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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I didn't enjoy reading this one very much at all. I couldn't stand any of the characters, especially the main two. I thought the idea of letters and trinkets was interesting but it wasn't enough to save the story. Would not recommend.
If this book had a theme song it would be we are never ever ever getting back together by Taylor Swift
Este livro conta a história de Min onde ela explica tudo o que está a devolver ao ex-namorado e o porquê de ter guardado todas aquelas recordações enquanto os dois namoravam.
Um casal improvável, um relacionamente curto, de juventude. Achei a história engraçada, o conceito, pessoalmente, acho que é muito bom, mas a escrita..ou melhor, a maneira como o autor escolheu escrever não é de todo o meu favorito e essa é a razão de este livro ser 3 estrelas e não 4.
E porque o Ed é horrivel!
Um casal improvável, um relacionamente curto, de juventude. Achei a história engraçada, o conceito, pessoalmente, acho que é muito bom, mas a escrita..ou melhor, a maneira como o autor escolheu escrever não é de todo o meu favorito e essa é a razão de este livro ser 3 estrelas e não 4.
E porque o Ed é horrivel!
This book is intriguing and bittersweet. Min, the narrator and protagonist, is although not my favorite, still managed to hold my interest. The illustrations that accompany the text are beautiful and really add something to the story. This book follows a relationship that is at times endearing and sweet and at other times frustrating. Overall, I found it to be an enjoyable read with an interesting plotline and unique characters.
Este es uno de esos libros en el que todo cambia de una página para la otra. Min es un personaje abierto que, en lo personal, me gusto muchísimo. Ed es otra cosa. Es insoportable casi todo el libro y no sabe apreciar nada de la vida. Se deja llevar por los demás y no tiene autocontrol.
Esos dibujos fueron un plus increíble para el libro.
Esos dibujos fueron un plus increíble para el libro.
Lots of bad language and teen sex... if you are sensitive to that sort of thing in a book, I would avoid this one.
A friend lent me this book and I wasn't excited about it. I mercilessly mocked it. I mocked the stupid arty cover (a description Min would hate) and the stupid title. Then I opened the book and my aversion grew as I began to read Min's very long, rambling sentences but then around page 80 something surprising happened. I began to relate to Min, I became invested in her story and wanted her to figure out who she should really be with. In the end, this book grew on me. It seemed real and was exactly what I would've written to an ex when I gave him his stuff back. Is this book perfect? No, but that adds to it's charm. This book and letter could've been written by your friend, me or even you and that's what makes it special. I only wish I would've thought of it first.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
(My reviews are intended for my own info as a language arts teacher: they serve as notes and reflections for teaching and recommending to students. Therefore, spoilers may be present, but will be hidden.)
SUMMARY: Min and Ed have broken up, and Min has decided she is finally ready to move on. Why We Broke Up is a lengthy letter Min writes to Ed, explaining why they broke up (duh) and why she is returning a box of items she's collected that remind her of him. The artifacts are where the illustrator, Maira Kalman, comes in: she has created a series of beautiful and quirky paintings that depict the love mementos Min is dumping on Ed's doorstep. Beautiful and quirky are actually good descriptions for Handler's writing, too. I read and loved his Series of Unfortunate Events and, while this is a very different genre and story, Why We Broke Up is clearly a relative of the Lemony Snicket novels. (Maybe like a wild older cousin.)
But back to the story. As Min explains each artifact she is leaving with Ed, she slowly reveals the story of their doomed-from-the-start relationship. The two have next-to-nothing in common, but Min loves the attention she gets from a popular jock and Ed is a serial dater (read: man-whore). All the while, it is clear to readers that Min should really be with her best friend, Al. By the end of the story, some suspense builds. I cruised through the last third pretty quickly, wondering why exactly the two did break up;
READABILITY: See notes for appropriateness. Handler's unique writing style may throw off some readers but it is one of the main reasons I really ended up loving Why We Broke Up. Min gets into a sort of "stream of consciousness" flow ("stream of ranting"?) that is captivating but could be a deterrent to struggling or reluctant readers. One of my favorite examples of this is when Min is describing the daily ins and outs of high school: "Because the day, it was school. It was the bells too loud or rattly in broken speakers that would never get fixed. It was the bad floors squeaky and footprinted, and the bang of lockers. It was writing my name in the upper right-hand corner of the paper or Mr. Nelson would automatically deduct five points, and in the upper left-hand corner of the paper or Mr. Peters would deduct three. It was the pen just giving up midway and scratching invisible ink scars on the paper or suiciding to leak on my hand, and trying to remember if I'd touched my face recently and am I a ball-point coal miner on my cheeks and chin" (80). And this goes on for another two pages. The dialogue was also refreshingly...well, real. Handler wrote how people really talk, and I think it worked for this story.
APPROPRIATENESS: I wouldn't offer this to my eighth-graders. A BIG chunk of the plot focuses on the narrator's decision to lose her virginity to Ed. While there is no graphic sexual language or description used, it just wouldn't work for 14-year-olds and under. There is also some profanity and scenes with teen drinking. The literary qualities and realistic portrayal of teens outweigh the presence of these, however, and mature readers could not only handle them, but really love the book (as I did).
SUMMARY: Min and Ed have broken up, and Min has decided she is finally ready to move on. Why We Broke Up is a lengthy letter Min writes to Ed, explaining why they broke up (duh) and why she is returning a box of items she's collected that remind her of him. The artifacts are where the illustrator, Maira Kalman, comes in: she has created a series of beautiful and quirky paintings that depict the love mementos Min is dumping on Ed's doorstep. Beautiful and quirky are actually good descriptions for Handler's writing, too. I read and loved his Series of Unfortunate Events and, while this is a very different genre and story, Why We Broke Up is clearly a relative of the Lemony Snicket novels. (Maybe like a wild older cousin.)
But back to the story. As Min explains each artifact she is leaving with Ed, she slowly reveals the story of their doomed-from-the-start relationship. The two have next-to-nothing in common, but Min loves the attention she gets from a popular jock and Ed is a serial dater (read: man-whore). All the while, it is clear to readers that Min should really be with her best friend, Al. By the end of the story, some suspense builds. I cruised through the last third pretty quickly, wondering why exactly the two did break up;
Spoiler
my suspicions were confirmed when Min finds out that Ed had never really given up his ex-girlfriend, Annette. Some hope is offered up by Handler when he hints that Min may have some feelings for Al.READABILITY: See notes for appropriateness. Handler's unique writing style may throw off some readers but it is one of the main reasons I really ended up loving Why We Broke Up. Min gets into a sort of "stream of consciousness" flow ("stream of ranting"?) that is captivating but could be a deterrent to struggling or reluctant readers. One of my favorite examples of this is when Min is describing the daily ins and outs of high school: "Because the day, it was school. It was the bells too loud or rattly in broken speakers that would never get fixed. It was the bad floors squeaky and footprinted, and the bang of lockers. It was writing my name in the upper right-hand corner of the paper or Mr. Nelson would automatically deduct five points, and in the upper left-hand corner of the paper or Mr. Peters would deduct three. It was the pen just giving up midway and scratching invisible ink scars on the paper or suiciding to leak on my hand, and trying to remember if I'd touched my face recently and am I a ball-point coal miner on my cheeks and chin" (80). And this goes on for another two pages. The dialogue was also refreshingly...well, real. Handler wrote how people really talk, and I think it worked for this story.
APPROPRIATENESS: I wouldn't offer this to my eighth-graders. A BIG chunk of the plot focuses on the narrator's decision to lose her virginity to Ed. While there is no graphic sexual language or description used, it just wouldn't work for 14-year-olds and under. There is also some profanity and scenes with teen drinking. The literary qualities and realistic portrayal of teens outweigh the presence of these, however, and mature readers could not only handle them, but really love the book (as I did).
I loved this. This story felt so real and authentic to how high school feels for me. I loved everything about the story and how it was told and the characters just SO AMAZING