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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
To anyone who asked me what I was reading, I told them "Breakfast Club meets the apocalypse." I enjoyed this book a lot, but as an astronomy major, I was annoyed by the lack of precision in the measurement of the asteroid.
I am just coming off reading Seveneves, however, which focuses much more on the science than the fiction. Wallach most certainly was telling the stories of teenagers faced with the end of the world, not the stories of how scientists and governments were attempting to survive.
Spoiler
Just 66.6% ? I'm fairly certain that as the asteroid got closer, astronomers would be better able to predict the trajectory and potential damage of Ardor.I am just coming off reading Seveneves, however, which focuses much more on the science than the fiction. Wallach most certainly was telling the stories of teenagers faced with the end of the world, not the stories of how scientists and governments were attempting to survive.
Just a bunch of teens making terrible decisions for 370 pages because it’s the end of the world.
2,5*
I mean... the characters were driving me crazy as hell, but it wasn't a complete disaster (or was it?)
I mean... the characters were driving me crazy as hell, but it wasn't a complete disaster (or was it?)
Peter, Eliza, Andy, and Anita attend the same Seattle high school, but move in different circles. Peter is the star basketball player, Eliza the reclusive photographer, Andy the good-natured stoner, and Anita the college-bound daughter whose parents have decided she'll be a doctor in spite of her passion for music. Life moves along a fairly predictable trajectory for these four teens. When scientists discover an asteroid streaking along the far edges of space, newscasters tout ARDR-1388 as the source of a pretty light show. But the scientists soon realize that Ardor is on a collision course with Earth. After President Obama solemnly tells the American public that there's a two-thirds chance that the asteroid is going to collide with Earth in about eight weeks, normalcy goes out the window. Within days, people stop showing up for school or for work, businesses close, utilities shut down, looting commences, and Seattle, along with much of the country, turns into a militarized zone. Chapters alternate between the four teens as they respond to the almost-certain end of the world in different ways that ultimately lead to their connecting with one another. Wallach has given readers a fast-paced story and a realistic portrayal of different reactions to calamity. An enjoyable read with a satisfying and thought-provoking ending. Some casual sex and recreational drug use make this most suitable for grades 9 and up.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the digital ARC.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the digital ARC.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is just so well-written. The characters are complex and relatable. Usually I’m wary when it comes to reading books written by men, especially when there are women main characters, but Wallach did a very good job writing both the teenage boys and teenage girls in this book. This book had me over-thinking, laughing, crying, and staring at a wall. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did, but it was easy to read, and if I could’ve, I would’ve read this whole book in one sitting.
Meh. That's all I really have for this one. I wanted to read it because I was interested, but if I'd follow my own rules on reading, I probably wouldn't have missed anything major. I thought about giving this one three stars because at first, it was kind of good! It just progressively became less of an interest and more of a "Well, I'm already this far into it... " kind of read. I was just overall dissatisfied with the story - it felt so unrealistic and insane at times that I could scarcely believe it mattered at all in the face of Ardor.
the concept of this book is not very unique but still interesting. it is definitely targeted for teens. it got a bit boring in the middle in my opinion, but the beginning and end were strong. my biggest gripe is that sometimes Tommy Wallach was the opposite of a woke king with his word voice and analogies.
The ending sent me into a short existential spiral so don’t finish the book on a day that you’re already down in the dumps.
The ending sent me into a short existential spiral so don’t finish the book on a day that you’re already down in the dumps.
The concept of this book sounded so good, but the execution was just so bland to me. It got boring so quick and I only connected to one character. The ending was good though!
Like a mixture of The Breakfast Club and Deep Impact, the lives of four high school seniors from four very different teenage social spheres come together in a Vonnegut-esque "karass" -- a sort of destined grouping -- with the announcement of an approaching asteroid with a 66.6% chance of striking the Earth. Wallach does a wonderful job balancing the perspectives of his diverse cast: Peter, the star athlete who's already on the brink of an existential crisis when "Ardor" is spotted in the sky; artistic Eliza of the unfairly earned bad reputation; lovelorn slacker Andy, burdened by the weight of his even more troubled best friend; and pressure-cooked Anita, whose parents have every moment of her future mapped out for her. No one's plans, of course, involve everything ending in just a few short months, and the characters' quests to finding meaning and hope amidst their new bleak reality is poignant -- and perfectly applicable to ordinary, not-immediately-on-the-verge-of-ending life. Beautifully bittersweet and ultimately uplifting, We All Looked Up is the best new tragihopeful read for fans of The Fault in Our Stars and We Were Liars.