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protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
Gilly Hopkins walks that fine line between having a soft interior covered by a tough exterior perfectly. That exterior can be harsh and unpleasant at times, but as long as that soft side shines through, we can forgive it most of the time. Sometimes authors don't let us see enough of the soft side and their characters just come off as brats, but Paterson does a great job of making Gilly likable.
goodem9199's review against another edition
5.0
Can't believe I just got around to this one...will remember Gilly and Trotter and all of the other characters forever...foster child finds her place in the world...so good!
bargainsleuth's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those books I had heard of but never read at the age it is targeted to. Gilly is a bully, a racist, has a foul mouth, is rude, disrespectful and more. It wasn't easy reading the story with such an unlikable protagonist. Yet the book is written well enough I wanted to find out what happened to her.
chambecc's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
4.5
Gosh, this book takes me back. I won't lie when I say I absolutely judged this book by its cover when I was younger: the classic cover of the titular character defiantly blowing a giant, pink bubblegum bubble on the cover? I had to find out more!
And while Gilly's penchant for antics like blowing large bubbles are part of the book, it's really about a young, shiftless girl trying to find her bearings in life. This book feels very real, which is I think why some people might be uncomfortable with it - Gilly feels like an actual girl you could meet. She is not very sympathetic or kind at the beginning of the book; she's something of a bully, and she makes racist, mean remarks. But as we learn of her backstory, we also begin to realize that she has a soft side to her - that's when the book really hits its stride. And that maybe Galadriel "Gilly" Hopkins isn't such a cruel girl after all...
Returning to this book all these years later was a ton of fun. I'm really glad I did.
And while Gilly's penchant for antics like blowing large bubbles are part of the book, it's really about a young, shiftless girl trying to find her bearings in life. This book feels very real, which is I think why some people might be uncomfortable with it - Gilly feels like an actual girl you could meet. She is not very sympathetic or kind at the beginning of the book; she's something of a bully, and she makes racist, mean remarks. But as we learn of her backstory, we also begin to realize that she has a soft side to her - that's when the book really hits its stride. And that maybe Galadriel "Gilly" Hopkins isn't such a cruel girl after all...
Returning to this book all these years later was a ton of fun. I'm really glad I did.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
stephxsu's review against another edition
3.0
Although written over 30 years ago, THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS will still be a cute read for the avid young reader, despite the fact that some aspects of the book, particularly the racist element, may be dated. Gilly is fiercely determined to hold on to her gruffness, which may delight young girls who love their anti-heroines. And yet she has a definite soft side, even though she may not want to admit it. I chuckled as Gilly’s attempts to stay cold and detached often backfired on her. Gilly comes from a time when racism is still latent, and so some of her reactions to people may be a little uncomfortable for us. Still, it’s important to note that the book itself isn’t a racist book, and that over the course of the book Gilly grows. I have other juvenile fiction contemporary favorites out there, but this one isn’t so bad.
cjeffries's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
taylorhaney's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.75
24marsha's review against another edition
3.0
This book was kind of painfully depressing but probably realistic. I didn't like how abrupt the ending was because I had invested a lot of my heart into Gilly and we are left hanging.
kschmoldt's review against another edition
4.0
This was a little excursion into the world of kid's literature. I thought this book was very good and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to the 11 + crowd. Gilly does use some bad language, though still pretty tame by today's standards. I liked Gilly even though she started out being so rotten to everyone. She's a good character to study in the way of transformations...