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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I thought about giving up about a hundred pages into the book. I'm glad I didn't. The book missed a story, a direction and speed in the first half, it got better after that. By the end, I didn't want to put it down, but only because the story got more tragic than the main character deserved (silly naive high school girl in love with the popular handsome guy from the basketball team). Mixed feelings about this story, but I liked the writing style.
However, as always, wonderful illustrations by Maira Kalman. (You seriously need to go read her book The Principles Of Uncertainty.)
However, as always, wonderful illustrations by Maira Kalman. (You seriously need to go read her book The Principles Of Uncertainty.)
I wasn't expecting to like this story after some of the reviews I had read but I really enjoyed it. I felt sorry for and could relate to Min and her teenage romance problems and generally liked her as a character.
Disappointing. I'm a big Maira Kalman fan, and had never read Handler's work before. Unfortunately, this book was 75% Handler, and, I'm guessing, probably not the best place to start with his writing. Kalman's illustrations were glorious, but they were just that, illustrations for Handler's story, and the story was limp and predictable. There were some beautiful lyrical passages, but I kept wondering - who is this book for?
In reality this is probably a 3.5 stars but since it is the first book in a while that grabbed my attention immediately I wanted to rate it a little bit higher. I really enjoyed how the relationship was told through objects and their stories (yes this is supposed to be a break up letter but in reality it reads like a series of vignettes). The illustrations of each mostly mundane object helps to pull the reader along through the story. Would recommend for anyone who wants a romance that doesn't end with tge clichéd happy ending.
I can safely say I hated this book. There were no redeeming characters and I honestly don't get why these two dated in the first place. They are so opposite of each other and this isn't an 'opposites attract' thing. Ed seems brainless. Min writes the longest damn letter and explanation and why they broke up and they didn't even date for two months. Teenagers are so angsty and dramatic. Some authors can pull it off well but this wasn't one of them. The narration was annoying from the beginning and the pacing was too quick, jumping all over the place. Everything sounded so immature. I would not recommend this book to anybody.
The conceit of this novel is that heartbroken high-schooler Min is driving to her ex-boyfriend's house to drop off all of the detritus from their failed relationship and, while her friend Al drives her, she writes a letter detailing each particular item. HOW FAR AWAY DOES THE EX-BOYFRIEND LIVE THAT SHE CAN PEN A 350-PAGE LETTER WHILE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF A TRUCK?! I write a letter a day, and even a simple one-and-a-half pager takes me a solid 20 minutes. MIN, GIRL. YOU ARE GOING TO GET CARPAL TUNNEL. BUY A WORD PROCESSOR. ALSO, PLAN BETTER.
It was kind of hard for me to get behind the stylized writing (though I'm on an anti-Daniel Handler kick at the moment, so bias and poor timing doubly acknowledged). Also, y'all dated for 6 weeks. You crazy kids with your feelings! (This having been said, in 8th grade my best friend and I foolishly convinced ourselves to call our respective crushes and tell them we "like-liked" them. Given that neither of us developed a relationship with either boy [as dear Vivian in PRETTY WOMAN says, "BIG MISTAKE(S). BIG. HUGE," DANNY AND TODD], we probably didn't have the right to spend an entire weekend binge-eating cookies and moaning on the floor to the sounds of Alanis Morissette's JAGGED LITTLE PILL, so mope on, Min, I guess. Hormones are hard.)
It was kind of hard for me to get behind the stylized writing (though I'm on an anti-Daniel Handler kick at the moment, so bias and poor timing doubly acknowledged). Also, y'all dated for 6 weeks. You crazy kids with your feelings! (This having been said, in 8th grade my best friend and I foolishly convinced ourselves to call our respective crushes and tell them we "like-liked" them. Given that neither of us developed a relationship with either boy [as dear Vivian in PRETTY WOMAN says, "BIG MISTAKE(S). BIG. HUGE," DANNY AND TODD], we probably didn't have the right to spend an entire weekend binge-eating cookies and moaning on the floor to the sounds of Alanis Morissette's JAGGED LITTLE PILL, so mope on, Min, I guess. Hormones are hard.)
This book was beautiful and very adolescent and charming. Parts were very much "Oh wow that was phrased perfectly how did he get it so RIGHT" and other parts were very much "Daaaang teenage angst is so selfish and BORING" so I'd say Handler nailed it. :)
The actual physical book is gorgeous--stunning. Illustrations, paper, jacket, and the cover is painted with roses! I was all around pretty entranced with the packaging.
The actual physical book is gorgeous--stunning. Illustrations, paper, jacket, and the cover is painted with roses! I was all around pretty entranced with the packaging.
Need a full dose of high school romance? Yeah, the real stuff, not some goofball cinematic supernatural version of the actual love stories we've watched bloom or implode during study hall?
I know, right? Makes me cringe thinking about those events even now, decades later.
Oh the attraction and giddy joy and the betrayal and heartache!
Oh that awful lingering longing for that boy who didn't, as it turns out, love her after all.
The remembering every little thing, every glance and comment and worrying so much about everything.
Author Daniel Handler gets that -- the way these first swings at love are so passionate and so full of longing and promise and yet, like many first swings -- they just don't connect with the pitch. (Sports imagery? Sigh. Oh well, the book is better than my metaphor by so much. Out of the park, even.)
I know, right? Makes me cringe thinking about those events even now, decades later.
Oh the attraction and giddy joy and the betrayal and heartache!
Oh that awful lingering longing for that boy who didn't, as it turns out, love her after all.
The remembering every little thing, every glance and comment and worrying so much about everything.
Author Daniel Handler gets that -- the way these first swings at love are so passionate and so full of longing and promise and yet, like many first swings -- they just don't connect with the pitch. (Sports imagery? Sigh. Oh well, the book is better than my metaphor by so much. Out of the park, even.)
This was a really different, engaging YA novel. I enjoyed it so much I finished it in about 4 hours. It was almost like I was transported back to my entire high school experience (minus the loss of virginity): 4 years of unrequited crushes wrapped up neatly in just under 400 pages. I loved the artwork and how the selection of treasures was so real.
My future ex-boyfriend deserves something like this, because I'm not different.
But I hope there won't be a chance for me to do something like this.
But I hope there won't be a chance for me to do something like this.