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eesh25's review against another edition
3.0
Finding Audrey is a coming-of-age story about a fourteen-year-old girl named, you guessed it, Audrey. She suffers from severe anxiety because of something that happened in school. And even though it's been many months, she's still learning. She wears sun-glasses all the time, even indoors, because she has difficulty making eye contact. But she's starting school again in a few month and she needs to be able to go outside and talk to people. Her family is trying to help, as is her therapist and her older brother's cute friend, Linus.
The topic of anxiety is a pretty serious one. Most people suffer from it to some degree. Audrey's case is very severe. We're never told what happened, exactly, in school. But from what I can guess, it was bullying. Is that enough of an explanation? No, it isn't. There are so many kinds of bullying and we don't know what happened to Audrey. What was the final straw? We don't know. And that bothers me.
You see, despite the theme being a serious one, this is a very light read. I think the author wanted to make sure the book was enjoyable, so she didn't go too into depth about the "bad" stuff. And she also introduced some sub-plots that were supposed to be entertaining and gave us some over-the-top characters. The place where she went wrong was that she couldn't accomplish a light tone and juggle the main plot as well as the sub-plots. And the over-the-top nature of Audrey's mom, instead of being funny, was very annoying. Her crusade about screens being evil, and taking away her son's computer, it was frustrating. Not to mention, it's another important issue.
There's a scene in which Frank, Audrey's bother, says that parents shouldn't patronize their teenager, after he got sick of his mom acting like she was always right and that "kids these days" didn't know shit. It was about parents thinking that anything that's on the internet isn't important. Just a waste of time.
I was really interested in reading about that, as well as Audrey's learning to live with her anxiety. Unfortunately, the author may have gotten to focused on not making the book too serious, and all the important things kinda got lost in there somewhere. All the problems just got solved in their own. Audrey's experience, instead of being relatable or emotional, seemed too textbook. Like someone looked up "thoughts people with an anxiety disorder have" and that was it. There were some lines here and there that made you think that maybe the book was going somewhere right, but then it would immediately be replaced by a joke.
This is a very readable novel. Yes, I had problems with the writing. I felt that it sounded (especially in the beginning) too much like a person rambling about their day rather than an actual novel. But there were funny moments and sweet moments. The interactions between Audrey and Linus were very cute and I appreciate the effort in writing a lighthearted novel about a serious topic. But it was just too light. If you read it, don't expect much insight into... well, anything.
The topic of anxiety is a pretty serious one. Most people suffer from it to some degree. Audrey's case is very severe. We're never told what happened, exactly, in school. But from what I can guess, it was bullying. Is that enough of an explanation? No, it isn't. There are so many kinds of bullying and we don't know what happened to Audrey. What was the final straw? We don't know. And that bothers me.
You see, despite the theme being a serious one, this is a very light read. I think the author wanted to make sure the book was enjoyable, so she didn't go too into depth about the "bad" stuff. And she also introduced some sub-plots that were supposed to be entertaining and gave us some over-the-top characters. The place where she went wrong was that she couldn't accomplish a light tone and juggle the main plot as well as the sub-plots. And the over-the-top nature of Audrey's mom, instead of being funny, was very annoying. Her crusade about screens being evil, and taking away her son's computer, it was frustrating. Not to mention, it's another important issue.
There's a scene in which Frank, Audrey's bother, says that parents shouldn't patronize their teenager, after he got sick of his mom acting like she was always right and that "kids these days" didn't know shit. It was about parents thinking that anything that's on the internet isn't important. Just a waste of time.
I was really interested in reading about that, as well as Audrey's learning to live with her anxiety. Unfortunately, the author may have gotten to focused on not making the book too serious, and all the important things kinda got lost in there somewhere. All the problems just got solved in their own. Audrey's experience, instead of being relatable or emotional, seemed too textbook. Like someone looked up "thoughts people with an anxiety disorder have" and that was it. There were some lines here and there that made you think that maybe the book was going somewhere right, but then it would immediately be replaced by a joke.
This is a very readable novel. Yes, I had problems with the writing. I felt that it sounded (especially in the beginning) too much like a person rambling about their day rather than an actual novel. But there were funny moments and sweet moments. The interactions between Audrey and Linus were very cute and I appreciate the effort in writing a lighthearted novel about a serious topic. But it was just too light. If you read it, don't expect much insight into... well, anything.
faeriesparks's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
After enjoying quite a few of Sophie Kinsella's adult books I was really looking forward to reading Finding Audrey. And I did like it but there were also some things that didn't sit right with me.
Audrey's recovery seemed to easy and quick to me. And too connected to Linus. Considering there was a huge triggering event at school (which we never really find out about?) and Audrey was severely hindered in her everyday life, her problems were resolved so easily.
Nonetheless I did connect with a lot of things that were said throughout the book and I really appreciated that.
After enjoying quite a few of Sophie Kinsella's adult books I was really looking forward to reading Finding Audrey. And I did like it but there were also some things that didn't sit right with me.
Audrey's recovery seemed to easy and quick to me. And too connected to Linus. Considering there was a huge triggering event at school (which we never really find out about?) and Audrey was severely hindered in her everyday life, her problems were resolved so easily.
Nonetheless I did connect with a lot of things that were said throughout the book and I really appreciated that.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
A standalone fictional novel for young readers about a fourteen-year-old girl struggling to overcome an anxiety disorder triggered by bullying at her school.
In 2015, Finding Audrey was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction.
My Take
I know I can only give this a "5" on the websites, but it is definitely a "7"! And that's saying something because I swore I'd never read Kinsella again after enduring several of her Shopaholic stories!
It's Audrey's story and very definitely first-person point-of-view, and while the story is triggered by bullying, we don't actually learn what they did, which makes me nuts.
The way Audrey describes herself is curious and makes me wonder if her paranoia about everyone looking at her, obsessing about what people are thinking about her, is part of the problem that led into how badly the bullying affected her. Maybe that's another class that kids need, one that encourages self-confidence as well as considering that other people have events and turmoils going on in their own lives that may affect how they react to you.
For all the seriousness of Audrey's condition, you can't help LYAO throughout the story. It's a typical teen's view of her clueless parents and her siblings. With a character arc that is perfectly achieved.
The example Linus uses of his crazy Gran for Audrey was too sweet, and too true. As for Audrey's explanation of how to deal with the lizard brain with Felix as the comparison…brilliant.
More ROFL with the replies we all wanted to make to our parents' questions. Omigod *more laughing*
And…for all my laughing at her Mum, I have to give props to Audrey's parents for being so very supportive.
Now, that damned Amerson infuriates me with her dismissal of the bullying. Too typical of almost all schools who ignore it because the teachers/admins aren't paying attention, the bully's parents wield too much power, or the teachers don't care. If government wants to throw money at something, they should be throwing it at stopping the bullying. Teach the kids better ways to deal with issues. Find out who is bullying those kids, to turn them into bullies…because that's all they know. We need to stop the cycle!
And keep in mind that life is that jagged graph. Up a bit. Down a bit. All life long.
The Story
The progress Audrey is making in her daily life — ever since that anxiety disorder slammed into her — is making her crazy. It's too slow. And too much. All at once.
It takes meeting Linus to encourage Audrey to try more than she's comfortable with, as she connects with him, his patience, his concern.
Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.
Audrey Turner is a fourteen-year-old girl traumatized by events at her school. Frank is her older, computer-obsessed brother with a passion for Land of Conquerors (LOC). Felix is the too-totally cheerful four-year-old. Mum, Anne, is the frustrated one who rules the household and has left her job as a freelance brand consultant. Dad, Chris, is an accountant and much more easygoing.
Linus is a schoolfriend of Frank's. And totally cute. Nick and Rameen are part of Frank's LOC team; Matt will become an okay fourth. Aidan is Felix's friend, but he has chicken pops. Natalie Dexter had been Audrey's best friend — the one who froze. A bipolar homicidal maniac? Seriously?
Arjun is a friend of Mum's from her Pilates class who does freelance computer work. Alison is in Mum's book group and doesn't even have TV at home. Hmmm, I wonder what the Daily Mail says about that?? Mike is a friend of Dad's with whom he plays squash. Allan is another of Dad's friends. Paul Taylor has good deals.
Dr. Sarah McVeigh is Audrey's therapist at St. John's hospital who could take some lessons from Linus. I did like Dr. Sarah's idea about doing a video.
Heath Academy is the new school Audrey will start in the fall. Stokeland Girls' School is her former school. Miss Amerson was the head teacher. Freya Hill, Izzy Lawton, and Tasha Collins were expelled. The remaining "gang" include a changed Katie, Chloe, and Ruby. Miss Moore is the deputy head who left. Izzy's parents are amazingly unconscious of their daughter's behavior.
Ade is a chef at the Fox and Hound whose grandfather, Derek Gould, has just moved into an old folks' home, Avonlea. Rob McDuggan and their son, Ollie, are neighbors. Sinead is a policewoman.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a soft green turquoise banded by unevenly edged grayed-out colonial blue horizontal stripes. It's a cartoon-like Audrey with her long brown hair and sunglasses poking up at the top of the yellow title with her hands appearing below it. The author's name is large and at the top in yellow with an info blurb about Kinsella's popular Shopaholic series.
The title is the battle this girl is going through, for Finding Audrey will take a great deal of struggle and support.
In 2015, Finding Audrey was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction.
My Take
I know I can only give this a "5" on the websites, but it is definitely a "7"! And that's saying something because I swore I'd never read Kinsella again after enduring several of her Shopaholic stories!
It's Audrey's story and very definitely first-person point-of-view, and while the story is triggered by bullying, we don't actually learn what they did, which makes me nuts.
The way Audrey describes herself is curious and makes me wonder if her paranoia about everyone looking at her, obsessing about what people are thinking about her, is part of the problem that led into how badly the bullying affected her. Maybe that's another class that kids need, one that encourages self-confidence as well as considering that other people have events and turmoils going on in their own lives that may affect how they react to you.
For all the seriousness of Audrey's condition, you can't help LYAO throughout the story. It's a typical teen's view of her clueless parents and her siblings. With a character arc that is perfectly achieved.
I do adore Felix:Then there's Audrey's take on her Mum with her Daily Mail obsession, her freak-out about Frank's online gameplaying, not listening to her kids, and Mum's constant contradictions on "what she always used to do" ROFLMAO. We also experience Audrey's slow realization of what her mother has given up. What her family has endured. Frank. Oh, man, Frank is the stereotype of teens and boys. Totally unobservant when it really counts, lol. Linus, now. He's an absolute doll. Incredibly patient and willing to both wait and push at Audrey.
"He greets most life events with disbelieving joy. A lorry in the street! Ketchup! An extra-long chip! Mum throwing a computer out the window is just another one on the list of daily miracles."
The example Linus uses of his crazy Gran for Audrey was too sweet, and too true. As for Audrey's explanation of how to deal with the lizard brain with Felix as the comparison…brilliant.
More ROFL with the replies we all wanted to make to our parents' questions. Omigod *more laughing*
And…for all my laughing at her Mum, I have to give props to Audrey's parents for being so very supportive.
Now, that damned Amerson infuriates me with her dismissal of the bullying. Too typical of almost all schools who ignore it because the teachers/admins aren't paying attention, the bully's parents wield too much power, or the teachers don't care. If government wants to throw money at something, they should be throwing it at stopping the bullying. Teach the kids better ways to deal with issues. Find out who is bullying those kids, to turn them into bullies…because that's all they know. We need to stop the cycle!
And keep in mind that life is that jagged graph. Up a bit. Down a bit. All life long.
The Story
The progress Audrey is making in her daily life — ever since that anxiety disorder slammed into her — is making her crazy. It's too slow. And too much. All at once.
It takes meeting Linus to encourage Audrey to try more than she's comfortable with, as she connects with him, his patience, his concern.
Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.
"You'll be in the dark for as long as it takes and then you'll come out."The Characters
Audrey Turner is a fourteen-year-old girl traumatized by events at her school. Frank is her older, computer-obsessed brother with a passion for Land of Conquerors (LOC). Felix is the too-totally cheerful four-year-old. Mum, Anne, is the frustrated one who rules the household and has left her job as a freelance brand consultant. Dad, Chris, is an accountant and much more easygoing.
Linus is a schoolfriend of Frank's. And totally cute. Nick and Rameen are part of Frank's LOC team; Matt will become an okay fourth. Aidan is Felix's friend, but he has chicken pops. Natalie Dexter had been Audrey's best friend — the one who froze. A bipolar homicidal maniac? Seriously?
Arjun is a friend of Mum's from her Pilates class who does freelance computer work. Alison is in Mum's book group and doesn't even have TV at home. Hmmm, I wonder what the Daily Mail says about that?? Mike is a friend of Dad's with whom he plays squash. Allan is another of Dad's friends. Paul Taylor has good deals.
Dr. Sarah McVeigh is Audrey's therapist at St. John's hospital who could take some lessons from Linus. I did like Dr. Sarah's idea about doing a video.
Heath Academy is the new school Audrey will start in the fall. Stokeland Girls' School is her former school. Miss Amerson was the head teacher. Freya Hill, Izzy Lawton, and Tasha Collins were expelled. The remaining "gang" include a changed Katie, Chloe, and Ruby. Miss Moore is the deputy head who left. Izzy's parents are amazingly unconscious of their daughter's behavior.
Ade is a chef at the Fox and Hound whose grandfather, Derek Gould, has just moved into an old folks' home, Avonlea. Rob McDuggan and their son, Ollie, are neighbors. Sinead is a policewoman.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a soft green turquoise banded by unevenly edged grayed-out colonial blue horizontal stripes. It's a cartoon-like Audrey with her long brown hair and sunglasses poking up at the top of the yellow title with her hands appearing below it. The author's name is large and at the top in yellow with an info blurb about Kinsella's popular Shopaholic series.
The title is the battle this girl is going through, for Finding Audrey will take a great deal of struggle and support.
squidopedia's review against another edition
4.0
Although it was a little cliche that love is what helped Audrey, this story was just super cute. It also hit home for me because the craziness of the mother reminded me so much of my mom haha, I adored this book! Such a sweet and simple read. Definitely a read that would be perfect in the summer by the beach! Sophie Kinsella also did really well on touching mental illness, which I appreciated!
phoenix2's review against another edition
2.0
Finding Audrey is a YA contemporary book about a teenage girl who is suffering from depression and social anxiety and how she is trying to get better.
First of all, the family dynamics were spot on. The parents were funny and the whole video game drama was entertaining. And the little romance was cute at first.
However, the second part of the book was rushed. Not only when it came to the love story, which escalated too quickly, but Audrey's progress was messy and unbelievable. She was struggling in the first half, and then, miraculously, she was healed. Plus, Audrey's story was never fully explained, as one was left to patch up things by hints she kept leaving here and there. Also, Audrey was often left out of the story, as the author focused more on the family and her siblings. Which wasn't bad, but that made Audrey's healing process to be forced to skip a lot of stages. In addition, it would have been nicer if we could also see the impact that Audrey's condition had on the family a bit more and not just in the ending.
Finally, the audiobook was well narrated.
First of all, the family dynamics were spot on. The parents were funny and the whole video game drama was entertaining. And the little romance was cute at first.
However, the second part of the book was rushed. Not only when it came to the love story, which escalated too quickly, but Audrey's progress was messy and unbelievable. She was struggling in the first half, and then, miraculously, she was healed. Plus, Audrey's story was never fully explained, as one was left to patch up things by hints she kept leaving here and there. Also, Audrey was often left out of the story, as the author focused more on the family and her siblings. Which wasn't bad, but that made Audrey's healing process to be forced to skip a lot of stages. In addition, it would have been nicer if we could also see the impact that Audrey's condition had on the family a bit more and not just in the ending.
Finally, the audiobook was well narrated.
booksarelire_'s review against another edition
i really enjoyed this book.
i loved it it get amazing it gats 4 stars but i wish the author could of adaed a backstory to what happened to Audrey at her old school.
i loved it it get amazing it gats 4 stars but i wish the author could of adaed a backstory to what happened to Audrey at her old school.
erikajay's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book! It deals with serious issues (anxiety and depression) but it’s not a really heavy book. I listened to the audiobook and actually laughed out loud several times.
I loved that she explained the graph visual and how you just aren’t going to have a line that goes straight up. It’d be nice! But that’s not how mental health works. Hopefully you’re gradually moving up, but there will be dips and peaks along the way.
I loved that she explained the graph visual and how you just aren’t going to have a line that goes straight up. It’d be nice! But that’s not how mental health works. Hopefully you’re gradually moving up, but there will be dips and peaks along the way.
vlookup's review against another edition
3.0
It's the kind of book where in the beginning you judge it as a 3-stars kind of book and when you reach the end, you know you were right from the beginning. It was OK but I was not crazy about it.
lemonmeringuepie's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0