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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
I really liked this read! A lot like Nick and Norah, but way better! I think part of the reason I liked it so much was it was snowing outside! Can get a little dull, but don't give up! Let Stephen Emond take you into Surbuban aeltstyia.
I liked Winter Town. It is by far nothing spectacular or life-altering like some books I have read, but it does have a good story line to it.
The atmosphere in this book is so snowy and Christmas-like that all I wanted to do the whole time I was reading it was make myself a tea and curl up next to the fire with this book in my lap.
As for the main characters Evan and Lucy, I couldn't really find it in myself to care for them too much. Evan was too much of a push-over for me to want to route him on and in her own way, Lucy was too.
Probably what got me through this book from start to finish was the writing style and all the neat little cartoons that Emond drew for his book. The writing style was really easy and simple to just whip right through, so I did just that!
Overall, I enjoyed Winter Towns since it's so close to Christmas and if you want to enjoy this book to the fullest, I wouldn't recommend reading it at any other time. :)
The atmosphere in this book is so snowy and Christmas-like that all I wanted to do the whole time I was reading it was make myself a tea and curl up next to the fire with this book in my lap.
As for the main characters Evan and Lucy, I couldn't really find it in myself to care for them too much. Evan was too much of a push-over for me to want to route him on and in her own way, Lucy was too.
Probably what got me through this book from start to finish was the writing style and all the neat little cartoons that Emond drew for his book. The writing style was really easy and simple to just whip right through, so I did just that!
Overall, I enjoyed Winter Towns since it's so close to Christmas and if you want to enjoy this book to the fullest, I wouldn't recommend reading it at any other time. :)
Oh my god.
Something got to me so deep with this book. I've been sitting in a crystallized mass of unresolved emotions, and somehow, this book just thawed it all down. I don't know what it was, but I am so grateful to have had it come into my life.
Something got to me so deep with this book. I've been sitting in a crystallized mass of unresolved emotions, and somehow, this book just thawed it all down. I don't know what it was, but I am so grateful to have had it come into my life.
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Winter Town is an adorable little novel/comic book about best friends Evan and Lucy who have grown up together since they were little kids and now, as seniors in high school, find themselves on very different paths. Evan lives in New England with his mother, father, and grandmother. His family is loving, but often overbearing, especially when it comes to his academics and extracurricular activities. His father in particular puts a lot of pressure on Evan to apply to Ivy League colleges and take on extra responsibilities to bolster his applications. Lucy, on the other hand, spends most of her year in Georgia with her mother who split from her father when Lucy was 12. It's clear that her home life is unstable and her parents don't have many expectations of her. Lucy visits every year at Christmas for about 2 weeks and during this time she and Evan are practically inseparable. This year, however, it's difficult for them to ease back into the routine of their friendship. Lucy has changed; she's pierced her nose, painted her face with dark makeup, and started smoking. Most of the book is dedicated to watching Evan try to understand and connect with "New Lucy," while Lucy seems frustrated that he can't identify with her difficult reality.
What I love so much about this book is the way both characters are trying to figure out who they are despite projections from each other, from family, from their own expectations about what their lives should be like. I'm also so thankful that author Stephen Emond set up the "knight in shining armor" trope and then intentionally sidestepped it to provide an alternate narrative that gave both of the main characters more agency and more fulfilling arcs. The reader gets the sense that each is able to mend their relationship with the other on their own terms.
I wish this book had existed when I was Evan and Lucy's age. I would have identified strongly with Evan, whose creativity and artistic tendencies are prioritized below his academic prowess and his parents' expectations. I admire Evan for taking risks that I wasn't confident enough to take in my own life and I wonder what might have happened if I had "met" Evan at a pivotal time in my life. Although I gave this book three stars, I think my 17 year-old self would give it at least 4, and I strongly recommend this book to (anyone, but mostly) teenagers and "young adults" struggling to assert their identities and choose life paths that fulfill their own aspirations and not just their parents'. (Oh yeah, and full disclosure: the romantic plotline totally made me squirmy and giddy, so that's a good time, too.)
What I love so much about this book is the way both characters are trying to figure out who they are despite projections from each other, from family, from their own expectations about what their lives should be like. I'm also so thankful that author Stephen Emond set up the "knight in shining armor" trope and then intentionally sidestepped it to provide an alternate narrative that gave both of the main characters more agency and more fulfilling arcs. The reader gets the sense that each is able to mend their relationship with the other on their own terms.
I wish this book had existed when I was Evan and Lucy's age. I would have identified strongly with Evan, whose creativity and artistic tendencies are prioritized below his academic prowess and his parents' expectations. I admire Evan for taking risks that I wasn't confident enough to take in my own life and I wonder what might have happened if I had "met" Evan at a pivotal time in my life. Although I gave this book three stars, I think my 17 year-old self would give it at least 4, and I strongly recommend this book to (anyone, but mostly) teenagers and "young adults" struggling to assert their identities and choose life paths that fulfill their own aspirations and not just their parents'. (Oh yeah, and full disclosure: the romantic plotline totally made me squirmy and giddy, so that's a good time, too.)
I liked the narrative/comic/illustrated hybrid in the book. It added a whimsy to the story that could have become weighted down with angst and emo. Evan and Lucy were solid enough characters although I felt the secondary characters got the short shrift. Really wanted to see the parent/teen dynamic be a bit more, dynamic and not so cliched and expected. It ended it a sweet place which was nice. A good read for cold weather.
I feel a bit like an odd girl out when it comes to Wintertown by Stephen Emond because it turns out most of my friends were neutral about it and I, personally, LOVED it. I began reading Wintertown after finishing the super intense, super long The Lies Of Locke Lamora in need of an intensely different book. You see, I am the sort of girl who gets book hangovers and who knows that the only cure is to read something drastically different. While Wintertown is incredibly different in length, genre, and format, it was just as successful with holding my attention. I am thinking I will have to actively try to search out and read Stephen Emond’s other books because I am totally a fan of Wintertown but I get why other people would not be.
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review and link will go live on March 31, 2014
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review and link will go live on March 31, 2014
Graded By: Erin
Cover Story: Marry Me!
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said
Bonus Factors: Christmas Villages, Cliff Huxtable Award For Awesome Dadhood, Picture Pages!
Relationship Status: All I Want For Christmas Is You
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Marry Me!
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 8
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said
Bonus Factors: Christmas Villages, Cliff Huxtable Award For Awesome Dadhood, Picture Pages!
Relationship Status: All I Want For Christmas Is You
Read the full book report here.
You can find this review and many more at Mermaid Vision Books!
Release Date: December 5, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Personal copy
Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has chopped dyed black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth, "Old Lucy" still exists, and he's determined to find her... even if it means pissing her off.
Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in this funny and poignant illustrated novel about opposites who fall in love.
Discovery: While browsing Goodreads lists one lazy afternoon, I came across this gorgeous cover. If you know me, you know that winter is my favourite season--despite the dangers of frostbite--and I loved that the summary sounded like a quirky, David-Levithan-esque novel.
+ Illustrations. Let's be honest, sometimes it can get exhausting to look at pages and pages of straight text. I probably read upwards of 1000+ pages a week and when I'm curled up next to my pillows, I sometimes need something special to want to keep reading. Wintertown was one of those books that I just breezed through, because the illustrations were amazing. In fact, I can't imagine this story without illustrations--they complement Emond's writing so well and tell their own story. I loved that they weren't super polished and even that the lines seemed to pulse with uncertainty. Evan has a talent to be sure, but he hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet. I loved the potential that I could see in every hand-drawn page.
+ Plot. Slice-of-life stories are some of my favourite pieces to read. Studying creative writing gave me a taste for unvarnished, simple stories about complicated people. And man, were Lucy and Evan complicated. Stephen Emond has a knack for writing coming-of-age tales that get to the heart of all that insecurity and uncertainty. It takes courage to really grow up, and watching Lucy and Evan try to figure things out was both heartwarming and scary. I remember what it was like to be unsure of my own future, and that perspective made reading this book a truly exceptional experience.
+ Romance. This book pushed all my buttons, it really did! When I started reading, I was actually comparing Wintertown to Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (hence the David Levithan mention above). It didn't take long for me to be utterly enchanted by the quiet charm of this story. Where D&L is boisterous and feisty, Wintertown is careful and shy, much like their protagonists. I loved that the romance had so much to do with the setting as well--when it snows, the world looks like a completely different place, and anything can happen. There are so many possibilities surrounding Lucy and Evan, and watching them realize those new dreams was wonderful.
The final say: With vibrant and quirky characters, Wintertown will charm every reader. Stephen Emond writes a story alive with hope and reminds us that our best dreams aren't always the ones we set out to have.
Rating: Excellent.
Release Date: December 5, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Personal copy
Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has chopped dyed black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth, "Old Lucy" still exists, and he's determined to find her... even if it means pissing her off.
Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in this funny and poignant illustrated novel about opposites who fall in love.
Discovery: While browsing Goodreads lists one lazy afternoon, I came across this gorgeous cover. If you know me, you know that winter is my favourite season--despite the dangers of frostbite--and I loved that the summary sounded like a quirky, David-Levithan-esque novel.
+ Illustrations. Let's be honest, sometimes it can get exhausting to look at pages and pages of straight text. I probably read upwards of 1000+ pages a week and when I'm curled up next to my pillows, I sometimes need something special to want to keep reading. Wintertown was one of those books that I just breezed through, because the illustrations were amazing. In fact, I can't imagine this story without illustrations--they complement Emond's writing so well and tell their own story. I loved that they weren't super polished and even that the lines seemed to pulse with uncertainty. Evan has a talent to be sure, but he hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet. I loved the potential that I could see in every hand-drawn page.
+ Plot. Slice-of-life stories are some of my favourite pieces to read. Studying creative writing gave me a taste for unvarnished, simple stories about complicated people. And man, were Lucy and Evan complicated. Stephen Emond has a knack for writing coming-of-age tales that get to the heart of all that insecurity and uncertainty. It takes courage to really grow up, and watching Lucy and Evan try to figure things out was both heartwarming and scary. I remember what it was like to be unsure of my own future, and that perspective made reading this book a truly exceptional experience.
+ Romance. This book pushed all my buttons, it really did! When I started reading, I was actually comparing Wintertown to Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (hence the David Levithan mention above). It didn't take long for me to be utterly enchanted by the quiet charm of this story. Where D&L is boisterous and feisty, Wintertown is careful and shy, much like their protagonists. I loved that the romance had so much to do with the setting as well--when it snows, the world looks like a completely different place, and anything can happen. There are so many possibilities surrounding Lucy and Evan, and watching them realize those new dreams was wonderful.
The final say: With vibrant and quirky characters, Wintertown will charm every reader. Stephen Emond writes a story alive with hope and reminds us that our best dreams aren't always the ones we set out to have.
Rating: Excellent.
emotional
fast-paced