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110 reviews for:
21 Proms
Will Leitch, Aimee Friedman, John Green, Adrienne Maria Vrettos, Holly Black, Elizabeth Craft, Ned Vizzini, Rachel Cohn, David Levithan, Brent Hartinger, Daniel Ehrenhaft, Cecily von Ziegesar, Libba Bray, Leslie Margolis, E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, Jodi Lynn Anderson, Billy Merrell, Jacqueline Woodson, Lisa Ann Sandell, Melissa de la Cruz
3.02 AVERAGE
110 reviews for:
21 Proms
Will Leitch, Aimee Friedman, John Green, Adrienne Maria Vrettos, Holly Black, Elizabeth Craft, Ned Vizzini, Rachel Cohn, David Levithan, Brent Hartinger, Daniel Ehrenhaft, Cecily von Ziegesar, Libba Bray, Leslie Margolis, E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, Jodi Lynn Anderson, Billy Merrell, Jacqueline Woodson, Lisa Ann Sandell, Melissa de la Cruz
3.02 AVERAGE
Particularly enjoyed "Mom called, she says you have to go to prom" by Adrienne Maria Vrettos, Three Fates by Aimee Friedman, How I Wrote to Toby by E. Lockhart, and A Six-pack of Bud, a Fifth of Whiskey, and Me by Melissa de la Cruz. Didn't make it past the second paragraph of the John Green story.
By far one of the best, if not the best, YA anthology I've read in recent years. Really great authors, and although some stories were still a bit average or dull, many of them were very fresh in their outlook. Really enjoyable.
There were only a few stories I really liked, with John Green's coming in at number 1 (suprising no one).
I’ve never shown much interest in prom, so I’m not sure why I decided to read this book.
‘21 Proms’ was originally published in 2007 and I found myself asking if any of the stories in this anthology have aged well. Too many of the stories lacked adversity and I was constantly left bored. That being said, I do have a top-five list:
1. Lost Sometimes, by David Levithan
2. How I Wrote to Toby, by E. Lockhart
3. The Question: A Play in One Act, by Brent Hartinger
4. The Great American Morp, by John Green
5. A Six-pack of Bud, a Fifth of Whiskey, and Me, by Melissa de la Cruz
Brent Hartinger’s story was the only one in this anthology that left me wanting more. In a mere fourteen pages, I felt so much for Eric and Allen. I wanted to know all the things that were left unsaid in their conversation. I love that it leaves room for interpretation and the characters live on in your mind. You decided their ending.
E. Lockhart has always been one of my favourites. I’m one of those people who read We Were Liars and never quite recovered. I’m pretty sure that when I bought this book, many years ago, it was because I saw her name on the cover. How I Wrote to Toby didn’t disappoint. Paige, as naive as she may seem, is actually a strong character who knows her worth. More importantly, she feels things and she’s not afraid of that.
I’ve always wanted to love David Levithan’s writing, but I never have. I think I’ve always been victim to bad timing or choosing the wrong book. I really wanted to enjoy ‘Lost Sometimes’ and finally I found a David Levithan story that works for me. There were some moments that were far too relatable for me, but that’s a story for another time.
Overall, we all know that anthologies can be pretty hit or miss, and there were times when I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to go on. However, the good few made it worth it... I think.
‘21 Proms’ was originally published in 2007 and I found myself asking if any of the stories in this anthology have aged well. Too many of the stories lacked adversity and I was constantly left bored. That being said, I do have a top-five list:
1. Lost Sometimes, by David Levithan
2. How I Wrote to Toby, by E. Lockhart
3. The Question: A Play in One Act, by Brent Hartinger
4. The Great American Morp, by John Green
5. A Six-pack of Bud, a Fifth of Whiskey, and Me, by Melissa de la Cruz
Brent Hartinger’s story was the only one in this anthology that left me wanting more. In a mere fourteen pages, I felt so much for Eric and Allen. I wanted to know all the things that were left unsaid in their conversation. I love that it leaves room for interpretation and the characters live on in your mind. You decided their ending.
E. Lockhart has always been one of my favourites. I’m one of those people who read We Were Liars and never quite recovered. I’m pretty sure that when I bought this book, many years ago, it was because I saw her name on the cover. How I Wrote to Toby didn’t disappoint. Paige, as naive as she may seem, is actually a strong character who knows her worth. More importantly, she feels things and she’s not afraid of that.
I’ve always wanted to love David Levithan’s writing, but I never have. I think I’ve always been victim to bad timing or choosing the wrong book. I really wanted to enjoy ‘Lost Sometimes’ and finally I found a David Levithan story that works for me. There were some moments that were far too relatable for me, but that’s a story for another time.
Overall, we all know that anthologies can be pretty hit or miss, and there were times when I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to go on. However, the good few made it worth it... I think.
Honestly most of these stories were just plain awful. The only one I truly enjoyed was the last one, written by John Green. Some of them were just so bad I couldn't get through them. John Green is the only reason I'm giving this two stars as opposed to one.
(Popsugar Challenge: a book set in high school)
Out of 21 short stories centering on or around prom, there were exactly 5 of them that weren't terrible (and they were by E. Lockhart, Melissa de la Cruz, Lisa Ann Sandell, Leslie Margolis and John Green). Out of those 5 there was really only one that stood out for me and that was Lockhart's How I Wrote to Toby. It was the only one I wished I could have read more about; read just about.
The good news is the authors donated their share of the proceeds to Advocates for Youth, so at least it was money well spent.
Out of 21 short stories centering on or around prom, there were exactly 5 of them that weren't terrible (and they were by E. Lockhart, Melissa de la Cruz, Lisa Ann Sandell, Leslie Margolis and John Green). Out of those 5 there was really only one that stood out for me and that was Lockhart's How I Wrote to Toby. It was the only one I wished I could have read more about; read just about.
The good news is the authors donated their share of the proceeds to Advocates for Youth, so at least it was money well spent.
Didn't live up to my expectations. With all these great authors, I thought there would be some real gems in this collection, but nothing was really very memorable.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This collection of short stories edited by David Levithan includes prom stories written by various authors such as John Green, Libba Bray and E. Lockhart. Each story is focused on a different type of prom, whether it be a backwards prom, known as a “morp,” a prom for fat girls or skipping prom altogether to stay home and watch movies with your neighbors. Read 21 Proms to find out how each character does prom his or her way.