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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
Daniel Handler must be a woman, because only a woman can write this exceptionally well about the tiny little details a woman goes through when she falls in love and gets her heart broken. It's like he's in on the secret or something, and it totally freaked me out.
For any woman who has had her heart broken at fifteen, twenty five or thirty five, you will find moments, dialogues and emotions here in this book that you have experienced, said and felt during your own painful break-ups with your exes. Heck, you might even have done this whole memory-box and-returning-them-to-owner kind of thing, too. I know I have. Haha.
This book is quirky, well-written, intelligent, young and sweet, and I felt my heart skip a beat, my heart soar, my heart break as well, when I found out in the end the reason why they broke up.
For any woman who has had her heart broken at fifteen, twenty five or thirty five, you will find moments, dialogues and emotions here in this book that you have experienced, said and felt during your own painful break-ups with your exes. Heck, you might even have done this whole memory-box and-returning-them-to-owner kind of thing, too. I know I have. Haha.
This book is quirky, well-written, intelligent, young and sweet, and I felt my heart skip a beat, my heart soar, my heart break as well, when I found out in the end the reason why they broke up.
I love the weight of this book - the book itself, the words inside.
I do like stories when they uses some sort of "letter writing" to tell a story. In this case, memorabilia accumulated during their relationship. Though this book is only told from the narrator viewpoint.
my god, ed is a jackass. the writing was so beautiful. so so beautiful.
I was expecting more from this novel of high school romance. Told from the girls perspective in a letter to an ex. She provides him with a box full of tokens of their love and describes her time with him. Cute drawings but the story did not feel compelling.
Man, Ed, what a dick you are!
I've been meaning to read this for a while because it's a prominent-ish in a way, kind of, YA book. Not as prominent as some very very prominent ones that I have yet to read, but still noticeable. I mean it has an award on the cover. I also read like the first few pages from Amazon on their sampler a long time ago, and this book's premise interested so yes, I basically knew I was gonna read it. Eventually.
But when you read this book, you'll know that I am completely wrong LOL
So when I actually found out who Ed really was, a basketball player who is the epitome of teenage boy that I don't really associate with because they say gay way too much, every other word is gay, all things are gay, I honestly could not bring myself to care for him much (for what happened in their eventual breakup) because ugh! Yuck. And the way he explains/justifies it, nope. Nope.
I guess that was one of the reasons why I didn't buy into it when Min and Ed confess how they are really in love with each other after 2 months only.
This book was a lot different than what I expected it to be. I guess that's why you don't go in with expectations. It wasn't bad, though.
However, I'll be honest, I understand why the opinions of this book are so mixed. I had to push myself to finish this book today. The library loan on this book was expiring very soon and yet I could not be bothered into finishing it (so I extended it) but what kept me going was that I was like alright, so why did they break up? What for? Is it as complicated as I think it is?
I sympathize with Min though. Although I have yet to fall in love or be in a relationship ever, LOL, I've had my share of having feelings for boys who ended up being yuck!
But then it became not-so-awkward when I got to the part where they break up because gawd Ed, that's low! LOW! What a dick.
I agree with another reviewer about this book. I feel like I've gotten broken up with!
I've been meaning to read this for a while because it's a prominent-ish in a way, kind of, YA book. Not as prominent as some very very prominent ones that I have yet to read, but still noticeable. I mean it has an award on the cover. I also read like the first few pages from Amazon on their sampler a long time ago, and this book's premise interested so yes, I basically knew I was gonna read it. Eventually.
Spoiler
I know you're not supposed to go into reading/watching something with expectations in mind, but I remember from the first few pages where she just starts her letter and doesn't talk about her meeting Ed yet, I remember assuming/expecting this was going to be one of those YA contemporary relationships where it's this nice, good romance with wistful teens, but that ended up not being the case. Like I remember feeling really bad for Ed because my mind latched on the one description of Ed being heartbroken (turns out Min HOPES he is as I reread after I had finished this a few minutes ago) so I expected their relationship and break up to be complicated and sad and basically Ed to be a hipster-ish guy who is basically the male version of Min (thus he shares her obscure taste in movies). Like, there are pretty illustrations in this book! This book is about her writing a letter to Ed! Ed must be a YA contemporary hipster wistful guy right!?But when you read this book, you'll know that I am completely wrong LOL
So when I actually found out who Ed really was, a basketball player who is the epitome of teenage boy that I don't really associate with because they say gay way too much, every other word is gay, all things are gay, I honestly could not bring myself to care for him much (for what happened in their eventual breakup) because ugh! Yuck. And the way he explains/justifies it, nope. Nope.
I guess that was one of the reasons why I didn't buy into it when Min and Ed confess how they are really in love with each other after 2 months only.
This book was a lot different than what I expected it to be. I guess that's why you don't go in with expectations. It wasn't bad, though.
However, I'll be honest, I understand why the opinions of this book are so mixed. I had to push myself to finish this book today. The library loan on this book was expiring very soon and yet I could not be bothered into finishing it (so I extended it) but what kept me going was that I was like alright, so why did they break up? What for? Is it as complicated as I think it is?
Spoiler
Nah, Ed's a total dick! What a twist. It's not this deep, introspective thing that I expected it to be. Instead, it's a totally and legitimate thing to break up for so Ed, thanks a lot!I sympathize with Min though. Although I have yet to fall in love or be in a relationship ever, LOL, I've had my share of having feelings for boys who ended up being yuck!
Spoiler
Now this is just me rambling again because I am not an actual reviewer, so save me, but I remember being uncomfortable reading this which I described in my reading updates because I realized/it occurred to me that my good friend from grade school who is now in high school is dating this guy who's a basketball player. Now here I am reading a book about a girl who dated a basketball player. How awkward! Just wait until I get to the breakup scene.... My thoughts were.But then it became not-so-awkward when I got to the part where they break up because gawd Ed, that's low! LOW! What a dick.
I agree with another reviewer about this book. I feel like I've gotten broken up with!
Everything was anything but out of place. Perfect.
Min was depressed, she didn't know what to do. Until she decided to give back all the stuff that reminds her of Ed. Ed was a typical jock with a typical attitude. Min never believed she'd be the girlfriend of her school co-captain of the basketball team, but she is, and later was.
You'll want to finish the book in one day too because it gets better every chapter.
Min was depressed, she didn't know what to do. Until she decided to give back all the stuff that reminds her of Ed. Ed was a typical jock with a typical attitude. Min never believed she'd be the girlfriend of her school co-captain of the basketball team, but she is, and later was.
You'll want to finish the book in one day too because it gets better every chapter.
I honestly could not make it through the first few "mementos" of their relationship. The writing was awful - there's just no other way to put it. The dialogue is ridiculous, because who on Earth would write a million lines of dialogue in a break up letter? Every single sentence used Ed's name, and most used it twice. Completely unnecessary, just like the illustrations.
There were moments of brilliance in this book but it drove me nuts at times.
Maybe that's what I get for reading teen books.
I was not like this as a teenager. Maybe I was naive or immature or deluded most of the time.
But I wasn't like Min.
And she drove me crazy.
But what I loved was the descriptions of the things / people / places. It was so clear. And beautiful.
So 3 stars is the best I can do.
Because while I loved some parts, it also got on my nerves.
Good ending, though. Good ending.
Maybe that's what I get for reading teen books.
I was not like this as a teenager. Maybe I was naive or immature or deluded most of the time.
But I wasn't like Min.
And she drove me crazy.
But what I loved was the descriptions of the things / people / places. It was so clear. And beautiful.
So 3 stars is the best I can do.
Because while I loved some parts, it also got on my nerves.
Good ending, though. Good ending.
Not keen on the writing style. Didn't feel there was that much of a story, and what there was wasn't great. Probably nearer 2.5 stars in my opinion.