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salgalruns's review against another edition
3.0
This book was queued up and ready to read for about a week before I could really get into it - not really sure why. I've read other stories by Moriarty and seemed to like those, although those didn't make my favorites shelf either. This story is definitely a coming of age story, set in rural Kansas, in a family struggling to make ends meet.
Evelyn lives with her mother, Tina, in a small apartment, and the story revolves around the two of them and her friends who also live in the building. You see the effects of the poverty - from getting a car (and dealing with the struggles of keeping it running) to finding food to eat. In one scene, Moriarty describes the embarrassment of having to sign up for free lunches at school so well, that it made me want to step in and punch the "paying lunch" parents myself.
However, Evelyn shines - she is a capable girl with a good head on her shoulder and her teachers love her. As a school administrator, this warmed my heart. They went above and beyond to share with her that she was capable and special, something that needs to happen to all students, but especially to Evelyn. From an understanding 4th grade teacher who started to nurture her love of Science with a Science Fair to her high school teacher that brought her along to a conference and helped her with a scholarship - these are the feel good parts to this story.
Add to the story some other social issues that seem more prevalent in poverty stricken communities - unwanted pregnancies, criminal activities, dropout rates, and jobs at the local McDonalds... At one point, the kids waited patiently for the new McDonalds to be built so they could have a place to hang out. Definitely rural...and before Walmart.
Mind you, there are typical young adult issues within the story as well - the main one revolving around friendship. Evelyn is awkward at best, and has a beautiful friend, who makes her feel even more awkward. There's the additional storyline of a boy who has been there for her since she was young who has eyes for someone else. How many of us can relate to this (sadly)? There are also the girl bullies who taunt and who are entitled to new cars and oodles of friends, pointing out to Evelyn what she doesn't have. Peer pressure is there, but Evelyn seems somewhat naive and immune to it to a great degree.
Another theme that stretched through the story was that of religion. Evelyn's grandmother felt that she should embrace her evangelical bible thumping in order to be saved, and her mom wanted nothing to do with it. There doesn't seem to be a grey area here with the religious folks either - super conservative or not at all. Add to that, the town rallied around the evolution vs. creationism debate at the local high school. Small town drama with big time issues. The end result of this debate actually angered me, but I won't give away spoilers.
I've read a bunch of young adult stories that are good discussion candidates with adults alike, but this one just didn't strike me in that way. Perhaps it's that I work with families who experience poverty, or perhaps I was frustrated with the choices these characters DID have but didn't take... It just wasn't great in my mind - merely an okay kind of read.
Evelyn lives with her mother, Tina, in a small apartment, and the story revolves around the two of them and her friends who also live in the building. You see the effects of the poverty - from getting a car (and dealing with the struggles of keeping it running) to finding food to eat. In one scene, Moriarty describes the embarrassment of having to sign up for free lunches at school so well, that it made me want to step in and punch the "paying lunch" parents myself.
However, Evelyn shines - she is a capable girl with a good head on her shoulder and her teachers love her. As a school administrator, this warmed my heart. They went above and beyond to share with her that she was capable and special, something that needs to happen to all students, but especially to Evelyn. From an understanding 4th grade teacher who started to nurture her love of Science with a Science Fair to her high school teacher that brought her along to a conference and helped her with a scholarship - these are the feel good parts to this story.
Add to the story some other social issues that seem more prevalent in poverty stricken communities - unwanted pregnancies, criminal activities, dropout rates, and jobs at the local McDonalds... At one point, the kids waited patiently for the new McDonalds to be built so they could have a place to hang out. Definitely rural...and before Walmart.
Mind you, there are typical young adult issues within the story as well - the main one revolving around friendship. Evelyn is awkward at best, and has a beautiful friend, who makes her feel even more awkward. There's the additional storyline of a boy who has been there for her since she was young who has eyes for someone else. How many of us can relate to this (sadly)? There are also the girl bullies who taunt and who are entitled to new cars and oodles of friends, pointing out to Evelyn what she doesn't have. Peer pressure is there, but Evelyn seems somewhat naive and immune to it to a great degree.
Another theme that stretched through the story was that of religion. Evelyn's grandmother felt that she should embrace her evangelical bible thumping in order to be saved, and her mom wanted nothing to do with it. There doesn't seem to be a grey area here with the religious folks either - super conservative or not at all. Add to that, the town rallied around the evolution vs. creationism debate at the local high school. Small town drama with big time issues. The end result of this debate actually angered me, but I won't give away spoilers.
I've read a bunch of young adult stories that are good discussion candidates with adults alike, but this one just didn't strike me in that way. Perhaps it's that I work with families who experience poverty, or perhaps I was frustrated with the choices these characters DID have but didn't take... It just wasn't great in my mind - merely an okay kind of read.
pollyb23's review against another edition
2.0
Kind of boring. Kind of rambling. Overall kind of disappointing.
mbenzz's review against another edition
5.0
I am so glad I finally read this book. I've had it laying around for the past couple of years and never gave it much thought, but it turned out to be an excellent read.
This is the story of Evelyn Bucknow. She lives in Kerrville, Kansas with her young mother and no father. We meet her at age 11 and follow her to her last year in high school. In that time she experiences her first love, and first heartache...the feeling of being an outsider, and the betrayal of her one true friend. She learns that young people do not, in fact, live forever, and she slowly realizes what she wants out of life, and how to achieve it.
I highly recommend this book. Evelyn has such a voice for being so young, and her struggles through adolescence are at times both heartbreaking and joyous. I would really love to see a sequel to this book, to learn how Evelyn, her mother, her mentally retarded brother Samuel, and her beloved grandmother Eileen turn out. This was a great book, and I absolutely look forward to reading her future novels.
This is the story of Evelyn Bucknow. She lives in Kerrville, Kansas with her young mother and no father. We meet her at age 11 and follow her to her last year in high school. In that time she experiences her first love, and first heartache...the feeling of being an outsider, and the betrayal of her one true friend. She learns that young people do not, in fact, live forever, and she slowly realizes what she wants out of life, and how to achieve it.
I highly recommend this book. Evelyn has such a voice for being so young, and her struggles through adolescence are at times both heartbreaking and joyous. I would really love to see a sequel to this book, to learn how Evelyn, her mother, her mentally retarded brother Samuel, and her beloved grandmother Eileen turn out. This was a great book, and I absolutely look forward to reading her future novels.
elyssamiller's review against another edition
4.0
This book is pretty good! I enjoy every time I read it. The first time I read it I was fairly young and found it hard to understand, but when I was older and read it I found that I liked it a lot more. This book is pretty good so I do recommend it.
ashleysilver7's review against another edition
4.0
This is the author's first novel, and I think it's a winner. Simply put, it follows the life and coming of age of Evelyn, growing up in the 70s and 80s in a fictional town of Kerrville, Kansas. As a Kansas native, it's sort of fun hearing the narrator describe towns, weather patterns, and the University of my state (Jayhawks!). Evelyn has a hard time, living in a tiny apartment with a single mother, and later a baby. Evelyn is a gifted child, and a very hard worker who badly wants to better her situation. It definitely gives a glimpse as to how the "other half" lives. I recommend this book - especially if you like a protagonist who's such a fighter.
carlenj's review against another edition
1.0
This book was not what I expected, honestly I just forced myself to finish it. I really enjoyed the fact that I got to see Evelyn grow and I really liked how the mother over came obstacles when it came to Samuel but I'm I expected a better ending.
cheesygiraffe's review against another edition
4.0
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1060657/#3074392
maralyons's review against another edition
3.0
Easy to read, but slow going. Very little happens in this book. The narrator, Evelyn, is not very endearing, but she is realistic. I'm not quite sure why I finished this book. After reading the first 100 pages I felt like NOTHING had happened. I was surprised at how few relationships the narrator has. She only has 2 friends and alienates herself from her mother and little brother. I suppose I was hoping this novel would be more charming and focus on the importance of relationships with family and friends when one is faced with adverse circumstances (poverty). It seemed as if Evelyn did not really care about anyone and she was very judgmental of the actions of those close to her.
karenleagermain's review against another edition
5.0
I think what made this book so good, is Moriarty was able to take simple circumstances and create complex characters. It's subtle. The book doesn't have any big dramatic turning points. It's driven completely by characters, rather than plot. The characters make it compelling. Moriarty is a strong writer and she doesn't need to rely on anything theatrical to write a fantastic novel. I breezed through the book and was left wanting more.
bb_kittydogmama's review against another edition
3.0
I’m hovering between a 3 and a 4. This is a good book. I’m glad I read it. But it was not one that I couldn’t put down. If you need a light read go for it!