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crabbygirl's review against another edition
2.0
started off really liking the simplicity of this book: grade 5 girl wins school spelling bee and, as low expectations dissolve and she progresses to the regionals and then the nationals, the repercussions bleed into her family. you get to read the backstory of each character, know their feelings and justifications. it made me realize it's been a long time since i read a book that was so straight forward.
then it got all new-agey and mystical in the end. not one good thing comes out of it. every character is irreparably damaged. it just left me sad.
then it got all new-agey and mystical in the end. not one good thing comes out of it. every character is irreparably damaged. it just left me sad.
jessrock's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful! Starts out being about an elementary-school girl who has always been "average" right up until she blows everyone away in a school spelling bee. Suddenly, she's the focus of her father's attentions as she makes her way through regional bees and into the national competition. Meanwhile, her father, brother, and mother are all dealing with private situations of their own, so the book becomes four interweaving stories as each character tries to cope with their circumstances. The book ends up being much more about Jewish mysticism, mental illness, and the desire for spirituality than it is about spelling bees. I couldn't keep my nose out of this one from the day I first opened it. Highly recommended!
Note following a second reading: I first read this in 2006 (completed February 1, 2006) - this review was written at that time. I liked it every bit as much the second time through. I think I am going to have to start including this on lists of favorite novels. Highly recommended.
Note following a second reading: I first read this in 2006 (completed February 1, 2006) - this review was written at that time. I liked it every bit as much the second time through. I think I am going to have to start including this on lists of favorite novels. Highly recommended.
rory_fitz's review against another edition
1.0
no book has made me feel as uncomfortable as this one in a LONG time, so I guess that's something.
the story started out promising, with a small but strong cast of characters, each with a lot of potential. the plot sounded unique and the theme of religion was intriguing.
and then that all just went away. Eliza was a generally weak protagonist whose repetitive thoughts and EPILEPTIC SEIZURE (??) I did not enjoy reading about, the father was messed UP (and not even in the morally ambiguous fun-to-read way) and super one-note, the mother was just an objectively bad person who disgusted and stressed me out way too much, and don't even get me STARTED on the brother. every single time he was mentioned - or worse, narrating - I seriously contemplated shutting the book. thinking back on it, I sort of wish that I had.
I honestly don't even really want to think on or absorb the book enough to properly articulate all of my negative thoughts (meaning that this is a very bad review), but I'll just say that in addition to the characters (and the total lack of resolution for everyone but Eliza?? even though they were all equally main characters???) I despised the writing style, it's long run-on sentences, not even really saying anything, just writing for the sake of writing, each little bit just sort of a half-sentence compilation of words, somehow perfectly arranged to make it the worst possible reading experience.
anyway, only read if that last sentence appealed to you in some weird sort of way, and if you want to be deeply disturbed by a story about a family of people who should have never started a family.
the story started out promising, with a small but strong cast of characters, each with a lot of potential. the plot sounded unique and the theme of religion was intriguing.
and then that all just went away. Eliza was a generally weak protagonist whose repetitive thoughts and EPILEPTIC SEIZURE (??) I did not enjoy reading about, the father was messed UP (and not even in the morally ambiguous fun-to-read way) and super one-note, the mother was just an objectively bad person who disgusted and stressed me out way too much, and don't even get me STARTED on the brother. every single time he was mentioned - or worse, narrating - I seriously contemplated shutting the book. thinking back on it, I sort of wish that I had.
I honestly don't even really want to think on or absorb the book enough to properly articulate all of my negative thoughts (meaning that this is a very bad review), but I'll just say that in addition to the characters (and the total lack of resolution for everyone but Eliza?? even though they were all equally main characters???) I despised the writing style, it's long run-on sentences, not even really saying anything, just writing for the sake of writing, each little bit just sort of a half-sentence compilation of words, somehow perfectly arranged to make it the worst possible reading experience.
anyway, only read if that last sentence appealed to you in some weird sort of way, and if you want to be deeply disturbed by a story about a family of people who should have never started a family.
cherylcheng00's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book based on The Decemberists' "Song for Myla Goldberg."
shoelessmama's review against another edition
1.0
Hmmmm... where to begin. I was enchanted by the premise at the beginning of this book. Everyone assumes Eliza Naumann is a mediocre student until she wins the school spelling bee and then continues on to the Nationals. Eliza is a believable and likable character. I love the authors descriptions and her metaphors are right on- effectively transporting me back to fifth grade. I wasn't crazy about her various family members from the get-go but I like them increasingly less through out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first 100 pages or so and then the book becomes a skein of yarn that slowly unravels before you. The problem is that I like a book to slowly ravel so that you are left with a nice juicy ball of yarn at the end. I felt like I was left with a big 'ole mess. As I neared the end of the book I thought I knew how the author would end it but I really hoped she wouldn't. She did.
For those who like to be warned: Some language and some uncomfortable bedroom scenes between Eliza's parents.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first 100 pages or so and then the book becomes a skein of yarn that slowly unravels before you. The problem is that I like a book to slowly ravel so that you are left with a nice juicy ball of yarn at the end. I felt like I was left with a big 'ole mess. As I neared the end of the book I thought I knew how the author would end it but I really hoped she wouldn't. She did.
For those who like to be warned: Some language and some uncomfortable bedroom scenes between Eliza's parents.
edboies's review against another edition
3.0
I was in a writers' workshop with Myla when she was working on this. I saw a lot of promise but kept telling her that she seemed cold and calculating to the characters. Running experiments instead of creating something and making it live. She gave great critiques as well and is smart as hell. I stopped going but would see her around every now and then. She told me her book was coming out and then I read it. I still had the same reservations but she really crafted a story here and the big surprise floored me. I should read her other book soon.
eblockinger's review against another edition
5.0
I just started, and can't put it down! Excellent narrative!!