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mailenguyen's review against another edition
4.0
It felt very Holden Caulfield. More like a 3.5 because some bits just didn't stick to me, but overall, a pretty quick and good read.
aliceccbg's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
nevertheless_zero's review against another edition
3.0
There are two synopses for this book, depending on which edition you pick on Goodreads. The first one you can find by clicking on the edition of the book that is paperback or hardcover:
“Owen is seventeen and smart. He knows what he wants to do with his life. But then he meets Natalie and he realizes he doesn't know anything much at all.”
This blurb is the one that makes me want to read this book. Here is someone who I can relate to because he knows what he wants to do in his life but later realizes maybe he doesn’t. And meeting and talking with someone helps him think of something different.
The second blurb is from the kindle edition and goes like this:
“This is a love story unlike any you have ever read. It is about two marvelous people, outsiders. Owen and Natalie are brilliant, talented, quirky. They know what they want. Some of the time. They also know what they don't want. Most of the time. They have their dreams. One wants to be a musician. One wants to be a great scientist. Neither one wants to be the answer to the great American dream.”
A few things I don’t like about this blurb: 1) how it immediately says it’s a love story. It is, but I didn’t see it in that way. This book isn’t a typical book where the girl is pining for some guy or vice versa. And for someone who loves romance, for once, I find a book like this refreshing.
2)How they word things. I’ll try not to nitpick too much, I’ll name at least one example: "It is about two marvelous people, outsiders." Marvelous is pushing it. Are they referring to their personality? Their talent? Their brains? I’m not saying they are bad people or anything, and not speaking of anything or anyone in particular, but I think it’s okay if you don’t like some or any of the characters. Though if you want to argue, that’s a conversation for another time.
I have no idea what they mean about the answer to the great American dream. What does the American dream have to do with the story? Unless I missed something? I plan to reread this one day. Maybe I’ll figure it out by then and update this review.
I want to say more about the story, about what I like and don’t like, but I’m afraid I might ruin the story that way. I'll add one more thing, sometimes when they have their conversations, I feel lost, but I don’t mind it too much because as long as the characters aren't and they somehow connect to each other’s thoughts, which I find is cool, it didn't matter if I understood it. Though I wish I could connect with them too. Or understand. I wonder if I am alone on that? Well, there was a moment or two where Owen didn't know what Natalie was talking about, but I think he got the gist of it. Or if he didn't, the thing was that he listened and let Natalie talk without interrupting her with questions. Because he knew she had trouble talking about it, and to interrupt her would make it even harder. He knew and understood that. And I appreciate that.
“Owen is seventeen and smart. He knows what he wants to do with his life. But then he meets Natalie and he realizes he doesn't know anything much at all.”
This blurb is the one that makes me want to read this book. Here is someone who I can relate to because he knows what he wants to do in his life but later realizes maybe he doesn’t. And meeting and talking with someone helps him think of something different.
The second blurb is from the kindle edition and goes like this:
“This is a love story unlike any you have ever read. It is about two marvelous people, outsiders. Owen and Natalie are brilliant, talented, quirky. They know what they want. Some of the time. They also know what they don't want. Most of the time. They have their dreams. One wants to be a musician. One wants to be a great scientist. Neither one wants to be the answer to the great American dream.”
A few things I don’t like about this blurb: 1) how it immediately says it’s a love story. It is, but I didn’t see it in that way. This book isn’t a typical book where the girl is pining for some guy or vice versa. And for someone who loves romance, for once, I find a book like this refreshing.
2)How they word things. I’ll try not to nitpick too much, I’ll name at least one example: "It is about two marvelous people, outsiders." Marvelous is pushing it. Are they referring to their personality? Their talent? Their brains? I’m not saying they are bad people or anything, and not speaking of anything or anyone in particular, but I think it’s okay if you don’t like some or any of the characters. Though if you want to argue, that’s a conversation for another time.
I have no idea what they mean about the answer to the great American dream. What does the American dream have to do with the story? Unless I missed something? I plan to reread this one day. Maybe I’ll figure it out by then and update this review.
I want to say more about the story, about what I like and don’t like, but I’m afraid I might ruin the story that way. I'll add one more thing, sometimes when they have their conversations, I feel lost, but I don’t mind it too much because as long as the characters aren't and they somehow connect to each other’s thoughts, which I find is cool, it didn't matter if I understood it. Though I wish I could connect with them too. Or understand. I wonder if I am alone on that? Well, there was a moment or two where Owen didn't know what Natalie was talking about, but I think he got the gist of it. Or if he didn't, the thing was that he listened and let Natalie talk without interrupting her with questions. Because he knew she had trouble talking about it, and to interrupt her would make it even harder. He knew and understood that. And I appreciate that.
goranlowie's review against another edition
4.0
After having written some of the best fantasy & science fiction books of her generation in the span of a decade, with classics like Earthsea/The Left Hand of Darkness/The Dispossessed & most of her other Earthsea/Hainish Cycle books being written in this period, Le Guin suddenly released this small little realistic Young Adult book in 1976.
It's an interesting book because of this. Very, very few of her books are so decidedly not fantasy or science fiction. And yet it's still a visible aspect of her writing and the book itself-- look at the imaginative world the main character created as a kid, Thorn, and some of the almost fantastical elements of the story (the fog, for example).
Le Guin manages to write a wonderfully sweet YA book. Having just read the first two books of her other (more recent) YA series, Annals of the Western Shore, it would only make sense to compare those. This is very different in terms of story, I suppose: the Western Shore books are pure fantasy and are much more complicated works. This book is short and to-the-point. The most impressive thing, to me, is how relatable and realistic it all still feels, over 40 years later.
Must-read for: Le Guin fans (if you'd like to see a non-speculative fiction book from her!), teenagers (this book was made for you.), fans of shorter works (in which case you should really most of Le Guin's work, really)
It's an interesting book because of this. Very, very few of her books are so decidedly not fantasy or science fiction. And yet it's still a visible aspect of her writing and the book itself-- look at the imaginative world the main character created as a kid, Thorn, and some of the almost fantastical elements of the story (the fog, for example).
Le Guin manages to write a wonderfully sweet YA book. Having just read the first two books of her other (more recent) YA series, Annals of the Western Shore, it would only make sense to compare those. This is very different in terms of story, I suppose: the Western Shore books are pure fantasy and are much more complicated works. This book is short and to-the-point. The most impressive thing, to me, is how relatable and realistic it all still feels, over 40 years later.
Must-read for: Le Guin fans (if you'd like to see a non-speculative fiction book from her!), teenagers (this book was made for you.), fans of shorter works (in which case you should really most of Le Guin's work, really)
bonylegged's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book very much, and I identified with Owen's difficulty to make friends. This book is about a MIT bound, science enthusiast, Owen Griffiths. He is very much alone, and very much afraid of his future. He doesn't know whether to conform or to be himself. His mom wants him to go to State and he wants to go to MIT and study Psychology with a Nobel Prize winner. He meet Natalie Fields, a quirky musician who dreams to become a composer. Together they help each other realize their dreams and they fall in love, even though they know will never be sexually compatible. The book was well written and it left me thinking. My only criticism is that Natalie seems like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, and seems to be only there to help Owen embrace life and realize his full potential, as most quirky love interests are. (see: Lindsey Wells, Abundance of Katherines)
ilayk's review against another edition
4.0
I had this book on my Kindle for a while. I randomly started reading it without any expectations or initial information. I mean, to be honest, I always have high expectations for Ursula Le Guin... It was a short and sweet coming of age story. I do not know how she managed to write relatable main characters while avoiding clichés and in less than 100 pages... I love her...
truestorydesu's review against another edition
4.0
I fricking love Ursula K. Le Guin. She's one of my favorite authors of all time (perhaps my favorite author of all time...) Also - fellow Oregonian, woo! I found this novella while shelving in juvenile fiction again, and even though it's barely 90 pages long, it covers a lot. Perhaps the most realistic portrayal of an adolescent relationship that I've ever read, even though it's from the 70s, and a lot of the lingo is outdated. Still - this book was awesome: short and sweet and very well written.
So...you should read it.
So...you should read it.
tehanuburningsoul's review against another edition
5.0
As always Ursula le Guin did not disappoint me. My high expectations for this book that I wanted to read for such a long time have been met and more so in her work she surpassed them.
The story is short and concise and yet filled to the brim with wisdom and kind guidance. I found the story so very relatable, touching, therapeutic even, I found it to be a consolation.
Looking out through the dark green bars of the small balcony but feeling the warm touch of sun on my brow, unchanged regardless of the intense and scary circumstances of the lockdown. Owen's story reminds me what is important, gives me focus and perspective on my own life.
Gives me hope, since all that I am experiencing right now is only one nest that I have built from what I have found and soon enough once it becomes worn out I will move on to another, or learn to take care of it.
The story is short and concise and yet filled to the brim with wisdom and kind guidance. I found the story so very relatable, touching, therapeutic even, I found it to be a consolation.
Looking out through the dark green bars of the small balcony but feeling the warm touch of sun on my brow, unchanged regardless of the intense and scary circumstances of the lockdown. Owen's story reminds me what is important, gives me focus and perspective on my own life.
Gives me hope, since all that I am experiencing right now is only one nest that I have built from what I have found and soon enough once it becomes worn out I will move on to another, or learn to take care of it.
sarahjsnider's review against another edition
3.0
I appreciated the ideas of friendship and loneliness and struggling with expectations and anti-intellectualism that are being addressed. I didn't like the mannered tone of the narration--it read like "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," not like a teenage boy. And Owen's struggles with his feelings for Natalie were mostly glossed over. His struggles didn't feel emotionally honest in the way that the early days of their friendship did.