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badpriestess's review against another edition
1.0
I took this book with me on a trip to the gorgeous Tennessee mountains. Looking at the cover, doesn’t it look like it would be a perfect pick for such an environment? First of all, I LOVE the idea of summer camp. I feel that not enough books about summer camp exist for adults. From the cover and the description, I was expecting an exciting and lively adventure at camp with vibrant characters and a lush, green setting. I was so ready to dive right into this world, where young girls are walking arm-in-arm and growing up together for a summer, having new experiences and becoming friends for life. You don’t get any of that with this book, by any stretch of the imagination. Instead, you get a lackluster setting that has no excuse to be lackluster (THE SETTING SHOULD BE GORGEOUS. THERE IS NO EXCUSE. IT SHOULD BE DESCRIBED OUT THE ASS BUT IT’S NOT. IT’S BORING AND WASHED-OUT, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS BOOK), supporting characters you can’t bring yourself to care about one way or the other, a plot that just meanders and doesn’t even try to get exciting beyond icky sexual encounters, and the basest, most selfish, most unfeeling and out-for-herself main character I’ve read about in a long time. Thea freaking Atwell, I am talking about you. Run and hide, girlfriend, because more than once I envisioned smacking you on the head with the very book you’re in.
So, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out right off the bat that there’s tenseness in the Atwell family, probably having to do with Thea, primarily. I’m not going to tell you what happens, but I am going to say that THEA RUINS HER ENTIRE FAMILY 4 LYFE. Her parents and her twin brother, Sam, are never the same after what goes down; thus the whole sending her to camp deal. Because Goodreads lumps this book in the “coming-of-age” category, I was hoping some kind of coming-of-age would happen. Maybe Thea would grow as a person and return to her parents a shining model citizen? Yeah, no. She’s the same nasty, horny brat that she was in the beginning. She doesn’t come to terms with what she did wrong. She doesn’t say she’s sorry. She doesn’t reflect on her part in what happened, or what she could have done differently. SHE DOESN’T EVEN SEEM TO THINK SHE DID ANYTHING WRONG. Being sent to camp should have been the first clue that she did something bad (actually, she should have known that what she did was wrong as she was doing it, yet here we are). That’s why I can’t stand her character. From start to finish, she is completely out for herself, pouty, and unwilling to even act human! Yet for some reason, she makes all these friends at camp? Are you kidding? SISSY, RUN AWAY. THEA IS A TERRIBLE PERSON. (I wish one of her horses had sat on her head and put us all out of our misery).
Thea is the biggest problem I have with this book. But there are other pieces of poop smeared all over this book that need mentioning. The only characters that even semi-intrigued me were Leona and Sissy (really, that’s only because I imagined Leona as Daenerys Targaryen). Everyone else was bland, bland, bland. None of the characters acted like someone would in real life. NONE. I also found that the author would spring new characters on me without introducing them? I had to backpedal a couple times to see if they were introduced earlier, but nope. We’re just supposed to know who they are, I guess.
Honestly, the more I think about this book, the more I hate it. I gave it 2 stars at first, because I did like the writing style for the most part. That’s too generous. 1 star, bitch. Nobody should read this book. It was terrible. Icky sex, god-awful characters, and a bland setting. Really, the only good thing I can say about this book is that it had an ominous tone to start, before we discover the reason Thea is at camp. I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel here to find a tiny sliver of goodness. So glad this was from the library.
So, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out right off the bat that there’s tenseness in the Atwell family, probably having to do with Thea, primarily. I’m not going to tell you what happens, but I am going to say that THEA RUINS HER ENTIRE FAMILY 4 LYFE. Her parents and her twin brother, Sam, are never the same after what goes down; thus the whole sending her to camp deal. Because Goodreads lumps this book in the “coming-of-age” category, I was hoping some kind of coming-of-age would happen. Maybe Thea would grow as a person and return to her parents a shining model citizen? Yeah, no. She’s the same nasty, horny brat that she was in the beginning. She doesn’t come to terms with what she did wrong. She doesn’t say she’s sorry. She doesn’t reflect on her part in what happened, or what she could have done differently. SHE DOESN’T EVEN SEEM TO THINK SHE DID ANYTHING WRONG. Being sent to camp should have been the first clue that she did something bad (actually, she should have known that what she did was wrong as she was doing it, yet here we are). That’s why I can’t stand her character. From start to finish, she is completely out for herself, pouty, and unwilling to even act human! Yet for some reason, she makes all these friends at camp? Are you kidding? SISSY, RUN AWAY. THEA IS A TERRIBLE PERSON. (I wish one of her horses had sat on her head and put us all out of our misery).
Thea is the biggest problem I have with this book. But there are other pieces of poop smeared all over this book that need mentioning. The only characters that even semi-intrigued me were Leona and Sissy (really, that’s only because I imagined Leona as Daenerys Targaryen). Everyone else was bland, bland, bland. None of the characters acted like someone would in real life. NONE. I also found that the author would spring new characters on me without introducing them? I had to backpedal a couple times to see if they were introduced earlier, but nope. We’re just supposed to know who they are, I guess.
Honestly, the more I think about this book, the more I hate it. I gave it 2 stars at first, because I did like the writing style for the most part. That’s too generous. 1 star, bitch. Nobody should read this book. It was terrible. Icky sex, god-awful characters, and a bland setting. Really, the only good thing I can say about this book is that it had an ominous tone to start, before we discover the reason Thea is at camp. I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel here to find a tiny sliver of goodness. So glad this was from the library.
jmj697mn's review against another edition
4.0
A melancholy period piece about a young girl named Thea holding fast to a secret that has begun to destroy her family. She is deposited at The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls, a place nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains that has plenty of secrets of its own. I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, seeing as I despise horses. But the girls were likable and the writing was so lyrical and hypnotic that I couldn't help getting sucked into their lives. As Thea's secret is slowly revealed against the backdrop of the Great Depression, I disliked her more and more, all the while devouring the pages. I felt it ended rather abruptly but appreciated that the author gave us a taste of what the future would hold for Thea and her family.
dianna421's review against another edition
3.0
This book was OK. I liked the story line for the most part. I felt though it was lacking something throughout...not enough meaning behind the main characters actions. As a fan of Asheville, NC, I enjoyed reading a book that took place in the beautiful setting of the mountains of NC. Overall, it held my attention and I enjoyed it...just not a favorite read.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
Thea has been sent away. It’s a punishment, removed from her family she loves so much and made to live amongst strangers. She has never known people outside her family, but she knows she deserves her punishment. She must leave her beloved Sasi behind but at least she will be riding, for she has been sent to Yonahlosse: A summer equestrian respite, educating young ladies since 1902.
Set in 1920s America, the novel spans a time of in-betweens. Not only is Thea at that awkward age between child and adult, but it is also a time where women’s roles and rights were changing, social rules were shifting and of course the start of the Great Depression; where the once rich have to deal with being the new poor. Thea has lived a very sheltered life and somehow that manages to continue despite the rest of the world falling into chaos. She comes across as a bit distant. She’s one of those characters who you won’t exactly like as a person but it all fits with everything you learn about her and her upbringing.
I have never quite grown out of horse books and being a pony-mad girl growing up, I would have killed to have been sent away to riding camp long term! Anton is careful to explain some things that would seem obvious to those who know horses so a lack of knowledge wouldn’t get in the way of enjoying Yonahlossee. However, I do know some people just don’t like horses and well, they do play a big enough role to get annoying if you’re that way inclined. It’s not really about the horses though; it’s about a girl who is cushioned throughout life and the resulting consequences.
I did think at the start that I knew what her secret was and whilst I may have been partly right, each dip into the past reveals something new and my prediction changed repeatedly. It’s fairly slow-paced but enough information is drip-fed at the right moments to keep the intrigue going. I loved the setting, both in time and the secluded ranch in North Carolina. I have seen some people recommending this for fans of The Great Gatsby, but in all honestly, I enjoyed Yonahlossee a whole lot more.
Set in 1920s America, the novel spans a time of in-betweens. Not only is Thea at that awkward age between child and adult, but it is also a time where women’s roles and rights were changing, social rules were shifting and of course the start of the Great Depression; where the once rich have to deal with being the new poor. Thea has lived a very sheltered life and somehow that manages to continue despite the rest of the world falling into chaos. She comes across as a bit distant. She’s one of those characters who you won’t exactly like as a person but it all fits with everything you learn about her and her upbringing.
I have never quite grown out of horse books and being a pony-mad girl growing up, I would have killed to have been sent away to riding camp long term! Anton is careful to explain some things that would seem obvious to those who know horses so a lack of knowledge wouldn’t get in the way of enjoying Yonahlossee. However, I do know some people just don’t like horses and well, they do play a big enough role to get annoying if you’re that way inclined. It’s not really about the horses though; it’s about a girl who is cushioned throughout life and the resulting consequences.
I did think at the start that I knew what her secret was and whilst I may have been partly right, each dip into the past reveals something new and my prediction changed repeatedly. It’s fairly slow-paced but enough information is drip-fed at the right moments to keep the intrigue going. I loved the setting, both in time and the secluded ranch in North Carolina. I have seen some people recommending this for fans of The Great Gatsby, but in all honestly, I enjoyed Yonahlossee a whole lot more.
emdav_e's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
craftygoat's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a librarian recommendation based on some other books I've enjoyed. I double-checked a few chapters in to see if maybe it was a YA book. It's obvious by the end of the book that it's not exactly rated PG, but it still seemed youngish to me.
The protagonist was hard to like at first, and I'm not sure why the author included some of the things that made me dislike her -- how did her stealing her mother's muff & her brother's handkerchief, or sneaking through her cabin-mates' personal items, add to her story?
Lots of parallels & symbolism -- the mother who grows roses and kids in an environment where they don't belong, dumb horses whose fault it never is & who don't actually belong to the girls anyway, the girl Thea pushes away because she's too much like herself, the differences in the ways Thea eventually treats her twin and her Cissy. I'm sure these details help the critical acclaim for the author. Overall I found the story unsatisfying, though. I was compelled to keep reading to find out the big family secret, but in the end I didn't feel there was sufficient growth or resolution.
The protagonist was hard to like at first, and I'm not sure why the author included some of the things that made me dislike her -- how did her stealing her mother's muff & her brother's handkerchief, or sneaking through her cabin-mates' personal items, add to her story?
Lots of parallels & symbolism -- the mother who grows roses and kids in an environment where they don't belong, dumb horses whose fault it never is & who don't actually belong to the girls anyway, the girl Thea pushes away because she's too much like herself, the differences in the ways Thea eventually treats her twin and her Cissy. I'm sure these details help the critical acclaim for the author. Overall I found the story unsatisfying, though. I was compelled to keep reading to find out the big family secret, but in the end I didn't feel there was sufficient growth or resolution.
emjanereads's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
lauriestein's review against another edition
2.0
The settings were fascinating, but I did not find any of the characters remotely realistic. Typical of my usual disappointment when I depart from my normal patterns and read a book-clubby novel.