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nonidude's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
1.5
Not what I was expecting at all.
Didn't like the author glossing over dark/deep subject matter with such passivity and flagrant language.
There were a couple passages that I found beautiful and moving. I just wish the whole book was treated the same way.
Didn't like the author glossing over dark/deep subject matter with such passivity and flagrant language.
There were a couple passages that I found beautiful and moving. I just wish the whole book was treated the same way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Suicide, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, Cancer, Homophobia, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal cruelty
bowienerd_82's review against another edition
3.0
The writing style of this book sort of reminded me of certain action movies, where the camera shakes so much that I have trouble watching. Similarly, the narrative in this was so jumpy that I had trouble reading. And it wasn't just the style- the plot and pacing was also very uneven and all over the place.
It was written as a first person POV composed by a teenager, so I'll let some of it slide as being for the sake of verisimilitude, but not at, especially considering Sprout was supposed to be an excellent writer.
I think, also, in the end, I wasn't all that found of Sprout as a character. I certainly felt sympathy for him, and there were elements I enjoyed (such as his fondness for words), but I think, in the end, I felt that he lacked both moral fortitude and compassion. Of course, again, this is also true of many teenagers, but it meant that I had trouble identifying with or enjoying him as the main character.
Still, an interesting book, and the more GLBT YA books out there the better (especially ones that are normalizing, rather than Very Special Issue™).
It was written as a first person POV composed by a teenager, so I'll let some of it slide as being for the sake of verisimilitude, but not at, especially considering Sprout was supposed to be an excellent writer.
I think, also, in the end, I wasn't all that found of Sprout as a character. I certainly felt sympathy for him, and there were elements I enjoyed (such as his fondness for words), but I think, in the end, I felt that he lacked both moral fortitude and compassion. Of course, again, this is also true of many teenagers, but it meant that I had trouble identifying with or enjoying him as the main character.
Still, an interesting book, and the more GLBT YA books out there the better (especially ones that are normalizing, rather than Very Special Issue™).
godloveslola's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sarahbowman101's review against another edition
3.0
13 year old Sprout and his dad move from Long Island to Kansas after Sprout's mother dies. His dad becomes an alcoholic who collects tree stumps and displays them outside their vine covered trailer. Sprout has to learn to navigate the waters of school life in Hutchinson, made more challenging because Sprout is gay. I picked up this title recently because it won the Lambda Award for best LGBT title for young adults. Generally, I enjoyed this book but it is almost too clever for its own good. The writing is filled with interjections -interjections! - and cute little side notes (sometimes interesting sometimes pointless). Appropriate for older teens and even 20 somethings who remember the misfit struggles in high school.
juliemawesome's review against another edition
4.0
I keep going back and forth on this. This book could've been a 5 for me, but yet I'm partly tempted to give it a 3. I liked the voice and the character. And the subject matter. I just.. it's the story I'm uncertain on. And I'm kind of mad at the ending. But yea.. hard to say more without spoiling.
Goodreads recommended this book based on other things I read and I guess I'm not sorry it did.
The typos in the book annoyed me though. Two -- things (what are those called?) that were supposed to be hyphens, two letters transposed in a name, a sequence of 3 words that were out of order and two redundant, and a 'carol' that should've been 'carrel' and actually _was_ 'carrel' about two sentences before that.
Have you ever noticed how some books have _more_ errors the further into the book you go? Like the copyeditor just got tired, or bored, or wandered off.
Anyway, striking cover anyway, right?
Goodreads recommended this book based on other things I read and I guess I'm not sorry it did.
The typos in the book annoyed me though. Two -- things (what are those called?) that were supposed to be hyphens, two letters transposed in a name, a sequence of 3 words that were out of order and two redundant, and a 'carol' that should've been 'carrel' and actually _was_ 'carrel' about two sentences before that.
Have you ever noticed how some books have _more_ errors the further into the book you go? Like the copyeditor just got tired, or bored, or wandered off.
Anyway, striking cover anyway, right?
starnosedmole's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book, and it has quite a few merits to it. The characters are intriguing, the protagonist charming, and real world issues are handled gracefully and without being pedantic.
That said, I kept waiting for something more, and found the last third of the book highly dissatisfying. I was so disappointed at the end that as soon as I finished the last line I actually muttered "Boooooooo!" out loud.
The book is a good character sketch of its narrator, and is refreshing in that there are characters who are gay and developed beyond their orientation. Still, even though I read most of it in a single day, I was tempted to put it down three quarters of the way through because it didn't feel like it was going anywhere; part of me wishes I had.
That said, I kept waiting for something more, and found the last third of the book highly dissatisfying. I was so disappointed at the end that as soon as I finished the last line I actually muttered "Boooooooo!" out loud.
The book is a good character sketch of its narrator, and is refreshing in that there are characters who are gay and developed beyond their orientation. Still, even though I read most of it in a single day, I was tempted to put it down three quarters of the way through because it didn't feel like it was going anywhere; part of me wishes I had.
cryforhelp's review against another edition
2.0
I loved the writing style. The way it ended was not for me though.
adrienneb18's review against another edition
5.0
I thought this book was great. When I finished I had to take a moment to just sit and appreciate it. At first I wasn't too interested in it because I never really liked books that were written from the perspective of a writer, but then Ty was introduced and I couldn't put it down.
sophieloureadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I really would have given this a 5, and it deserves at least a 4, but I was so let down by the anti-climax that I couldn't justify it to myself. Otherwise, a fantastic read that I really enjoyed.