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nagam's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely have to gather my thoughts after this one.
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FULL REVIEW originally posted on Rather Be Reading:
The Disenchantments was one of the books I was most excited to have received from ALA. I admit: I was completely pulled in by the cover. Add in a road trip and music, and I’m sold. There were things I absolutely loved about this book, and other things I wish had been a bit more. I’m just going to break things down into a list of things for you guys…
Good: I didn’t realize this was written from a male’s POV. I never would have guessed that based on the cover. It’s always nice to read from a boy’s perspective, but I think the cover implied that things would be a little more light-hearted than they were.
…but: Don’t get me wrong. The cover is gorgeous, but a bit misleading. Colby is incredibly infatuated with Bev, his best friend. I suppose the cover of The Disenchantments makes sense if you think about how consumed Colby was with this girl. He absolutely lived and breathed for her, but the whole book was not sunshine and rainbows.
Good: I really enjoyed the characters and all their messed-up craziness. Bev made me feel angry and mad at her for stringing Colby along and making him jealous of all the other people she pretended to be interested in. Colby had so many things going through his head that he couldn’t quite verbalize because he didn’t want to ruin his relationship entirely with Bev.
…but: Sometimes the way Bev and Colby handled situations was so immature. For two people with so much independence, I expected their actions and behaviors to match. I wanted to yell at them and say, “NO! You idiot! Don’t say that!“
Good: The time frame for the whole book is a week, while Colby is on tour with Bev’s band. The week is pretty packed and dense. A lot, lot, lot of things happen. They meet a lot of people and experience great things, but there’s a ton of detail about everything they did.
…but: I wanted the characters to be talking more instead of doing so many things. Maybe this boils down to my impatience, but I needed Bev and Colby to get real and talk. They needed to sit down and have the conversation they were both avoiding: Why did Bev back out on the European trip?
Good: I really got a sense for how much these two had been through. We’re given their history and back stories. We understand how long Colby has loved Bev.
…but: When the suspense was over and I finally knew why Bev had changed her mind, I felt a little let down. I felt like there was a TON of build-up to something that didn’t seem so monumental, considering Bev is 18 years old. I would have understood the feelings and emotions more if she had been a younger character; she’d been carrying around the secret for so long that I guess I expected the feelings to dissipate somewhat. I still felt confused by why she wouldn’t have talked to Colby about everything.
The Disenchantments is still a book I’m very glad to have read. Please don’t think I’m telling you to stay away from it. Definitely give it a try! I think some of the things I’m discussing are a bit nit-picky, and I really do look forward to seeing how you respond to this book.
- - - - - -
FULL REVIEW originally posted on Rather Be Reading:
The Disenchantments was one of the books I was most excited to have received from ALA. I admit: I was completely pulled in by the cover. Add in a road trip and music, and I’m sold. There were things I absolutely loved about this book, and other things I wish had been a bit more. I’m just going to break things down into a list of things for you guys…
Good: I didn’t realize this was written from a male’s POV. I never would have guessed that based on the cover. It’s always nice to read from a boy’s perspective, but I think the cover implied that things would be a little more light-hearted than they were.
…but: Don’t get me wrong. The cover is gorgeous, but a bit misleading. Colby is incredibly infatuated with Bev, his best friend. I suppose the cover of The Disenchantments makes sense if you think about how consumed Colby was with this girl. He absolutely lived and breathed for her, but the whole book was not sunshine and rainbows.
Good: I really enjoyed the characters and all their messed-up craziness. Bev made me feel angry and mad at her for stringing Colby along and making him jealous of all the other people she pretended to be interested in. Colby had so many things going through his head that he couldn’t quite verbalize because he didn’t want to ruin his relationship entirely with Bev.
…but: Sometimes the way Bev and Colby handled situations was so immature. For two people with so much independence, I expected their actions and behaviors to match. I wanted to yell at them and say, “NO! You idiot! Don’t say that!“
Good: The time frame for the whole book is a week, while Colby is on tour with Bev’s band. The week is pretty packed and dense. A lot, lot, lot of things happen. They meet a lot of people and experience great things, but there’s a ton of detail about everything they did.
…but: I wanted the characters to be talking more instead of doing so many things. Maybe this boils down to my impatience, but I needed Bev and Colby to get real and talk. They needed to sit down and have the conversation they were both avoiding: Why did Bev back out on the European trip?
Good: I really got a sense for how much these two had been through. We’re given their history and back stories. We understand how long Colby has loved Bev.
…but: When the suspense was over and I finally knew why Bev had changed her mind, I felt a little let down. I felt like there was a TON of build-up to something that didn’t seem so monumental, considering Bev is 18 years old. I would have understood the feelings and emotions more if she had been a younger character; she’d been carrying around the secret for so long that I guess I expected the feelings to dissipate somewhat. I still felt confused by why she wouldn’t have talked to Colby about everything.
The Disenchantments is still a book I’m very glad to have read. Please don’t think I’m telling you to stay away from it. Definitely give it a try! I think some of the things I’m discussing are a bit nit-picky, and I really do look forward to seeing how you respond to this book.
mckinlay's review against another edition
2.0
i maybe woulda liked this several years ago, but i'm honestly just so over boys pining over their female best friends and being annoyed when there's no reciprocation. and i'm also over any gender leading a potential SO on. i quit reading with an 2.5 hours left in the audiobook, full disclosure. i just realized i didn't give 2 hoots about any of the characters.
aimeelio's review against another edition
4.0
Need a good road trip book? This is a good one. Colby is extremely likeable and I spent the whole book hoping things would work out for him. I can't say I always felt the same about Bev. It's a rather quick read, but just lovely, filled with regular weirdos from all over the Pacific Northwest.
abbievillehorror's review against another edition
5.0
I will always love this book because it was the first bisexual representation I saw after coming out and it's so good. Bev 4eva
afretts's review against another edition
3.0
Colby and Bev have spent the last 4 years of high school planning to go on tour with Bev's band and then head off into the world on a year long trip around Europe. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the week long tour, Bev drops the bomb that she isn't going on the trip, she's going to college, leaving Colby scrambling to decide what his future holds.
Like a lot of other people, I was really deceived by this book. The cover and the blurb make it sound like a fun book about a group of friends that go on a road trip. It's not. This book really introspective and sad, bordering on depressing.
Colby is IN LOVE with Bev and has spent 4 years planning and obsessing about the trip they are planning to take after high school. They are serious about this trip- so serious that they agree to take a full year off (defer college) to take it. Apparently, Bev had no intention of going because she drops the bomb 6 days before they're supposed to get on a plane that she's not going. This was the first real issue I had with the book. Bev and Colby have been best friends for a decade, yet she's COMPLETELY SCREWING HIM OVER. What is Colby supposed to do now? How do you allow someone you have such a close relationship with to not apply to any colleges and leave them with no plan? This is incredibly selfish.
For pretty much the entire book Bev is an unbelievable asshole. She treats Colby terribly. She is selfish and aloof. She knows he's in love with her, but she flirts with other men in front of him.
The scene where
I feel like the secondary characters could have been further developed. The author really only scratched the surface with Alexa and Meg. I would have liked to read more about what drives them and who they are.
I gave this book 3 stars because it was a quick read and I really did enjoy it. Colby's journey of self discovery was interesting and made me think. The book was well written and fast paced, but I don't know that it would hold my attention for a second reading.
I would recommend this to fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower because it is semi-melodramatic. The book WANTS to be deep and pulls it off (mostly) without seeming pretentious or overly descriptive.
Like a lot of other people, I was really deceived by this book. The cover and the blurb make it sound like a fun book about a group of friends that go on a road trip. It's not. This book really introspective and sad, bordering on depressing.
Colby is IN LOVE with Bev and has spent 4 years planning and obsessing about the trip they are planning to take after high school. They are serious about this trip- so serious that they agree to take a full year off (defer college) to take it. Apparently, Bev had no intention of going because she drops the bomb 6 days before they're supposed to get on a plane that she's not going. This was the first real issue I had with the book. Bev and Colby have been best friends for a decade, yet she's COMPLETELY SCREWING HIM OVER. What is Colby supposed to do now? How do you allow someone you have such a close relationship with to not apply to any colleges and leave them with no plan? This is incredibly selfish.
For pretty much the entire book Bev is an unbelievable asshole. She treats Colby terribly. She is selfish and aloof. She knows he's in love with her, but she flirts with other men in front of him.
The scene where
Spoiler
Colby and Bev have sex was just confusing and out of place to me. Was Bev trying to hurt Colby even more? Did she actually want to have sex with him or was she just being self destructive? This entire event was without reason to me and wasn't properly address in the book.I feel like the secondary characters could have been further developed. The author really only scratched the surface with Alexa and Meg. I would have liked to read more about what drives them and who they are.
I gave this book 3 stars because it was a quick read and I really did enjoy it. Colby's journey of self discovery was interesting and made me think. The book was well written and fast paced, but I don't know that it would hold my attention for a second reading.
I would recommend this to fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower because it is semi-melodramatic. The book WANTS to be deep and pulls it off (mostly) without seeming pretentious or overly descriptive.
_camk_'s review against another edition
4.0
When I first saw the cover of The Disenchantments I will be honest, I expected a light and fluffy read about a road trip. It is not.
Firstly the story, it is told from a male perspective, Colby. I liked Colby, he seems sweet and funny and he is majorly talented. He is however, a bit of, love sick puppy for Bev. I saw no appeal to Bev throughout the book. She is cold and distant but I like to believe she was not like this until she had to tell Colby she is going to college, not to Europe with him.
The secondary characters in the book were great. They were all interesting and brought something special to the book especially Meg. I really liked her. She is the kind of girl Colby should be after!
I am glad Colby made the decision he did at the end. He deserves it.
The Disenchantments is quirky and humorous yet talks about the realism of growing up, saying goodbye to friends and doing what is best for you. It does not, however, have that special something that connects me to a book which was quite disappointing.
Firstly the story, it is told from a male perspective, Colby. I liked Colby, he seems sweet and funny and he is majorly talented. He is however, a bit of, love sick puppy for Bev. I saw no appeal to Bev throughout the book. She is cold and distant but I like to believe she was not like this until she had to tell Colby she is going to college, not to Europe with him.
The secondary characters in the book were great. They were all interesting and brought something special to the book especially Meg. I really liked her. She is the kind of girl Colby should be after!
I am glad Colby made the decision he did at the end. He deserves it.
The Disenchantments is quirky and humorous yet talks about the realism of growing up, saying goodbye to friends and doing what is best for you. It does not, however, have that special something that connects me to a book which was quite disappointing.
rosalind14's review against another edition
4.0
The Disenchantments pleasantly surprised me. The story isn't exactly original (it's sort of your basic road-trip-right-after-high-school, hipster version) and neither of its main subjects (graffiti art and bands) particularly interest me, but I ended up really liking it and finishing it in about three hours. I did, however, very much dislike the female protagonist, which made me groan a bit at the ending, but I thought all the other characters were interesting and distinct.
Overall, I'd say The Disenchantments was kind of like a less-awesome John Green book-- the plot and the characters really reminded me of An Abundance of Katherines in particular. It's worth reading, but don't go into it with any illusions of amazingness.
Overall, I'd say The Disenchantments was kind of like a less-awesome John Green book-- the plot and the characters really reminded me of An Abundance of Katherines in particular. It's worth reading, but don't go into it with any illusions of amazingness.
caseyaboutthroughout's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
merkyr's review against another edition
I wanted to like this more than I did, but I am excited to read her other work! I do wish I read this when I was 18. Perfect for that on the brink wondering.