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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Pretty good. I was surprised as I picked this up for being on the Best YA Romance list and most of those are...stupid. Here the romance is not very exciting and doesn’t make me feel much, but it’s tolerable enough and between two people who are likable enough. I just don’t see a big spark.
The title, though, points to the actual main storyline of the book - which has to do with Terra slowly coming to terms with her birthmark as part of who she is, coupled with her mother slowly regaining her own sense of worth lost upon her loss of beauty and marriage to an emotionally abusive a-hole.
It’s good that Terra’s passion doesn’t feel like a token one to create the illusion of Depth (like in certain major YA series) but something that plays a major part in the story. Her dedication to fitness also makes sense in her attempts to be as perfect as possible especially given the one thing she can never change being such a focus of her mind.
Terra’s brothers both feel fleshed out as well, one with his tendency to get into accidents to stop fights that their dad habitually picks, one with his work obsession such that he finds it difficult to support those who love him - likely a defense mechanism due to the dad.
Terra’s classmates are sketchy without much personality to the third wheel boyfriend and the somewhat thoughtless best friend, though each gets a good moment. But it’s forgivable given Headley’s focus on the main relationships.
Good cover too; as Tyra Banks says on ANTM, hair in the face is for girls who feel like they’re ugly.
T10 Quotes:
“So how do you judge a boy?”
“Ouch. Hasn’t anyone told you about how delicate a man’s ego is?”
“Maybe men, but boys are all bravado.”
Erik deserved to be more than my vanity plates. He deserved to be so much more than proof that someone could find me attractive.
Every bit of his nascent testosterone was utterly offended. Trevor corrected her, I swear, with a sniff: “A front loader.”
How could you let the best thing that’s happened to you go just like that?”
“He was a good thing, Karin. A great thing. But not the best thing.”
Lydia, if you all were still interested, I’d love to be in the show,” I said.
“Good,” she responded tartly. “We sent out the invitations yesterday.”
And a medical supply worthy of a doctor’s respect — Benadryl, Tylenol, Metamucil (you never knew). Really, it was a miracle Mom and I hadn’t been mistaken for drug mules.
For as long as I could remember, I scanned crowds, too, looking for anyone with a port-wine stain, not to befriend them, but to keep my distance. I wasn’t one of Them and I didn’t want to be mistaken as one of Them.
No doubt his assistant had altered his travel arrangements a million times, trips with girlfriends canceled last minute. Trips back home never booked. Work always took precedence over fun and family. That laid-back, affectionate guy at Christmas was simply a disposable costume, tried on and discarded. Too bad; I had really liked that guy.
That easy compliance, those automatic apologies, made me stop, ask myself what I was doing. I dropped my hold of Mom’s arm, scalded by the realization that I was no different from Dad, rushing her just when she wanted to poke around.
“Okay, let’s go have an early dinner.” Norah stood as if everyone had agreed.
“No,” said Mom firmly.
I stared at her; we all did.
“Well, what do you want to do instead?” asked Norah.
“I would like to go to the orphanage.”
The title, though, points to the actual main storyline of the book - which has to do with Terra slowly coming to terms with her birthmark as part of who she is, coupled with her mother slowly regaining her own sense of worth lost upon her loss of beauty and marriage to an emotionally abusive a-hole.
It’s good that Terra’s passion doesn’t feel like a token one to create the illusion of Depth (like in certain major YA series) but something that plays a major part in the story. Her dedication to fitness also makes sense in her attempts to be as perfect as possible especially given the one thing she can never change being such a focus of her mind.
Terra’s brothers both feel fleshed out as well, one with his tendency to get into accidents to stop fights that their dad habitually picks, one with his work obsession such that he finds it difficult to support those who love him - likely a defense mechanism due to the dad.
Terra’s classmates are sketchy without much personality to the third wheel boyfriend and the somewhat thoughtless best friend, though each gets a good moment. But it’s forgivable given Headley’s focus on the main relationships.
Good cover too; as Tyra Banks says on ANTM, hair in the face is for girls who feel like they’re ugly.
T10 Quotes:
Spoiler
“Don’t judge a man by his vehicle.”“So how do you judge a boy?”
“Ouch. Hasn’t anyone told you about how delicate a man’s ego is?”
“Maybe men, but boys are all bravado.”
Erik deserved to be more than my vanity plates. He deserved to be so much more than proof that someone could find me attractive.
Every bit of his nascent testosterone was utterly offended. Trevor corrected her, I swear, with a sniff: “A front loader.”
How could you let the best thing that’s happened to you go just like that?”
“He was a good thing, Karin. A great thing. But not the best thing.”
Lydia, if you all were still interested, I’d love to be in the show,” I said.
“Good,” she responded tartly. “We sent out the invitations yesterday.”
And a medical supply worthy of a doctor’s respect — Benadryl, Tylenol, Metamucil (you never knew). Really, it was a miracle Mom and I hadn’t been mistaken for drug mules.
For as long as I could remember, I scanned crowds, too, looking for anyone with a port-wine stain, not to befriend them, but to keep my distance. I wasn’t one of Them and I didn’t want to be mistaken as one of Them.
No doubt his assistant had altered his travel arrangements a million times, trips with girlfriends canceled last minute. Trips back home never booked. Work always took precedence over fun and family. That laid-back, affectionate guy at Christmas was simply a disposable costume, tried on and discarded. Too bad; I had really liked that guy.
That easy compliance, those automatic apologies, made me stop, ask myself what I was doing. I dropped my hold of Mom’s arm, scalded by the realization that I was no different from Dad, rushing her just when she wanted to poke around.
“Okay, let’s go have an early dinner.” Norah stood as if everyone had agreed.
“No,” said Mom firmly.
I stared at her; we all did.
“Well, what do you want to do instead?” asked Norah.
“I would like to go to the orphanage.”
Terra has a port wine stain on her face for which she is always over compensating. Working out extensively to have the perfect body as if to balance out this huge flaw. An underlying factor to this is her emotionally abusive father. Her mom overeats to deal with his harsh criticisms and Terra has channeled all her energy to escaping him. And then she meets Jacob, who slowly begins to chip away at all the defenses she's built up around herself. The beautiful thing about this book is that it can celebrate true revolutionary love without reducing the heroine to a pining boy crazy blob. You want to root for Terra and Jacob because they are both fleshed out characters that compliment each other. And this story is also so much more than the teen romance tag. It explores family and of course beauty. It also deals with insecurity without being annoying and a quiet kind of domestic terror that is real and poignant without falling into the trap of being victimizing or too easily redeeming. Great read and highly recommended!
This book changed my life. I finished reading it and I had to read it again because it was so amazing.
Me ha molestado un rato que no pare de hablar de mapas y todo lo relacione con puntos cardinales, pero en general me ha parecido entretenido y bonito.
Loved it. LOVED. I stayed up way too late last night to read it all in one sitting, despite the fact that finals are looming. You guys, this is a story worth reading. Justina Headley has gained herself a fan in me.
Terra has a port wine stain on her face, the far-too-common "friends" that aren't really friends, a scattered and dysfunctional family and one heck of a horrible father.
Her father seriously sucks. He emotionally abuses Terra and her mother all throughout the story, and you will hate him. Headley's characterization is awesome with this guy. He is a real piece of work. So incredibly weak and self centered...ugh. I also loved the way Headley wrote Terra's mother. The way she blooms throughout the trip to China will have you fist pumping because it is really something. Despite the fact that she lost her way and let her husband walk all over her, you can't help but root for her!
Jacob. Oh, Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. I want one. Really. I know I can be a bit of a book slut always falling for the male MCs, but this really is a guy to treasure. He teaches Terra - and everyone who reads the book - to go beyond the surface. He teaches us about strength of character, love, acceptance and the real meaning of beauty.
Beauty is the center of the story. Terra's growth to accept and love herself, her mom's journey to finding herself again...and just the general way that beauty should be defined by the inside, not the outside. Jacob is the maestro: he is the one that leads the way and schools everyone in the book, and everyone that reads and loves the book.
Pick this up and read it. You won't be able to tear yourself away from Terra and Jacob's story. It's a book that'll stick with you, because unlike a lot of other books that deal with the issue of true beauty and self-worth - Justina Headley got it right.
Terra has a port wine stain on her face, the far-too-common "friends" that aren't really friends, a scattered and dysfunctional family and one heck of a horrible father.
Her father seriously sucks. He emotionally abuses Terra and her mother all throughout the story, and you will hate him. Headley's characterization is awesome with this guy. He is a real piece of work. So incredibly weak and self centered...ugh. I also loved the way Headley wrote Terra's mother. The way she blooms throughout the trip to China will have you fist pumping because it is really something. Despite the fact that she lost her way and let her husband walk all over her, you can't help but root for her!
Jacob. Oh, Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. I want one. Really. I know I can be a bit of a book slut always falling for the male MCs, but this really is a guy to treasure. He teaches Terra - and everyone who reads the book - to go beyond the surface. He teaches us about strength of character, love, acceptance and the real meaning of beauty.
Beauty is the center of the story. Terra's growth to accept and love herself, her mom's journey to finding herself again...and just the general way that beauty should be defined by the inside, not the outside. Jacob is the maestro: he is the one that leads the way and schools everyone in the book, and everyone that reads and loves the book.
Pick this up and read it. You won't be able to tear yourself away from Terra and Jacob's story. It's a book that'll stick with you, because unlike a lot of other books that deal with the issue of true beauty and self-worth - Justina Headley got it right.
That... was good, actually. I read it quickly while sitting in a bookstore (so about...2 hours?) and probably didn't garner the full effect from the book. But yet, I still am thinking about it. It just shows that ...love is really beyond skin deep. And that so many people are cruel. And the dad. OH MY GOD. I know there are so many assholes like him in the world which makes me angrier. How dare he. Just... ugh.
Over all, a great book. And I, though I thought I would never say this, but I am totally Team Jacob. Where's my cute goth boy when I need it? :O
Edit April 2010: Now that I've read this book over ten times, I fucking looooove it. I don't even know why.
Over all, a great book. And I, though I thought I would never say this, but I am totally Team Jacob. Where's my cute goth boy when I need it? :O
Edit April 2010: Now that I've read this book over ten times, I fucking looooove it. I don't even know why.
I am absolutly in love with Jacob. He is so perfect for Terra it's unbelievable. I've now taken up geocaching thanks to this book and want to tobbogan down the great wall of China! Possibly one of my favourite books of all time!
It wasn't particularly bad. But it wasn't really good either. Just mediocre, and reminded me far too much of an author the world knows as Sarah Dessen. The plot to me meandered on and on, and took a while to get to some more interesting topics. I found Terra to be awfully dull at times and never connected with her. To make matters worse she continues to hold on to her boyfriend Eric, who obviously doesn't love her without makeup on to cover her port wine stain. Then she meets Jacob (this is where things get **really** cliché!). They bond and talk and, of course they fall madly in love with each other. Terra and her mom and Jacob and his mother visit China to see the orphanage that Jacob grew up in. After having returned to the airport, Terra finds Eric waiting for her at the terminal with roses and her horrible cynical father. A big scene goes down because Eric is jealous of Jacob, and Jacob never knew she had a boyfriend. Then of course the book ends with Terra and Jacob finding each other's love. It really wasn't the worst book ever, but as I stated earlier, it reminds me of a Sarah Dessen book. There were some truly deep and meaningful moments which was helped make me consider giving the book three stars, instead of one or two. Overall: 2/5 stars
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read this book when I was like,,, 13ish???? 14??? I remember loving it so much, but then again,,, 13 years of age ,,