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brendysue28's review against another edition
5.0
Fabulous middle school book! Fast moving plot, orphans and kids who have lost parents, plus a little bit of history and some bits of a ghost thrown in the plot. Middle school boys will love this book! Also kids who seem to have a difficult time fitting in or who have lost parents.
nicole_lb's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
gschwabauer's review against another edition
2.0
Any girl, anywhere in the story: (Does or says something, no matter how common)
Trace: "I guess I just have to come to terms with the fact that I will NEVER UNDERSTAND GIRLS."
Seriously, I get that I have a sore spot around these kinds of remarks, but there were like 10-12 of them! It was constant! I was so confused--the story is trying to bring awareness to the suffering of young black children in the 1860s through a ghost story centered around a forgotten historical tragedy (brilliant idea and I was ready to love it) but then the sexism is just...relentless. The narrative makes fun of the teacher over and over for being fat and for I guess having a cold one day? Trace seems to have a crush on every unrelated female who enters the story except one girl who is repeatedly framed as "childish" because I guess she's kind of unusual and not taken seriously even though she's their peer. They do become friends, but it feels like Trace is always affectionately laughing at her inside, which I guess works if you're watching your three-year-old child do something weird at a family picnic like "I'm not sure why he does that flamingo dance but we love him the way he is!" but just comes across as condescending between same-aged peers.
Characters are stereotypes: mean girl classmate the protagonist inexplicably has a crush on who will eventually be won over by his coolness in some dramatic moment, "nerd" girl who literally speaks using lengthy thesaurus terms in every sentence, alleged best friend who is emotionally unavailable the whole time and only exists to become pointlessly outraged for a ridiculous amount of time because Trace (surprise!) left him alone . . . to work on a school project . . . with TWO GIRLS OH GOD HOW COULD TRACE ABANDON HIM LIKE THAT? MAKE HIM SPEAK TO GIRLS LIKE THAT? Certainly an offense worthy of weeks of silence. I kept thinking any of this bizarre girl-themed behavior would be challenged, but no, never. No acknowledgement whatsoever that maybe girls aren't one giant homogenous entity and therefore maybe "I can't predict the exact behavior of every girl I see while barely even knowing them" isn't a big shocker.
And oh man. The consent. It is missing, my friends. Trace has a Moment with a neighbor girl he thinks is pretty, wonders if she's going in for a kiss, accidentally touches lips with her, and then decides to "act confident" and just kiss her for real "just in case" she did it on purpose. And then she just laughs and doesn't care! Even though she says she didn't want to kiss him and was just grabbing something nearby! Later there's a big concert at Trace's house and he gets called onstage to sing with an adult woman who flirts with him repeatedly (?????) kisses him on the cheek repeatedly (?!?!?!) and then kisses him ON THE MOUTH (!!!!!) in front of this living room crowd of adults who know Trace personally and everyone is just cool with it I guess? It's treated like Trace is into it because she's hot and famous and not like the gross predatory overreach that it actually is? I was so agog here I almost didn't finish. And then. And then! The neighbor girl shows up and kisses Trace on the mouth "just as friends" at this same party for . . . whatever? reasons? who the frick knows at this point? Why are so many people randomly kissing each other as a joke?
The concept of this book was so, so cool. Boy trying to heal from the traumatic loss of both parents navigates the rocky road to healing through actual ghost encounters with figures from his own ancient history. That sounds awesome, right? I so wish that most of the story had been about that instead of about Trace's strange personal dramas with characters that just didn't resonate with me. In the end he's just Over It even though he's suffered an earth-shattering loss, and okay, middle grade likes it's hopeful endings, but even the good parts of this book felt like they didn't quite hold together. Trace spent too much time acting detached from the ghost thing. I get it was a coping mechanism, but you can't have your main character go from "eh, I kinda just want to act like it never happened, I have bigger things to worry about" to "ghost plot is happily resolved!" so fast. Random adults got involved, they did half the work anyway, Trace just kinda floated through the story on its surface. I'd love to read a very different version of this idea; this version was a little too casually mean to its entire supporting cast.
Trace: "I guess I just have to come to terms with the fact that I will NEVER UNDERSTAND GIRLS."
Seriously, I get that I have a sore spot around these kinds of remarks, but there were like 10-12 of them! It was constant! I was so confused--the story is trying to bring awareness to the suffering of young black children in the 1860s through a ghost story centered around a forgotten historical tragedy (brilliant idea and I was ready to love it) but then the sexism is just...relentless. The narrative makes fun of the teacher over and over for being fat and for I guess having a cold one day? Trace seems to have a crush on every unrelated female who enters the story except one girl who is repeatedly framed as "childish" because I guess she's kind of unusual and not taken seriously even though she's their peer. They do become friends, but it feels like Trace is always affectionately laughing at her inside, which I guess works if you're watching your three-year-old child do something weird at a family picnic like "I'm not sure why he does that flamingo dance but we love him the way he is!" but just comes across as condescending between same-aged peers.
Characters are stereotypes: mean girl classmate the protagonist inexplicably has a crush on who will eventually be won over by his coolness in some dramatic moment, "nerd" girl who literally speaks using lengthy thesaurus terms in every sentence, alleged best friend who is emotionally unavailable the whole time and only exists to become pointlessly outraged for a ridiculous amount of time because Trace (surprise!) left him alone . . . to work on a school project . . . with TWO GIRLS OH GOD HOW COULD TRACE ABANDON HIM LIKE THAT? MAKE HIM SPEAK TO GIRLS LIKE THAT? Certainly an offense worthy of weeks of silence. I kept thinking any of this bizarre girl-themed behavior would be challenged, but no, never. No acknowledgement whatsoever that maybe girls aren't one giant homogenous entity and therefore maybe "I can't predict the exact behavior of every girl I see while barely even knowing them" isn't a big shocker.
And oh man. The consent. It is missing, my friends. Trace has a Moment with a neighbor girl he thinks is pretty, wonders if she's going in for a kiss, accidentally touches lips with her, and then decides to "act confident" and just kiss her for real "just in case" she did it on purpose. And then she just laughs and doesn't care! Even though she says she didn't want to kiss him and was just grabbing something nearby! Later there's a big concert at Trace's house and he gets called onstage to sing with an adult woman who flirts with him repeatedly (?????) kisses him on the cheek repeatedly (?!?!?!) and then kisses him ON THE MOUTH (!!!!!) in front of this living room crowd of adults who know Trace personally and everyone is just cool with it I guess? It's treated like Trace is into it because she's hot and famous and not like the gross predatory overreach that it actually is? I was so agog here I almost didn't finish. And then. And then! The neighbor girl shows up and kisses Trace on the mouth "just as friends" at this same party for . . . whatever? reasons? who the frick knows at this point? Why are so many people randomly kissing each other as a joke?
The concept of this book was so, so cool. Boy trying to heal from the traumatic loss of both parents navigates the rocky road to healing through actual ghost encounters with figures from his own ancient history. That sounds awesome, right? I so wish that most of the story had been about that instead of about Trace's strange personal dramas with characters that just didn't resonate with me. In the end he's just Over It even though he's suffered an earth-shattering loss, and okay, middle grade likes it's hopeful endings, but even the good parts of this book felt like they didn't quite hold together. Trace spent too much time acting detached from the ghost thing. I get it was a coping mechanism, but you can't have your main character go from "eh, I kinda just want to act like it never happened, I have bigger things to worry about" to "ghost plot is happily resolved!" so fast. Random adults got involved, they did half the work anyway, Trace just kinda floated through the story on its surface. I'd love to read a very different version of this idea; this version was a little too casually mean to its entire supporting cast.
jennybeastie's review against another edition
5.0
Starts out with a semi-typical kid surviving loss and massive displacement, getting used to a new school, but quickly introduces some genuinely creepy ghost encounters, that then weave throughout the book. Masterful storytelling that allows Trace's relationships to slowly unfold as he gets used to his new surroundings.
Trace is a middle-schooler (12? I think? 6th or 7th grader? I can't remember if this was specified), who has just been picked to lead a group project on the the decade of US history in the 1860s. The group project ends up leading him to the New York Public Library, where Trace has an experience that alienates him from his classmates and shakes up his understanding of the world. I don't want to put spoilers in here, because there's some interesting and delicate plot shifts, and it's cool to see everything gradually connect. Highlights for me: Trace's colorful aunt, with her eclectic crowd of Brooklyn friends and her deep love of exploratory cooking; mean girl comeuppance; kids being kids in the awkward beginning of romance age; Trace's journey to healing as he comes to terms with the recent deaths of his parents and his own survival; particularly vivid and sometimes dreamlike scenes, beautifully conveyed; a really cool take on finding what interests you in history and making it relatable. Enjoyable read.
Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
Trace is a middle-schooler (12? I think? 6th or 7th grader? I can't remember if this was specified), who has just been picked to lead a group project on the the decade of US history in the 1860s. The group project ends up leading him to the New York Public Library, where Trace has an experience that alienates him from his classmates and shakes up his understanding of the world. I don't want to put spoilers in here, because there's some interesting and delicate plot shifts, and it's cool to see everything gradually connect. Highlights for me: Trace's colorful aunt, with her eclectic crowd of Brooklyn friends and her deep love of exploratory cooking; mean girl comeuppance; kids being kids in the awkward beginning of romance age; Trace's journey to healing as he comes to terms with the recent deaths of his parents and his own survival; particularly vivid and sometimes dreamlike scenes, beautifully conveyed; a really cool take on finding what interests you in history and making it relatable. Enjoyable read.
Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
dotty_emu's review against another edition
2.0
I liked this book. I enjoyed the idea of the story, the characters, and how the different plot points are tied together.
However, I do have a few things to complain about.
I didn't like the pacing of it at first. It starts off slow and doesn't get super interesting until the (spoilers) second or third time Trace (the main character) sees the ghost.
I also didn't like the off-handed, kind of insulting remarks about lesbians, being overweight, and "never understanding girls" and what they do. I think that could have been edited out or handled better, especially as it doesn't add anything to the plot.
I didn't find it all that engaging until right near the end, especially because the way Trace has these flashbacks, and how many things are described in general sometimes makes the whole scene hazy, and you're not quite sure if it's a dream or if it's real or one of his flashbacks.
Overall, it's not something I'd re-read. I guess it just wasn't for me. I don't regret reading it, but I didn't like it enough to re-read it.
However, I do have a few things to complain about.
I didn't like the pacing of it at first. It starts off slow and doesn't get super interesting until the (spoilers) second or third time Trace (the main character) sees the ghost.
I also didn't like the off-handed, kind of insulting remarks about lesbians, being overweight, and "never understanding girls" and what they do. I think that could have been edited out or handled better, especially as it doesn't add anything to the plot.
I didn't find it all that engaging until right near the end, especially because the way Trace has these flashbacks, and how many things are described in general sometimes makes the whole scene hazy, and you're not quite sure if it's a dream or if it's real or one of his flashbacks.
Overall, it's not something I'd re-read. I guess it just wasn't for me. I don't regret reading it, but I didn't like it enough to re-read it.
pussreboots's review against another edition
5.0
Trace by Pat Cummings opens with the memory of near death by drowning. Theodore "Trace" Carter was the only survivor after the car he and his parents were in drove off a bridge. He's now living with his aunt in New York. He's not sleeping well and he's having trouble adjusting because he's haunted by the memory of the water that drowned his parents.
Orphan uhoria blue highway -- FFCC33
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comments_07/trace.html
Orphan uhoria blue highway -- FFCC33
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comments_07/trace.html
taylor_55's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this novel. It was fast paced (though it took me four days to finish it.)
The main character Trace, reminded me of a real thirteen year old boy.
And despite the fact, that the book centered around a ghost, I found I had very little trouble finding the story believable.
The ending seemed a little rushed and sad to me.
But hey, everything makes me sad these days!
All in all a wonderful story.
The main character Trace, reminded me of a real thirteen year old boy.
And despite the fact, that the book centered around a ghost, I found I had very little trouble finding the story believable.
The ending seemed a little rushed and sad to me.
But hey, everything makes me sad these days!
All in all a wonderful story.
kellyhager's review
This doesn't feel like a debut novel. The pacing is excellent and it's ideal for middlegrade readers (especially around Halloween!). I love the supernatural aspect, though people who aren't fans of things that are scary or even horror-adjacent don't need to worry. I don't think anyone will be losing any sleep because of this book.
Trace is an orphan now and of course he blames himself because he thinks it's his fault that he and his parents were on the road in the exact right time to get into the fatal accident. Because he doesn't really talk about his feelings, no adult in his life can reassure him that it's no one's fault.
As much as I feel awful for Trace, he's sometimes hard to like. He makes a lot of really rude comments (in his head, at least) about people in his life. (Mostly his teacher but also Presley, a girl in his class.) This may be spot-on for boys in that age range; I don't personally know any so I can't say for sure.
If you know of any reluctant readers, this is perfect for them. (And also for people who already love it.)
Trace is an orphan now and of course he blames himself because he thinks it's his fault that he and his parents were on the road in the exact right time to get into the fatal accident. Because he doesn't really talk about his feelings, no adult in his life can reassure him that it's no one's fault.
As much as I feel awful for Trace, he's sometimes hard to like. He makes a lot of really rude comments (in his head, at least) about people in his life. (Mostly his teacher but also Presley, a girl in his class.) This may be spot-on for boys in that age range; I don't personally know any so I can't say for sure.
If you know of any reluctant readers, this is perfect for them. (And also for people who already love it.)
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