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stephee's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this quirky little novel about a real art theft that I'd never heard of! Told with alternating chapters, from the points of view of the four characters mentioned in the title, it had me turning pages to see how the different story lines would converge. Great heart and humour abound.
annaleigh22's review against another edition
2.0
I couldn't even get 40 pages in this book without wanting to fall asleep. It might be a good book to others but in my opinion I didn't like it. It was confusing to me. I didn't like the way it was written.
babyleo's review against another edition
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this story. It was a great story already and Williams tells it in a way that engages you and intrigues you, especially with so many characters and their agendas to work around. It was a different story than the kind I had been reading and it definitely stood out.
Set in the 80s and based on true events, there is a great history woven into this narrative. It brings the story and characters to life as Williams puts us inside her character’s minds. I’m not sure whether it was because I knew this was based off true events, or whether Williams created such unique and fleshed out characters, but each of them felt real. We’re inside their heads, we see so many different points of view we get to know them all individually, not through the eyes of one character. I could picture them so easily, I was there with them, I understood their motives and I loved it. Different voices also contribute to the different points of view, Williams making them each stand out and distinctive.
I could not put this down once I had started, I was engaged and invested in these characters and even though it was history it felt like it could have been fictional. One thing I found clever was how Williams has overlapped events, the same moment through the eyes of different characters. It adds another layer of style and creativity, plus form a storytelling aspect gives you another point of view to the same moment.
The fact that you don’t know what is happening is good, and the fact you are trying to piece it all together is great, especially as you are unaware if there even is anything to understand.
The theft takes place in the 80s, but Williams has thankfully not shoved the 80s into our faces. Enough to set a place and a time but not overloaded so nostalgia and a need to remind people of the era takes away from the story.
I was impressed by the ending and I think Williams has wrapped up this story allowing the real events to play out, but also round out each of the characters we have come to know.
This review was published on my blog Lost in a Good Book
Set in the 80s and based on true events, there is a great history woven into this narrative. It brings the story and characters to life as Williams puts us inside her character’s minds. I’m not sure whether it was because I knew this was based off true events, or whether Williams created such unique and fleshed out characters, but each of them felt real. We’re inside their heads, we see so many different points of view we get to know them all individually, not through the eyes of one character. I could picture them so easily, I was there with them, I understood their motives and I loved it. Different voices also contribute to the different points of view, Williams making them each stand out and distinctive.
I could not put this down once I had started, I was engaged and invested in these characters and even though it was history it felt like it could have been fictional. One thing I found clever was how Williams has overlapped events, the same moment through the eyes of different characters. It adds another layer of style and creativity, plus form a storytelling aspect gives you another point of view to the same moment.
The fact that you don’t know what is happening is good, and the fact you are trying to piece it all together is great, especially as you are unaware if there even is anything to understand.
The theft takes place in the 80s, but Williams has thankfully not shoved the 80s into our faces. Enough to set a place and a time but not overloaded so nostalgia and a need to remind people of the era takes away from the story.
I was impressed by the ending and I think Williams has wrapped up this story allowing the real events to play out, but also round out each of the characters we have come to know.
This review was published on my blog Lost in a Good Book
zybooks's review against another edition
4.0
no one could ever guess where this book will revolve around aside from picasso's weeping woman
picasso, la llorona... who would have thought of this?
Spoiler
this was such a pleasing surprise! i've had this on my tbr list for years and i'm glad i finally picked it up and read it. i do agree it could've been so much MORE but its simplicity and straightforwardness is perfect to take your mind off some things for a few hourspicasso, la llorona... who would have thought of this?
amy_heferen's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
librarygalkat's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
Not what I was expecting at all considering the title, the artwork, and the back summary. It was pretty messed up but that didn't stop me from reading it. I don't know what that means. I feel like I'm going to have nightmares about rolling a pram with a baby into rivers now. I feel distraught. Also Luke SUCKS!!!!
Not what I was expecting at all considering the title, the artwork, and the back summary. It was pretty messed up but that didn't stop me from reading it. I don't know what that means. I feel like I'm going to have nightmares about rolling a pram with a baby into rivers now. I feel distraught. Also Luke SUCKS!!!!
kstericker's review against another edition
5.0
Holy crap. So good. Two different chapters made me cry out of suspense alone.
notyourhijabi's review against another edition
4.0
This review can also be found on: http://reading-is-dreaming-with-open-eyes.blogspot.com/2015/11/gabrielle-williams-guy-girl-artist-and.html
"It was funny how you, yourself, could pretend something to you, yourself, that you, yourself, knew full well was untrue."
The Guy, the Girl, the Artist and His Ex begins with a real-life incident about a mob calling itself "Australian Cultural Terrorists" who stole a Picasso- the Weeping Woman- on the 2nd of August, 1986, from the National Gallery of Victoria to draw the attention of the government to increase the funding of struggling artists of Victoria. The painting became the subject of an international manhunt involving Interpol, Scotland Yard and the Australian Federal Police and yet the Australian Cultural Terrorists were never found.
Fear not, this book is hardly about art per se. It's about four characters who are unexpectedly brought together by the painting, for better or for worse. They are:
•The Guy, as suggested in the title, is a guy named Guy (sorry, couldn't resist that) who is brilliantly flunking out of school and has one, rather useless, talent- hacky sacking.
•The Girl, Rafi, has been raised by her mom who's quite off the hinge since her little brother's untimely death.
•The Artist is Luke, who is the mastermind behind the whole Picasso-stealing plan.
•The Ex is Penny, who somehow makes everything come together without intending to that fateful night.
What I liked most about the book are undoubtedly the well-crafted characters and plot. This book is narrated by a third-person omniscient narrator as we are shown the trajectory the lives of the main characters takes when the painting crosses their path. I don't want to talk much about the characters or the plot for fear of spoiling the story for you should you read it, but trust me when I say it suffices for you to know that these were some of the best-written YA characters I'd come across so far. Rafi's mother was really heart-breaking and quite unnerving to read about. Rafi herself was probably the character I liked second least- the one I hated being the Bastard-Ex, a really convincing bastard.
The author should certainly be lauded for touching various subjects such as grief, single-parenthood, academic decline, narcissism and mental illness and still doing justice to them as she weaved a truly interesting story around an art-theft that baffled many its day. This story looks at the murkier side of the art profession and brings to light what most artists go through at one time or the other without being too preachy about it. There are also many LOL moments when we are shown intercepts from letters-to-the-editor where people whine about the ugly impenetrability of art. We are also shown the hardships that teens and people in their early 20s go through, and you'd find yourself rooting for a couple of these characters whether you want to or not.
I loved this book much more than I thought I would and made me remember that first impressions aren't necessarily the best impressions. Overall, this was one clever narration and you'd be doing yourself an unforgivable crime if you don't give this book your time of day.
The story idea: 4/5
The realization of the story: 4/5
The characters: 5/5
The cover: 3/5
Enjoy factor: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
alltoomell's review against another edition
5.0
I've actually never bothered to write a review on Goodreads before but this book was just so brilliant I felt like I had to. There was so much I loved about The Guy, The Girl, The Artist and His Ex. The characters, Gabrielle's writing style and the clever way the storyline unfolds. Throw in my love for the 80s and I have to call this as one of the best books I've read this year.
emilyjmead's review against another edition
3.0
WELL THIS WAS STRANGE. I liked it - it was quite funny and the writing is...not sure how to say this, but smart? I guess? It reminded me of Michael Adams' writing, actually. I loved how all the story threads came together and it was a very unique story.
_____________________________________
Remember when I reviewed Magonia and told you it was pretty much the weirdest book I’ve ever read? Well, I might have found a contender.
This book was pretty weird. I mean, first of all, only half the characters are teenagers (as in, two of them). There are four narrators in total and I only liked one of them.
When I read YA I don’t PARTICULARLY want to read from the point of view of adults. Particularly if they’re complete and utter arseholes, like Luke was.
But let’s talk about some good things.
1. We have really awesome, smart writing.
Everything came together SO WELL. It was just a genius plot. The writing flowed really well, and it was smart writing – it reminded me of Michael Adams’ writing, or maybe E Lockhart. So if you love E Lockhart (We Were Liars, Frankie Landau-Banks etc) you should definitely read this.
Basically, it’s about a painting being stolen from a gallery, and how four people’s lives intertwined around that event. It was SO GREAT figuring out how all the events linked together. I imagine it would have been fun to write.
2. Rafi
First of all: DIVERSITY (Rafi is from Spanish descent). I really identified with Rafi because she’s a good girl and she’s always doing her school work (I mean, come on, there have to be SOME lame people for me to identify with). I also felt really sorry for her, because she made ONE mistake and it went…well, pear-shaped to say the least.
Poor Rafi.
3. It’s so INTERESTING.
I’d never heard of this portrait-stealing thing, but it was a real thing that happened! I love how Gabrielle Williams used that to make a funny, crazy story. Who knows how much of it is real? I’m sure she’ll never tell!
Unfortunately, the “offbeat comedy” part of this book wasn’t so much comedic as…well, offbeat.
I mean, it went from a really funny book to just OH NO WHAT’S HAPPENING THAT CAN’T HAPPEN.
So the tone kind of confused me, because I wasn’t really sure what I should take from that? I don’t know, maybe I’m reading it wrong.
Also…Penny.
So you know how I was talking about Arsehole Luke before? Penny is Arsehole Luke’s ex. And she basically obsesses over him throughout the book even though he is quite clearly an Arsehole. I mean, I KNOW that this happens in real life and it’s awful, but I just couldn’t connect with her because of that.
Adults are strange creatures sometimes. Not as strange as teenagers, but strange.
But if you want to read a book in the writing style of E Lockhart, funny and sad and just a bit weird, this one’s for you.
_____________________________________
Remember when I reviewed Magonia and told you it was pretty much the weirdest book I’ve ever read? Well, I might have found a contender.
This book was pretty weird. I mean, first of all, only half the characters are teenagers (as in, two of them). There are four narrators in total and I only liked one of them.
When I read YA I don’t PARTICULARLY want to read from the point of view of adults. Particularly if they’re complete and utter arseholes, like Luke was.
But let’s talk about some good things.
1. We have really awesome, smart writing.
Everything came together SO WELL. It was just a genius plot. The writing flowed really well, and it was smart writing – it reminded me of Michael Adams’ writing, or maybe E Lockhart. So if you love E Lockhart (We Were Liars, Frankie Landau-Banks etc) you should definitely read this.
Basically, it’s about a painting being stolen from a gallery, and how four people’s lives intertwined around that event. It was SO GREAT figuring out how all the events linked together. I imagine it would have been fun to write.
2. Rafi
First of all: DIVERSITY (Rafi is from Spanish descent). I really identified with Rafi because she’s a good girl and she’s always doing her school work (I mean, come on, there have to be SOME lame people for me to identify with). I also felt really sorry for her, because she made ONE mistake and it went…well, pear-shaped to say the least.
Poor Rafi.
3. It’s so INTERESTING.
I’d never heard of this portrait-stealing thing, but it was a real thing that happened! I love how Gabrielle Williams used that to make a funny, crazy story. Who knows how much of it is real? I’m sure she’ll never tell!
Unfortunately, the “offbeat comedy” part of this book wasn’t so much comedic as…well, offbeat.
I mean, it went from a really funny book to just OH NO WHAT’S HAPPENING THAT CAN’T HAPPEN.
So the tone kind of confused me, because I wasn’t really sure what I should take from that? I don’t know, maybe I’m reading it wrong.
Also…Penny.
So you know how I was talking about Arsehole Luke before? Penny is Arsehole Luke’s ex. And she basically obsesses over him throughout the book even though he is quite clearly an Arsehole. I mean, I KNOW that this happens in real life and it’s awful, but I just couldn’t connect with her because of that.
Adults are strange creatures sometimes. Not as strange as teenagers, but strange.
But if you want to read a book in the writing style of E Lockhart, funny and sad and just a bit weird, this one’s for you.