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A review by tcbueti
Karma for Beginners by Jessica Blank
4.0
Tessa's single, free-spirit mom, Sarah, is moving them again--but this time it's to an ashram in the Catskills! Once they get there, her mom becomes even more distant and absorbed in her own "spiritual growth", leaving Tessa nearly constantly alone, both physically and emotionally.
I really liked this--I thought that Tessa's voice was very real, and that Blank really captured the magic of a first love/sexual relationship (even though it's pretty dysfunctional--he's six years older than Tessa, and he and his friends turn out to be stoners), and the frustration of having to accept parental choices--although in this case they are extreme. Blank must have spent some time in an ashram--it seems like she's nailed the politics, the jargon-laden rules, the pettiness and rank issues. But a lot of the story will ring true to many girls, struggling to find themselves in relation to their parents wishes and plans. As a mom, I'm a little worried that Blank made the sex and drug (Some pot, one acid trip) parts too appealing, but there were some consequences to the behavior (Were there enough? Good question.)
Here are some more: What do you think will happen next for Tessa and her mom? Did you like the ending? What do you think of Colin? What should have happened to him? To "the beard guy"? Are men no good? Why is her mom's name such a big deal for Tessa?
I just read "Room", too--talk about polar opposites in mothering!
I really liked this--I thought that Tessa's voice was very real, and that Blank really captured the magic of a first love/sexual relationship (even though it's pretty dysfunctional--he's six years older than Tessa, and he and his friends turn out to be stoners), and the frustration of having to accept parental choices--although in this case they are extreme. Blank must have spent some time in an ashram--it seems like she's nailed the politics, the jargon-laden rules, the pettiness and rank issues. But a lot of the story will ring true to many girls, struggling to find themselves in relation to their parents wishes and plans. As a mom, I'm a little worried that Blank made the sex and drug (Some pot, one acid trip) parts too appealing, but there were some consequences to the behavior (Were there enough? Good question.)
Here are some more: What do you think will happen next for Tessa and her mom? Did you like the ending? What do you think of Colin? What should have happened to him? To "the beard guy"? Are men no good? Why is her mom's name such a big deal for Tessa?
I just read "Room", too--talk about polar opposites in mothering!