Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
A fun read after the 2016 Olympics. If you're a fan of gymnastics or the Olympics or competitiveness in general, you may enjoy this. The gymnastics aspect was fun even with a few minor mistakes in terms of skills but it wasn't a huge deal. The drama aspect made the book more fun and I loved how the team named at the end was not what I was expecting. The whole book takes place within two days of the Olympic Trials but mentions things that have happened in the past to the gymnasts. It switches between the point of view of five of the gymnasts competing and each of them are very different. I enjoyed the book a lot.
I loved this book. I love gymnastics. This was such a good story about five different gymnasts. And also about the costs of being a gymnast and the sacrifices it takea to be great.
3.5
I like watching gymnastics but not enough to know all the technical stuff, so I enjoyed this peek at what elite gymnastics might be like. I didn't love the writing style all the time, though. Like, at least three separate times the author describes food "coating" characters' body parts, a really unusual image for a metaphor. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and change and become better people, though, and I thought the author did a good job with that.
I like watching gymnastics but not enough to know all the technical stuff, so I enjoyed this peek at what elite gymnastics might be like. I didn't love the writing style all the time, though. Like, at least three separate times the author describes food "coating" characters' body parts, a really unusual image for a metaphor. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and change and become better people, though, and I thought the author did a good job with that.
4.5 stars
Something about girls who are passionate and devote their lives to something always gets me. This reminded me a bit of Tiny Pretty Things but a bit less dark and about gymnastics obviously.
We follow 5 girls competing at the U.S. Olympic trials, and it does feature some diversity as one of them is gay and in the closet (Leigh), one is half Asian (Grace), and another is Black (Wilhelmina). I can't speak to the Asian or lesbian representation, but for Wilhelmina something seemed off to me most likely because this isn't own voices (None of the rep is). I don't think it was bad representation at all just something I noticed. For example throughout the story I think it was implied that Wilhelmina was treated unfairly at least partly because she was Black but the story never went *there* likely because the author didn't want to overstep.
I was intrigued by all the unique characters and their stories. I thought they were well written and I really felt for their struggles. I actually don't know a lot about gymnastics so I'm not the person to ask about any errors regarding that. The part of the story that endeared me the most was really the theme of seeing how all of them LOVE gymnastics and struggling with how much they've given up for the sport. I thought how each of the characters described it was realistic and tugged at my heart strings.
Something about girls who are passionate and devote their lives to something always gets me. This reminded me a bit of Tiny Pretty Things but a bit less dark and about gymnastics obviously.
We follow 5 girls competing at the U.S. Olympic trials, and it does feature some diversity as one of them is gay and in the closet (Leigh), one is half Asian (Grace), and another is Black (Wilhelmina). I can't speak to the Asian or lesbian representation, but for Wilhelmina something seemed off to me most likely because this isn't own voices (None of the rep is). I don't think it was bad representation at all just something I noticed. For example throughout the story I think it was implied that Wilhelmina was treated unfairly at least partly because she was Black but the story never went *there* likely because the author didn't want to overstep.
I was intrigued by all the unique characters and their stories. I thought they were well written and I really felt for their struggles. I actually don't know a lot about gymnastics so I'm not the person to ask about any errors regarding that. The part of the story that endeared me the most was really the theme of seeing how all of them LOVE gymnastics and struggling with how much they've given up for the sport. I thought how each of the characters described it was realistic and tugged at my heart strings.
2.5 stars. This could have been so good. So much potential on great storylines (eating disorders, controlling parents, abusive coaches, gay athletes the national team coordinator, etc.) that was entirely wasted on dumb storylines about mean girl drama. AND THEY ARE ALL SO MEAN. I get that teenagers suck, but damn, even this plotline could have been done in such a different way. So disappointing.
This was a cute little book. I thought it was well researched but it was a younger young adult book then I'm used to reading. However, I liked the way certain issues were addressed like the pressure to starve and the pressure to be tiny.
I liked some characters more than others for sure, but overall I thought this was a good book. Decent read but not my favorite, I love olympic gymnastics so I guess I thought I would eat this up and it didn't live up to that expectation
I liked some characters more than others for sure, but overall I thought this was a good book. Decent read but not my favorite, I love olympic gymnastics so I guess I thought I would eat this up and it didn't live up to that expectation
This book really did a great job capturing the intensity of elite athletes, while also reminding us how human they are. Tumbling follows five gymnasts during the two days of the Olympic trials. There are ups and downs and lots of revelations.
Carter depicts the drama and inner conflicts, which women competing at this level experience. She shows us the sacrifices they make and the toll the sport takes on their bodies and their relationships. She shows us the glory of the win and the agony of the defeat.
Overall: A compelling look into elite sports, which was quite deep and very emotional.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Carter depicts the drama and inner conflicts, which women competing at this level experience. She shows us the sacrifices they make and the toll the sport takes on their bodies and their relationships. She shows us the glory of the win and the agony of the defeat.
Overall: A compelling look into elite sports, which was quite deep and very emotional.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
I feel like I’ve been starting half my reviews lately with “yay, I finally got this off of my judgey shelf of blogger shame and read it!” which I’m going to do again here. Tumbling came out in June, and I’ve finally gotten to it. I don’t know about you guys, but I find it so hard to deal with finished review copies because they show up like one week before, and they just do not fit in my meticulously planned schedule. Oh well. Tumbling delivered a brilliant routine with barely a wobble.
When it comes to sports books, they tend to fall into two basic camps. Either they’re about the sport in a realistic way, or they use the sport as a backdrop for melodrama and intensity, because athletes tend to be attractive. It’s the difference between, like, seeing an actual ballet and watching Dance Academy. Tumbling falls on the serious end of the spectrum. Dramatic things do happen, but they’re not overdone, and they’re realistic to the dangers of the sport.
Just watching the Olympics every four years, it’s obvious how incredibly difficult and dangerous gymnastics is, but I still didn’t really get how freaking much so until I read Tumbling. There’s a lot in here about training and how the rules work (or don’t) and it really drives home in a real way the fact that gymnastics, as done now, fucking destroys the girls. I mean, the nineteen and twenty year-old gymnasts are “old” and are taking their last shot at achieving Olympic dreams.
Tumbling follows five of the 12 girls competing in the Olympic trials one year, and essentially takes on how corrupt everything is. The central conflict lies in Katja Minkovski, likely a stand in for Marta Karolyi, attempting to keep control over the world of gymnastics. One gymnast, Wilhelmina, who was four days to young to compete in the prior Olympic trials, had one last chance to make her Olympic dream come true. She trained in a safer way than Katja’s brutal camps and has surprised Katja with her all-around skills, having worked as a vaulter the past four years. Mina’s attempt to make the Olympics as a powerfully built gymnast who didn’t follow Katja’s rules takes center stage.
Grace and Leigh are girls who have done everything Katja’s way, and they’re both almost shoo-ins for the Olympic team. Leigh struggles with the way the competitiveness of gymnastics has turned her into a mean girl. Grace meanwhile doesn’t mind being a bitchy gymnastics girl, because she would do anything to succeed, including not eat, so she can remain thin as a reed.
The last two girls are the oldest and youngest, Cammie and Monica, respectively. Comeback Cammie was chosen for the prior Olympic team but couldn’t go after her mom got in a fender bender that broke Cammie’s back, because Cammie was so underweight she wasn’t safe riding in the front seat. Now a specialist vaulter with a powerhouse body type, Cammie tries to figure out who she make happy: her mom with her Olympic dreams, her boyfriend who wants her to quit gymnastics entirely, or herself with dreams of college gymnastics.
Monica’s young and thin and idealistic. She’s never been one of the top contenders, and everyone was astounded she even made the Olympic Trials. Suddenly, though, she’s doing really well and becoming a potential contender, resulting in a lot of bullying coming her way from Leigh and Grace. Monica attempts to find confidence in herself in this toxic environment.
I became completely caught up in Tumbling somewhere around the second or third rotation. Each girl’s story is compelling, even those I didn’t bond with as much. Obviously Wilhelmina and Monica are easiest to like, because they’re kind and caring, but all of the girls are well-developed. Carter deals with a lot of heavy topics, but the book doesn’t get overly dark and heavy or hopeless. She does a really great job describing the gymnastics too, and I learned a bit more about some elements I hadn’t really understood. I didn’t get massive feelings, but I did get some, and the book was hard to put down.
If you love gymnastics, give Tumbling a shot. It wasn’t quite a perfect ten, but, hey, basically nothing is in gymnastics these days. This book is excellent; read it.
When it comes to sports books, they tend to fall into two basic camps. Either they’re about the sport in a realistic way, or they use the sport as a backdrop for melodrama and intensity, because athletes tend to be attractive. It’s the difference between, like, seeing an actual ballet and watching Dance Academy. Tumbling falls on the serious end of the spectrum. Dramatic things do happen, but they’re not overdone, and they’re realistic to the dangers of the sport.
Just watching the Olympics every four years, it’s obvious how incredibly difficult and dangerous gymnastics is, but I still didn’t really get how freaking much so until I read Tumbling. There’s a lot in here about training and how the rules work (or don’t) and it really drives home in a real way the fact that gymnastics, as done now, fucking destroys the girls. I mean, the nineteen and twenty year-old gymnasts are “old” and are taking their last shot at achieving Olympic dreams.
Tumbling follows five of the 12 girls competing in the Olympic trials one year, and essentially takes on how corrupt everything is. The central conflict lies in Katja Minkovski, likely a stand in for Marta Karolyi, attempting to keep control over the world of gymnastics. One gymnast, Wilhelmina, who was four days to young to compete in the prior Olympic trials, had one last chance to make her Olympic dream come true. She trained in a safer way than Katja’s brutal camps and has surprised Katja with her all-around skills, having worked as a vaulter the past four years. Mina’s attempt to make the Olympics as a powerfully built gymnast who didn’t follow Katja’s rules takes center stage.
Grace and Leigh are girls who have done everything Katja’s way, and they’re both almost shoo-ins for the Olympic team. Leigh struggles with the way the competitiveness of gymnastics has turned her into a mean girl. Grace meanwhile doesn’t mind being a bitchy gymnastics girl, because she would do anything to succeed, including not eat, so she can remain thin as a reed.
The last two girls are the oldest and youngest, Cammie and Monica, respectively. Comeback Cammie was chosen for the prior Olympic team but couldn’t go after her mom got in a fender bender that broke Cammie’s back, because Cammie was so underweight she wasn’t safe riding in the front seat. Now a specialist vaulter with a powerhouse body type, Cammie tries to figure out who she make happy: her mom with her Olympic dreams, her boyfriend who wants her to quit gymnastics entirely, or herself with dreams of college gymnastics.
Monica’s young and thin and idealistic. She’s never been one of the top contenders, and everyone was astounded she even made the Olympic Trials. Suddenly, though, she’s doing really well and becoming a potential contender, resulting in a lot of bullying coming her way from Leigh and Grace. Monica attempts to find confidence in herself in this toxic environment.
I became completely caught up in Tumbling somewhere around the second or third rotation. Each girl’s story is compelling, even those I didn’t bond with as much. Obviously Wilhelmina and Monica are easiest to like, because they’re kind and caring, but all of the girls are well-developed. Carter deals with a lot of heavy topics, but the book doesn’t get overly dark and heavy or hopeless. She does a really great job describing the gymnastics too, and I learned a bit more about some elements I hadn’t really understood. I didn’t get massive feelings, but I did get some, and the book was hard to put down.
If you love gymnastics, give Tumbling a shot. It wasn’t quite a perfect ten, but, hey, basically nothing is in gymnastics these days. This book is excellent; read it.