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rballenger's review against another edition
2.0
Type of read: Commuter Read.
What made me pick it up: I want to say that it was in one of my suggested reads list? Or it was in the library's promo books list for our current reading challenge.
Overall rating: I really wanted to like 'And We're Off,' like reeeeeaaaalllllyyy wanted to like it. But honestly, it was just jumbled and meh. The idea and underlying storyline are great but I feel like Schwartz tried to throw so much into the book, parent divorce, travel, international adventure, misfortune, broken high school romance, pop culture references...it literally has it all.
I think I might not be the right audience. While 'And We're Off' was a nice change from what I have been reading, I found myself just wanting it to be done. But it's a quick easy read with a cute concept.
What made me pick it up: I want to say that it was in one of my suggested reads list? Or it was in the library's promo books list for our current reading challenge.
Overall rating: I really wanted to like 'And We're Off,' like reeeeeaaaalllllyyy wanted to like it. But honestly, it was just jumbled and meh. The idea and underlying storyline are great but I feel like Schwartz tried to throw so much into the book, parent divorce, travel, international adventure, misfortune, broken high school romance, pop culture references...it literally has it all.
I think I might not be the right audience. While 'And We're Off' was a nice change from what I have been reading, I found myself just wanting it to be done. But it's a quick easy read with a cute concept.
stephijwilliams's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.0
sierralynnek's review
I couldn’t get past the teenager giving her mom attitude anytime the mom spoke
1madchild's review
2.0
2.5?
i mean i suffered through it.
why cant i pick a great read lately.
bit frustrating, some flawed relationships. why is their a trope of adults not being responsible parents and the kids taking up the rains for no forseable decent reason. Like for fucks sake , even if they cant parent, someone else step in.
( discalmer; you havent figured it out by now , all of my "reviews" are just streams of consciousness with little editing)
i mean i suffered through it.
why cant i pick a great read lately.
bit frustrating, some flawed relationships. why is their a trope of adults not being responsible parents and the kids taking up the rains for no forseable decent reason. Like for fucks sake , even if they cant parent, someone else step in.
( discalmer; you havent figured it out by now , all of my "reviews" are just streams of consciousness with little editing)
nklosty's review
3.0
First, I listened to this book. The narrator did a bang up job with expression and accents. The storyline had possibilities for me because I have traveled to Paris, Ireland, and Florence, but the execution fell flat. I like the idea of Grandfather's tasks, but they weren't the focus. In addition, the Mom and friend plot lines were pretty predictable. 78
90sinmyheart's review
3.0
This ended rather abruptly and went a little too meta for me. But I look forward to reading more from her in the future!
adam_armstrong_yu's review
4.0
After following Dana Schwartz on her hilarious parody Twitter account, GuyinYourMFA, of course I had to inhale her debut novel as fast as possible. And I'm really freaking glad I did. This story follows a turbulent summer in the life of Nora, a 17 year old budding artist, who's just trying to enjoy an all expenses paid European trip, hone her talent and skills at a prestigious artists retreat, find herself, get over a boy, all the while dealing with the fact that her mother has unexpectedly tagged along. The reader becomes so invested in the distance between mothers and daughters, that gray area between knowing and not knowing who both of you are, or who you think that person may be. The story focuses itself over the plight artists of all forms have: wondering if you're talented, and, perhaps more importantly, if the talent you do have is even enough. It's about questioning whether you've suffered enough to be an artist, and striking out on your own path, even if other people need you or if you need other people, for the chance to be self-sufficient. This story, which is full of hilarious dialogue that pings off one character to the next, stakes the claim that it's okay to be content in where you're supposed to be, doing what you're supposed to be doing, but not necessarily liking it.
mckinlay's review
2.0
this book would have been 1000x better without the romance. it wasn't necessary and just frustrated me. also, everything felt very rushed and there were a lot of loose ends. i did like all the nerdy references though. i just wish the mother/daughter relationship had been more fleshed out.