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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Good, sports mystery set at the London Olympics. Focus on swimming and journalism, part of a series. Always a bit over the top, but still fun, fast-paced and well-researched. Good glimpse into the world of athlete endorsements/sponsorship, sports agents, and the Olympics.
If you're into swimming, then this is a good book to read because it does give an accurate portrayal of the swimming world. Of course as you read through it, you'll find some parts that don't match up with the real life events.
My only gripe about it is that the ending came too quickly, or there was nothing more beyond the ending. Like all the build up was good, but at the end, when they found the corrupt official, the story pretty much stopped there. I mean, did the main character win her gold (in the relay)? and what was the response when she got back home?
overall a good book and a good read.
My only gripe about it is that the ending came too quickly, or there was nothing more beyond the ending. Like all the build up was good, but at the end, when they found the corrupt official, the story pretty much stopped there. I mean, did the main character win her gold (in the relay)? and what was the response when she got back home?
overall a good book and a good read.
I decided to read this book in antipaction or the upcoming Olympics. This book does a great job of explaining how athletes get ready to compete at a high level and juggle life school and other issues. Susan Carol is a world championship swimmer working on preparing for the Olympic trials when agents and sponsors bombard her and pressure her dad to sign with them. The money is very tempting and causes friction in the dad/daughter relationship. I really enjoyed just reading the story to get a deeper inside look at how it all comes together for this incredile journey to the peak of the Sports world. The mystery came very late in the story and actually wasn't even needed to tell this compelling story.
There were parts of this book that kept me very engaged and I enjoyed having an inside look at what it can be like to be an Olympic athlete -- the pressures, the agents/sponsors, the media, and of course, all the glory of the Olympics themselves. The author has a history in sports writing and his descriptions and implied insights about the sports world certainly seemed to reflect that background. That credibility and authenticity was a strength of the book. However, this book is categorized as a mystery and it didn't feel like a mystery until about 3/4 through the book. Up until then it was just an interesting story and I kept wondering when the mystery part was about to begin.
I have not read the other books in the series so maybe my next statement would be different after reading them. However, I struggled with the believability factor that these high school kids had "made it" into the journalism world and were just as savvy (if not more so) than seasoned journalists. I also struggled with believing that the female lead's reverend father would succumb so quickly and easily to sports agents.
I don't read a lot of YA books, but this seemed to read like one. There was nothing overly complex and sophisticated with the writing; and I found it a bit prescriptive. Maybe I was hoping for more in this regard, but I'm not sure it's fair to fault a book for fitting into its own genre. So, I imagine my daughter (who loves swimming) would enjoy this book once she's a little older.
I have not read the other books in the series so maybe my next statement would be different after reading them. However, I struggled with the believability factor that these high school kids had "made it" into the journalism world and were just as savvy (if not more so) than seasoned journalists. I also struggled with believing that the female lead's reverend father would succumb so quickly and easily to sports agents.
I don't read a lot of YA books, but this seemed to read like one. There was nothing overly complex and sophisticated with the writing; and I found it a bit prescriptive. Maybe I was hoping for more in this regard, but I'm not sure it's fair to fault a book for fitting into its own genre. So, I imagine my daughter (who loves swimming) would enjoy this book once she's a little older.
Stevie and Susan Carol, the 15 year old sports reporters, are back at the Olympics. This time, Susan Carol is actually a competitor in swimming. The intrigue in this plot deals with the agents surrounding Susan Carol and how they are trying to influence her, her family and her choices for money. The details in the swimming races are wonderful, really bringing a new appreciation to anyone who watches the sport (or will in the future). It takes a good long time for the real bad guy to show up in this one, but readers won't mind waiting too much because the details of what it is like behind the scenes at the Olympics really makes up for it. An enjoyable continuation of the series.
The worst part was having to read the awful name "Susan Carol" over and over again. The story itself was okay.
mysterious
tense
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3 Stars
This was a fun book, especially as a I'm a huge fan of the Olympics! Plus, I read it while the Tokyo games were happening. Was fun to read details about swimming in this book and then see it in real life in Tokyo!
This was a fun book, especially as a I'm a huge fan of the Olympics! Plus, I read it while the Tokyo games were happening. Was fun to read details about swimming in this book and then see it in real life in Tokyo!