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barbarianlibarian's review against another edition
4.0
continuing to backtrack on old classics I missed, including Blume who I somehow completely skipped. love this one, was pleasantly surprised when I found that the main character was a boy. the reader for the audio edition is excellent.
kymme's review
2.0
Read this as a preteen and loved it. Or at least that's how I remembered it. Read it as an adult, partly just because we came across it, and partly to decide when I can share it with my 6yo reading addict, and I only sort of liked it.
It's much more class-oriented than I had realized (or remembered, hard to say which), and frankly little of the class "stuff" seemed to resonate for me today--it's still a little sad how rising class changes/breaks down the family, but I didn't find myself caring much.
The emerging sexuality I appreciated as a child, but less so as an adult reader. And the narrator's voice now makes me think of Holden Caulfield, perhaps because words like "phony" keep appearing, as they do in Catcher in the Rye. (I suspect I wouldn't much like that book now, either, either because I've outgrown it or because times have changed or because the target audiences are maybe more male than female?)
At any rate, I think this is not for 6 year olds, and not for fully grown people. But the 10-13 yos it's meant for, sure.
It's much more class-oriented than I had realized (or remembered, hard to say which), and frankly little of the class "stuff" seemed to resonate for me today--it's still a little sad how rising class changes/breaks down the family, but I didn't find myself caring much.
The emerging sexuality I appreciated as a child, but less so as an adult reader. And the narrator's voice now makes me think of Holden Caulfield, perhaps because words like "phony" keep appearing, as they do in Catcher in the Rye. (I suspect I wouldn't much like that book now, either, either because I've outgrown it or because times have changed or because the target audiences are maybe more male than female?)
At any rate, I think this is not for 6 year olds, and not for fully grown people. But the 10-13 yos it's meant for, sure.
erinmp's review against another edition
4.0
Tony Miglione is confused. He's lived all his life in an average New Jersey neighborhood with an average family. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, his father announces that they are rich because of an invention he developed and are moving to Long Island. Tony's not so sure about this--what's wrong with New Jersey? And what's suddenly wrong with Dad's old work trucke? And why can't Grandma cook anymore? Everything is changing and Tony doesn't like the look of most of it--his mother's trying to be a social butterfly, his brother has completely changed, and Grandma is miserable. Maybe things aren't so terrific for the rich.
Good Blume book on change and learning to deal with it. This book has been described as the Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret for boys. I'm not so sure that's accurate. It's good, but deals more in-depth with the transition issues and would be good for any child, regardless of gender.
Good Blume book on change and learning to deal with it. This book has been described as the Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret for boys. I'm not so sure that's accurate. It's good, but deals more in-depth with the transition issues and would be good for any child, regardless of gender.
neilrcoulter's review
2.0
The old-smelling used 1973 paperback copy I read has this catchphrase written across the top of the front cover:
When I was growing up, Judy Blume was regarded as a very edgy author for middle-school-level readers. Schools and libraries banned some of her books, or kept them behind the checkout desk. Among those books, Then Again, Maybe I Won't was known to be the most dangerous. My parents wouldn't have wanted me reading it when I was a kid, and so I didn't.
But it wasn't just because I knew my parents wouldn't approve—it was also the general tone of Blume's books. I remember a lot of youth-focused books in that era were based in the real world and featured protagonists in urban settings (especially New York or New Jersey); in families that were in some way dysfunctional; enduring problems at school and navigating adolescence; dealing with class and race issues. I was growing up in a rural, agricultural small town in the Midwest, part of a loving family, and stories like these seemed to have nothing to do with me. Somehow my literary imagination didn't extend to putting myself into these settings. I didn't care for the slightly gritty, urban realism. Perhaps that's one reason I tended to choose fantasy stories for my childhood reading. Narnia, Prydain, and Middle-Earth were a lot more appealing to me than a present-day lower-middle-class neighborhood in New Jersey.
Then Again follows this genre of youth fiction from that era. Tony, the protagonist, and his family (not a terribly dysfunctional or broken family, though with plenty of room for improvement) move from their working class neighborhood in Jersey City to an upper-class area of Long Island after his dad becomes recognized as a genius and has all the money the family could possibly want, forever. Tony befriends the boy next door, who looks perfect on the surface but is actually a real jerk with the beginnings of some serious problems. Tony has his own problems, figuring out how to deal with his family and with his own adolescent development.
Reading this for the first time as an adult, I don't particularly love it. The prose style is fine, but (to me) a little bland. Even though Blume tackles some tough issues in a helpful, open way, I'm very uncomfortable with the same things that led to the book's risky reputation years ago. Tony floats through life, wrestling internally with questions about himself and others around him, but he gets almost no true wisdom or guidance. He's on his own.
Because no one can help him, there's no one to tell him that some of his actions are completely wrong. He attends a church youth group, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with spiritual guidance. The local pastor feels distant and uninvolved, even though he can surely tell that Tony and his family need help. Tony's dad seems like a good man, but he doesn't know how to be meaningfully involved in his son's life; and his mother is distracted by their new wealth. The one person who might be able to help Tony is his grandmother—but she can't speak, because she lost her larynx to cancer. I found it really disturbing to have a character in forced silence.
It's interesting picking up a book whose title I heard so often in my childhood. For me, this is a case where the book would never have passed my standards for youth literature, and the years and cultural changes between its original publication and now have not rendered it more endearing or helpful.
The funny, touching story of a boy with problems.Wow. Who wouldn't want to read that?
When I was growing up, Judy Blume was regarded as a very edgy author for middle-school-level readers. Schools and libraries banned some of her books, or kept them behind the checkout desk. Among those books, Then Again, Maybe I Won't was known to be the most dangerous. My parents wouldn't have wanted me reading it when I was a kid, and so I didn't.
But it wasn't just because I knew my parents wouldn't approve—it was also the general tone of Blume's books. I remember a lot of youth-focused books in that era were based in the real world and featured protagonists in urban settings (especially New York or New Jersey); in families that were in some way dysfunctional; enduring problems at school and navigating adolescence; dealing with class and race issues. I was growing up in a rural, agricultural small town in the Midwest, part of a loving family, and stories like these seemed to have nothing to do with me. Somehow my literary imagination didn't extend to putting myself into these settings. I didn't care for the slightly gritty, urban realism. Perhaps that's one reason I tended to choose fantasy stories for my childhood reading. Narnia, Prydain, and Middle-Earth were a lot more appealing to me than a present-day lower-middle-class neighborhood in New Jersey.
Then Again follows this genre of youth fiction from that era. Tony, the protagonist, and his family (not a terribly dysfunctional or broken family, though with plenty of room for improvement) move from their working class neighborhood in Jersey City to an upper-class area of Long Island after his dad becomes recognized as a genius and has all the money the family could possibly want, forever. Tony befriends the boy next door, who looks perfect on the surface but is actually a real jerk with the beginnings of some serious problems. Tony has his own problems, figuring out how to deal with his family and with his own adolescent development.
Reading this for the first time as an adult, I don't particularly love it. The prose style is fine, but (to me) a little bland. Even though Blume tackles some tough issues in a helpful, open way, I'm very uncomfortable with the same things that led to the book's risky reputation years ago. Tony floats through life, wrestling internally with questions about himself and others around him, but he gets almost no true wisdom or guidance. He's on his own.
Because no one can help him, there's no one to tell him that some of his actions are completely wrong. He attends a church youth group, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with spiritual guidance. The local pastor feels distant and uninvolved, even though he can surely tell that Tony and his family need help. Tony's dad seems like a good man, but he doesn't know how to be meaningfully involved in his son's life; and his mother is distracted by their new wealth. The one person who might be able to help Tony is his grandmother—but she can't speak, because she lost her larynx to cancer. I found it really disturbing to have a character in forced silence.
It's interesting picking up a book whose title I heard so often in my childhood. For me, this is a case where the book would never have passed my standards for youth literature, and the years and cultural changes between its original publication and now have not rendered it more endearing or helpful.
delilah1's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
rebeccalm's review against another edition
3.0
This book is often labeled the companion book to Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., but I would slightly disagree. While this book definitely contains aspects of the new, confusing, and weird thing that can be puberty, it seems like more of a side story. Tony Miglione is definitely a young boy on the precipice of puberty, but the main storyline is about a working-class family that strikes it rich when one of the father's inventions takes off and how they all try to cope with the changes this brings. Tony is the narrator of this story but his astute observations encompass the experiences and actions of all the family members as they navigate the awkwardness of new money and adjusting to a new social class that comes along with it.
As with many coming of age stories this book touches on peer pressure, crushes, new-kid-in-town awkwardness, the stress of finding good friends and the dread that comes with discovering perhaps not all friendships should be pursued. As with Judy Blume's other novel Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, the author doesn't shy away from the typically taboo here either - family dysfunction, facts of life talks, wet dreams, and boners are all fair game.
As with many coming of age stories this book touches on peer pressure, crushes, new-kid-in-town awkwardness, the stress of finding good friends and the dread that comes with discovering perhaps not all friendships should be pursued. As with Judy Blume's other novel Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, the author doesn't shy away from the typically taboo here either - family dysfunction, facts of life talks, wet dreams, and boners are all fair game.
kendrareads's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
Interesting read. . . one thing you can say about Judy Blume, the definitely covers the spectrum of kids growing up. I have enjoyed reading through her catalog and hope to finish by the end of the year or beginning of next year.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
3 STARS
"Unable to accept or explain his family's newly acquired wealth, his growing interest in sex, and a friend's shoplifting habit, a thirteen-year-old finds the pains in his stomach getting worse and worse." (From Amazon)
This is the male version of ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. I don't think I entirely understood everything when I first read it but it was kind of cool seeing what was going on with boys.
"Unable to accept or explain his family's newly acquired wealth, his growing interest in sex, and a friend's shoplifting habit, a thirteen-year-old finds the pains in his stomach getting worse and worse." (From Amazon)
This is the male version of ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. I don't think I entirely understood everything when I first read it but it was kind of cool seeing what was going on with boys.
lisaw17's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ahd5's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0