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twicebaked's review against another edition
5.0
Also called Jerry. Whatever. (my original review of Jerry: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2326902645?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1)
Wow. This is the funnest book ever! Ups, downs, and complete turn-arounds! This book is plot-twisty and a lot of fun to read. A LOT of fun to read.
Number One. Gustavo is such a fun character, he's funny and he doesn't even know it. He looks forward to the escapades and crazy things the American guy does and he enjoys the parts he plays and he especially appreciates the tips and the tricks the American gives him to use with his discretion (which is pretty much none).
Number Two. Jerry, of course, is fun to read about - he's a little bit wild and crazy because he gets ideas into his head and then he just does them, without thinking about the consequences. And he has a sense of humor which is always a good sign. My favorite characters are always the ones who make fun of people and laugh at them. It makes the book more enjoyable, mostly because I'm laughing at them too. He's also ingenious - kind of reminds me of Uncle Fred (P.G. Wodehouse) in the way he manages to get out of the craziest scrapes and always come out on top. He comes up with these wild plots and plans and somehow he's able to pull it all off.
Number Three. Well, everyone else is good too. I enjoyed it, and I liked the weird twists and turns it had in it. It's definitely the kind of book I could see myself rereading in less than 6 months, no joke. I might reread it in a week, idk. It's funny, mostly, and it has a plot but a lot of it is just jokes and hints, so it's just a light book to pick up when you're bored or moody. It's not really a book that makes you think long after you've finished it. Simple and straightforward with lots of "didn't see that coming" moments - not really a plot twist, more like a plot maneuver (which isn't a phrase, but it fits the book). It's unexpected, but it doesn't change the story very much.
It's set in Italy, an American bored to death who finds out there is another American family staying there, goes to check it out, pay them a call - and hijinx ensue. He ends up taking on a number of identities. One of the things I appreciated was that he was the one kind of making a doof out of himself, instead of the girl doing it and the guy getting the upper hand. It wasn't very much like other stories I've read, at least the idea isn't, and it was refreshing. And the girl was fun and light and happy - mostly happy because she's pulling the wool over his eyes the whole time. Unlike most books with girls, she's not as dumb as a bag of hair (yeah, got that from When You Reach Me) and the guy isn't always as smart as a whip (didn't get that from anything).
So, all in all, this review doesn't do it justice, and you should probably just read it for yourself and write a better review because mine is the only one available right now and this book deserves something better.
It's not a very well-known book (I read it online: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20357/...) but it's a very well-written book. And it's fast-paced. And easy to read, in one sitting.
This book is also much better than her other book, Daddy-Long-Legs, which was good but not as good. I know, sacrilege to like another of her books better than her bestselling book - but it's true. Jerry is written in a different style, but it's more enjoyable. Maybe this is because I don't like books that are written like letters or diaries, but this book seemed more cohesive and not so rambly. And I expected it to end a certain way (and it did) but it took me on a crazy trail before it dumped me at the end, where I thought I would be going in a more direct way.
But I've said enough (maybe not enough) and I think the review is about as good as it's going to get, unfortunately, so if you like classics, go read it. If you don't, whatever - I still think you should read it.
Wow. This is the funnest book ever! Ups, downs, and complete turn-arounds! This book is plot-twisty and a lot of fun to read. A LOT of fun to read.
Number One. Gustavo is such a fun character, he's funny and he doesn't even know it. He looks forward to the escapades and crazy things the American guy does and he enjoys the parts he plays and he especially appreciates the tips and the tricks the American gives him to use with his discretion (which is pretty much none).
Number Two. Jerry, of course, is fun to read about - he's a little bit wild and crazy because he gets ideas into his head and then he just does them, without thinking about the consequences. And he has a sense of humor which is always a good sign. My favorite characters are always the ones who make fun of people and laugh at them. It makes the book more enjoyable, mostly because I'm laughing at them too. He's also ingenious - kind of reminds me of Uncle Fred (P.G. Wodehouse) in the way he manages to get out of the craziest scrapes and always come out on top. He comes up with these wild plots and plans and somehow he's able to pull it all off.
Number Three. Well, everyone else is good too. I enjoyed it, and I liked the weird twists and turns it had in it. It's definitely the kind of book I could see myself rereading in less than 6 months, no joke. I might reread it in a week, idk. It's funny, mostly, and it has a plot but a lot of it is just jokes and hints, so it's just a light book to pick up when you're bored or moody. It's not really a book that makes you think long after you've finished it. Simple and straightforward with lots of "didn't see that coming" moments - not really a plot twist, more like a plot maneuver (which isn't a phrase, but it fits the book). It's unexpected, but it doesn't change the story very much.
It's set in Italy, an American bored to death who finds out there is another American family staying there, goes to check it out, pay them a call - and hijinx ensue. He ends up taking on a number of identities. One of the things I appreciated was that he was the one kind of making a doof out of himself, instead of the girl doing it and the guy getting the upper hand. It wasn't very much like other stories I've read, at least the idea isn't, and it was refreshing. And the girl was fun and light and happy - mostly happy because she's pulling the wool over his eyes the whole time. Unlike most books with girls, she's not as dumb as a bag of hair (yeah, got that from When You Reach Me) and the guy isn't always as smart as a whip (didn't get that from anything).
So, all in all, this review doesn't do it justice, and you should probably just read it for yourself and write a better review because mine is the only one available right now and this book deserves something better.
It's not a very well-known book (I read it online: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20357/...) but it's a very well-written book. And it's fast-paced. And easy to read, in one sitting.
This book is also much better than her other book, Daddy-Long-Legs, which was good but not as good. I know, sacrilege to like another of her books better than her bestselling book - but it's true. Jerry is written in a different style, but it's more enjoyable. Maybe this is because I don't like books that are written like letters or diaries, but this book seemed more cohesive and not so rambly. And I expected it to end a certain way (and it did) but it took me on a crazy trail before it dumped me at the end, where I thought I would be going in a more direct way.
But I've said enough (maybe not enough) and I think the review is about as good as it's going to get, unfortunately, so if you like classics, go read it. If you don't, whatever - I still think you should read it.
mspym's review against another edition
Some books age well, some don't. This one is cheerfully oblivious to how offensive it reads now, playing up "how funny foreigners are to Americans abroad" for laughs. I mean that's the entire plot of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
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