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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide attempt
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
The worst excesses of geek boy misogyny. I enjoyed the culture clashes, but Norris's smug, noxious worldview doesn't get deconstructed quite enough to make up for having to spend time reading it.
I didn't hate this, but I thought I would like it a lot more than I did. It was alright.
Phenomenal! Hilarious with some BLM themes snuck in but overall Ben Phillipe is my new author crush who also is a staff writer for Only Murders in the Building and wrote the no audio episode! His laugh out loud humor that is grounded in reality of HS (moving from Canada to TX as a black 16 year old) is my favorite kind of book to read. Definitely one to read or listen to and recommend for students!
There's a certain charm to Norris and The Field Guide that somehow saves it from being just another YA dud. It's almost inexplicable. Maybe the best way to describe it, in my observation, is that it walks the line. For example, Norris is (as many YA protagonists are) needlessly quirky, but it's not so overbearing as most books you find in the genre, so almost needlessly quirky is a more appropriate descriptor. The Field Guide addresses a number of social issues and hot topics that are certainly worth time in YA literature, including race, parent-child relationships, mental health, and so on, and it does so by being almost painfully direct but still handling things deftly and without becoming preachy. Lame direct cultural references are scattered throughout that date the book and work (as such references always do) only to show the author working too hard to be relevant and timely, but they aren't that offensive all told.
My only real problem is that the plot kind of meanders. It is clear in the beginning that, but it's never really obvious that . Instead, . Then, at the very end, .
So, it's a mixed bag. I think I'm really at 3.5 stars and deciding to be generous. You can do MUCH worse in YA lit than The Field Guide. Some of its content, especially including Norris' relationship with his mother, is handled really well and should be celebrated. But if you read this and you feel like by the end you still don't really know where it was going or what type of reader it was for, you shouldn't feel surprised.
My only real problem is that the plot kind of meanders. It is clear in the beginning that
Spoiler
Norris' mother will move back to Canada with him if their first year in Austin, Texas does not play out in his favor after putting in genuine effortSpoiler
the story is actually supposed to be a make-or-break year with a move riding on the resultSpoiler
Norris pursues a romantic relationship, receives romance mentoring from another friend, works a part-time job, and befriends another loner, kind of just stumbling his way through all of it with no future orientation to speak of besides the next kiss or the next hockey practiceSpoiler
when everything unsurprisingly goes south because Norris' stereotypical teenager emotional disorganization betrays him, the worlds collide in rapid succession but only play out to the extent that each gets its own perfectly wrapped, shiny, kind of unsatisfying and blase endingSo, it's a mixed bag. I think I'm really at 3.5 stars and deciding to be generous. You can do MUCH worse in YA lit than The Field Guide. Some of its content, especially including Norris' relationship with his mother, is handled really well and should be celebrated. But if you read this and you feel like by the end you still don't really know where it was going or what type of reader it was for, you shouldn't feel surprised.
3.5/5 Stars
"I'm not...I'm not always superaware of the whole 'feelings' thing. My own or other people's.
I really enjoyed this, but some aspects fell flat to me. I absolutely adored the writing style. The author has a sense of humor that I love and found myself laughing at many times.
The whole romance wasn't great to me. I shipped two other people together than the main romance. I also got bored through a couple with the parts. Also, Norris seemed to get himself into trouble for the stupidest things, which I didn't like. It just made more drama than there needed to be.
I loved Liam and Maddie so much. They were my two favorites through this. Also, the fact that there was talk about police brutality against Black people from a mother's perspective. I don't wanna say I loved it because it was a sad moment, but it still was a great moment in the novel.
I would love to have a sequel to it, and by the way it ended, it could happen.
Trigger Warning: talk of suicide
"I'm not...I'm not always superaware of the whole 'feelings' thing. My own or other people's.
I really enjoyed this, but some aspects fell flat to me. I absolutely adored the writing style. The author has a sense of humor that I love and found myself laughing at many times.
The whole romance wasn't great to me. I shipped two other people together than the main romance. I also got bored through a couple with the parts. Also, Norris seemed to get himself into trouble for the stupidest things, which I didn't like. It just made more drama than there needed to be.
I loved Liam and Maddie so much. They were my two favorites through this. Also, the fact that there was talk about police brutality against Black people from a mother's perspective. I don't wanna say I loved it because it was a sad moment, but it still was a great moment in the novel.
I would love to have a sequel to it, and by the way it ended, it could happen.
Trigger Warning: talk of suicide
3.5 stars
FINALLY, a YA character that doesn't get what he wants in the end and isn't forgiven for his crummy actions.
FINALLY, a YA character that doesn't get what he wants in the end and isn't forgiven for his crummy actions.
challenging
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Surprisingly Lovable
The characters were written so well. I felt like I really knew these kids. I expected a cheesy happy ending, but that’s not what I got. It was realistic, but still super cute. Overall, the story just felt good. I thought the author did a great job with this book.
The characters were written so well. I felt like I really knew these kids. I expected a cheesy happy ending, but that’s not what I got. It was realistic, but still super cute. Overall, the story just felt good. I thought the author did a great job with this book.