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markcastaneda's review against another edition
5.0
such a fun book! Definitely a personal nostalgia trip for the author, and probably a little overwritten to her own interests rather than for an audience. I know very little about field hockey, but you really feel yourself pulled into the author's world. Definitely a better read if you have /some/ sort of connection to the material, mine being from MA as well, but even just understanding team sports will instill some empathy into you in order to pull you through that first little bit.
ricas_library's review against another edition
2.0
The premise of this book showed a promise of mischief and magic, but I was left waiting around every corner for something BIG to happen.
The character development also held immense potential, but the execution just wasn’t there. Maybe there were too many characters. If we got to know one or two of the girls really well, then maybe I would have been absorbed into the story more, but a whole field hockey team was a lot to keep up with.
Large portions of the book were dense, and exposition-like to the point where I was skimming quickly through so I could get to the point, or the magic. It just got to the point where I wanted to get to the end to see what happens, but then the author skipped over the “main event” and fast forwarded.
Overall, I loved the premise of the book, but the execution fell flat for me.
The character development also held immense potential, but the execution just wasn’t there. Maybe there were too many characters. If we got to know one or two of the girls really well, then maybe I would have been absorbed into the story more, but a whole field hockey team was a lot to keep up with.
Large portions of the book were dense, and exposition-like to the point where I was skimming quickly through so I could get to the point, or the magic. It just got to the point where I wanted to get to the end to see what happens, but then the author skipped over the “main event” and fast forwarded.
Overall, I loved the premise of the book, but the execution fell flat for me.
acwyland's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
yarn_chicken's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars for me. Really had to push through to finish this one. Not as fun as I had hoped it would be.
kellyrand's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
katieinca's review against another edition
5.0
Field hockey team in the '80s makes a deal with darkness in the form of an Emilio Estevez notebook, so yeah, I expected this to be odd. I didn't expect it to be this funny, or how occasionally S### Gets Real. I actually highlighted in this (Kindle) book because I loved the humor that much. Mostly it's hard to excerpt because it's funnier w/ setup and knowing the characters, but to give you a small taste:
"As if the thing we feared most in the whole wide world was nipping at our heels. Wolves. Spiders. Cockroaches. Snakes. Opprobrium."
"Today like a guinea pig she was happily munching away on celery, only instead of eating a few pre-cut sticks the way a normal person would, she was holding an entire bunch on her lap and ripping off the stalks, then eating them one by one including the leaves. You had to hand it to her. The amount of green fibers stuck in her teeth was impressive. The next time she went to the bathroom she could’ve probably shit a sweater."
I did *not* love the tidy sweetness and "ooh, look at all our successful careers and parenting" of the ending chapter, but I can live with it.
"As if the thing we feared most in the whole wide world was nipping at our heels. Wolves. Spiders. Cockroaches. Snakes. Opprobrium."
"Today like a guinea pig she was happily munching away on celery, only instead of eating a few pre-cut sticks the way a normal person would, she was holding an entire bunch on her lap and ripping off the stalks, then eating them one by one including the leaves. You had to hand it to her. The amount of green fibers stuck in her teeth was impressive. The next time she went to the bathroom she could’ve probably shit a sweater."
I did *not* love the tidy sweetness and "ooh, look at all our successful careers and parenting" of the ending chapter, but I can live with it.
ccunliffe's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating premise and structure! A little long, but would definitely recommend for anyone who loves field hockey or the 80's.
anyajulchen's review against another edition
4.0
This funny book full of the real things sorrounding womanhood