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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
I read this with my 13 year old, or after she did rather. Not a interesting book for me personally but it is a good read in that it brings up the issues of body issues, weight, piercing, date rape and communication with parents. A good sounding board for those tough conversations with the teens. I do wish it had described date rape a bit more and stressed that date rape is rape, not a lesser degree of rape as the book implied.
One of those " I wish there was a book like this when I was in high school" books. Pretty inspiring and rah rah rah.
Another favorite from middle school that, sadly, does not hold up for me. I picked this up because I realized Mackler had released a sequel, and was interested in what was next for Virginia. I remembered really connecting to Virginia and her struggles with weight and her self image but I completely blocked out the main conflict happening outside of her experience surrounding her brother. The conversation, or more importantly the lack thereof, within the family was concerning made all the more so when you read that Virginia's mom is a counselor of teens but is completely oblivious to her children's inner turmoil.
Between the horrible self talk we hear from Virginia and the disregard of SA from her parents that forced Virginia to try to understand the circumstances and responses of all parties on her own (not possible for a teenager), I am not sure to whom I would recommend this book at this point. I appreciate the turnaround of Virginia's perception of herself in the later action of the story, but the front half had too much ick for me. Maybe the conversations will have shifted in the sequel written over a decade later with the action occurring only a few months after the end of the first novel.
Between the horrible self talk we hear from Virginia and the disregard of SA from her parents that forced Virginia to try to understand the circumstances and responses of all parties on her own (not possible for a teenager), I am not sure to whom I would recommend this book at this point. I appreciate the turnaround of Virginia's perception of herself in the later action of the story, but the front half had too much ick for me. Maybe the conversations will have shifted in the sequel written over a decade later with the action occurring only a few months after the end of the first novel.
I read banned books. That's how I found this one. It was on the list of top 100 banned books or some such. It came up as a Kindle deal, so I got it. I generally have several books going at once and one is always a Kindle book that's more fluffy to read at the gym. I want to be entertained while I exercise, but since my body's getting a workout, I don't want my brain to at the same time. So I read a lot of YA and romance at the gym.
I don't condone book banning. But I can see why this one makes the list. It touches on everything. Underage drinking, masturbation, self-harm, piercing, date rape, etc etc etc. I thought it was a very good book that managed to be entertaining why taking on some hard stuff. The drinking and masturbation were just mentioned. The piercing was a way for the character to rebel. The real meat of the book came from the date rape and self harm. It feels like it would be a good book for girls in their later teens to read, especially ones dealing with self-image problems.
I don't condone book banning. But I can see why this one makes the list. It touches on everything. Underage drinking, masturbation, self-harm, piercing, date rape, etc etc etc. I thought it was a very good book that managed to be entertaining why taking on some hard stuff. The drinking and masturbation were just mentioned. The piercing was a way for the character to rebel. The real meat of the book came from the date rape and self harm. It feels like it would be a good book for girls in their later teens to read, especially ones dealing with self-image problems.
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
A brilliant story about a girl who decides not to let her family judge her anymore and just decides to live her life. And about someone who learns to live with a sibling who screwed up massively.
I like Virginia’s story and can’t wait to read the sequel.
Do not let the first few pages of this book lure you into thinking it is the run-of-the-mill fat girl learns to love herself book. Sure, the ending may be typical, but the rest is not. Carolyn Mackler throws in a twist like no other and allows readers to check their own emotions with those of Virginia, her main character. Mackler takes us into Virginia's sophomore year as she battles with the reality of her family, her friends, and of course her weight but also who she is. Each character is well written, the plot is developed, and the language and dialogue are real. Mackler has truly written herself a winner.
Being a girl who lacks the thinnest figure, and has always faced that standard pressure, it was nice to finally read a book that I truly related to the main character. This book features a beautiful and uplifting message for all girls, no matter their body type. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone. Bravo.
Good book! Ginny, who is not perfect, is lost in her perfect family. Then her family turns out to be not-so-perfect, and Virginia decides to live her own life and not wait around for her family to figure out that she is perfect just the way she is. I loved Virginia, and I hope a lot of girls out there grow up to be just like her.