Scan barcode
pwbalto's review against another edition
5.0
In the parlance of "windows" and "mirrors," I read a lot of "window" books. I read a lot of books about children and teens who aren't growing up like I grew up: who come from afar, or live in poverty, or are haunted by the ghost of a vengeful classmate in 1919. I mean, *shrug* what do you write a novel about? Not about me and my boring life.
Which is the total premise of Nothing. The book begins with Charlotte telling Frankie the salient points of the book she's reading, and Frankie goes, 'aaand then the mother dies.' 'No, in this one it's the brother. But you're on the right track,' says Char. Or something like that, I don't have it in front of me. Char goes on to moan about how THEIR lives would never make a decent teen novel, because NOTHING ever happens to them.
And this is true. They text, they do their homework, Frankie learns to drive. Like all teens, they use profanity like professionals. They are extremely funny all the while. But nothing happens. I read this book on the couch last night, giggling and side-eyeing my teenage sons, kind of thinking, 'Why on earth does this book actually work?,' until i realized, "Ohhhhh. I bet you Annie Barrows has teenage daughters and she is just CRAZY about them!"
Because this book is a total mirror for me. I have sons who are the funniest things that ever farted on cue, and if I could write worth a damn, this is the book I would write about them. I can feel the love.
And oh my god, how privileged am I that the book that most closely mirrors my life is 100% uneventful??
I mean, quite frankly, I'm not even sure I should be reviewing it - I don't know if I have enough perspective. And I don't know if it has a big audience. It might *just* be for college-bound girls from white-collar families - girls whose brothers do not have to fear the police; who experienced childhoods devoid of adverse experiences; who are neither bullied first-generation Americans, terminally ill, nor haunted by vengeful ghosts.
This bugs me. It shouldn't be solely within the precinct of the privileged to see oneself in such a sweet, funny, snarky book. While we advocate for diverse books and #ownvoices, let's make sure we seek out and champion warm, nontragic books like this one for every kid who might search the teen section in search of a character who looks like them.
Maybe this is on my mind because the last book I read was The Hate U Give, and while that book was exceptional in its handling of crisis, it was also terrific at the small, funny moments between friends and family members. I sort of wish for a follow-up novel in which Starr and Kenya and Chris and DeVante get to have a senior year of high school in which nothing happens.
Every kid deserves a little dose of Nothing.
Which is the total premise of Nothing. The book begins with Charlotte telling Frankie the salient points of the book she's reading, and Frankie goes, 'aaand then the mother dies.' 'No, in this one it's the brother. But you're on the right track,' says Char. Or something like that, I don't have it in front of me. Char goes on to moan about how THEIR lives would never make a decent teen novel, because NOTHING ever happens to them.
And this is true. They text, they do their homework, Frankie learns to drive. Like all teens, they use profanity like professionals. They are extremely funny all the while. But nothing happens. I read this book on the couch last night, giggling and side-eyeing my teenage sons, kind of thinking, 'Why on earth does this book actually work?,' until i realized, "Ohhhhh. I bet you Annie Barrows has teenage daughters and she is just CRAZY about them!"
Because this book is a total mirror for me. I have sons who are the funniest things that ever farted on cue, and if I could write worth a damn, this is the book I would write about them. I can feel the love.
And oh my god, how privileged am I that the book that most closely mirrors my life is 100% uneventful??
I mean, quite frankly, I'm not even sure I should be reviewing it - I don't know if I have enough perspective. And I don't know if it has a big audience. It might *just* be for college-bound girls from white-collar families - girls whose brothers do not have to fear the police; who experienced childhoods devoid of adverse experiences; who are neither bullied first-generation Americans, terminally ill, nor haunted by vengeful ghosts.
This bugs me. It shouldn't be solely within the precinct of the privileged to see oneself in such a sweet, funny, snarky book. While we advocate for diverse books and #ownvoices, let's make sure we seek out and champion warm, nontragic books like this one for every kid who might search the teen section in search of a character who looks like them.
Maybe this is on my mind because the last book I read was The Hate U Give, and while that book was exceptional in its handling of crisis, it was also terrific at the small, funny moments between friends and family members. I sort of wish for a follow-up novel in which Starr and Kenya and Chris and DeVante get to have a senior year of high school in which nothing happens.
Every kid deserves a little dose of Nothing.
paigelm's review against another edition
2.0
Conceptually, I thought it was a great idea. Execution wise...eh? I wished there was less making fun of diversity in YA (which is a real problem--and especially in a book that doesn't have any diversity) as opposed to all the other YA tropes that are easy to make fun of like love triangles or sequels after sequels after sequels or the rise of half stories, etc.
I enjoyed the characters and thought they were funny, but the making fun of the Iranian lesbian who was raped in the first few pages was a little too much for me.
eh
I enjoyed the characters and thought they were funny, but the making fun of the Iranian lesbian who was raped in the first few pages was a little too much for me.
eh
wildflowerz76's review against another edition
2.0
I got this book as an ARC from the bookstore where I work. This in no way changes by review.
We don't get a lot of YA ARCs at my bookstore and I have a 13yo, so I try and pick them up when we do get them. I won't be passing this one along. This is a book that kind of makes up on current YA and that idea could have been fun, but in the end, it's a book about nothing and while Seinfeld did this concept well, this book did not. There were some funny moments, but overall, there wasn't really a plot and I guess I'm too old, but I didn't get a lot of the slang. None of it hurt the story suffered because of it, it was just annoying. Though, to be fair, I'm not the target audience.
We don't get a lot of YA ARCs at my bookstore and I have a 13yo, so I try and pick them up when we do get them. I won't be passing this one along. This is a book that kind of makes up on current YA and that idea could have been fun, but in the end, it's a book about nothing and while Seinfeld did this concept well, this book did not. There were some funny moments, but overall, there wasn't really a plot and I guess I'm too old, but I didn't get a lot of the slang. None of it hurt the story suffered because of it, it was just annoying. Though, to be fair, I'm not the target audience.
kerib's review against another edition
3.0
More like 2 1/2 stars.... I really love this author and was excited to read this book. I struggled to get into it and didn’t care for the language so readily found throughout.... but the story grew on me.
rray_'s review against another edition
5.0
Wow, not a lot of other people liked this book eh?
I liked it. I liked Annie Barrows' writing style, and her irreverent take wasn't off-mark (like a lot of other books that try a "take that" at popular YA). As far as contemporary YA goes it's a nice change of pace. Plus it was short.
I liked it. I liked Annie Barrows' writing style, and her irreverent take wasn't off-mark (like a lot of other books that try a "take that" at popular YA). As far as contemporary YA goes it's a nice change of pace. Plus it was short.
cateemma's review against another edition
4.0
This book was really great. Frankie and Charlotte's friendship was as flawed, sweet and hilarious as any real friendship. Both girls' characters were very relatable.
honeymonster's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a pretty good book. Not super moving or anything. Kept my interest, though.
dearm's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0