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nogink's review
adventurous
emotional
slow-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
2.0
spacecase1701's review against another edition
4.0
It's always a good sign when I stay up later than I should so I can finish a book. Surprisingly funny and surprisingly moving, hard to argue with that.
jessie_teng's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
teatales's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
This was such a beautiful, sad, funny book. I loved it a lot and cried so much at the end.
The only downside was the couple r slurs that were used. Felt of the time but still shitty
The only downside was the couple r slurs that were used. Felt of the time but still shitty
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Suicide
thelibrarylady42's review against another edition
3.0
*copy provided by NetGalley*
When Alex Woods was 10 years old a meteorite crashed through his roof and struck him in the head. As the son of a fortune teller and an avid reader he is an easy target for bullies. But when he meets Mr. Peterson, a crotchety old guy who lives down the road, he meets a lifelong friend. Mr. Peterson teaches him that life is worth living to the fullest.
This is one of those stories that starts at the end and works its way backwards and forwards at the same time. I hate that, despite my deep love of sci-fi and time travel, I am not a fan of flip-floppy stories. Despite that I still enjoyed the book. The characters were so loveable, strange, but loveable. Except Alex’s mom, she just didn’t click with me. Alex is a young kid trying to find a place where he fits in. He is a little odd and always questioning things and wanting to learn more. Which doesn’t always gel with his peers. When he breaks into Mr. Peterson’s garden shed to escape them his life begins to change in ways he couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Mr. Peterson is old and cranky but he reads a lot and Alex finds a kinship with him which helps him form other connections in his life. It’s an emotional and powerful look at what it means to truly be alive.
It took me a while to get into this book but in the end I really liked it. When I first started reading it was my understanding that this was being marketed as a young adult book and I was nervous because I wasn’t sure it was the right place for it. Having a young adult or a child narrator does not make a book automatically a young adult book. I loved the book as an adult but I don’t see a lot of teen readers loving it. It may find an audience with older teens but I think most readers who have enjoyed a little more of what life has to offer might get more out of the book. I see now that it is listed as an adult book which is good. That isn’t to say I wouldn’t give it to the right teen reader but I don’t see it being huge with the majority.
When Alex Woods was 10 years old a meteorite crashed through his roof and struck him in the head. As the son of a fortune teller and an avid reader he is an easy target for bullies. But when he meets Mr. Peterson, a crotchety old guy who lives down the road, he meets a lifelong friend. Mr. Peterson teaches him that life is worth living to the fullest.
This is one of those stories that starts at the end and works its way backwards and forwards at the same time. I hate that, despite my deep love of sci-fi and time travel, I am not a fan of flip-floppy stories. Despite that I still enjoyed the book. The characters were so loveable, strange, but loveable. Except Alex’s mom, she just didn’t click with me. Alex is a young kid trying to find a place where he fits in. He is a little odd and always questioning things and wanting to learn more. Which doesn’t always gel with his peers. When he breaks into Mr. Peterson’s garden shed to escape them his life begins to change in ways he couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Mr. Peterson is old and cranky but he reads a lot and Alex finds a kinship with him which helps him form other connections in his life. It’s an emotional and powerful look at what it means to truly be alive.
It took me a while to get into this book but in the end I really liked it. When I first started reading it was my understanding that this was being marketed as a young adult book and I was nervous because I wasn’t sure it was the right place for it. Having a young adult or a child narrator does not make a book automatically a young adult book. I loved the book as an adult but I don’t see a lot of teen readers loving it. It may find an audience with older teens but I think most readers who have enjoyed a little more of what life has to offer might get more out of the book. I see now that it is listed as an adult book which is good. That isn’t to say I wouldn’t give it to the right teen reader but I don’t see it being huge with the majority.
evencj147's review against another edition
3.0
Even though I'm not a person for a coming of age book or books of the like. I truly enjoyed this story.
I thought that it had many different layers to it. How he overcame different things by just reading. Or how he had learned to come to terms with Mr. Peterson's wishes.
But also I think this book had a great social commentary on assisted suicide. Even though the story took a while to get to the part. It's these kind of stories that will always make the largest impact on the hot button issues these days, because it's stories like this that have an incredible appeal to logic and emotion.
But 7/10 would definitely recommend to someone who wants to read and have a little thought with it too. Not just something you read and forget.
I thought that it had many different layers to it. How he overcame different things by just reading. Or how he had learned to come to terms with Mr. Peterson's wishes.
But also I think this book had a great social commentary on assisted suicide. Even though the story took a while to get to the part. It's these kind of stories that will always make the largest impact on the hot button issues these days, because it's stories like this that have an incredible appeal to logic and emotion.
But 7/10 would definitely recommend to someone who wants to read and have a little thought with it too. Not just something you read and forget.
afjakandy's review against another edition
5.0
AMAZING. Witty, tear-inducing, comical, diverse, and an overall emotional roller coaster (in the best way), this book is fantastic read. The characterization is so brilliant and the events are so subtle and realistic, I didn't even realize how attached I was getting to the characters until I was crying after reading the last pages. Immediately after finishing the library copy I'd checked out, I bought this book. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a book with unconventional yet relatable characters, an astoundingly unique and interesting plot, and a beautiful storytelling method.
jtwolf33's review against another edition
4.0
One good friend is all anybody really needs. (And maybe a girl too...)