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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A coming of age story that is a retelling of the adult version of the main character. This book was exactly what I expected for the first 3/4 which was a good story about insecurities every teenager faces in the insanity that is high school. I thought the setting of Ault was well set up with different character plots such as the english teacher sophomore year Ms. Moray and when Lee's parents visit and stay at less nice accommodations. Unfortunately for me, that was all squandered by a very awkward and weird finish to the book that tried to include sexual angst and cultural discrimination towards a rushed finished that felt unfair to the Lee that was built up the first part of the book.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was cringing throughout this entire book, and I mean that in a good way. Sittenfeld has produced a portrait of adolescence that rings so true, it physically hurts to read. Remember the awkwardness, the wrongfootedness, the self-consciousness of your teenage years, when you were so self-absorbed that you thought everyone else was silently criticizing you as often as you silently criticized yourself? It's all here, in this sad wistful honest book. The sooner we let go of that unnecessarily anxious part of ourselves and find peace, the better.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
emotional
hopeful
slow-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
When I was a teenager this was one of my favorite books. I reread it after reading the follow-up in Curtis’ short story and realizing I remembered nothing. It was quite hard for 36 year old me to put myself in the mind of a teenager in boarding school, but it helped to realize why I related so strongly to this character.. I sort of made this book my entire personality as a teen- I begged my parents to send me to a boarding school in the northeast and while they didn’t, I still follow that school on instagram. There were other, much more personal things I related to in this book. I really enjoyed looking back to teenage Lee!
emotional
funny
reflective
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
It felt like watching an episode of Degrassi, a lame middle school show my little brother watched and pretended to make fun of when we teased him about it. Not impressed.