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stacy837's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic friendship, and Sexism
Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Alcohol
Minor: Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Blood, Cursing, and Transphobia
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
At first I didn't really like the main character, Mara, which made it hard to enjoy this book. Her growth throughout the story was fantastic, though, and I really liked the book a lot by the end. I really loved some of the themes here, but unfortunately I don't think it would be an appropriate purchase for our middle school library because there was just SO MUCH underage drinking. Some of it even parent approved and encouraged.
mpatterson610's review
4.0
This is a mostly fun story but I knocked a star off for an element at the end, even though I mostly liked the ending. Mara’s mom displays a lot of homophobia rooted in religion throughout the book and at the end Mara’s parents buy/fix up a car for her and then that’s kind of it? And I don’t think that’s a good message for a YA book. I would genuinely like a sequel to keep expanding on these characters’ stories
eizwein's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For a few chapters this book actually made me care about a football game.
16kneidels's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexism, Homophobia, and Misogyny
Minor: Hate crime and Injury/Injury detail
paleontologa's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hayleybeale's review against another edition
4.0
It’s not easy being a closeted butch lesbian in a small conservative town in rural Oregon, but high school junior Mara has a plan: play basketball, get a scholarship, go to college in Portland, come out. This is all threatened when Mara punches one of her basketball team - the truly annoying Carly Nakata - and her coach tells her she’s off the team next year unless she can play another team sport without incident.
After trying the oh too girly volleyball team (make up! hair ribbons!), Mara goes out for the football team where her best friend, Quinn, and her brother, Noah, play. After getting somewhat settled in and being accepted, Mara is horrified when Carly and three other girls (including her crush Valentina) are inspired to join too.
The author does a wonderful job of showing Mara's journey from wanting to be one of the boys to being proud to be part of the Elkhorn Five. The reaction of many of the team, though not unexpected, made my blood boil. There’s sly and covert actions like slashing Maras bike tires and hiding their clothes but as the girls become more of a media cause celebre, the teams hostility grows. The coaches are frustratingly and willfully unobservant.
Mara's journey from closet to out is also beautifully drawn. A new arrival in town, Jupiter, is everything Mara wants to be and Jupiter becomes a kind and thoughtful confidant and mentor. She questions some of Mara’s beliefs and actions but is always supportive and caring.
The family dynamic is sad but probably not untypical. Mara's mother is determinedly blinkered in her belief that Mara is just going through a phase and forces her into dresses and heels for church. Mara chafes at this, seeing the gulf between the daughter her mother wants and the daughter she actually has. The subplot with her father doesn’t really gel and he is a bit of a blank.
Ms Lundin’s smashing debut novel, Ship It, was set in the world of TV shows and cons and it reflected that it’s a world she is familiar with. This feels similarly authentic - the small town setting, the characters and the situations all feel real and from the heart.
Though this was a most enjoyable and entertaining read, I do have a couple of problems with the ending (spoiler alert). Firstly it plays out rather wishfully - maybe not all butch girls get so easily accepted by the cool girls in school and by their parents. And doesn’t setting up a women’s football league confirm what the boys were saying and let them off the hook for their appalling behavior?
Thanks to Freeform and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
After trying the oh too girly volleyball team (make up! hair ribbons!), Mara goes out for the football team where her best friend, Quinn, and her brother, Noah, play. After getting somewhat settled in and being accepted, Mara is horrified when Carly and three other girls (including her crush Valentina) are inspired to join too.
The author does a wonderful job of showing Mara's journey from wanting to be one of the boys to being proud to be part of the Elkhorn Five. The reaction of many of the team, though not unexpected, made my blood boil. There’s sly and covert actions like slashing Maras bike tires and hiding their clothes but as the girls become more of a media cause celebre, the teams hostility grows. The coaches are frustratingly and willfully unobservant.
Mara's journey from closet to out is also beautifully drawn. A new arrival in town, Jupiter, is everything Mara wants to be and Jupiter becomes a kind and thoughtful confidant and mentor. She questions some of Mara’s beliefs and actions but is always supportive and caring.
The family dynamic is sad but probably not untypical. Mara's mother is determinedly blinkered in her belief that Mara is just going through a phase and forces her into dresses and heels for church. Mara chafes at this, seeing the gulf between the daughter her mother wants and the daughter she actually has. The subplot with her father doesn’t really gel and he is a bit of a blank.
Ms Lundin’s smashing debut novel, Ship It, was set in the world of TV shows and cons and it reflected that it’s a world she is familiar with. This feels similarly authentic - the small town setting, the characters and the situations all feel real and from the heart.
Though this was a most enjoyable and entertaining read, I do have a couple of problems with the ending (spoiler alert). Firstly it plays out rather wishfully - maybe not all butch girls get so easily accepted by the cool girls in school and by their parents. And doesn’t setting up a women’s football league confirm what the boys were saying and let them off the hook for their appalling behavior?
Thanks to Freeform and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
elreichle's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75