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hotgirlfiction's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really sweet book - it follows the story of Stewart, a gifted boy dealing with the death of his mother and the merging of families with his new stepsister, Ashley.
The writing style is definitely on the younger side of YA, which is why I rated it a bit lower, as it felt a little simplistic at times - however, that’s not the books fault, it’s mine for not being the target audience!
As someone who had the same situation as Stewart, it’s a nice book and deals with the issues of grief and step-families nicely. Overall it’s a nice, easy read, and would be perfect for younger readers.
The writing style is definitely on the younger side of YA, which is why I rated it a bit lower, as it felt a little simplistic at times - however, that’s not the books fault, it’s mine for not being the target audience!
As someone who had the same situation as Stewart, it’s a nice book and deals with the issues of grief and step-families nicely. Overall it’s a nice, easy read, and would be perfect for younger readers.
paperbackmo's review against another edition
3.0
Worth a read.
Nice flow.
Touched on some good sensitive issues.
Nice flow.
Touched on some good sensitive issues.
kimz95's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars! :-)
Fijn om te lezen. Heel makkelijk te lezen. Sommige dingen waren vrij voorspelbaar, andere dingen kwamen een beetje uit het niks. Overigens vond ik het wel een beetje eind goed, al goed. Fijn natuurlijk, maar dit was een beetje een wel heel erg positief einde aan alles. Iedereen was ineens compleet anders. Zou dat in het echte leven ook zo gaan? Denk het niet. Gelukkig is dit niet het echte leven, maar een boek. ;-)
Fijn om te lezen. Heel makkelijk te lezen. Sommige dingen waren vrij voorspelbaar, andere dingen kwamen een beetje uit het niks. Overigens vond ik het wel een beetje eind goed, al goed. Fijn natuurlijk, maar dit was een beetje een wel heel erg positief einde aan alles. Iedereen was ineens compleet anders. Zou dat in het echte leven ook zo gaan? Denk het niet. Gelukkig is dit niet het echte leven, maar een boek. ;-)
joyousreads132's review against another edition
4.0
Truth be told, this book started off like a Middle Grade read. After all, the kids in here are only 13 and 14 year-olds. But as you get further into the book, scary, unpleasant things started happening. Things that kids this age should never have to go through. If I had any choice, that is.
I look at my 13 year-old, who by the way is about to start public school in September, and I’m immediately overcome with fear and worry. I want to believe that kids aren’t mean. I want to believe that kids are more kind than how most of the YA books have portrayed them to be nowadays. But we all know things happen beyond our control and whether we like it or not, we have to let our kidlets go out into the world.
This book is about Stewart. Thirteen-year-old boy-genius who thinks a little differently than kids his age. He is gifted, and possibly a card-carrying member of MENSA. His life was already on a tailspin with the sudden death of his mother. A year later, when his dad announces that they’re moving in with his girlfriend and her daughter, he was anxious. He’s always lived a regimented life. He goes to a small school for gifted kids. Now, not only is he moving in with a couple of strangers, he’s also about to go to a scary public school.
But even with all the upheavals in his life, he manages to keep an optimistic view of the world. Bullies never seem to bother him. And he always tries to be himself, even if it opens himself up to ridicule. Even his step sister Ashley treats him like a pariah. He reminds me of Professor Don Tillman: unintentionally funny, quirky, strait-laced and serious. He warmed my heart, and felt this protective streak for him. I worried about him on his first day of school. And because he’s so smart, he got bumped a grade up. That landed him in the land of the giants.
Then there’s his step sister Ashley, who was the exact opposite of him. She’s on top of the social ladder, popular, not very smart, and mean as they come. She is a brat and just an unlikeable character altogether. I had to grit my teeth a few times because it was difficult reading her perspective.
The titular concept is actually quite brilliant. I read it a few times because I wanted to wrap my head around it. After a few tries, I hugged the shit out of the book because it was so perfect. I’ll leave it for you to digest. I hope you’ll give this book a try. It has underlying seriousness hidden in the banalities of a teenager’s life, but don’t hold that against this book. It is a sublime story about family, love, grief, and friendship.
I look at my 13 year-old, who by the way is about to start public school in September, and I’m immediately overcome with fear and worry. I want to believe that kids aren’t mean. I want to believe that kids are more kind than how most of the YA books have portrayed them to be nowadays. But we all know things happen beyond our control and whether we like it or not, we have to let our kidlets go out into the world.
This book is about Stewart. Thirteen-year-old boy-genius who thinks a little differently than kids his age. He is gifted, and possibly a card-carrying member of MENSA. His life was already on a tailspin with the sudden death of his mother. A year later, when his dad announces that they’re moving in with his girlfriend and her daughter, he was anxious. He’s always lived a regimented life. He goes to a small school for gifted kids. Now, not only is he moving in with a couple of strangers, he’s also about to go to a scary public school.
But even with all the upheavals in his life, he manages to keep an optimistic view of the world. Bullies never seem to bother him. And he always tries to be himself, even if it opens himself up to ridicule. Even his step sister Ashley treats him like a pariah. He reminds me of Professor Don Tillman: unintentionally funny, quirky, strait-laced and serious. He warmed my heart, and felt this protective streak for him. I worried about him on his first day of school. And because he’s so smart, he got bumped a grade up. That landed him in the land of the giants.
Then there’s his step sister Ashley, who was the exact opposite of him. She’s on top of the social ladder, popular, not very smart, and mean as they come. She is a brat and just an unlikeable character altogether. I had to grit my teeth a few times because it was difficult reading her perspective.
The titular concept is actually quite brilliant. I read it a few times because I wanted to wrap my head around it. After a few tries, I hugged the shit out of the book because it was so perfect. I’ll leave it for you to digest. I hope you’ll give this book a try. It has underlying seriousness hidden in the banalities of a teenager’s life, but don’t hold that against this book. It is a sublime story about family, love, grief, and friendship.
djc16's review against another edition
4.0
This book deals with a lot of issues in a quick and easy read. It is written with a dual first-person narrative, from the individual perspectives of Stewart and Ashley. Stewart is set up quite early as a character you can empathise with, while Ashley is pulled from the hormonal maelstrom of the teenage years we all loved. Susin Nielsen says in a Q & A with this book that she is based somewhat on an angrier version of her teenage self.
Stewart is gifted, and sees the world as black and white, unafraid or undaunted to talk about potentially embarrassing subjects for teenagers. He’s also conscientious and caring. Ashley is more concerned with her appearance, how her family appears to other people, and her social standing in school. She’s also written as not as intelligent as Stewart, sometimes to hilarious effect. For example, one particular chapter long joke has her constantly mixing up constipation and emancipation.
I liked how the narratives were written, as if they were a diary or the character retelling their story with no filter and in a stream of consciousness kind of way.
Molecules explores primarily the evolution of Stewart and Ashley’s new and modern version of a family. Stewart is logical and accomodating, while Ashley is resistant to change and embarrassed by her mother’s new boyfriend (Stewart’s father) and Stewart, and her own father’s situation. Because of this, she can be a frustrating character but her arc is probably the most satisfying. You have to feel for her too, as she goes through a lot over the course of the few months of the book, mainly thanks to a less than gentlemanly guy, Jared.
There is also a strong exploration of homophobia, which is from a different angle than the usual, which again involves Ashley. There is also a subplot of bullying, involving Stewart, and some touching writing on grief.
Molecules is a fun read, as the voices of Stewart and Ashley are likeable. I haven’t even mentioned some of the great quirky features, such as Stewart’s brilliantly named cat, the whole molecules thing, creepy figurines and school mascot shenanigans. It all makes for an enjoyable book, and Susin Nielsen is an author I’ll be watching out for.
Stewart is gifted, and sees the world as black and white, unafraid or undaunted to talk about potentially embarrassing subjects for teenagers. He’s also conscientious and caring. Ashley is more concerned with her appearance, how her family appears to other people, and her social standing in school. She’s also written as not as intelligent as Stewart, sometimes to hilarious effect. For example, one particular chapter long joke has her constantly mixing up constipation and emancipation.
I liked how the narratives were written, as if they were a diary or the character retelling their story with no filter and in a stream of consciousness kind of way.
Molecules explores primarily the evolution of Stewart and Ashley’s new and modern version of a family. Stewart is logical and accomodating, while Ashley is resistant to change and embarrassed by her mother’s new boyfriend (Stewart’s father) and Stewart, and her own father’s situation. Because of this, she can be a frustrating character but her arc is probably the most satisfying. You have to feel for her too, as she goes through a lot over the course of the few months of the book, mainly thanks to a less than gentlemanly guy, Jared.
There is also a strong exploration of homophobia, which is from a different angle than the usual, which again involves Ashley. There is also a subplot of bullying, involving Stewart, and some touching writing on grief.
Molecules is a fun read, as the voices of Stewart and Ashley are likeable. I haven’t even mentioned some of the great quirky features, such as Stewart’s brilliantly named cat, the whole molecules thing, creepy figurines and school mascot shenanigans. It all makes for an enjoyable book, and Susin Nielsen is an author I’ll be watching out for.
maya_b's review against another edition
1.5
I liked the blurb and I did like the idea an theme of this book, and totally get what message this is supposed to convey and I can absolutely get behind that, but sadly the book still fell short for my liking.
And not even because I found Ashley tremendously unlikable. Although I did, but actually, I disliked most of the other people, too. I think Steward is the only one I liked most of the time, but even he has his horrible moments, and also I kind of always imagines an eight-year old or something like that, and totally forgot he's 13. Ashley also didn't really feel her age, but a little better. And I think it kind of has to do with Steward being intellectually gifted and socially not so much, but sadly it gave me the feeling of him being more of a stereotype than a real character. And I really disliked how smart he was and how open about things, but at the same time he always held back and didn't say stuff. Like, yeah, maybe stuff could backfire, but at least try! Please!
Ashley I thought was pretty unlikable mostly because she was so superficial and always used people and was pretty nasty, but also I don't think she actually realized any of that (and she was angry, so I get that even when she realized she didn't change her behavior immediately). But especially about the part she didn't realize:
I disliked most of the adults, because none of them (and the worst absolutely was Ashley's mom, I think the rest was actually mostly alright) ever actually talked to Ashley. Or it didn't feel like they tried. And maybe it's because the mom tried before and it didn't work, but I could actually not see it. Any time Ashley was angry, the mom immediately brought up punishment (didn't give her her allowance, grounded her) instead of even taking a minute to, like, try. I'm not asking that much, but I think at least a little more would have been nice. If it wouldn't work, sure, do whatever you feel you need to do (I still wouldn't think it's right or great, but whatever), but punishment without trying? No.
I think the only people that showed up multiple times that I liked are mostly Phil and Michael, Violet and Phoebe and Alistair. Those were alright. But also felt more like side characters, so I'm not sure I'd really count them here.
So not the greatest characters in my opinion, sadly, but the plot (at least the bigger one) was pretty alright. I actually liked the idea of watching the family grow together and learn how to live with the new arrangement, and all of that I thought was pretty alright, but I absolutely hated the Jared-part of the plot.Or actually not the Jared-part, because I think it's alright to have an obstacle like him and I think it could have worked, but attempted sexual assault was an absolute no-go! Or I could have lived with it, if it would have been handled correctly, or even close to correctly, but I feel like it really wasn't. It felt like a plot point just to make Ashley aware he wasn't nice, and then Steward got a hug but not her, and then nobody ever talked to her about it? What the fuck is wrong with these adults? Like, yeah, I get this book wasn't about the assault and repercussions of assault, but if sexual assault is in a book, I'd really much appreciate it if it was handled sensibly, and it felt like it really wasn't, here. It was just there so Ashley could have some insight, and then it was immediately dropped again and just… why? Couldn't there have been any other way? No matter what? Wouldn't the whole homophobia-thing have been enough? And even that was handled a little more careful than the assault. Which, I'm not saying that that wouldn't have been worth talking about, it's right that it was a topic, but it does feel off to me, that a teenager writing the f-slur on Ashley's father's house gets more attention of the parents, than Ashley being sexually assaulted and almost r**ed! Like, yeah, both is bad, but… that's your child! Doesn't she deserve a little more than people saying that's bad and then Steward getting a hug? (I still can't believe that actually happened, I really don't understand what her mom was thinking right then, because it makes zero sense to me.) Also I think the assault didn't match the mostly lighthearted tone of the rest of the book.
And (this is a very minor thing) I also didn't really like the fact that Ashley mixed up words. I guess it's supposed to be funny, but it sadly made the book hard to read sometimes, because English is not my mother tongue and I didn't always understand what word she actually meant. (Not a big problem though, compared tothe assault. That one really is the one that sadly ruined the book for me, everything else I could have overlooked .)
Well, I think that's actually all I have to say. The idea was really good, and I feel like a lot could have been done with it, but sadly almost all characters weren't really that likable in my opinion andthen the sexual assault (that happens twice, actually) just ... that was really unnecessary . Not if, like, a week later, everything seems fine again. Then have some other problem, but please not this.
And not even because I found Ashley tremendously unlikable. Although I did, but actually, I disliked most of the other people, too. I think Steward is the only one I liked most of the time, but even he has his horrible moments, and also I kind of always imagines an eight-year old or something like that, and totally forgot he's 13. Ashley also didn't really feel her age, but a little better. And I think it kind of has to do with Steward being intellectually gifted and socially not so much, but sadly it gave me the feeling of him being more of a stereotype than a real character. And I really disliked how smart he was and how open about things, but at the same time he always held back and didn't say stuff. Like, yeah, maybe stuff could backfire, but at least try! Please!
Ashley I thought was pretty unlikable mostly because she was so superficial and always used people and was pretty nasty, but also I don't think she actually realized any of that (and she was angry, so I get that even when she realized she didn't change her behavior immediately). But especially about the part she didn't realize:
I disliked most of the adults, because none of them (and the worst absolutely was Ashley's mom, I think the rest was actually mostly alright) ever actually talked to Ashley. Or it didn't feel like they tried. And maybe it's because the mom tried before and it didn't work, but I could actually not see it. Any time Ashley was angry, the mom immediately brought up punishment (didn't give her her allowance, grounded her) instead of even taking a minute to, like, try. I'm not asking that much, but I think at least a little more would have been nice. If it wouldn't work, sure, do whatever you feel you need to do (I still wouldn't think it's right or great, but whatever), but punishment without trying? No.
I think the only people that showed up multiple times that I liked are mostly Phil and Michael, Violet and Phoebe and Alistair. Those were alright. But also felt more like side characters, so I'm not sure I'd really count them here.
So not the greatest characters in my opinion, sadly, but the plot (at least the bigger one) was pretty alright. I actually liked the idea of watching the family grow together and learn how to live with the new arrangement, and all of that I thought was pretty alright, but I absolutely hated the Jared-part of the plot.
And (this is a very minor thing) I also didn't really like the fact that Ashley mixed up words. I guess it's supposed to be funny, but it sadly made the book hard to read sometimes, because English is not my mother tongue and I didn't always understand what word she actually meant. (Not a big problem though, compared to
Well, I think that's actually all I have to say. The idea was really good, and I feel like a lot could have been done with it, but sadly almost all characters weren't really that likable in my opinion and
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual assault
hijinx_abound's review against another edition
3.0
This book is, at its heart, about losing a parent either through divorce or death and what happens when the world keeps moving forward. It's a contemporary but is not the light, fluffy kind.
One boy loses his mom but looks forward to a change in his family because he always wanted a sibling. He is very smart but not so good at the social aspects of being a teenager.
One girl suffers an abrupt change in her family in a way she never expected. She does not want her family to change and she certainly doesn't want her social status to suffer.
Not every person is who you see them as. Many exceed your expectations and many don't deserve your esteem. Being a teenager is a gauntlet of disappointment and surprise and change. This story was not an easy one but it is a good one.
One boy loses his mom but looks forward to a change in his family because he always wanted a sibling. He is very smart but not so good at the social aspects of being a teenager.
One girl suffers an abrupt change in her family in a way she never expected. She does not want her family to change and she certainly doesn't want her social status to suffer.
Not every person is who you see them as. Many exceed your expectations and many don't deserve your esteem. Being a teenager is a gauntlet of disappointment and surprise and change. This story was not an easy one but it is a good one.