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A review by pixiewilo
Piper Perish by Kayla Cagan
4.0
There's so much to love about this book, I love the fact that Pipers dream is to become an artist in New York, I feel like most books tend not to focus on dreams of being in the arts, and that's something close to my own heart. I also adore some of the quotes in the book too but this one is a favourite:
I love painting. I love drawing. I’m never let down, even when the picture isn’t exactly what I want. I can keep working on it. Paintings speak back. They argue. But it’s just because they still want attention. They aren’t done yet.
They want to keep the relationships alive. And when they break your heart, it’s only because they’re that good, not because they’re bad. Bad art can be fixed or transformed. But bad people? Bad choices? I think they’re with us forever.
As a self taught artist this book spoke to me in so many ways, the creative element in the story telling was luscious, it spoke to every single creative element inside me, I couldn't get enough.
I liked the glimpses of the other artistic teens in her class, with the Yoda-like teacher, Ms. Adams, swooping in now and then to utter words of wisdom as she exhorts the high school seniors not to revel in senioritis so much that they stop working on their senior projects—and the email exchange with first year conservatory art student Silas, whose word pictures of New York City were actually a lot more vivid than the Texas setting.
Piper, Enzo, and Kit begin senior year determined to get accepted to an elite New York art conservatory. As we get into the year, and their complicated lives, the three begin to feel fractions in their united front—as of course will happen at a time of life when one is rapidly changing.
I did want more art talk, but I also liked learning about Piper’s dysfunctional family life, from her Dad running away from his problems to her Mom popping pills, and most of all, Piper’s vomit-comet sister crashing through nearly every scene being selfish, violent, and a total drag. There was even a strong undercurrent of outright horror! but there is in all families once we start looking closely.
I do think that if Piper had talked about her senior project all the way through, pulling in hard-won insights along the way, this would have been a much stronger book. But there was enough energy and charm that I think everyone would enjoy reading the book.
Fundamentally its about succeeding against the odds, and who doesn't love a story like that?
I love painting. I love drawing. I’m never let down, even when the picture isn’t exactly what I want. I can keep working on it. Paintings speak back. They argue. But it’s just because they still want attention. They aren’t done yet.
They want to keep the relationships alive. And when they break your heart, it’s only because they’re that good, not because they’re bad. Bad art can be fixed or transformed. But bad people? Bad choices? I think they’re with us forever.
As a self taught artist this book spoke to me in so many ways, the creative element in the story telling was luscious, it spoke to every single creative element inside me, I couldn't get enough.
I liked the glimpses of the other artistic teens in her class, with the Yoda-like teacher, Ms. Adams, swooping in now and then to utter words of wisdom as she exhorts the high school seniors not to revel in senioritis so much that they stop working on their senior projects—and the email exchange with first year conservatory art student Silas, whose word pictures of New York City were actually a lot more vivid than the Texas setting.
Piper, Enzo, and Kit begin senior year determined to get accepted to an elite New York art conservatory. As we get into the year, and their complicated lives, the three begin to feel fractions in their united front—as of course will happen at a time of life when one is rapidly changing.
I did want more art talk, but I also liked learning about Piper’s dysfunctional family life, from her Dad running away from his problems to her Mom popping pills, and most of all, Piper’s vomit-comet sister crashing through nearly every scene being selfish, violent, and a total drag. There was even a strong undercurrent of outright horror! but there is in all families once we start looking closely.
I do think that if Piper had talked about her senior project all the way through, pulling in hard-won insights along the way, this would have been a much stronger book. But there was enough energy and charm that I think everyone would enjoy reading the book.
Fundamentally its about succeeding against the odds, and who doesn't love a story like that?