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alyssaht's review against another edition
4.0
Kind of a slow beginning but I stuck with it because I had read so many good things. Glad I read it. Very heart renching story but hopeful too.
petersenftleben's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a couple of weeks since I finished this, and while I really enjoyed it, I don't think it resonated with me the same way it did with others. I thought the writing was great, I loved the literary names, and I really liked Fern as a narrator. The beginning was kind of a slow build, but since I was much more invested in Holden and his problems, I didn't mind it. And I think the reason the tragedy didn't affect me as much was because I was so much more interested in Holden (hey, there's a personal connection, and it happens). I also thought that the grieving process was wrapped up quickly (in comparison to getting us to the tragedy), and I'm not sure that going to the dance was as important of an event in the grand scheme of things as something else that could have lead to a resolution.
That's not to say it ruined my enjoyment of the book any, but in hindsight, it's probably just my reflective reasoning of why it didn't hit as hard. My one big issue as I was reading, though, was that Charlie always seemed to act and speak older than his age.
Spoiler
I'm not a huge fan of precocious kids to begin with, and I found Charlie more cloying than cute, so while I was shocked and saddened, I wasn't reaching for the tissues.That's not to say it ruined my enjoyment of the book any, but in hindsight, it's probably just my reflective reasoning of why it didn't hit as hard. My one big issue as I was reading, though, was that Charlie always seemed to act and speak older than his age.
teganbeesebooks's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this! Very emotional. Review to come.
nssutton's review against another edition
3.0
This story has gotten wonderful reviews and I was curious to see what it was all about. I think it touched upon the broader issues with grace and care, handling loss and acceptance in equal measures. It was a quick read -- from lunch to dinner, with classes in between -- and although the sadness of the story closed my throat, I didn't cry.
It was the issue of responsibility that stayed with me -- Fern feeling responsible for her younger brother, annoyed at the responsibilities she felt her own parents were neglecting, and yet taking on other responsibilities, such as protecting and defending her older brother with such a natural assumption of the role. That is such a true feeling for that cusp of teenage years, that decision making process of feeling what you should and shouldn't be expected to take on.
And I feel like that even extended to Ran, who felt that his words had the power to keep the world a safe place, and the way in which he could no longer believe in his mantra once all was not well.
It was the issue of responsibility that stayed with me -- Fern feeling responsible for her younger brother, annoyed at the responsibilities she felt her own parents were neglecting, and yet taking on other responsibilities, such as protecting and defending her older brother with such a natural assumption of the role. That is such a true feeling for that cusp of teenage years, that decision making process of feeling what you should and shouldn't be expected to take on.
And I feel like that even extended to Ran, who felt that his words had the power to keep the world a safe place, and the way in which he could no longer believe in his mantra once all was not well.
beths0103's review against another edition
4.0
See You at Harry's is my first experience reading a Jo Knowles book but it will certainly not be my last. This book is special. And Fern, despite her resentment toward her family at feeling like a neglected child, does not come off as unlikeable in the least bit. She's a character you immediately empathize with and wish you could wrap your arms around to make up for all the affection she's missed out on from her self-centered mother and oblivious father. We get a sense of Fern's resentment at being the neglected child from the very first page when she declares that the best day of her life was the day she "threw up four times and had a fever of 103 degrees." Why was that such a special day for her? Well, it was because her mother actually spent time with her and doted on her. Until that moment and every moment after, she has felt ignored and unloved.
This is a book that you will struggle with because it deals with a family that is slowly falling apart. It contains a great deal of sadness within its 300+ pages, but have faith in Fern. She makes it worth your while to keep turning the page to the very end.
I recently finished this book in a weekend. With my frantic schedule as the school year is quickly winding down, I haven't had time to sit down and devour a book in this way in quite a few weeks (maybe even months). But that speaks to what kind of book this is. It's one that, as Kate Messner said, "will break your heart and put it back together again."
This is a book that you will struggle with because it deals with a family that is slowly falling apart. It contains a great deal of sadness within its 300+ pages, but have faith in Fern. She makes it worth your while to keep turning the page to the very end.
I recently finished this book in a weekend. With my frantic schedule as the school year is quickly winding down, I haven't had time to sit down and devour a book in this way in quite a few weeks (maybe even months). But that speaks to what kind of book this is. It's one that, as Kate Messner said, "will break your heart and put it back together again."
caitcoy's review against another edition
5.0
One of the most powerfully moving YA titles I've ever read. It had me laughing and crying and unwilling toput it down from the moment I picked it up! Fern is a 6th grader who feels invisible to her family and mostly everyone around her. With two brothers and a sister, the family felt real and watching them cope when tragedy strikes was incredibly moving. The characters were complex, wonderful and sweet, I found myself cheering for them all! Definitely a tear jerker but I highly recommend it to teens and adults alike!
librariandest's review against another edition
3.0
SAAAAAAAAAAD. Who writes a book for kids about a toddler dying? Seriously? Unless a kid or parent specifically asks for a book about dealing with a death, I probably won't be recommending this. It's just too depressing, which is a shame because the writing is clear and lovely. I will happily read another book by Jo Knowles, but I kind of regret reading this one. It put too many morbid thoughts in my head.
I'm not 100% opposed to death in children's fiction, obviously. When I think about [b:Bridge to Terabithia|2839|Bridge to Terabithia|Katherine Paterson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327880087s/2839.jpg|2237401], for example, I see it as a classic that I would recommend to almost any eleven- or twelve-year-old kid. What's the difference between BTT and SYAH? BTT is mostly about friendship and imagination and ends tragically. SYAH is tragic almost the whole way through.
A few more things about this book:
1. Not only was the loss of three-year-old Charlie terrible to read about, but the relationship between the main character, twelve-year-old Fern, and her mother was upsetting, too. While the Charlie issue is handled in a way that hopefully gives young readers closure at the end, the distant mom thing didn't get resolved. Fern's mom isn't abusive or anything, she just doesn't pay much attention to Fern, which really hurts Fern. Why is Fern's mom cold to Fern? We never really know, though the implication is that Fern is just a classic middle child who's always overlooked by everyone. Sad.
2. I really liked the plot about Fern's gay 14-year-old brother Holden. His whole journey with coming out, as witnessed by Fern, felt very authentic and, in the end, triumphant.
3. I might have liked this more if I'd read it instead of listening to the audiobook. The narrator was good, but it's really hard to listen to/read in a mock-sob for twenty chapters.
I'm not 100% opposed to death in children's fiction, obviously. When I think about [b:Bridge to Terabithia|2839|Bridge to Terabithia|Katherine Paterson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327880087s/2839.jpg|2237401], for example, I see it as a classic that I would recommend to almost any eleven- or twelve-year-old kid. What's the difference between BTT and SYAH? BTT is mostly about friendship and imagination and ends tragically. SYAH is tragic almost the whole way through.
A few more things about this book:
1. Not only was the loss of three-year-old Charlie terrible to read about, but the relationship between the main character, twelve-year-old Fern, and her mother was upsetting, too. While the Charlie issue is handled in a way that hopefully gives young readers closure at the end, the distant mom thing didn't get resolved. Fern's mom isn't abusive or anything, she just doesn't pay much attention to Fern, which really hurts Fern. Why is Fern's mom cold to Fern? We never really know, though the implication is that Fern is just a classic middle child who's always overlooked by everyone. Sad.
2. I really liked the plot about Fern's gay 14-year-old brother Holden. His whole journey with coming out, as witnessed by Fern, felt very authentic and, in the end, triumphant.
3. I might have liked this more if I'd read it instead of listening to the audiobook. The narrator was good, but it's really hard to listen to/read in a mock-sob for twenty chapters.
typesetjez's review against another edition
5.0
I have never been more emotionally invested (or emotionally exhausted) in a book. I feel inclined to give it 5 stars simply because it made me cry and I can count on my fingers the number of times that happened, but, in reality, this book deserves 5 stars for so many other reasons.
When I first starting reading this book, I thought it was going to be purely about Fern dealing with her brother Holden coming out, and I wanted to give it to every young sibling of an LGBTQ teen. I feel we often forget about the younger siblings who are trying to understand what's happening, and I'm happy to have this book available to them. Then I read further and this book broke my heart into a million pieces and I thought maybe I shouldn't give it to just any kid because it would hurt them, but the thing is, this book is amazing because of that. I can give it to younger siblings of LGBTQ kids, and I can give it to kids who have lost siblings (younger or older), and I can give it to kids who feel invisible in their families. This book is not only well-written, but it's important. It's important because it gives a voice to those younger siblings, to those grieving siblings, to those middle siblings who feel lost.
I did cry. I did feel emotionally exhausted (somewhere around the 2/3rds mark). But I did feel hope, for Fern and for Holden, for Sara especially, for this family in general, and for the generation of middle schoolers reading this book. This provides a wonderful new perspective that is both optimistic and realistic about families dealing with LGBTQ issues and families dealing with grief over losing a child. Additionally, you see Fern growing up and dealing with middle school, with trying to stay friends with Cassie while knowing that her crush and Fern's best friend, Ran, likes Fern. It's about accepting things the way they are and learning how to become stronger in the face of unspeakable adversity.
My only complaint in this book is that many times Charlie seemed to act older than his age. I think that was an issue with the writing where the author wanted him to act old enough to be deeply involved and independent, but young enough to make a major impact. This small thing, however, takes nothing away from the beauty and gravitas of this very engaging, very important book.
My 10-year-old sister read this last year, almost solely due to the fact that her school librarian had put it behind the desk, saying only fifth graders could check it out. That makes me mad, because this book should never be limited, but at the same time, I understand that a grade school library might not even carry it in the first place, and that it really does belong to middle grade fiction and in junior highs. Furthermore, I'm reading it for my YA class and while the writing is firmly JFIC, and Fern is only starting sixth grade (one year below the YA range), I hope this book is available to high schoolers, as well. I think there are many things to learn from this book, and many things that can help a teen through difficult times. I don't think age is a huge factor here. I am more than twice Fern's age and I still loved this book and identified with her. I hope other older readers will, too, alongside the readers for whom this book was written.
When I first starting reading this book, I thought it was going to be purely about Fern dealing with her brother Holden coming out, and I wanted to give it to every young sibling of an LGBTQ teen. I feel we often forget about the younger siblings who are trying to understand what's happening, and I'm happy to have this book available to them. Then I read further and this book broke my heart into a million pieces and I thought maybe I shouldn't give it to just any kid because it would hurt them, but the thing is, this book is amazing because of that. I can give it to younger siblings of LGBTQ kids, and I can give it to kids who have lost siblings (younger or older), and I can give it to kids who feel invisible in their families. This book is not only well-written, but it's important. It's important because it gives a voice to those younger siblings, to those grieving siblings, to those middle siblings who feel lost.
I did cry. I did feel emotionally exhausted (somewhere around the 2/3rds mark). But I did feel hope, for Fern and for Holden, for Sara especially, for this family in general, and for the generation of middle schoolers reading this book. This provides a wonderful new perspective that is both optimistic and realistic about families dealing with LGBTQ issues and families dealing with grief over losing a child. Additionally, you see Fern growing up and dealing with middle school, with trying to stay friends with Cassie while knowing that her crush and Fern's best friend, Ran, likes Fern. It's about accepting things the way they are and learning how to become stronger in the face of unspeakable adversity.
My only complaint in this book is that many times Charlie seemed to act older than his age. I think that was an issue with the writing where the author wanted him to act old enough to be deeply involved and independent, but young enough to make a major impact. This small thing, however, takes nothing away from the beauty and gravitas of this very engaging, very important book.
My 10-year-old sister read this last year, almost solely due to the fact that her school librarian had put it behind the desk, saying only fifth graders could check it out. That makes me mad, because this book should never be limited, but at the same time, I understand that a grade school library might not even carry it in the first place, and that it really does belong to middle grade fiction and in junior highs. Furthermore, I'm reading it for my YA class and while the writing is firmly JFIC, and Fern is only starting sixth grade (one year below the YA range), I hope this book is available to high schoolers, as well. I think there are many things to learn from this book, and many things that can help a teen through difficult times. I don't think age is a huge factor here. I am more than twice Fern's age and I still loved this book and identified with her. I hope other older readers will, too, alongside the readers for whom this book was written.