They push and pull each other in ways I remember from teenagerdom, where every parental question is an invasion, but the lack of any is neglect. Schumacher captures that moody restlessness very well.
...Which is probably why this book got two whole stars. That and
achristinething's review
1.0
I liked the idea of this book better than the actual execution. The ending sucked (so many loose questions). It was written poorly but it could have been a satisfying guilty pleasure but instead it was just painful. Also throw in some weird gratuitous sexual stuff that didn't further the plot. It sucked. Waste of my time.
mildlyjulie's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked this book. Something about the main character's melancholic, half-hearted search for self. A lot of the lines were witty and made me smile. The characters were interesting and so different from each other, just like real teenage girls.
I was irritated at 1) too much figurative language--take it down a notch; and 2) that we got no answers/resolutions to at least two subplots. Not cool.
I was irritated at 1) too much figurative language--take it down a notch; and 2) that we got no answers/resolutions to at least two subplots. Not cool.
thisgrrlreads's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted the essay writing device used to structure this book to have a bigger impact. It didn't and the story did not captivate me. Of course, I always like books about readers and it did make me want to read the Ursula Le Guin book they read for book club.
reader_fictions's review
2.0
The opening chapters of this book really appealed to me, and, though I enjoyed the book as a whole, it definitely flagged as the book progressed. This is probably the least effectual book club ever that actually manages to meet up (my friends and I haven't even managed that yet...wah wah). Even so, every mention of a book club makes me desperately want to discuss literature in person. I loved the sections where they actually discussed the books, but these were unfortunately brief.
The main issue this book had was the plotting. The ending was pretty obvious from the opening. In an attempt to create suspense, and to have a dramatic opening to the story, the ending is spoiled. Well, it might surprise some, but I definitely saw it coming. I just found it hard to care about most of the lead up.
The characters also had some serious issues. The only one who felt full-fleshed was Adrienne, the main character, but I'll discuss her more momentarily. Cee-Cee never really comes off as anything more than a bored popular girl, messing with people for her own amusement. Jill, who I actually like most perhaps, never really gets any focus and is dismissed as boring. Wallis is WEIRD. I kept expecting to learn what her deal was, and, in fact, I'm pretty sure I KNOW what was up with her and her mom, but we're never actually told. In fact, what's so weird about all of this is that none of the characters ever stop being their stereotype. At the end of the summer, they're all still the same people they were, even, perhaps, Adrienne.
The book's saving grace, besides the literary references, was Adrienne's character. Adrienne has her flaws, a boatload of them. However, she did feel real to me, largely because a lot of her thoughts are totally on my wavelength. For example, she often thinks like this:
"Teachers often referred to me as a student with 'a lot of potential.' This meant they expected me to be smart; but in fact my mind was often packing a mental suitcase and wandering off on its own. I sometimes pictured all the things I had learned during the previous week at school jumping into brightly painted railroad cars and disappearing into the distance on a speeding train." (6)
I always personify things, and laughed to see someone else having the same thoughts about the elusiveness of all the knowledge entering the brain. She also struggles with identity. She feels as though she has no discernible personality and that no one would even care if she died. I definitely felt that way too, so I could identify with that. Her responses to this feeling, which mostly involved doing really stupid things for Cee-Cees benefit, I didn't approve of, but did seem rather possible. People will do any number of idiotic things for attention in hopes of being liked.
The other part that I really enjoyed was whenever Adrienne was reading. I wish I could read like this girl, although I certainly would not be able to read anywhere near the volume of books I currently read. She seems to be pushing it to get through two books a month. However, when she reads, she really gets into the story. She dreams the story. She gets so deep down into it that she cannot hear people talking to her. I so wish I had that focus. It was amazing how you could feel her slipping into another world. That part was awesome writing.
All told, this was a really great idea, and I feel like it could have been a fantastic book. I feel like with a bit more work, like more details on Wallis' situation and Adrienne's dad, along with more book talk, this could have been a darker, young adult version of The Jane Austen Book Club. As it is, it's a pleasant enough read, but just does not quite make it.
The main issue this book had was the plotting. The ending was pretty obvious from the opening. In an attempt to create suspense, and to have a dramatic opening to the story, the ending is spoiled. Well, it might surprise some, but I definitely saw it coming. I just found it hard to care about most of the lead up.
The characters also had some serious issues. The only one who felt full-fleshed was Adrienne, the main character, but I'll discuss her more momentarily. Cee-Cee never really comes off as anything more than a bored popular girl, messing with people for her own amusement. Jill, who I actually like most perhaps, never really gets any focus and is dismissed as boring. Wallis is WEIRD. I kept expecting to learn what her deal was, and, in fact, I'm pretty sure I KNOW what was up with her and her mom, but we're never actually told. In fact, what's so weird about all of this is that none of the characters ever stop being their stereotype. At the end of the summer, they're all still the same people they were, even, perhaps, Adrienne.
The book's saving grace, besides the literary references, was Adrienne's character. Adrienne has her flaws, a boatload of them. However, she did feel real to me, largely because a lot of her thoughts are totally on my wavelength. For example, she often thinks like this:
"Teachers often referred to me as a student with 'a lot of potential.' This meant they expected me to be smart; but in fact my mind was often packing a mental suitcase and wandering off on its own. I sometimes pictured all the things I had learned during the previous week at school jumping into brightly painted railroad cars and disappearing into the distance on a speeding train." (6)
I always personify things, and laughed to see someone else having the same thoughts about the elusiveness of all the knowledge entering the brain. She also struggles with identity. She feels as though she has no discernible personality and that no one would even care if she died. I definitely felt that way too, so I could identify with that. Her responses to this feeling, which mostly involved doing really stupid things for Cee-Cees benefit, I didn't approve of, but did seem rather possible. People will do any number of idiotic things for attention in hopes of being liked.
The other part that I really enjoyed was whenever Adrienne was reading. I wish I could read like this girl, although I certainly would not be able to read anywhere near the volume of books I currently read. She seems to be pushing it to get through two books a month. However, when she reads, she really gets into the story. She dreams the story. She gets so deep down into it that she cannot hear people talking to her. I so wish I had that focus. It was amazing how you could feel her slipping into another world. That part was awesome writing.
All told, this was a really great idea, and I feel like it could have been a fantastic book. I feel like with a bit more work, like more details on Wallis' situation and Adrienne's dad, along with more book talk, this could have been a darker, young adult version of The Jane Austen Book Club. As it is, it's a pleasant enough read, but just does not quite make it.
pages_and_procrastination's review
2.0
I was given a digital copy free, in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is an old Netgalley title that I hadn’t gotten around to until just now. And honestly, I have to say I wasn’t missing out on much. I gave it two stars, because it was an easy quick read and I found that made it easier to push through for a complete instead of DNFing it. I didn’t like the characters, they were really poor depictions of high school students today. Maybe it was closer to the way high school was 7 years ago- but I doubt it. The premise of the story sounded interesting and intrigued me enough to request a review copy. But the execution? That left much to be desired. The ending was also disappointing.
This is an old Netgalley title that I hadn’t gotten around to until just now. And honestly, I have to say I wasn’t missing out on much. I gave it two stars, because it was an easy quick read and I found that made it easier to push through for a complete instead of DNFing it. I didn’t like the characters, they were really poor depictions of high school students today. Maybe it was closer to the way high school was 7 years ago- but I doubt it. The premise of the story sounded interesting and intrigued me enough to request a review copy. But the execution? That left much to be desired. The ending was also disappointing.
christiana's review
2.0
I like the idea of this book more than the execution. I like all the literary references, especially for a big-time reader who reads this book. It's cool to recognize characters of other books when Adrienne remarks on them and inserts them into conversation and her narration. I was interested in reading this book the whole way through (Schmacher does a good job of the chapter endings that make you want to keep reading) but by the end I was kind of underwhelmed.
The characters promise to be more than they are. I still don't feel like I know or get any of the characters. And this cover is kind of misleading given what the story is actually about.
My advice: walk, do not run, to get this from the library (do not buy this). Stop for ice cream on the way. Don't worry if you never read this; you're not missing anything.
The characters promise to be more than they are. I still don't feel like I know or get any of the characters. And this cover is kind of misleading given what the story is actually about.
My advice: walk, do not run, to get this from the library (do not buy this). Stop for ice cream on the way. Don't worry if you never read this; you're not missing anything.
ohthebooksyoucanread's review
4.0
This book was interesting. I enjoyed the concept. I also enjoyed the format.
This book starts out with Adriene who is challenged to read books during the summer for her AP English class. Her mom thinks it is a good idea to start a book club with moms and daughters. The four girls are completely different. One is popular, one is apart of every council, one keeps to herself, and one is new. Along the way the four girls become close. The girls and moms talk through each book. Adriene also begins to question herself and who she is. I enjoyed how it was written in an essay format. Being an English teacher, I also liked how each section was grouped into English terms. I did not like how some questions went unanswered. I also thought that some parts were a bit too obvious.
kimmym's review
3.0
I borrowed this from the library without knowing too much about it, but I figured I’ve been on a roll with my YA contemporary picks so far this year, so I’d take a chance on this book.
Here is the Goodreads summary:
This was sort a quirky, funny read, told from Adrienne’s first-person point of view in the form of an essay about her summer. She has to spend her summer vacation at home after injuring her knee, while her one and only friend is off on some sort of camping trip. Her mother signs up for a mother-daughter book club with three other girls from school, none of whom are friends with each other.
CeeCee is the requisite popular but potentially troublesome girl; Jill is the academic overachiever; Wallis is the outcast; and Adrienne is…well, this is part of the story: Adrienne isn’t sure who she is or how she would describe herself. She wonders if she can attribute this, at least in part, to the fact that she doesn’t know her father, but she has a difficult time trying to get too much information about him from her mother.
The book club scenes were fun to read, partly because it seemed as though the mothers were more interested in it than the daughters (except for Wallis’s mother, who doesn’t show up). For some reason, CeeCee seems to take a liking to Adrienne and begins showing up at her house to hang out. Lily warns Adrienne about CeeCee, noting that once school starts up again, they won’t be friends. But Adrienne wants to hang out with CeeCee, and as expected, CeeCee and Adrienne (mostly Adrienne) get into some trouble when they’re together. This aspect annoyed me somewhat, because I could tell that something bad was going to happen and wanted Adrienne to stop what she was doing or tell CeeCee off, but she didn’t. I don’t think I was ever the kind of teenager to really stand up for myself, but I also wouldn’t have done some of the dumb things that Adrienne does (or lets CeeCee do, like piercing her ear in the back of a car).
The character I really felt drawn to, though, was Wallis, the strange, quiet, intelligent loner. Her mother never shows up to the book club meetings, so Adrienne, CeeCee, and Jill speculate about all the possible reasons for this. At one point, Adrienne’s mother has Wallis stay with them for a few days when it appears that her mother is away and that Wallis is at home all alone. Adrienne didn’t like really Wallis, at least not at first – she and the other girls thought she was weird – but I felt for her. I don’t know, I think I always feel sort of drawn to the outcast characters – not because I think I am or was one, maybe it’s just sympathy – and in this case, Wallis was such a mystery that I was hoping to learn more about her life.
This book was a really quick read (my library copy was around 230 pages) and while I didn’t totally love it, I liked the story and Adrienne’s voice. Recommended for those looking for a quick contemporary YA read.
(From www.pingwings.ca)
Here is the Goodreads summary:
I’m Adrienne Haus, survivor of a mother-daughter book club. Most of us didn’t want to join. My mother signed me up because I was stuck at home all summer, with my knee in a brace. CeeCee’s parents forced her to join after cancelling her Paris trip because she bashed up their car. The members of “The Unbearable Book Club,” CeeCee, Jill, Wallis, and I, were all going into eleventh grade A.P. English. But we weren’t friends. We were literary prisoners, sweating, reading classics, and hanging out at the pool. If you want to find out how membership in a book club can end up with a person being dead, you can probably look us up under mother-daughter literary catastrophe. Or open this book and read my essay, which I’ll turn in when I go back to school.
This was sort a quirky, funny read, told from Adrienne’s first-person point of view in the form of an essay about her summer. She has to spend her summer vacation at home after injuring her knee, while her one and only friend is off on some sort of camping trip. Her mother signs up for a mother-daughter book club with three other girls from school, none of whom are friends with each other.
CeeCee is the requisite popular but potentially troublesome girl; Jill is the academic overachiever; Wallis is the outcast; and Adrienne is…well, this is part of the story: Adrienne isn’t sure who she is or how she would describe herself. She wonders if she can attribute this, at least in part, to the fact that she doesn’t know her father, but she has a difficult time trying to get too much information about him from her mother.
The book club scenes were fun to read, partly because it seemed as though the mothers were more interested in it than the daughters (except for Wallis’s mother, who doesn’t show up). For some reason, CeeCee seems to take a liking to Adrienne and begins showing up at her house to hang out. Lily warns Adrienne about CeeCee, noting that once school starts up again, they won’t be friends. But Adrienne wants to hang out with CeeCee, and as expected, CeeCee and Adrienne (mostly Adrienne) get into some trouble when they’re together. This aspect annoyed me somewhat, because I could tell that something bad was going to happen and wanted Adrienne to stop what she was doing or tell CeeCee off, but she didn’t. I don’t think I was ever the kind of teenager to really stand up for myself, but I also wouldn’t have done some of the dumb things that Adrienne does (or lets CeeCee do, like piercing her ear in the back of a car).
The character I really felt drawn to, though, was Wallis, the strange, quiet, intelligent loner. Her mother never shows up to the book club meetings, so Adrienne, CeeCee, and Jill speculate about all the possible reasons for this. At one point, Adrienne’s mother has Wallis stay with them for a few days when it appears that her mother is away and that Wallis is at home all alone. Adrienne didn’t like really Wallis, at least not at first – she and the other girls thought she was weird – but I felt for her. I don’t know, I think I always feel sort of drawn to the outcast characters – not because I think I am or was one, maybe it’s just sympathy – and in this case, Wallis was such a mystery that I was hoping to learn more about her life.
This book was a really quick read (my library copy was around 230 pages) and while I didn’t totally love it, I liked the story and Adrienne’s voice. Recommended for those looking for a quick contemporary YA read.
(From www.pingwings.ca)