Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
Min Green and Ed Slaterton were young and in love... and then they broke up. "Why We Broke Up", written by Daniel Handler and gorgeously illustrated by Maira Kalman, is Min's letter to Ed, hastily and tearily written by Min on her way to dump on Ed's doorstep all of the accumulated mementos from their brief but intense relationship.
The writing is supercharged with teen-aged emotion and humor. Min is part of the "arty" crowd, an avid film buff who relates everything in life to old movies. When she falls unexpectedly for golden boy Ed, co-captain of the basketball team and center of all that's popular in their high school, you'd think it was the Montagues and Capulets all over again. Neither Min's nor Ed's friends approve, but these two are in orbit around each other.
The point of view is quite interesting. We're meant to sympathize with Min, yet I can't help but feel that her perspective is not always reliable. Ed points out to Min repeatedly that he likes her because she's different -- meaning different from him and his friends -- but Min never seems to work her way around to being able to reciprocate. Instead, it's Ed's popularity and the seeming ease with which he breezes through life which Min consistently adds to the list of reasons of why they broke up. She seems to try to mold Ed into her idea of an acceptable boyfriend, but can't bring herself to enjoy any of the pursuits that make Ed who he is. Min fails to do more than acknowledge in passing that Ed is largely being cared for by his older sister while his mother is ill -- yet as readers, we can infer that his mother is terminal, and thus Ed's actions may be understandable in a different light, one which Min ignores completely.
Still, these two sparkle together, and their love and lust take them to some touching and surprising places before they're through with one another. Min speaks with the voice of a girl experiencing first love, and her heartbreak when it falls apart is piercingly true. Min's internal collapse when she realizes that it's all over is particularly well-written -- a three-page venting that anyone who's been a teen-aged girl can relate to, in which she lists all the ways in which she's not special, not different, not anyone of note. It's dismaying, yet so true a first reaction to rejection that I had to stop and marvel that a male author could capture a girl's inner voice so accurately.
The writing sparkles, the pictures are lovely, and the story is just a delight. Don't let the young adult classification fool you -- this is good literature, enjoyable for anyone who appreciates witty characters, heartfelt emotions, and a story well-told. Don't miss it.
The writing is supercharged with teen-aged emotion and humor. Min is part of the "arty" crowd, an avid film buff who relates everything in life to old movies. When she falls unexpectedly for golden boy Ed, co-captain of the basketball team and center of all that's popular in their high school, you'd think it was the Montagues and Capulets all over again. Neither Min's nor Ed's friends approve, but these two are in orbit around each other.
The point of view is quite interesting. We're meant to sympathize with Min, yet I can't help but feel that her perspective is not always reliable. Ed points out to Min repeatedly that he likes her because she's different -- meaning different from him and his friends -- but Min never seems to work her way around to being able to reciprocate. Instead, it's Ed's popularity and the seeming ease with which he breezes through life which Min consistently adds to the list of reasons of why they broke up. She seems to try to mold Ed into her idea of an acceptable boyfriend, but can't bring herself to enjoy any of the pursuits that make Ed who he is. Min fails to do more than acknowledge in passing that Ed is largely being cared for by his older sister while his mother is ill -- yet as readers, we can infer that his mother is terminal, and thus Ed's actions may be understandable in a different light, one which Min ignores completely.
Still, these two sparkle together, and their love and lust take them to some touching and surprising places before they're through with one another. Min speaks with the voice of a girl experiencing first love, and her heartbreak when it falls apart is piercingly true. Min's internal collapse when she realizes that it's all over is particularly well-written -- a three-page venting that anyone who's been a teen-aged girl can relate to, in which she lists all the ways in which she's not special, not different, not anyone of note. It's dismaying, yet so true a first reaction to rejection that I had to stop and marvel that a male author could capture a girl's inner voice so accurately.
The writing sparkles, the pictures are lovely, and the story is just a delight. Don't let the young adult classification fool you -- this is good literature, enjoyable for anyone who appreciates witty characters, heartfelt emotions, and a story well-told. Don't miss it.
This is an unusual, entrancing teen novel with intriguing illustrations by Myra Kalman. It is written in the form of a letter from protagonist Min Green to Ed Slaterton, the boy who broke her heart. The artwork depicts the random but significant items, that Min gathered over the course of their relationship but which she is now returning Ed. One by one, Min reveals each item in her curated collection, and relates how they brought her and Ed together and what ultimately split them apart.
I was really looking forward to “Why We Broke Up”. I loved the “look” of the book, I just wish the story lived up to the edgy “look”. It didn’t even live up to Daniel Handler’s alter ego, Lemony Snicket. Maybe if Lemony had written the book it would have been better?
This is a long letter that “Min”erva writes to Ed about why they broke up…this letter is accompanying the various things Min saved from their time together and it’s all in a box that will be dropped on Ed’s doorstep.
The premise to the story is intriguing…I don’t know many girls who didn’t keep souvenir’s of their relationships. But most girls would trash the souvenirs, not write an incredibly long and boring letter to the guy about why she saved those items. The writing was weighty…it feels like your slogging through waste high snow trying to get somewhere… anywhere. Min’s story jumps around with the different items. We learn she is obsessed with really old and obscure movies. We never really learn much about Ed other than he plays basketball and thinks Min is “different” (don’t say “arty”).
I did finish the book, only because I wanted to know why they broke up, which was just as I predicted. I could have, and probably should have, walked away from it at numerous periods. The first time was on their first date when Min becomes convinced the old lady walking in front of them is the star of the movie they just watched. So she and Ed follow the lady and come up with the idea to have a birthday party for her. Min and Ed have no idea if, in fact, this lady is the actress in question. That’s how the whole story goes…huge, grand plans that essentially go nowhere.
This is a long letter that “Min”erva writes to Ed about why they broke up…this letter is accompanying the various things Min saved from their time together and it’s all in a box that will be dropped on Ed’s doorstep.
The premise to the story is intriguing…I don’t know many girls who didn’t keep souvenir’s of their relationships. But most girls would trash the souvenirs, not write an incredibly long and boring letter to the guy about why she saved those items. The writing was weighty…it feels like your slogging through waste high snow trying to get somewhere… anywhere. Min’s story jumps around with the different items. We learn she is obsessed with really old and obscure movies. We never really learn much about Ed other than he plays basketball and thinks Min is “different” (don’t say “arty”).
I did finish the book, only because I wanted to know why they broke up, which was just as I predicted. I could have, and probably should have, walked away from it at numerous periods. The first time was on their first date when Min becomes convinced the old lady walking in front of them is the star of the movie they just watched. So she and Ed follow the lady and come up with the idea to have a birthday party for her. Min and Ed have no idea if, in fact, this lady is the actress in question. That’s how the whole story goes…huge, grand plans that essentially go nowhere.
I really like Daniel Handler's style in general, and this is a nice bridge between the relatively safe weirdness of his children's books and the utter depravity of some of his adult stuff.
But what got me from the very beginning was the "bitter sixteen" party the main characters threw and how it was so similar to the kind of thing I did at that time. I just understood these kids immediately.
But what got me from the very beginning was the "bitter sixteen" party the main characters threw and how it was so similar to the kind of thing I did at that time. I just understood these kids immediately.
I loved this, I loved this, I loved this.
Did I mention I loved this? I felt it to be so beautiful and honest, a very touching look into the mind of a young girl and how it feels to get your heartbroken. I've heard people complain that they don't like the book because they don't see why Min would have ever dated Ed in the first place. But love isn't always simple - the glaring reasons why you shouldn't be with someone are not always obvious to the people involved.
It was just beautiful.
Did I mention I loved this? I felt it to be so beautiful and honest, a very touching look into the mind of a young girl and how it feels to get your heartbroken. I've heard people complain that they don't like the book because they don't see why Min would have ever dated Ed in the first place. But love isn't always simple - the glaring reasons why you shouldn't be with someone are not always obvious to the people involved.
It was just beautiful.
Being a fan of Series of Unfortunate Events, I was curious to read this book.
This was rather mature! I still enjoy Handler's style, though.
This was rather mature! I still enjoy Handler's style, though.
So very predictable, irritating and cliche
Min is super mean to her mom and her constant obscure movie references were extremely unnecessary
Barf
Min is super mean to her mom and her constant obscure movie references were extremely unnecessary
Barf
So...umm...yeah...
I definitely didn’t like this book. And I actually hate myself for forcing myself to read it (stupid reading prompts)
This book felt like a run on sentence. It felt pointless and was just never ending nonsense.
The relationship between Min and Ed shouldn’t have even existed. There was no point to it. They literally met and bam! They were dating. I wasn’t aware that’s how it actually worked.
I definitely didn’t like this book. And I actually hate myself for forcing myself to read it (stupid reading prompts)
This book felt like a run on sentence. It felt pointless and was just never ending nonsense.
The relationship between Min and Ed shouldn’t have even existed. There was no point to it. They literally met and bam! They were dating. I wasn’t aware that’s how it actually worked.
Little high schooly ("Outsider girl dates offensive jock". Love the art and the telling though. Love that the book can qualify as a murder weapon by weight.
2.5 out of 5 stars
this book made me feel nothing at all, not my cup of tea
this book made me feel nothing at all, not my cup of tea