Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
The characters are embodiments of cliches. The fast approaching change and tragedy of an astroid hurtling at Earth promises to strip away those masks and reveal who everyone really is inside. At least that's the idea. The truth is, all that's revealed is the predictable and STILL cliche core you would expect of each character. That said, Tommy Wallach is fearless and willing to go to all lengths to tell the story he dreamed up and remind readers of how worthy of living life is. While the characters were not my favorite, the novel made me think and balanced multiple points of view beautifully. I would recommend it.
Loved this book. I started bugging out a little and feeling like the world was actually about to end, in that "I know this is fiction but I need this book to end so I can stop freaking out" way.
Would you want to know if the world was going to end? How would you act ? Would you continue living as you had or throw that all to the side and live like there was no tomorrow? Would you hunker down or party down?
This is the basic premise of "We All Looked Up" Tommy Wallach's hugely popular young adult book. You can breeze through it or you can take the time to think- what would I do? Of course you never really know until you are faced with the reality but it is fun to think about. Some folks might say we really aren't that far from the end of days.
The book follows four teens as they grapple with what the end means to them. Before the world knows about "Ardor" (the meteoroid heading into Earths orbit), the teens attend the same high school while all living different lives. Think the Breakfast Club- the jock, the brain, the druggie, the girl on the fringe, doing her own thing. Once the announcement is made, they find their way to one another. Showing when push comes to shove we are more alike than different. Again Breakfast Club-y, which honestly is one of my favorite movies so of course I loved this book!
As often is the case, it's the young that remind us what is important in life. Life is too short, stop living for others live for you, etc... A fun & thought provoking read.
This is the basic premise of "We All Looked Up" Tommy Wallach's hugely popular young adult book. You can breeze through it or you can take the time to think- what would I do? Of course you never really know until you are faced with the reality but it is fun to think about. Some folks might say we really aren't that far from the end of days.
The book follows four teens as they grapple with what the end means to them. Before the world knows about "Ardor" (the meteoroid heading into Earths orbit), the teens attend the same high school while all living different lives. Think the Breakfast Club- the jock, the brain, the druggie, the girl on the fringe, doing her own thing. Once the announcement is made, they find their way to one another. Showing when push comes to shove we are more alike than different. Again Breakfast Club-y, which honestly is one of my favorite movies so of course I loved this book!
As often is the case, it's the young that remind us what is important in life. Life is too short, stop living for others live for you, etc... A fun & thought provoking read.
So, I have to admit that every time I read something about an asteroid flying by Earth at a "close" proximity, I get a little nervous. (It's embarrassing, I know.) If I did find out that the asteroid had a 66% chance of hitting Earth, I'm not sure I would have handled it the way the teens in Tommy Wallach's novel did. I hope I would have, though.
This character-driven book is fresh and hopeful and sad. Despite a few far-fetched plot twists (and one heartbreaking twist), I really loved this story.
This character-driven book is fresh and hopeful and sad. Despite a few far-fetched plot twists (and one heartbreaking twist), I really loved this story.
Hey, Tommy Wallach, Urban Dictionary called! They want to know if they can use the entirety of this book as the example of their definition of “mansplaining”!
If you don’t like that one, I also considered this: Tommy, my man, Ayn Rand called! She wants to congratulate you on using fiction as a vehicle for your beliefs even more than she did with f*cking Atlas Shrugged!
Hi, babes. I’m pissed.
When I read the first dozen-or-so pages of this book, I was thrilled. I almost unhauled this book and then figured I might as well give it a shot. From the get-go I loved Wallach’s writing style (and by style I mean word choice, NOT CONTENT, bleh) and I thought there was some promise to the premise. (Lol.) (It's funny because those words are really close to each other.)
Oh my god, I thought. Did I almost donate a book I’ll end up giving 5 stars?
The answer to that?
Many of you know that the second I take out my teeny book-review notebook, I’m about to be one angry reader. This case was far from an exception. Here’s a list of the general categories of what Bugged me with a capital B:
-coverage of social issues (especially race, sexism; also including LGBT+)
-characters (specifically the female ones)
-choice of genre
-pacing
-and, as always, general stupidity
For examples of each of these, go to https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/we-all-looked-up-review/. (Warning: it may be my longest review ever.)
If you don’t like that one, I also considered this: Tommy, my man, Ayn Rand called! She wants to congratulate you on using fiction as a vehicle for your beliefs even more than she did with f*cking Atlas Shrugged!
Hi, babes. I’m pissed.
When I read the first dozen-or-so pages of this book, I was thrilled. I almost unhauled this book and then figured I might as well give it a shot. From the get-go I loved Wallach’s writing style (and by style I mean word choice, NOT CONTENT, bleh) and I thought there was some promise to the premise. (Lol.) (It's funny because those words are really close to each other.)
Oh my god, I thought. Did I almost donate a book I’ll end up giving 5 stars?
The answer to that?
Many of you know that the second I take out my teeny book-review notebook, I’m about to be one angry reader. This case was far from an exception. Here’s a list of the general categories of what Bugged me with a capital B:
-coverage of social issues (especially race, sexism; also including LGBT+)
-characters (specifically the female ones)
-choice of genre
-pacing
-and, as always, general stupidity
For examples of each of these, go to https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.com/2016/12/03/we-all-looked-up-review/. (Warning: it may be my longest review ever.)
As much as I tried, I couldn’t get into this book. We All Looked Up was about four teenagers contemplating life and death while they slowly approach the end of the world.
While I liked the concept of teenagers shedding their labels and becoming better people, I didn’t feel the characters changed much. Nobody grew as a person and nobody had a likable story.
Along with that, the story itself left out a lot. There were parts I wished had more: more context, more details, or just more of the scene.
While I liked the concept of teenagers shedding their labels and becoming better people, I didn’t feel the characters changed much. Nobody grew as a person and nobody had a likable story.
Along with that, the story itself left out a lot. There were parts I wished had more: more context, more details, or just more of the scene.
I feel nothing. I thought that by the end of this i would feel inspired, uplifted. I feel nothing. We All Looked Up was not what i expected it to be. I thought it would be filled with bucket lists, and poetic writing. I thought it would contain chapters where they are all looking up at the sky (like the cover), and start coming out with metaphors and beautiful quotes. It wasn't like that at all. And i don't know if the story is better or worse because of it.
The character of Eliza had to be my favourite, i think it's because i identified the most with her, i too have had to deal with the 'slut' label. All the way through i was rooting for her, she was so real to me, the way she though and acted, and her philosophy. Everything is an event.
I disliked Peter immensely, maybe 80% of the time. I hated how he let Stacy bully Eliza, and i hated how he refused to break up with Stacy despite the lack of love. What i hated the most, was how he idolized Eliza. He turned her from her own independent person, to his own Manic Pixie Dream Girl. He grew on me towards the end, the love for his sister made me warm up to him
Andy was a whole different story, i still don't know how i felt about him, like Peter he was obsessed with Eliza, however Andy's was worse, and it was kind of creepy. I like how he defied the whole 'druggy' stereotype. My favourite relationship was the one shared between Andy and Anita.
I had mixed feelings about Anita. At first i totally identified with her. The pressures placed on us by our parents are horrid, and damaging. However, i grew bored of her after she started slut-shaming Eliza. She was jealous of Eliza which is sad, but that doesn't mean she gets to call her a slut, and hate her for it. Anita always talked about how slutty Eliza dressed and how the boys acted around her, it got on my nerves. I started liking her more towards the end though.
We All Looked Up really makes you think about the way you're currently living your life and the people you spend it with. I hope people realize that life can be taken away at any given moment, so like Anita you should chase your dreams (or anything as cheesy as that).
The character of Eliza had to be my favourite, i think it's because i identified the most with her, i too have had to deal with the 'slut' label. All the way through i was rooting for her, she was so real to me, the way she though and acted, and her philosophy. Everything is an event.
I disliked Peter immensely, maybe 80% of the time. I hated how he let Stacy bully Eliza, and i hated how he refused to break up with Stacy despite the lack of love. What i hated the most, was how he idolized Eliza. He turned her from her own independent person, to his own Manic Pixie Dream Girl. He grew on me towards the end, the love for his sister made me warm up to him
Spoiler
But then that was all shot to hell when he died. I didn't even realize he had died until Eliza told Chad, and i hated that the most in the book, i wanted them to ALL be together for the end of the world, so the lack of Peter spoiled the ending for meAndy was a whole different story, i still don't know how i felt about him, like Peter he was obsessed with Eliza, however Andy's was worse, and it was kind of creepy. I like how he defied the whole 'druggy' stereotype. My favourite relationship was the one shared between Andy and Anita.
I had mixed feelings about Anita. At first i totally identified with her. The pressures placed on us by our parents are horrid, and damaging. However, i grew bored of her after she started slut-shaming Eliza. She was jealous of Eliza which is sad, but that doesn't mean she gets to call her a slut, and hate her for it. Anita always talked about how slutty Eliza dressed and how the boys acted around her, it got on my nerves. I started liking her more towards the end though.
Spoiler
I'm glad that we never knew for sure whether or not Ardon destroyed the world, i liked the open ending. I also loved the amount of philosophy brought into this book.We All Looked Up really makes you think about the way you're currently living your life and the people you spend it with. I hope people realize that life can be taken away at any given moment, so like Anita you should chase your dreams (or anything as cheesy as that).
Poignant, thoughtful read that surprised me in so many ways. What a lovely debut!
I thought this book was beautiful. So well written with an amazing plot line and fantastic characters. Definitely a new favorite of mine
I liked this book. I just finished reading it, though, so I'm not certain how MUCH I liked it. This is one I'm going to have to consider for a while.
I judged this book completely on its cover, which is a solid five stars. The title is also great, especially when its full context comes crashing on you near the end of the book. Along the way, from the first glimpse of the cover to the arrival at the context of the title, there are a number of things that go wrong, and there is an extreme preoccupation with teenage sex, and there are a number of giant words that make me wonder if Wallach is more than just a bit pretentious. But there are also nuggets, glimpses into the people around us and how their true selves come out when the end of the world is imminent.
I don't know how much I liked this book. But I do believe it was a valid read and a book I will continue to consider long after it's found its home on my bookshelf.
I judged this book completely on its cover, which is a solid five stars. The title is also great, especially when its full context comes crashing on you near the end of the book. Along the way, from the first glimpse of the cover to the arrival at the context of the title, there are a number of things that go wrong, and there is an extreme preoccupation with teenage sex, and there are a number of giant words that make me wonder if Wallach is more than just a bit pretentious. But there are also nuggets, glimpses into the people around us and how their true selves come out when the end of the world is imminent.
I don't know how much I liked this book. But I do believe it was a valid read and a book I will continue to consider long after it's found its home on my bookshelf.