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calamityin's review against another edition
I hate the characters. I hate all of them. And your characters don't have to be likable in the, 'i would hang out with them!' way, but they do have to be likable in that they have something compelling about them that makes me want to keep reading. And I just don't. I don't like the main character and there is nothing interesting about her other than that she's annoyed most of the time.
Also, there are too many jumps in the writing. It's like, here's a little plot, now here's a bunch of unrelated thoughts, now here's a major plot element I didn't even think to set up, and now back to where we were! It's inexperienced and eclectic and honestly annoying more than anything else
Also, there are too many jumps in the writing. It's like, here's a little plot, now here's a bunch of unrelated thoughts, now here's a major plot element I didn't even think to set up, and now back to where we were! It's inexperienced and eclectic and honestly annoying more than anything else
mcfade28's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
A young adult novel about a 16 year old, who runs away from home on a whim, to stay with her struggling actress sister for the summer in LA.
The book was ok, but felt it was severely lacking in any impact, or consequences for the main character. I kept seeing this book described as dark, but it didn't really feel that way to me. The titular manson girls were also featured a lot less than I expected, almost feeling like an after thought.
The book was ok, but felt it was severely lacking in any impact, or consequences for the main character. I kept seeing this book described as dark, but it didn't really feel that way to me. The titular manson girls were also featured a lot less than I expected, almost feeling like an after thought.
b0hemian_graham's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this novel, no bones about it. It's one of the best realistic YA novels I've read. The Manson Family seems to be the trend du jour for YA, given that Emma Cline's The Girls also focused on a Mansonesque cult, but I thought this one had more heart and was better written. It's deliciously snarky in parts, and you both love and hate the choices the characters make. Not just Anna and Delia, but minor characters like Anna's mom and her best friend Doon. They're real, complex people. Anna didnt't feel like a Mary Sue, or just a bland, uninteresting character. She seemed like a real teenage girl who was dealing with a lot of issues, and just felt completely lost. 15 is such a rough age.
There's a minor bit of romance, but it isn't the primary focus of the novel, which pleases me because a lot of realist YA, as in, not set in a fantasy world of some sorts, has a ridiculous amount of romance. Also, the whole LA setting didn't feel contrived and wasn't cliched. The parallels between Anna and the girls of the Manson family were an intriguing plot theme that I wasn't sure would work, or how Umminger was going to write such a novel, but it worked incredibly well. Not only that, we had a total tear down of Hollywood's ideas of female actors of all ages, and critiques of the "Disney machine." Everythin just fit perectly together. Also, I actually liked Roger despite his skeeviness. I could definitely draw some parallels between him and Polanski, whom he pretty much idolised. I really cannot articulate how much I really enjoyed this novel. It's
There's a minor bit of romance, but it isn't the primary focus of the novel, which pleases me because a lot of realist YA, as in, not set in a fantasy world of some sorts, has a ridiculous amount of romance. Also, the whole LA setting didn't feel contrived and wasn't cliched. The parallels between Anna and the girls of the Manson family were an intriguing plot theme that I wasn't sure would work, or how Umminger was going to write such a novel, but it worked incredibly well. Not only that, we had a total tear down of Hollywood's ideas of female actors of all ages, and critiques of the "Disney machine." Everythin just fit perectly together. Also, I actually liked Roger despite his skeeviness. I could definitely draw some parallels between him and Polanski, whom he pretty much idolised. I really cannot articulate how much I really enjoyed this novel. It's
marieintheraw's review against another edition
4.0
I honestly was not expecting to go on the journey I went on.
aliena_jackson's review against another edition
1.0
Anna is my least favorite kind of character. She’s selfish, she’s ungrateful, and she never learns from her mistakes. Usually these kinds of characters never change, and they remain the insufferable people they are until you close the book, unsatisfied.
Normally, with these characters, there is a very unlikeable evil best friend. In this book, that friend’s name is Doon. I’m not going to get into her character too much, but what I will say is that she sent a picture of an aborted fetus to a girl and told her that fetus should have been her. Oh, and Anna also participated in this cyberbullying.
Anna’s family members are all nutcases. Delia blackmailed Anna so she’d stay silent and wouldn’t tell her boyfriend that she was cheating on him. She also refused to buy Anna food. Cora, Anna’s mom, blamed Anna for her breast cancer. As you can imagine, I am not behind telling a fourteen year old girl that she caused her mother’s breast cancer. Her mom is clearly manipulative, and has major issues. Anna’s dad abandoned her for his girlfriend, Celia, and then withdrew child support. (I wasn’t aware you could do that.) Anna’s stepmom, Lynette, was by far the best thing to a parental figure Anna would have, if it weren’t for the fact that she tells Anna she’s glad she ran away to LA and then charges her interest when Anna tries to reimburse her. She also makes her pay for her own plane ticket home.
Jeremy wasn’t really that present, and his relationship with Anna was definitely insta-love.
Dex, Delia’s boyfriend, was an okay character, if you forget the fact that he kicked Anna out every night in order to sleep with her sister.
The story was weak. The Manson girls are barely mentioned, and most of this book is just us reading about Anna sitting around waiting for an Delia or Dex to take her home. I wouldn’t read this book again, and it was hard for me to finish. It was drivel, plain and simple.
To simplify: If you like awful characters and boring plots, then this book is for you. Otherwise, avoid at all costs.
Normally, with these characters, there is a very unlikeable evil best friend. In this book, that friend’s name is Doon. I’m not going to get into her character too much, but what I will say is that she sent a picture of an aborted fetus to a girl and told her that fetus should have been her. Oh, and Anna also participated in this cyberbullying.
Anna’s family members are all nutcases. Delia blackmailed Anna so she’d stay silent and wouldn’t tell her boyfriend that she was cheating on him. She also refused to buy Anna food. Cora, Anna’s mom, blamed Anna for her breast cancer. As you can imagine, I am not behind telling a fourteen year old girl that she caused her mother’s breast cancer. Her mom is clearly manipulative, and has major issues. Anna’s dad abandoned her for his girlfriend, Celia, and then withdrew child support. (I wasn’t aware you could do that.) Anna’s stepmom, Lynette, was by far the best thing to a parental figure Anna would have, if it weren’t for the fact that she tells Anna she’s glad she ran away to LA and then charges her interest when Anna tries to reimburse her. She also makes her pay for her own plane ticket home.
Jeremy wasn’t really that present, and his relationship with Anna was definitely insta-love.
Dex, Delia’s boyfriend, was an okay character, if you forget the fact that he kicked Anna out every night in order to sleep with her sister.
The story was weak. The Manson girls are barely mentioned, and most of this book is just us reading about Anna sitting around waiting for an Delia or Dex to take her home. I wouldn’t read this book again, and it was hard for me to finish. It was drivel, plain and simple.
To simplify: If you like awful characters and boring plots, then this book is for you. Otherwise, avoid at all costs.
lamom77's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book better than I thought I would and definitely more than what my brief scan of reviews led me to believe. It is about a 15 year-old girl who runaways to LA to stay with her sister and begins researching the Manson girls and finds parallels (real and imagined) with her life. This was good - funny, sad, a bit creepy with a little romance.
ameliaclark's review against another edition
4.0
This book was absolutely amazing! It was a laugh out loud book and had such a creative twist on the whole novel. I really enjoyed this book with the main character not having the greatest childhood and seeing her overcome that!
rleibrock's review against another edition
3.0
Really, this should be at least 3 1/2 stars. I loved this book on many levels, even if there particular plot points that were too absurd (for the overall story), or plot resolutions that were too neat. The writing felt fresh, and the point of view smart and believable with, ultimately, a tough emotional impact. Plus, lots of stuff about the Manson girls, and a secondary character who had to be based on Britney Spears or Demi Lovato or the like, so there's that.
lilcoop71's review against another edition
4.0
Great YA fiction (older teen, though). Is this book getting enough attention? Really well-written and engaging.
cojack's review against another edition
4.0
A smart, funny, and intriguing look at the teen-to-adult transition that takes on important themes: family issues, bullying, the desire to be loved, and the value of women in a looks-obsessed world. The only drawback is that Umminger tries to work in too many ideas, and some of the connections she weaves are a little tenuous and tangled, even though the themes are solid. Read my full review at Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/american-girls