Reviews

Calvin by Martine Leavitt

meganac's review

5.0

Susie: Okay, Calvin. But you know what? You can't say, youcan'texpectanythingfrommeI'mbroken! And turn around the next minute and say, ohwoeismeeverybodytreatsmelikeI'mbroken! Which one is it? I can treat you the way I really feel, or I can treat you careful.
Me: Real. Just be real.

I have so many childhood memories of reading Calvin and Hobbes in the apple orchard behind my parents' house. Calvin is a tremendous piece of literature for a book of 181 pages. All about a schizophrenic 17 year old dealing with his diagnosis, this book delves into mental illness, truth, and how our own personal choices affect everything in our lives. For the future of our society and it's mental struggles, this book is groundbreaking.

At some points, I was scratching my head at Calvin's maladaptive daydreams (not like I didn't understand them) and at others, I was shocked by the weight behind the simple script-like dialogue. Calvin Hobbes + Susie on a hike, perfect. Calvin always did say he was running away.

My only irritation is minute. Hobbes did not act like Hobbes would act. Or anything like he did in the strip.

This book is pretty clean -- no violence, no language, and clean, slight romance. If you liked Calvin and Hobbes ....do read.
My only issue with this book is that

jennifermreads's review

2.0

Enter into Calvin’s world: born on the day the last Calvin & Hobbes strip was published, given a toy tiger named Hobbes, and with a friend two-doors-down named Susie. Yup, this Calvin is sure he’s the strip’s character personified … and he’s just been diagnosed with schizophrenia. But Calvin is convinced that Calvin & Hobbes creator Bill Watterson can cure his mental illness by just creating one final comic, one with a healthy Calvin sans Hobbes. So, Calvin sets out on a journey across frozen Lake Erie in a quest to meet up with Bill Watterson.

I’m not sure how I missed the awesomeness that was promised in starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus but miss it I did. When I reached the final page, I turned for more and was sorely disappointed.

Spoiler

I was sure there would be a nugget from Bill Watterson himself drawn on the final page!

Indeed, I was immersed in Calvin’s psychotic episode to the point of not knowing if Susie was really by his side on the lake or if she was a figment of his schizophrenic brain. But the conclusion left me wanting more … and I didn’t get it.

ilikecows321's review against another edition

emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

andrewhall's review

5.0

Clever, great writing, wonderful voice.

moonbites's review

5.0

This was such a great, fast, and memorable read! I adored this book immensely. I am a fan of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strips, and so seeing this homage to those comics struck my curiosity. The story references the iconic comic strips constantly, because our main protagonist, Calvin, feels a strong bond to the fictional character. Not to mention there are many coincidences that link Calvin to the the Calvin from Watterson's imagination. The references alone made this book enjoyable, with tidbits from Spiff's imaginary world of space exploration to conversations with Hobbes.

But, what really makes this book a winner for me is the beautiful way it handles mental illness, namely schizophrenia. The way it makes you feel like you are in Calvin's head along with him, trying to overcome his mental illness results in an amazing journey. I enjoyed the little bits of brain physiology thrown into the mix, because Calvin is unmistakably bright, and the philosophical thought behind it that makes readers think outside themselves.

"I loved my brain right then, Bill. Even a sick brain was a miracle when you thought about it. Time might be a dimension, but the human brain could chop it up into minute bits, observe it as a phenomenon of existence."

This story displays the fantastic and eccentric ways the brain works, using pop culture, and some good ol' growing pains. Thus, I could not give this book any less than a five, because I would read it again and again, to explore more quotes and understand the endless amounts of powerful metaphor thrown in with a simple kind of precision.

gabriella_batel_author's review

4.0

Such a sweet story!

Here's a video review I made (combined with other books!): https://youtu.be/-Xs3H07PSWQ

jurassicreader's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

medini_l's review

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

4.0

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery meets Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

sandraagee's review

4.0

Interesting narrative style and a cool premise. I liked getting inside Calvin's head.

cameron_butterfly's review

5.0

A teary-eyed page-turner that I will be recommending to anyone that asks. Not only is it a well-written book but it put a lot of questions out into the air and helps describe feelings and thoughts a lot of books do not want to cover.