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3.37 AVERAGE
3.37 AVERAGE
I was totally enthralled with the story of Sutter. While it took me a few days to get into the meat of the story, I was absorbed once I was there. However, the story just leaves you hanging. I wanted some sort of resolution and it just wasn't there. Of course, I can infer my own ending, but I prefer if the author follows it to conclusion for me. After all my assumption may not be correct. Alas... Not a book I would recommend to others because of the ending.
Swear down I reviewed this...I think it might have gotten lost.
Anyway - the reason for the one star is that it just failed on every hurdle. The characterisation, the plot, the addiction - it was all half-done and resulted in nothing. Everything was ambiguous and I was left with a horrible feeling of dissatisfaction. The only good thing about it was the way the narrative mimicked Sutter's internal monologue. That's why it's got a star at all.
Anyway - the reason for the one star is that it just failed on every hurdle. The characterisation, the plot, the addiction - it was all half-done and resulted in nothing. Everything was ambiguous and I was left with a horrible feeling of dissatisfaction. The only good thing about it was the way the narrative mimicked Sutter's internal monologue. That's why it's got a star at all.
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:
Yes
What a beautiful written novel. Of course I’ve seen the movie, but this book adds dimensions to Sutter and Aimee. The struggles of growing up, not knowing who you are, and navigating your first love.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this would have altered my brain chemistry if I’d read it at 14 (even more than looking for alaska already did)
Life is spectacular. Forget the dark things. Take a drink and let time wash them away to where ever time washes away to.
This book was on my shelf for so long like around 6 years? (Maybe!) I didn’t read it because I was not a fan of the movie. But recently ‘cause of a sudden and unexpected change in my reading list, I go for this and here are my views on it…
The basic premise of the book centers around Sutter, a high school senior who wants to just 'live in the moment' whenever he can. He drinks almost-perpetually like getting along with everyone else and is trying to find love. Early on, he's dumped by his original girlfriend due to his lack of planning for the future, and most of the book is about him trying to get back with her while simultaneously calling for a 'quiet wallflower' type he influences to begin living his kind of lifestyle.
The whole story is shown through Sutter's POV and the reader is meant to vicariously experience Sutter's joy and delight in his hedonistic living most of the way up to that point.
Sutter, of course, is the shining star of this novel, the sole reason why this book succeeds so well for me. He is probably a parent’s worst nightmare, the kind of kid you wouldn’t want as your own…and yet Tharp creates Sutter in such a way that you can’t help but feel for him, even when he’s off doing stupid, immature things. I am in awe of how we readers can understand Sutter more than he seems to understand himself, a schism between character and reader’s knowledge that’s difficult to achieve. Sutter doesn’t think much of himself, but his actions and implied thoughts speak for him otherwise, and we readers can see what he doesn’t about him.
On the one hand, the ending is pretty clearly dismal and critical of his lifestyle. This came as a surprise to me as, having seen the film first (which gives him a positive arc & positive ending), I was very much not expecting the story to go in the direction it ended up going in. And yes--Sutter is on an emotional high throughout the closing pages. But I think most readers see it for what it is: a life completely disconnected from reality. He's reveling by the end of the book, sure--but he's reveling in the gutter and we can see what he's lost through his hedonistic lifestyle.
Almost every review I’ve read of TSN complains about the ending - like, the ending is big-deal bad. Me, I think it’s the only ending that would’ve felt right. Addiction is a lifelong disease, and the deeper in you are, the harder it is to pull yourself out, and the easier it is to fall back in. Depending on how deep you are in your addiction, you will choose your drug over people, over your job, over everything else.
As with the film, my main critique of this book is its depiction of Aimee--then again, perhaps that's just who this girl is. And maybe it's even more believable in the book given the ending. That said, I did want her to get angrier at Sutter (Spoiler alert: she actually does in the book. Well, sort of.) I wanted her to take that newfound confidence she found through her relationship with Sutter and throw it back into his face.
Throwing Aimee in, and seeing how things progressed for her? It was distressing.... and since Spectacular Now is anything but an easy book, we see this guy then we see this girl. Polar opposites? Maybe and maybe not. Perhaps it's because she's so different from him (hopeful, sweet, and yes naive) but not completely different either (being weighed down as she was and given a past that's not all roses) that had her standing out in this one.
It's a book with depth. The more I think about the story and the way, in which we live our lives and care what certain others think about us, the more I appreciate this work of fiction.
Favourite Quotes:
“She's different from the girls I'm used to dating. She doesn't get tired of my stories and jokes or expect me to start reading her mind. She doesn't want me to dress better or put highlights in my hair or serious up. I'm not a lifestyle accessory to her. I'm a necessity. I'm the guy that's going to crack open her cocoon. She doesn't need to change me - she needs me to change her. At least until her little butterfly wings get strong enough to fly away.”
“This stage in the life of the buzz is truly fabulous. It's not even a buzz anymore. It's a roar. The world opens up and everything's yours right here, right now. You've probably heard the expression -- All good things must come to an end. Well, this stage in the life of the buzz never heard anything close to that. This stage says, 'I will never end, I am indestructible. I will last fabulously forever.' And, of course, you believe it. To hell with tomorrow. To hell with all problems and barriers. Nothing matters but the Spectacular Now.”
This book was on my shelf for so long like around 6 years? (Maybe!) I didn’t read it because I was not a fan of the movie. But recently ‘cause of a sudden and unexpected change in my reading list, I go for this and here are my views on it…
The basic premise of the book centers around Sutter, a high school senior who wants to just 'live in the moment' whenever he can. He drinks almost-perpetually like getting along with everyone else and is trying to find love. Early on, he's dumped by his original girlfriend due to his lack of planning for the future, and most of the book is about him trying to get back with her while simultaneously calling for a 'quiet wallflower' type he influences to begin living his kind of lifestyle.
The whole story is shown through Sutter's POV and the reader is meant to vicariously experience Sutter's joy and delight in his hedonistic living most of the way up to that point.
Sutter, of course, is the shining star of this novel, the sole reason why this book succeeds so well for me. He is probably a parent’s worst nightmare, the kind of kid you wouldn’t want as your own…and yet Tharp creates Sutter in such a way that you can’t help but feel for him, even when he’s off doing stupid, immature things. I am in awe of how we readers can understand Sutter more than he seems to understand himself, a schism between character and reader’s knowledge that’s difficult to achieve. Sutter doesn’t think much of himself, but his actions and implied thoughts speak for him otherwise, and we readers can see what he doesn’t about him.
On the one hand, the ending is pretty clearly dismal and critical of his lifestyle. This came as a surprise to me as, having seen the film first (which gives him a positive arc & positive ending), I was very much not expecting the story to go in the direction it ended up going in. And yes--Sutter is on an emotional high throughout the closing pages. But I think most readers see it for what it is: a life completely disconnected from reality. He's reveling by the end of the book, sure--but he's reveling in the gutter and we can see what he's lost through his hedonistic lifestyle.
Almost every review I’ve read of TSN complains about the ending - like, the ending is big-deal bad. Me, I think it’s the only ending that would’ve felt right. Addiction is a lifelong disease, and the deeper in you are, the harder it is to pull yourself out, and the easier it is to fall back in. Depending on how deep you are in your addiction, you will choose your drug over people, over your job, over everything else.
As with the film, my main critique of this book is its depiction of Aimee--then again, perhaps that's just who this girl is. And maybe it's even more believable in the book given the ending. That said, I did want her to get angrier at Sutter (Spoiler alert: she actually does in the book. Well, sort of.) I wanted her to take that newfound confidence she found through her relationship with Sutter and throw it back into his face.
Throwing Aimee in, and seeing how things progressed for her? It was distressing.... and since Spectacular Now is anything but an easy book, we see this guy then we see this girl. Polar opposites? Maybe and maybe not. Perhaps it's because she's so different from him (hopeful, sweet, and yes naive) but not completely different either (being weighed down as she was and given a past that's not all roses) that had her standing out in this one.
It's a book with depth. The more I think about the story and the way, in which we live our lives and care what certain others think about us, the more I appreciate this work of fiction.
Favourite Quotes:
“She's different from the girls I'm used to dating. She doesn't get tired of my stories and jokes or expect me to start reading her mind. She doesn't want me to dress better or put highlights in my hair or serious up. I'm not a lifestyle accessory to her. I'm a necessity. I'm the guy that's going to crack open her cocoon. She doesn't need to change me - she needs me to change her. At least until her little butterfly wings get strong enough to fly away.”
“This stage in the life of the buzz is truly fabulous. It's not even a buzz anymore. It's a roar. The world opens up and everything's yours right here, right now. You've probably heard the expression -- All good things must come to an end. Well, this stage in the life of the buzz never heard anything close to that. This stage says, 'I will never end, I am indestructible. I will last fabulously forever.' And, of course, you believe it. To hell with tomorrow. To hell with all problems and barriers. Nothing matters but the Spectacular Now.”
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
http://theprincessoftea.blogspot.ca/2013/12/book-review-spectacular-now-by-tim-tharp.html
This book was literally spectacular.
I loved Sutter's PoV, it was refreshing in a YA novel. He was funny, sarcastic and real. Could you ask for more?
I dont know why everyone complains about the end.
I didnt like the fact that he continues being drunk and wasted but he understood that letting Aimee go was the right thing to do. And he did change her. It was realistic. I dont know, I guess I just dont buy the whole 'happy ever after' that's why I liked it.
Through the book it was amazing the way Sutter thinks about all the de-soul-inator, I just loved it. It kinda reminded me of John Green.
I loved Sutter's PoV, it was refreshing in a YA novel. He was funny, sarcastic and real. Could you ask for more?
I dont know why everyone complains about the end.
I didnt like the fact that he continues being drunk and wasted but he understood that letting Aimee go was the right thing to do. And he did change her. It was realistic. I dont know, I guess I just dont buy the whole 'happy ever after' that's why I liked it.
Through the book it was amazing the way Sutter thinks about all the de-soul-inator, I just loved it. It kinda reminded me of John Green.
Full Review from my blog Owl Eyes Reviews
The main reason I wanted to pick up this book was because I wanted to watch the movie. I wasn’t very drawn to the book until I saw trailers for the movie. I thought that if the movie looked so appealing to me, the book would be just as appealing. (UPDATE: I just finished the movie and it was x10 better than the book.)
I really enjoyed reading Sutter’s voice at the beginning of the book. It was very original. Sutter seemed to care about so many people, but he didn’t really care about himself. I felt bad for him. However, as I continued reading, I started to like Sutter less and less. I realized that he was all an act. I had no idea who he was as a character because he just cared so much about how he came off to people. It made me kind of upset. I felt like I wanted something to happen with him, but I didn’t get that.
The storyline of this book kind of fell flat for me. Going into this book, I wasn’t very sure what the story was about. After reading, I’m kind of confused. For 75% of the book, nothing happened. Or better said, nothing important happened. I felt really bored for the majority of the book; that’s probably why it took me so long to read.
Overall, this book kind of fell flat for me. I should have gone with my gut and just watched the movie.
The main reason I wanted to pick up this book was because I wanted to watch the movie. I wasn’t very drawn to the book until I saw trailers for the movie. I thought that if the movie looked so appealing to me, the book would be just as appealing. (UPDATE: I just finished the movie and it was x10 better than the book.)
I really enjoyed reading Sutter’s voice at the beginning of the book. It was very original. Sutter seemed to care about so many people, but he didn’t really care about himself. I felt bad for him. However, as I continued reading, I started to like Sutter less and less. I realized that he was all an act. I had no idea who he was as a character because he just cared so much about how he came off to people. It made me kind of upset. I felt like I wanted something to happen with him, but I didn’t get that.
The storyline of this book kind of fell flat for me. Going into this book, I wasn’t very sure what the story was about. After reading, I’m kind of confused. For 75% of the book, nothing happened. Or better said, nothing important happened. I felt really bored for the majority of the book; that’s probably why it took me so long to read.
Overall, this book kind of fell flat for me. I should have gone with my gut and just watched the movie.