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lovehavi's review
4.0
camp as fuck, bizarre, tense, drama to the ceiling, cruel and so much more. if i was davidek i'd be obsessed with noah stein too!!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Violence, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Child death, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
stephwiesman's review
4.0
Sometimes I feel like I'm a magnet for books about people with unhappy lives, and throughout the book things get shittier and never get better. I don't know why I read books like that, but in this case, I'm glad I did. This was an amazing book about high school, tragedies, friendships, bullying, and even a little bit of love. Although the ending wasn't happy, is anybody's ending ever happy?
andgineer's review
3.0
Книга про подростковый период, но написанная для взрослых.
Автор заставляет сопереживать героям книги, сюжет вполне интересен. Все воспринимается как серьезные темы, хотя речь о чисто подростковых проблемах. С другой стороны, они очень серьезны для подростка, и в немалой степени формируют способ взаимодействия с окружающим уже в его зрелом возрасте.
Автор заставляет сопереживать героям книги, сюжет вполне интересен. Все воспринимается как серьезные темы, хотя речь о чисто подростковых проблемах. С другой стороны, они очень серьезны для подростка, и в немалой степени формируют способ взаимодействия с окружающим уже в его зрелом возрасте.
theangrystackrat's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was sad and aggravating. The reality of this story felt so preposterous. No one was able to sympathize with anyone. Adults were jerks. Kids were jerks. In what world is everyone an asshole?
pantsreads's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5
I'm honestly not quite sure if I liked this or not. Certain parts—definitely. But on the whole? It might take me a bit to come to a decision.
Read my full review here.
I'm honestly not quite sure if I liked this or not. Certain parts—definitely. But on the whole? It might take me a bit to come to a decision.
Read my full review here.
michellewords's review
3.0
Well, that book was...an experience.
I remember when this book came out, there was so much buzz around it. The cover and description of this old Catholic school and how both students and teachers collide in the book that mainly focuses on three freshmen and their experiences.
Right out of the gate, Breznican comes in hot with the first chapter. The first chapter describes an incredibly complex, violent event at the school right before our main characters begin to actually go to the school. I loved this chapter more than the whole book. It lays down some really cool ground work and character creation that gave me VERY unrealistic expectations for the rest of the book.
From there we meet Peter, Noah, and Lorelei. Each character has their own set of needs and desires for the time at Saint Michaels-but it doesn't go the way they hoped or expected.
In my library, this book is in the general, adult fiction section and I'm a little surprised. I don't feel like this book has much going on for adults at all. I think it would be better fit for YA. It's a lot about navigating high school and the movement from childhood to adulthood.
There's some good themes in the book with bullies of all ages and personalities to becoming an adult and who you are as a person and not based on what other people make you.
That said, I don't feel as though the book navigates these themes or opportunities very well at all. At times the book was REALLY dull with day-to-day things that didn't make sense or matter at all. It wasn't compelling and felt really dragged out. So much so that even at the different plot points, I didn't feel invested and I often missed it so I had to rewind to find out what happened because I zoned out.
End of the day, this wasn't for me and I really don't know if most adults will appreciate or enjoy the book. I think I would have liked the book a lot better in high school where it's more applicable and relatable.
Do not recommend to the general audience-forgettable. Do recommend to YA audiences with the caveat of a slower book.
I remember when this book came out, there was so much buzz around it. The cover and description of this old Catholic school and how both students and teachers collide in the book that mainly focuses on three freshmen and their experiences.
Right out of the gate, Breznican comes in hot with the first chapter. The first chapter describes an incredibly complex, violent event at the school right before our main characters begin to actually go to the school. I loved this chapter more than the whole book. It lays down some really cool ground work and character creation that gave me VERY unrealistic expectations for the rest of the book.
From there we meet Peter, Noah, and Lorelei. Each character has their own set of needs and desires for the time at Saint Michaels-but it doesn't go the way they hoped or expected.
In my library, this book is in the general, adult fiction section and I'm a little surprised. I don't feel like this book has much going on for adults at all. I think it would be better fit for YA. It's a lot about navigating high school and the movement from childhood to adulthood.
There's some good themes in the book with bullies of all ages and personalities to becoming an adult and who you are as a person and not based on what other people make you.
That said, I don't feel as though the book navigates these themes or opportunities very well at all. At times the book was REALLY dull with day-to-day things that didn't make sense or matter at all. It wasn't compelling and felt really dragged out. So much so that even at the different plot points, I didn't feel invested and I often missed it so I had to rewind to find out what happened because I zoned out.
End of the day, this wasn't for me and I really don't know if most adults will appreciate or enjoy the book. I think I would have liked the book a lot better in high school where it's more applicable and relatable.
Do not recommend to the general audience-forgettable. Do recommend to YA audiences with the caveat of a slower book.
secretskeeper's review
3.0
This book would be good for all those kids in high school trying to get by. It makes one think that maybe they didn't have it so bad. The characters had their moments of good and evil and overall balanced well. Every once in a while I was left thinking "all right where is this leading me" but everything was tied up in the end. May not have been an end I wanted, but everything was squared away.
sasha_in_a_box's review
5.0
Oh man. This book is, for the lack of a better word, brutal. It battered me and wrung me out and fluffed me out and then wrung me out again and then tossed me to flap in the wind... I don't know why a laundry metaphor is necessary, but that's exactly how I felt.
I really hate books about bullying, because I'm just not strong enough to read them. Here comes an irrelevant story about me in 3rd grade, so it's marked with a spoiler if you want to skip over it.
I was teased and bullied a little in elementary school. Nowhere near as traumatic as in this novel, because it was mostly name-calling (I was the smallest in my class so they called me Pampers, or my Japanese classmates told me I had "poop hair", etc.) Just when my 3rd grade Japanese classmates were gearing up to get really nasty, they started leaving notes in my desk that upset me and I let it show. But then they fucked up. One of the notes said: "Go back to America and die". JOKE'S ON YOU, I'M FROM RUSSIA. After that, their efforts were transparent to me and I realized that they don't actually care about me personally. Their ignorance because my shield, and the mean kids eventually gave up. I never did have friends there until I switched schools the next year, but I was okay with that tradeoff. I was very, very lucky. Japanese school bullying is insane, and I basically got off scot-free. Just thinking about the plunge that I almost involuntarily took is scary. And it's that thought that makes it impossible for me to imagine what it's like for the kids who actually fall down that cliff or get dragged into it.
I'm not strong enough to read about that intense pain and humiliation. But this book holds you firmly by the shoulder and takes you through one cruel high school hallway anyway.
The three main characters are Davidek, Stein and Lorelei, who are freshmen at a private Catholic school known for its extensive hazing. They are bullied and they fight back in their own ways, while struggling to live up their own expectations. Each has problems outside of school. Each has an idea of who they want to be. Some secrets are heartbreaking, especially Stein's. They all do despicable things, and noble things, and stupid things. Each character is fleshed out fully, and their actions follow their personalities completely. Very, very strong work there. And it's not just the main characters. Every single peripheral character is a fully developed person as well. Most of them made me empathize, even after their lowest moment. That's amazing, and I can't believe this is Anthony Breznican's debut. The novel packs a fearsome punch. So I can't wait to get punched by Anthony's word-fist again in the future.
Read this book if you have any experience with teasing, humiliation, bullying, abuse, unfair treatment, or dissolution of friendship. It's unflinching without being dramatic. And you will walk away with unforgettable words.
-I got and ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review-
I really hate books about bullying, because I'm just not strong enough to read them. Here comes an irrelevant story about me in 3rd grade, so it's marked with a spoiler if you want to skip over it.
Spoiler
I was teased and bullied a little in elementary school. Nowhere near as traumatic as in this novel, because it was mostly name-calling (I was the smallest in my class so they called me Pampers, or my Japanese classmates told me I had "poop hair", etc.) Just when my 3rd grade Japanese classmates were gearing up to get really nasty, they started leaving notes in my desk that upset me and I let it show. But then they fucked up. One of the notes said: "Go back to America and die". JOKE'S ON YOU, I'M FROM RUSSIA. After that, their efforts were transparent to me and I realized that they don't actually care about me personally. Their ignorance because my shield, and the mean kids eventually gave up. I never did have friends there until I switched schools the next year, but I was okay with that tradeoff. I was very, very lucky. Japanese school bullying is insane, and I basically got off scot-free. Just thinking about the plunge that I almost involuntarily took is scary. And it's that thought that makes it impossible for me to imagine what it's like for the kids who actually fall down that cliff or get dragged into it.
I'm not strong enough to read about that intense pain and humiliation. But this book holds you firmly by the shoulder and takes you through one cruel high school hallway anyway.
The three main characters are Davidek, Stein and Lorelei, who are freshmen at a private Catholic school known for its extensive hazing. They are bullied and they fight back in their own ways, while struggling to live up their own expectations. Each has problems outside of school. Each has an idea of who they want to be. Some secrets are heartbreaking, especially Stein's. They all do despicable things, and noble things, and stupid things. Each character is fleshed out fully, and their actions follow their personalities completely. Very, very strong work there. And it's not just the main characters. Every single peripheral character is a fully developed person as well. Most of them made me empathize, even after their lowest moment. That's amazing, and I can't believe this is Anthony Breznican's debut. The novel packs a fearsome punch. So I can't wait to get punched by Anthony's word-fist again in the future.
Read this book if you have any experience with teasing, humiliation, bullying, abuse, unfair treatment, or dissolution of friendship. It's unflinching without being dramatic. And you will walk away with unforgettable words.
-I got and ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review-
emfritt's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
goodmorningidea's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book was well written but you really have to be ready going in that this is dark humor and a bit campy. Some of the dialogue, characters, and plot points are SO unrealistic and over the top, but if you just roll with it, it's okay. I'm not sure if this is categorized as YA but that's what it felt like to me - the upper age range of YA. At times it felt like he was writing it to be a movie - and I can't stand that. There were so many times I thought, "Wow that parent/teacher really hates kids for no reason." I think it kind of missed the mark here BUT then you have to remind yourself of its campiness. This book straddles that line too much, though. It delves into manipulative sentimentality but then reaches for the outrageous and I think it needs to go further one way or the other. Either go full camp or cut that out and make it more realistic.