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nikfernandez17177's review against another edition
1.0
1.5⭐️ this was so cringey and awful, it could not end fast enough
celjla212's review against another edition
3.0
Perry Eckert is a pretty typical nerd--he has a weird obsession with a role playing game, he is teased at school, he pretty much only leaves home to go to a comic book store. So his parents think it will be beneficial to send him to summer camp to make some friends and get outdoors.
But once Perry gets to Camp Washiska Lake, he finds much more than he bargained for. The camp houses a portal to a parallel world--the world of The Other Normals. With frog-headed ladies, octopus-tentacled sheriffs, and blue-haired girls, Perry kind of feels like he's stepped into the game world he loves so much. But his world is very real--and Perry may be the only one who can save it.
I had high expectations going into this novel. I was a bit disappointed. For the most part, the story is very original, but there were plenty of things I could have done without.
I know this book is about a 15 year old boy, and kind of reads like a middle grade/younger teen novel--but I would almost have to recommend it for older teens! I thought the amount of cuss words, sexual references, drug, and alcohol use were way too much for a book such as this.
Perry isn't altogether unlikable, but he does tend to complain a lot. In all fairness, his divorced parents have all but neglected him, and his brother is an alcoholic who's in a band. Perry keeps to himself playing Creatures & Caverns, and thus doesn't have any friends.
Once the book gets into the world of the Other Normals, it starts getting a bit more interesting. We learn of all the different, unusual types of animal hybrid creatures that live there, and Perry begins to feel more at home there than he ever did in his own world. In the unfamiliar place, Perry must confront many dangers with the help of his friends Mortin and Ada. During their journey, Perry develops skills he never though he could, and comes back home a more mature guy.
I didn't dislike this book, but there wasn't really anything about it that kept me enthralled, either. Some parts were kind of funny, but some were just weird. I appreciate the author's originality, though. This was definitely different than anything else I've read lately.
But once Perry gets to Camp Washiska Lake, he finds much more than he bargained for. The camp houses a portal to a parallel world--the world of The Other Normals. With frog-headed ladies, octopus-tentacled sheriffs, and blue-haired girls, Perry kind of feels like he's stepped into the game world he loves so much. But his world is very real--and Perry may be the only one who can save it.
I had high expectations going into this novel. I was a bit disappointed. For the most part, the story is very original, but there were plenty of things I could have done without.
I know this book is about a 15 year old boy, and kind of reads like a middle grade/younger teen novel--but I would almost have to recommend it for older teens! I thought the amount of cuss words, sexual references, drug, and alcohol use were way too much for a book such as this.
Perry isn't altogether unlikable, but he does tend to complain a lot. In all fairness, his divorced parents have all but neglected him, and his brother is an alcoholic who's in a band. Perry keeps to himself playing Creatures & Caverns, and thus doesn't have any friends.
Once the book gets into the world of the Other Normals, it starts getting a bit more interesting. We learn of all the different, unusual types of animal hybrid creatures that live there, and Perry begins to feel more at home there than he ever did in his own world. In the unfamiliar place, Perry must confront many dangers with the help of his friends Mortin and Ada. During their journey, Perry develops skills he never though he could, and comes back home a more mature guy.
I didn't dislike this book, but there wasn't really anything about it that kept me enthralled, either. Some parts were kind of funny, but some were just weird. I appreciate the author's originality, though. This was definitely different than anything else I've read lately.
rpych2's review
3.0
The Other Normals was a pretty fun book to read, especially with the fantasy and D&D elements throughout. I like Ned Vizzini as well, but this honestly wasn’t his best work. Again it was fun, but there were some rules that were pretty unclear which made some areas slightly hard to follow. It was good though, not overly deep or complex but definitely an interesting story.
cacuin's review against another edition
2.0
First book of the year. It was a neat look at mixing a d+d world with our own. Made me wish there was adult summer camps so I could go back to one again.
beltaine76's review against another edition
1.5 to 2. I disliked the main character (Perry). That's not a good sign when I'm 42% through the book and I just want him to die. Up to that point, Ada was the only character I even remotely liked. And before anyone asks, yes I play roleplaying games, Magic, video games, read comics, and am a self certified geek who is also a girl. So it's not as if I hated Perry because I didn't understand a gamer.
ericbuscemi's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this, I really did. I loved Vizzini's [b:It's Kind of a Funny Story|248704|It's Kind of a Funny Story|Ned Vizzini|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1347649705s/248704.jpg|240980]. I love coming of age stories. I love the fantasy genre. So this book was an easy sell to me.
Unfortunately, it didn't deliver on any level. The world building was just silly -- lots of basic mechanics were poorly explained or glossed over entirely, while lots of unnecessary details, such as the protagonists inability to pronounce the Other Normals word for money, were expounded on for far too long. More importantly, the characters were unrealistic to the point of bad parody -- the main character is supposed to be fifteen years old, and acts, at best, twelve. He is obsessed with his newly sprouted pubic hair, and this embarrassing-to-read-about detail is brought up multiple times. This surprised me, as this is the same author that captured the teenage zeitgeist so well in his previous work.
Another issue is this book's claim to be a young adult novel. This means the target audience will be about the main character's age -- hence the author won't be fooling his audience with his poor portrayal of a fifteen-year-old boy. Furthermore, the real goal of a young adult book is to give the depth of an adult story without detailing the objectionable sex, language and substance abuse -- meaning a 'PG'-to-'PG13' rating instead of a hard 'R'. While there is no sex (the main character is so naive in this regard it is unfathomable that he grew up in NYC, and not a cave), there are multiple f-bombs and other curses, as well as underage drinking. Now I am not a prude, and don't mind the language or drinking, I just don't understand the decision to make the story so immature and watered down, while leaving the adult vices in. It's the worst of both worlds, as far as a young adult novel is concerned.
Finally, there is the ending. As with almost everything I read now, it was shamelessly set up for a sequel with too many plot threads left unresolved. I understand authors wanting to franchise their work, but it shouldn't come at the expense of a complete story.
Unfortunately, it didn't deliver on any level. The world building was just silly -- lots of basic mechanics were poorly explained or glossed over entirely, while lots of unnecessary details, such as the protagonists inability to pronounce the Other Normals word for money, were expounded on for far too long. More importantly, the characters were unrealistic to the point of bad parody -- the main character is supposed to be fifteen years old, and acts, at best, twelve. He is obsessed with his newly sprouted pubic hair, and this embarrassing-to-read-about detail is brought up multiple times. This surprised me, as this is the same author that captured the teenage zeitgeist so well in his previous work.
Another issue is this book's claim to be a young adult novel. This means the target audience will be about the main character's age -- hence the author won't be fooling his audience with his poor portrayal of a fifteen-year-old boy. Furthermore, the real goal of a young adult book is to give the depth of an adult story without detailing the objectionable sex, language and substance abuse -- meaning a 'PG'-to-'PG13' rating instead of a hard 'R'. While there is no sex (the main character is so naive in this regard it is unfathomable that he grew up in NYC, and not a cave), there are multiple f-bombs and other curses, as well as underage drinking. Now I am not a prude, and don't mind the language or drinking, I just don't understand the decision to make the story so immature and watered down, while leaving the adult vices in. It's the worst of both worlds, as far as a young adult novel is concerned.
Finally, there is the ending. As with almost everything I read now, it was shamelessly set up for a sequel with too many plot threads left unresolved. I understand authors wanting to franchise their work, but it shouldn't come at the expense of a complete story.
tasharobinson's review against another edition
2.0
Really creative, colorful take on the "mundane person gets drawn into fantasy world as their savior" genre, but this book is missing any sense of solidity or depth. The protagonist is immature to the point of implausibility — like when someone implies he's immature, so he drops his pants to show the entire camp his lone pubic hair and shout that he is a man after all. After a string of events on that level of ridiculousness, it becomes hard to empathize with him as a character, or care what happens to him. The action and adventure is enjoyable, but none of the people seem like people, so much as like silly plot devices. I enjoyed this as a distraction on a long train ride, but don't feel any particular need to go on to the inevitable sequel.
heather4994's review against another edition
5.0
I just don't even know where to start with a review of this novel. The characters, Perry, well he is so endearing in an adorkable way, you know boys like this even if you were a girl, you were like him, maybe still have moments like he did. You can't help but like him, he's just trying to become a man and has no idea how to do it. He's fifteen and hasn't hit puberty. He's into playing an RPG game that's not played on a computer. Yeah, more adorkable. He makes his own battle plans and characters but doesn't name them. He doesn't buy the expensive characters. He doesn't even have friends to play the game with. What? No other "nerds" to play this game with. Until he meets Sam in the comic book store. And buys a book about C&C called "The Other Normals". They play in the stairwell at Perry's school and plan campaigns and battles. Perry has one friend.
And then his alcoholic brother tells him, he's going to Summer Camp. Not Math Camp. Nope this is normal camp with regular kids. His parents have been divorcing for 8 years and are dating their respective divorce lawyers so the lawyers confirm this bit of doom and then his parents do, too. It's the worst news he can imagine. As they drive to the camp, there is a sign that all lawyers must get out there. So the divorce lawyers get out without questioning it. (Weird) Maybe if they compared the brochure to the camp they would sue. The lake on the brochure is beautiful, in reality, it's drained. And so it goes with the rest of the camp. Perry's RPG things are confiscated except for a small figure his mom gives him before she leaves. It looks amazingly like Perry and comes in handy when he gets in a fight immediately.
And then, Perry's life changes forever. He follows a creature that he created for C&C into the woods and travels to the world of "The Other Normals". The adventures that follow prove his mettle as a boy on his way to manhood and disprove everything he thought he knew about the universe. He meets Mortin Enaw, Ada, Gramary and Leidan all of whom change his life and he changes theirs. He is tasked with kissing Anna, a girl from the camp across the non existent lake and when they send him back to his side of the world he gives it an awkward try. An embarrassing, unplanned and completely inappropriate thing happens. He has to escape to "The Other Normals" to get away from his shame.
Through a few trips back and forth, the events in his world are changed as well in "The Other World" but Perry himself is changed. He's no longer this kid who is afraid to live in the real world that he has to escape into an RPG to live. He learns to trust himself, think, be brave.
It is a funny story with weirdness at every turn. It is a story about an awkward teen whose pick up line is to hold a fire extinguisher and say, "You need this because you're so hot." He thinks the three story comic book store is like a "nerd Mothership." This is the young inexperienced Perry.
This is Perry in the world of "The Other Normals", just taking things in stride, sorta. "No I'm not. I put down my spork. Everybody uses sporks in the world of the Other Normals." Funny little tidbits are thrown in that make you back up and say, wait what? And you go back and read it again. I so see my youngest son in Perry an I'm going to get a print copy of this for him so he can see that growing up isn't all terrible. It can be a fun adventure. That's what I got most from the story, that despite the awkward phases, you can still go on, no matter how embarrassing or hard it seems.
I definitely think there is room for another story though it's nicely wrapped up. I'd love to read another adventure, growing up story about Perry. It was amazingly well written, fast paced, humorous and fresh. No wasted words, it never got slow or dragged. Even at 400 pages it was a fast read.
I haven't done it justice with my review. I know that. Hopefully others will do a better job. This is an amazingly well written story about the awkwardness of being different in a world of "normal" and trying to fit in. It's about finding that fitting in isn't at all what it's cracked up to be and that being different, being who you are is just fine. But you have to find out who that really is, be honest with yourself about who you are. And you have to move forward. Ned Vizzini is so great at capturing awkward teen years. I hope he continues to write these stories, for the awkward teens, boys and girls, everywhere.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher Balzer and Bray for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review. The opinions expressed are my own.
And then his alcoholic brother tells him, he's going to Summer Camp. Not Math Camp. Nope this is normal camp with regular kids. His parents have been divorcing for 8 years and are dating their respective divorce lawyers so the lawyers confirm this bit of doom and then his parents do, too. It's the worst news he can imagine. As they drive to the camp, there is a sign that all lawyers must get out there. So the divorce lawyers get out without questioning it. (Weird) Maybe if they compared the brochure to the camp they would sue. The lake on the brochure is beautiful, in reality, it's drained. And so it goes with the rest of the camp. Perry's RPG things are confiscated except for a small figure his mom gives him before she leaves. It looks amazingly like Perry and comes in handy when he gets in a fight immediately.
And then, Perry's life changes forever. He follows a creature that he created for C&C into the woods and travels to the world of "The Other Normals". The adventures that follow prove his mettle as a boy on his way to manhood and disprove everything he thought he knew about the universe. He meets Mortin Enaw, Ada, Gramary and Leidan all of whom change his life and he changes theirs. He is tasked with kissing Anna, a girl from the camp across the non existent lake and when they send him back to his side of the world he gives it an awkward try. An embarrassing, unplanned and completely inappropriate thing happens. He has to escape to "The Other Normals" to get away from his shame.
Through a few trips back and forth, the events in his world are changed as well in "The Other World" but Perry himself is changed. He's no longer this kid who is afraid to live in the real world that he has to escape into an RPG to live. He learns to trust himself, think, be brave.
It is a funny story with weirdness at every turn. It is a story about an awkward teen whose pick up line is to hold a fire extinguisher and say, "You need this because you're so hot." He thinks the three story comic book store is like a "nerd Mothership." This is the young inexperienced Perry.
This is Perry in the world of "The Other Normals", just taking things in stride, sorta. "No I'm not. I put down my spork. Everybody uses sporks in the world of the Other Normals." Funny little tidbits are thrown in that make you back up and say, wait what? And you go back and read it again. I so see my youngest son in Perry an I'm going to get a print copy of this for him so he can see that growing up isn't all terrible. It can be a fun adventure. That's what I got most from the story, that despite the awkward phases, you can still go on, no matter how embarrassing or hard it seems.
I definitely think there is room for another story though it's nicely wrapped up. I'd love to read another adventure, growing up story about Perry. It was amazingly well written, fast paced, humorous and fresh. No wasted words, it never got slow or dragged. Even at 400 pages it was a fast read.
I haven't done it justice with my review. I know that. Hopefully others will do a better job. This is an amazingly well written story about the awkwardness of being different in a world of "normal" and trying to fit in. It's about finding that fitting in isn't at all what it's cracked up to be and that being different, being who you are is just fine. But you have to find out who that really is, be honest with yourself about who you are. And you have to move forward. Ned Vizzini is so great at capturing awkward teen years. I hope he continues to write these stories, for the awkward teens, boys and girls, everywhere.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher Balzer and Bray for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review. The opinions expressed are my own.
kappareads's review against another edition
DNF @ Ch 23
I tried to get through this book for my personal challenge, I really did. I wanted to get further because I wanted to see how bad (or good) the parts in the fantasy world were. Like, I could ignore certain parts, but seriously, the writing was terrible dialogue wise. I read the whole first interaction between Perry and a girl to my boyfriend and even he, a non reader was like "Kappa.. stop torturing yourself and stop reading it." So I've stopped reading it.
I tried to get through this book for my personal challenge, I really did. I wanted to get further because I wanted to see how bad (or good) the parts in the fantasy world were. Like, I could ignore certain parts, but seriously, the writing was terrible dialogue wise. I read the whole first interaction between Perry and a girl to my boyfriend and even he, a non reader was like "Kappa.. stop torturing yourself and stop reading it." So I've stopped reading it.