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sdramsey's review against another edition
5.0
A couple of years ago, my daughter read Ned Vizzini's "It's Kind of a Funny Story" in school, and enjoyed it immensely. Although it didn't sound like my kind of reading, this book did, so with her recommendation of him as a good writer, I thought I would give it a try. She was right; he's an excellent writer.
About halfway through, I began to worry that the author (knowing, as I did, that he was more a mainstream writer) was going to cop out at the end of the book and play the "it was all a dream" card, or something similar. I should not have doubted him! The end was wonderful and stayed true to the promises the book made all the way through.
Fun, engaging, and fast-paced. Highly recommended for YA readers and anyone who lived through being an "other" at school. ;)
About halfway through, I began to worry that the author (knowing, as I did, that he was more a mainstream writer) was going to cop out at the end of the book and play the "it was all a dream" card, or something similar. I should not have doubted him! The end was wonderful and stayed true to the promises the book made all the way through.
Fun, engaging, and fast-paced. Highly recommended for YA readers and anyone who lived through being an "other" at school. ;)
kaitwalla's review against another edition
3.0
For me, the best mark of a fantasy book is whether I’d want to live in the world.
It began with Narnia, as it almost always does. Who wouldn't want to adventure in a world where nothing ever seems to go *super* wrong, and even if you're responsible for the death of the creator of the world you still win the consolation prize of being the freaking King.
It's a bit easy, though, isn't it? That's why with books that were clear descendants of Narnia but had more bits of realism stuck in the way (to a point), like The Phantom Tollbooth or, more recently, The Magicians. Obviously Tollbooth isn't quite realism, but the consequences seemed much more logical and directly resulting from the character's actions more than the "Well, you tried your best" aesthetic employed by Aslan.
This is all by way of explaining my ambivalence toward The Other Normals. It's a nice idea but I feel like it's been much better and to better effect elsewhere. It's a pretty standard postmodern fantasy draw-in: Boy obsessed with a particular media series (in this case, a D&D stand-in) gets magically whisked away to the world that media was based on, goes on quests, etc. Only this one involves a lot more "intentional indecent exposure at a high school dance" than the Pevensies ever dealt with.
I had troubles with the narrator. On the one hand you can say he was more realistic because of his many flaws, but his actions seemed more random and spastic than indications of character facets to be overcome. The mystical connection between the worlds, which serves to alter events and realities, only seemed to work when absolutely necessary and seemed woefully inadequate to explain what actually happened.
I don't want to seem too negative — it's a nice introduction to fantasy, particularly the kind of fantasy that seems more real because kids like you can get drawn into it, and probably would serve as a good bridge for the tween/teen who's familiar with Narnia but not really ready for Lev Grossman's The Magicians Trilogy. For the rest of us, though, there are better places to get the same fix.
It began with Narnia, as it almost always does. Who wouldn't want to adventure in a world where nothing ever seems to go *super* wrong, and even if you're responsible for the death of the creator of the world you still win the consolation prize of being the freaking King.
It's a bit easy, though, isn't it? That's why with books that were clear descendants of Narnia but had more bits of realism stuck in the way (to a point), like The Phantom Tollbooth or, more recently, The Magicians. Obviously Tollbooth isn't quite realism, but the consequences seemed much more logical and directly resulting from the character's actions more than the "Well, you tried your best" aesthetic employed by Aslan.
This is all by way of explaining my ambivalence toward The Other Normals. It's a nice idea but I feel like it's been much better and to better effect elsewhere. It's a pretty standard postmodern fantasy draw-in: Boy obsessed with a particular media series (in this case, a D&D stand-in) gets magically whisked away to the world that media was based on, goes on quests, etc. Only this one involves a lot more "intentional indecent exposure at a high school dance" than the Pevensies ever dealt with.
I had troubles with the narrator. On the one hand you can say he was more realistic because of his many flaws, but his actions seemed more random and spastic than indications of character facets to be overcome. The mystical connection between the worlds, which serves to alter events and realities, only seemed to work when absolutely necessary and seemed woefully inadequate to explain what actually happened.
I don't want to seem too negative — it's a nice introduction to fantasy, particularly the kind of fantasy that seems more real because kids like you can get drawn into it, and probably would serve as a good bridge for the tween/teen who's familiar with Narnia but not really ready for Lev Grossman's The Magicians Trilogy. For the rest of us, though, there are better places to get the same fix.
ladyliterateur12's review against another edition
3.0
You are very much missed and remembered fondly, Ned.
aprilbooksandwine's review against another edition
3.0
I am pretty sure I know Perry Eckhert, main character of The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini in real life. Friends, I was super nervous to read The Other Normals because I had given it to Tony to read before me, because part of it’s about table top gaming and he was really into that, but he ended up not liking it. Turns out, I have different reading taste from my boyfriend. Who would have thought? Anyways, The Other Normals is all about the weight of the world resting on Perry’s shoulders as he must kiss THE girl in order to save the world. Y’all, this book is incredibly unique, made me cringe, laugh and turn the pages super fast.
Read the rest of my review here link goes live 9/30/12
Read the rest of my review here link goes live 9/30/12
electraheart's review against another edition
4.0
I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book initially, but it got better as I became more familiar with the concept. Honestly, when I read that Perry played Creatures & Caverns, I had the same reaction Anna did: oh, it's going to be one of those books. But I was surprised by this book. Sure, the story is based on a boy getting sucked into a real world based on the game he spends all his time playing, but it's a nice mixture of reality and fantasy. When he isn't fighting dog-headed creatures, he's constantly embarrassing himself at camp while trying to win a kiss from a girl. The book is split pretty evenly on which world Perry spends his time in, although I don't blame him for wanting to remain in the Other Normals World.
I'm not sure if I liked or disliked Perry. He had no remarkable qualities, and sometimes it was frustrating to watch him mess things up one after another. But he was certainly an entertaining character, and watching him progress throughout the story was interesting.
Also, can I just add that the concept of this story is all kinds of brilliant? Because that's what won me over in the end.
I'm not sure if I liked or disliked Perry. He had no remarkable qualities, and sometimes it was frustrating to watch him mess things up one after another. But he was certainly an entertaining character, and watching him progress throughout the story was interesting.
Also, can I just add that the concept of this story is all kinds of brilliant? Because that's what won me over in the end.
monty_reads's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars.
I'm such a huge fan of Ned Vizzini's work, and I was so saddened by his death in December, that it's a serious bummer to feel like his final book really isn't very good. Peregrine ("Perry") is a stunted, nerdy kid who plays a lot of Creatures & Caverns, a game obviously indebted to Dungeons & Dungeons. He has no luck with girls and few friends – one, really, another C&C player – and his parents decide to send him to a summer camp. It's at this point that the book turns into an ineffective fantasy. Perry finds himself magically transported to the world of the Other Normals, sort of a parallel offshoot of Earth, only with centaurs and sluglike creatures. He gets embroiled in a plot to save their queen, and the remainder of the book sees him bouncing back and forth between Earth and the Other Normals.
It all seems very half-hearted, not as perceptive about teens as It's Kind of a Funny Story, nor as believably fantastic as Be More Chill. The stuff at the camp is simultaneously overwrought and uninteresting, Perry is a serious whiner of a protagonist, and in the fantasy elements Vizzini doesn't appear to fully understand what makes fantasy work, which means it all comes across as trying too hard.
It's all very depressing to have this be the final word in Vizzini's career on this Earth. I find it more satisfying to believe that in some other parallel offshoot of Earth, The Other Normals proves to be just a minor hitch in Vizzini's long, productive career.
I'm such a huge fan of Ned Vizzini's work, and I was so saddened by his death in December, that it's a serious bummer to feel like his final book really isn't very good. Peregrine ("Perry") is a stunted, nerdy kid who plays a lot of Creatures & Caverns, a game obviously indebted to Dungeons & Dungeons. He has no luck with girls and few friends – one, really, another C&C player – and his parents decide to send him to a summer camp. It's at this point that the book turns into an ineffective fantasy. Perry finds himself magically transported to the world of the Other Normals, sort of a parallel offshoot of Earth, only with centaurs and sluglike creatures. He gets embroiled in a plot to save their queen, and the remainder of the book sees him bouncing back and forth between Earth and the Other Normals.
It all seems very half-hearted, not as perceptive about teens as It's Kind of a Funny Story, nor as believably fantastic as Be More Chill. The stuff at the camp is simultaneously overwrought and uninteresting, Perry is a serious whiner of a protagonist, and in the fantasy elements Vizzini doesn't appear to fully understand what makes fantasy work, which means it all comes across as trying too hard.
It's all very depressing to have this be the final word in Vizzini's career on this Earth. I find it more satisfying to believe that in some other parallel offshoot of Earth, The Other Normals proves to be just a minor hitch in Vizzini's long, productive career.
thelaurakremer's review against another edition
2.0
There will be more? Sigh. Better character development. Tighten your narrative. I dunno.
tyrean's review against another edition
1.0
I wanted to like this book, and I almost gave it two stars. We got it from the library (thankfully), and although I was excited to see a YA fantasy book with a male protagonist, it just went too far into the male fantasy zone for my tastes.
In addition to the 7th grade boys' locker room humor that seemed a bit forced, the whole point of this fantasy book seems to be that role-playing games are very uncool - oh, and that they are all played by geeky boys with no life skills.
Um, sorry. I had plenty of gamer friends in high school (both guys and girls), and they came from all kinds of backgrounds and had all kinds of skills from outdoor survival, to horseback riding, to wrestling, to dating, everything. I played a few games myself, and although yes, I was/am a nerdy girl, I did go to all the high school dances as well, and participated in sports, clubs, and after school plays.
Gamers aren't as geeky as Vizzini portrays them in NORMALS. He just adds to the old stereotype.
In addition to the 7th grade boys' locker room humor that seemed a bit forced, the whole point of this fantasy book seems to be that role-playing games are very uncool - oh, and that they are all played by geeky boys with no life skills.
Um, sorry. I had plenty of gamer friends in high school (both guys and girls), and they came from all kinds of backgrounds and had all kinds of skills from outdoor survival, to horseback riding, to wrestling, to dating, everything. I played a few games myself, and although yes, I was/am a nerdy girl, I did go to all the high school dances as well, and participated in sports, clubs, and after school plays.
Gamers aren't as geeky as Vizzini portrays them in NORMALS. He just adds to the old stereotype.
heatherbennett's review against another edition
2.0
When I originally finished this book, I gave it three stars and decided to come back and write a more in depth review later. After I had time to think about it, I'm giving it two stars. It was an ok book. There were things I liked it about it (some of the dialogue was amusing, and I liked the premise) but there were things I didn't like. The main characters were not relatable, the plot seemed rushed and not well explained, and there was more of a focus on the state of the main characters genitals then I like in my YA books. I finished it, I didn't dislike it, but have no desire to read the sequel I am sure will follow.