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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
This was definitely an interesting way to approach a topic as complex as bullying, and even though I appreciate what looking at it from a different perspective brings to the table, it still made me a bit uneasy. I've read other books similar to this one and I think I liked how they used that way of telling the story a little more. I don't know if it's because this book was so short or what, but having the victim stay so outside the narrative just made me uncomfortable, and there wasn't enough development in the characters or the story to get me to shake that feeling.
Oh and I have to say, the writing style really got me out of the story a ton of times. The way the teenagers talked -Kurt especially- felt so awkward! At times it was like reading a dialogue written by John Green, to be honest.
Oh and I have to say, the writing style really got me out of the story a ton of times. The way the teenagers talked -Kurt especially- felt so awkward! At times it was like reading a dialogue written by John Green, to be honest.
This is a quick read but a good one. It is sad at timesbut quite honest. I saw myself in some of the se characters- and that isn't always a good thing! This is one all teens could enjoy if they are willing to see themselves in it.
This book had such a promising start to start a dialogue about real life in high school and the effects of gossip. However, this potential was never realized. The conclusion was short, ill-conceived, and seemed like an avoiding ending to everything the plot had built up. What was the point? Really?
Truthfully, I think it's still worth it for students to read but I think a more honest discussion is required rather than a romantic story line sprung from no where.
Truthfully, I think it's still worth it for students to read but I think a more honest discussion is required rather than a romantic story line sprung from no where.
Multiple narrators. Felt gratuitous at times. Didn’t love the writing style.
I usually review a book by splitting it up into “The Good” stuff and “The Bad” stuff, but for this book I’m putting it all into one:
“The Mediocre”
- This is a quick, easy read that floats along at a good pace, but…
- Stereotypical characters. Yep, this book had every small town stereotype: Miss Popular who loves life in the small town, dead football star, dead football star’s best friend / teammate who has a secret crush on him, girl from wrong side of tracks accused of being a slut, religious girl who’s not so good, and nerd guy who has no friends. Now, if these stereotypical characters had surprised me and showed to be deeper and more interesting than they first appeared, I’d be impressed. Alas, that did not happen.
- The blurb for this book promised mystery, at least to me. The whole we-won’t-know-the-real-story-until-we-hear-from-Alice-at-The-End hooked me, but it soon became super obvious what had really happened. And then halfway through the book one of the characters tells us exactly what happened. I kept waiting for another shoe to drop, something else, something secret, but nada. Everything in this story is exactly as it seems.
- The ending was sweet but not too perfect (thumbs up), but entirely predictable.
- Anyone who lived through high school can relate to this book. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I’d read it when I was 16. However, I’ve read so many books now on the same subject matter (gossip ruining a girl’s reputation) that are much, much better than this one. SPEAK and LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL and BEAUTIFUL MALICE to name just three. All those books handle this subject with more originality, emotion and depth.
In Conclusion: Despite this coming up on all the Top YA Books of 2014… skip it.
“The Mediocre”
- This is a quick, easy read that floats along at a good pace, but…
- Stereotypical characters. Yep, this book had every small town stereotype: Miss Popular who loves life in the small town, dead football star, dead football star’s best friend / teammate who has a secret crush on him, girl from wrong side of tracks accused of being a slut, religious girl who’s not so good, and nerd guy who has no friends. Now, if these stereotypical characters had surprised me and showed to be deeper and more interesting than they first appeared, I’d be impressed. Alas, that did not happen.
- The blurb for this book promised mystery, at least to me. The whole we-won’t-know-the-real-story-until-we-hear-from-Alice-at-The-End hooked me, but it soon became super obvious what had really happened. And then halfway through the book one of the characters tells us exactly what happened. I kept waiting for another shoe to drop, something else, something secret, but nada. Everything in this story is exactly as it seems.
- The ending was sweet but not too perfect (thumbs up), but entirely predictable.
- Anyone who lived through high school can relate to this book. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I’d read it when I was 16. However, I’ve read so many books now on the same subject matter (gossip ruining a girl’s reputation) that are much, much better than this one. SPEAK and LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL and BEAUTIFUL MALICE to name just three. All those books handle this subject with more originality, emotion and depth.
In Conclusion: Despite this coming up on all the Top YA Books of 2014… skip it.
Received ARC from NETGALLEY in exchange for honest review.
This was amazing. I think because I'm coming off of "Tease" by Amanda Maciel, I'm really moved by these tough teen issue books that have become so popular. "Tease" was about bullying; "The Truth About Alice" is about bullying in a more passive way: rumors. I raced through this book because it was told through the perspectives of different teens and how they perceive the rumors and how they perceive Alice. Great recommendable book for teens (and even adults who like YA).
This was amazing. I think because I'm coming off of "Tease" by Amanda Maciel, I'm really moved by these tough teen issue books that have become so popular. "Tease" was about bullying; "The Truth About Alice" is about bullying in a more passive way: rumors. I raced through this book because it was told through the perspectives of different teens and how they perceive the rumors and how they perceive Alice. Great recommendable book for teens (and even adults who like YA).
I had a pretty good idea of what had happened (well, I thought it was one of two things) almost from the beginning. This raises a bunch of interesting ideas, about reputation, and gossip, and small towns, and the social pressure on girls vs. that on boys.
This is a story told in four + one voices.
The four voices are Elaine (popular girl), Josh (jock), Kelsie (former best friend), and Kurt (geek). The one voice is Alice herself, who only speaks at the very end.
It's a pretty standard high school story - a story gets told about what a girl did at a party, and pretty soon her entire school turns against her.
It's well written, and the teen voices are quite convincing (they sound like teenagers, although as a 38-year old, I'm not sure I'm the right person to be judging that.)
One thing that I would have liked to see more of, though, is what is going on with Josh (the jock). There are hints of something else there (i.e., that he might be gay), but only hints, and they're not explored at all.
Spoilers below:
Merged review:
I had a pretty good idea of what had happened (well, I thought it was one of two things) almost from the beginning. This raises a bunch of interesting ideas, about reputation, and gossip, and small towns, and the social pressure on girls vs. that on boys.
This is a story told in four + one voices.
The four voices are Elaine (popular girl), Josh (jock), Kelsie (former best friend), and Kurt (geek). The one voice is Alice herself, who only speaks at the very end.
It's a pretty standard high school story - a story gets told about what a girl did at a party, and pretty soon her entire school turns against her.
It's well written, and the teen voices are quite convincing (they sound like teenagers, although as a 38-year old, I'm not sure I'm the right person to be judging that.)
One thing that I would have liked to see more of, though, is what is going on with Josh (the jock). There are hints of something else there (i.e., that he might be gay), but only hints, and they're not explored at all.
Spoilers below:
This is a story told in four + one voices.
The four voices are Elaine (popular girl), Josh (jock), Kelsie (former best friend), and Kurt (geek). The one voice is Alice herself, who only speaks at the very end.
It's a pretty standard high school story - a story gets told about what a girl did at a party, and pretty soon her entire school turns against her.
It's well written, and the teen voices are quite convincing (they sound like teenagers, although as a 38-year old, I'm not sure I'm the right person to be judging that.)
One thing that I would have liked to see more of, though, is what is going on with Josh (the jock). There are hints of something else there (i.e., that he might be gay), but only hints, and they're not explored at all.
Spoilers below:
Spoiler
I thought that one of two things had happened - Alice had been raped by one or both of the boys/men that she supposedly had sex with at the party, or she hadn't had sex with either of them. Turns out it's the second one, but you don't find that out until almost the very end.Merged review:
I had a pretty good idea of what had happened (well, I thought it was one of two things) almost from the beginning. This raises a bunch of interesting ideas, about reputation, and gossip, and small towns, and the social pressure on girls vs. that on boys.
This is a story told in four + one voices.
The four voices are Elaine (popular girl), Josh (jock), Kelsie (former best friend), and Kurt (geek). The one voice is Alice herself, who only speaks at the very end.
It's a pretty standard high school story - a story gets told about what a girl did at a party, and pretty soon her entire school turns against her.
It's well written, and the teen voices are quite convincing (they sound like teenagers, although as a 38-year old, I'm not sure I'm the right person to be judging that.)
One thing that I would have liked to see more of, though, is what is going on with Josh (the jock). There are hints of something else there (i.e., that he might be gay), but only hints, and they're not explored at all.
Spoilers below:
Spoiler
I thought that one of two things had happened - Alice had been raped by one or both of the boys/men that she supposedly had sex with at the party, or she hadn't had sex with either of them. Turns out it's the second one, but you don't find that out until almost the very end.
I had to read this book for class and to be honest I didn’t think I was going to like it. I figured it was another YA book about bullying. And it is, but it’s also a great love story and a book about forgiveness and inner strength and I’ll be recommending this one for teens.