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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
3.5 stars. This is a fun and well-paced YA realistic fiction novel. That said, given the book lists it was included in over the past six months, I expected something more profound or thought-provoking.
It took a bit to warm up to Norris's particular brand of cynical snark, but I really rooted for him to figure out his friendships.
Some story beats were very predictable,, however the fallout and repercussions were more believable and current than how any other similar situations would resolve.
Some story beats were very predictable,
Spoiler
especially if you have ever read Harriet the Spy or any book about writing down your darkest thoughts!Norris is a dick to just about everyone and he thinks he's better than everyone. He's the classic high school narrator who's self aware about all the tropes but his misanthropy doesn't come with the usual self hatred. He thinks everyone in the US is stupid and while that's not an unfair assessment for the country as a whole he uses it as an excuse to treat individual people (who are minors and have no control over whether or not they live in Texas) like they're below him.
I was gifted this book by someone who knows me well and usually finds great books so this was surprising. I made myself keep reading because I wanted to know about (minor spoiler) the semicolon tattoo that Liam was trying to hide which comes back up for a few pages in chapter 24 and 25 (major spoiler but only to this isolated plot line)
but it's a story from his past that proceeds to not be mentioned again for the rest of what I read, plus I skimmed the rest of the book for his name and read other people's reviews... nothing.
This is a good book for people who enjoy high school drama from a (genderbent) I'm-not-like-other-girls pov. I am not one of those people.
I was gifted this book by someone who knows me well and usually finds great books so this was surprising. I made myself keep reading because I wanted to know about (minor spoiler)
This is a good book for people who enjoy high school drama from a (genderbent) I'm-not-like-other-girls pov. I am not one of those people.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit, Alcohol
Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide attempt
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
I had this book for quite some time now and I am really glad I gave it a chance.
It's was a quick funny book - some parts were predictable but in a good way. I feel like Norris could be a little less judgmental and give people the benefit of the doubt before cataloguing people right away but hey it's his thing right ;)
It's was a quick funny book - some parts were predictable but in a good way. I feel like Norris could be a little less judgmental and give people the benefit of the doubt before cataloguing people right away but hey it's his thing right ;)
funny
medium-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
Haitian-Canadian Norris is forced to move to Austin, Texas after his mother gets a new job. His first impression of Texas is that it is not Canada and his tendency for snarkiness doesn’t help. Will Norris get used to Texas, better yet will Texas get used to Norris. His rash judgments of people and his inability to keep quiet about it have a tendency of getting him into trouble. Some readers may find him unlikable due to his constant snark but that might make him relatable to others since he uses snark to hide his insecurities. Each chapter leads off with an entry from the field guide relating to the theme of the chapter, which are more a series of chronological vignettes than a serial narrative until towards the end. Readers follow Norris as he makes friends and enemies, finds a job and a girlfriend. Tonally, Philippe affectionately sends up tropes of teen books and movies. This is for those who have outgrown Diary of the Wimpy Kid but want something similar for older kids.
This was like a strange remix of Mean Girls, but with a super judgy teenage boy.
I truly cannot make this review without mocking the main character to shreds, because he was the most John Green-Perks of Being a Wallflower-"I'm not like other girls"-trenchcoat-wearing self-imposed loner I've ever come across. I'm quite certain this character gets off to the sound of his own desperately narcissistic inner monologue, which must make any sexual exploits he has quite unfortunate for the unlucky partner. What got me through reading his endless droll of cleverer-than-thou was the sheer opportunity it gave me to make fun of him. I'm actually a little surprised that this book was set in Texas and not Riverdale, because MC could don a beanie and start soliloquizing about how much of a weirdo he is without a second thought. And his character development was nonexistent—there's a conversation with a character MC has hurt with his actions, and the character ends up saying "oh! It's okay, you're just very true to yourself and I love being your friend." That's it. MC gets ARRESTED and goes to his room and a moment later everything is fine, because he's just so cool and quirky and Smart. At the end of the story, he proudly conspires to get a girl go to prom with him, despite the fact that he CRASHED her sister's WEDDING and assumed she was an idiot because she was a cheerleader. And the narration acts as if this is a plausible outcome!
Field Guide attempts to be a witty, cynical deconstruction of high school stereotypes, as if that idea is anywhere near revolutionary. The main character was so heavy-handed about typing everyone he met, and the big reveal of "OH! People actually AREN'T one-dimensional stereotypes! How SMART is this book!" felt like a three-year-old proudly telling his father that fish can't breathe in air. Unoriginality is not in itself bad, if the story is done well and with enough genuine care to create quality dynamics and plotlines. However, this book in particular was too engaged with patting itself on the back (or perhaps giving itself a cool, mysterious smirk perfectly fitting its loner hipster complex) to spend time being actually compelling.
In my opinion, to be genuinely enjoyable, any type of media needs to have some level of sincerity. The best deconstructions and critiques of genre stereotypes need to have some love for those genre stereotypes, because otherwise subversion looks smugly idiotic. Field Guide was too certain of its own cynical intelligence to be effective in any way. I felt like I was reading the book equivalent of a business/philosophy double major. No—I felt like I was reading the book equivalent of a business/philosophy double major getting off to his revolutionary, groundbreaking thesis about how people have—wait for it, he's a genius!—personalities.
Field Guide attempts to be a witty, cynical deconstruction of high school stereotypes, as if that idea is anywhere near revolutionary. The main character was so heavy-handed about typing everyone he met, and the big reveal of "OH! People actually AREN'T one-dimensional stereotypes! How SMART is this book!" felt like a three-year-old proudly telling his father that fish can't breathe in air. Unoriginality is not in itself bad, if the story is done well and with enough genuine care to create quality dynamics and plotlines. However, this book in particular was too engaged with patting itself on the back (or perhaps giving itself a cool, mysterious smirk perfectly fitting its loner hipster complex) to spend time being actually compelling.
In my opinion, to be genuinely enjoyable, any type of media needs to have some level of sincerity. The best deconstructions and critiques of genre stereotypes need to have some love for those genre stereotypes, because otherwise subversion looks smugly idiotic. Field Guide was too certain of its own cynical intelligence to be effective in any way. I felt like I was reading the book equivalent of a business/philosophy double major. No—I felt like I was reading the book equivalent of a business/philosophy double major getting off to his revolutionary, groundbreaking thesis about how people have—wait for it, he's a genius!—personalities.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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