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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
I'm really a sucker for well-written adolescent female protagonists. Vendela Vida does a great job of encompassing the discomfort and absurdity that is your early teen years. I enjoyed the minimal plot, especially the time-jump ending. I'll listen to practically anything Marin Ireland narrates, her voice makes everything feel that much more authentic.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I absolutely loved the writing in this book. Our narrator is a young girl, but it never feels childish. A beautiful reminder of how big everything feels as a child. And an incredible ode to the beauty of San Francisco.
3.5 stars rounding up. Vendela Vida transported me back to 13 years old in this beautifully written novel, but there are some triggering aspects of the book that just didn’t sit right with me that I feel may have just been placed there for shock value. That said, I would definitely recommend this to anyone that resonates with coming of age stories about complicated friendships - but know it’s not going to be for everyone.
I've been following Vida's work since her debut and have enjoyed all of it. We Run the Tides is no exception! The narrator's voice is consistent and the characters show growth throughout. While the ending was abrupt, I thought it was well-done. Overall a strong addition to her canon!
*I received an electronic ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received an electronic ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Long review ahead:
"I stand there, on the cusp of the ocean and listen to its loud inhale. And then it recedes and takes everything from my childhood with it- the porcelain dolls, the tap-dancing shoes, the concert ticket stubs, the tiny trophies and the long, long swing."
To be honest, I found this book at the thrift store and decided to grab it last summer (I didn't get around to reading it) and OMG best $3 I've ever spent. We Run the Tides is a gorgeous story about a young girl's quiet shift from childhood to early adolescence- a coming of age I feel is often overlooked in adult fiction (I gravitate toward late adolescent coming-of-age stories, at least).
We watch Eulabee's trauma unfold and her progressive loss of innocence in a heartbreaking collection of anecdotes that are neither unfamiliar, nor things that I'd want any younger girl to experience. GIRLHOOD IS HARD, and though your relationships at 13 seem like the most important things in the world at the time, the unfortunate truth is that it only gets harder.
One reviewer said Vida's prose was not lyrical, but also not simple. Her use of metaphor and motif throughout the book will stick with me for a long time (the hat was my personal favorite- I had to run and find a pencil). At the same time, it was also HILARIOUS!
“We’re taught to write neatly and within the lines, but we’ve also been taught that all men with sloppy handwriting are brilliant.”
The characters in the book were perfect amalgamations of characters many people will recognize from their own middle school experiences. Eulabee's relationship with Maria Fabiola was one that hit close to home. Plus, as Eulabee matured, the writing matured with her which was really cool to see done so well.
At the end of the day (as always) Taylor Swift said it best:
"You were so magnetic it was almost obnoxious, flush with the currency of cool. I was always turning out my empty pockets."
"I pace down your block, I broke my own heart 'cause you were too polite to do it. Waves crash on the shore, I dash to the door, you don't knock anymore and my whole life's ruined."
(Suburban Legends summarizes this book perfectly).
I mean honestly, no matter how many words I write I won't do this justice. Just read it- it's short. I did it all in almost one sitting.
"I stand there, on the cusp of the ocean and listen to its loud inhale. And then it recedes and takes everything from my childhood with it- the porcelain dolls, the tap-dancing shoes, the concert ticket stubs, the tiny trophies and the long, long swing."
To be honest, I found this book at the thrift store and decided to grab it last summer (I didn't get around to reading it) and OMG best $3 I've ever spent. We Run the Tides is a gorgeous story about a young girl's quiet shift from childhood to early adolescence- a coming of age I feel is often overlooked in adult fiction (I gravitate toward late adolescent coming-of-age stories, at least).
We watch Eulabee's trauma unfold and her progressive loss of innocence in a heartbreaking collection of anecdotes that are neither unfamiliar, nor things that I'd want any younger girl to experience. GIRLHOOD IS HARD, and though your relationships at 13 seem like the most important things in the world at the time, the unfortunate truth is that it only gets harder.
One reviewer said Vida's prose was not lyrical, but also not simple. Her use of metaphor and motif throughout the book will stick with me for a long time (the hat was my personal favorite- I had to run and find a pencil). At the same time, it was also HILARIOUS!
“We’re taught to write neatly and within the lines, but we’ve also been taught that all men with sloppy handwriting are brilliant.”
The characters in the book were perfect amalgamations of characters many people will recognize from their own middle school experiences. Eulabee's relationship with Maria Fabiola was one that hit close to home. Plus, as Eulabee matured, the writing matured with her which was really cool to see done so well.
At the end of the day (as always) Taylor Swift said it best:
"You were so magnetic it was almost obnoxious, flush with the currency of cool. I was always turning out my empty pockets."
"I pace down your block, I broke my own heart 'cause you were too polite to do it. Waves crash on the shore, I dash to the door, you don't knock anymore and my whole life's ruined."
(Suburban Legends summarizes this book perfectly).
I mean honestly, no matter how many words I write I won't do this justice. Just read it- it's short. I did it all in almost one sitting.
i really enjoyed the pacing of this novel, but the ending tried too hard to tie things up and felt unnecessary to me. i would have preferred more ambiguity. that said, i’m keen to read more by this author.
This audiobook was so good it has me not only wanting to read books from the same author but also listen to more books from the same narrator.