You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
Plot:
The plot was interesting, though a little slow.
Setting:
The book is set in Spain, which gave me a different outlook on the country. It's described in very rich detail. The only thing I struggled with was the language, just like I did in Lolita. Thankfully most of the sayings were translated, but sometimes they weren't and I had no idea what was being said nor did I always have access to the internet while I was reading.
Characters:
Kenzie was hard to connect to even though I felt bad for her situation, as well as the death of a loved one. Besides her love for film, which is almost added as an afterthought, she felt more like a wisp of a character rather than a real one. Her character had a lot of potential but I feel the personality got lost in the flowery, lyrical prose. It would have been neat to know how exactly she felt about the baby.
Estella is probably my favorite out of all of the characters. Her personality was definitely not subtle, she had an interesting back story, and developed well over the course of the novel. I also liked Esteban, though the romance felt half-baked.
Relationships:
There's several relationships in this book, but I felt the best was the one between Kenzie and Estella. In a way, Kenzie almost becomes the daughter Estella could have had. It differs greatly from the relationship Kenzie has with her own mother.
I would have liked to see more of Kenzie and Kevin's romance. I know it was kept under wraps, but it still felt unfinished somehow. Same with Kenzie and Esteban.
Writing/Voice:
The writing was very pretty and lyrical, though that sometimes got in the way of the story. I also got a little annoyed at how often Kenzie had to keep including her and the baby in everything, using the same "Two of us/both of us." Other than that, very easy to get lost into.
Ending:
The ending kind of confuses me, though I think I know where the author is going with it. And I approve.
Overall:
Interesting subject matter thrown into a beautiful setting with flowery writing. I feel that the relationships and some of the characters were lacking in personality and development, but overall I enjoyed the story. It's probably not one I would re-read, though.
This was a slow starter for me and sometimes it felt like the words got in the way of the story, but eventually it clicked into place and it all worked out for me as a reader (and as a writer studying the art) in the end.
When Kenzie loses her father, she finds solace in the arms of her brilliant boyfriend. But when she winds up pregnant, he’s not exactly supportive. Neither is her mother, who immediately ships her off to a remote village in southern Spain to wait out her pregnancy and give her baby up for adoption. As Kenzie copes with the various forms of loss, the people in Spain begin to work their way into her broken heart and help her find the beauty in the little things.
Beth Kephart’s lyrical novel about a young girl in a situation where she feels as though she has no choices is one of the standout YA novels of the year. Full of memorable characters, locations, and beautiful prose, Kephart’s book is going to appeal to readers who like their novels to require a bit of thinking. Kephart offers no easy answers here, and the result is an usual and pleasant reading experience.
As a reader, I should have connected to this one more than I did. I don’t know what it was about the book, but my guess is that I read it at the wrong time. I have a lot going on in my personal life, and perhaps that’s why I couldn’t fully commit to this one. While I was reading it, I had the sensation that I was reading something truly special, but I couldn’t seem to get there mentally. Whatever that means, right? At any rate, this is one I’ll probably have to revisit when I’m in a different headspace, because it’s definitely worth a careful reading.
Kephart’s vivid southern Spain setting comes alive through her beautiful, lyrical prose. Kenzie’s first-person narration (to her unborn child) provides a fresh perspective on a YA trope that’s been well-covered. None of Kephart’s characters are simple and all of them are memorable. She allows readers to come to their own conclusions about each person’s motivations, which is a welcome change.
Reluctant readers, beware: the plot is slow-moving throughout the novel but feels like it grinds to a near-halt close to the end. Kenzie’s inability to make up her mind doesn’t help matters. Readers looking for a novel with lush writing, gorgeous descriptions, and lots of character-based storytelling won’t be disappointed, though.
Recommended with reservations.
Small Damages by Beth Kephart. Philomel: 2012. Library copy.
Beth Kephart’s lyrical novel about a young girl in a situation where she feels as though she has no choices is one of the standout YA novels of the year. Full of memorable characters, locations, and beautiful prose, Kephart’s book is going to appeal to readers who like their novels to require a bit of thinking. Kephart offers no easy answers here, and the result is an usual and pleasant reading experience.
As a reader, I should have connected to this one more than I did. I don’t know what it was about the book, but my guess is that I read it at the wrong time. I have a lot going on in my personal life, and perhaps that’s why I couldn’t fully commit to this one. While I was reading it, I had the sensation that I was reading something truly special, but I couldn’t seem to get there mentally. Whatever that means, right? At any rate, this is one I’ll probably have to revisit when I’m in a different headspace, because it’s definitely worth a careful reading.
Kephart’s vivid southern Spain setting comes alive through her beautiful, lyrical prose. Kenzie’s first-person narration (to her unborn child) provides a fresh perspective on a YA trope that’s been well-covered. None of Kephart’s characters are simple and all of them are memorable. She allows readers to come to their own conclusions about each person’s motivations, which is a welcome change.
Reluctant readers, beware: the plot is slow-moving throughout the novel but feels like it grinds to a near-halt close to the end. Kenzie’s inability to make up her mind doesn’t help matters. Readers looking for a novel with lush writing, gorgeous descriptions, and lots of character-based storytelling won’t be disappointed, though.
Recommended with reservations.
Small Damages by Beth Kephart. Philomel: 2012. Library copy.
It took me awhile to get through this book. Much slower than I had liked to finished it. I really didn't start liking the book until about two-thirds of the way through. I had trouble getting used to the style of writing the author used. I didn't like the sudden switch between the past and the present, and I didn't like how the author transitioned from English to Spanish. I liked Estela. But overall, it felt kind of plain, which I guess is more realistic, but it wasn't what I had expected going into the book, so I was slightly disappointed. It was alright, and I feel like I missed some big important message the was lying in between the lines that I feel should have been obvious.
This book is gorgeous and lyrical. I don't come across of lot of YA books with the themes that are in this one, which were about how mutable the idea of home and family can be. There's also a wonderful relationship between the main character, a teenager, and a much older woman, which resonated with me a lot because since I was a child I have always looked to the older women in my life for their stories, wisdom, and talents.