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A review by barefootmegz
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
4.0
I liked this book. A few things that reviewers complain about:
1. Too many musical references I don't understand - reading isn't like watching a movie. You can't do it and vegetate. Well, I guess you can vegetate with some books, but not with this one. Don't get all the references? Use Google. Magic.
2. Too much angst and suicide and drama - I suppose, yes. It was probably the part that annoyed me a bit too. But it is a book about a teenage musician. Teens have angst and drama. And teens exaggerate their angst and drama. It's part of the reason they annoy us so much, yet we write books about them. I tried just to get past the angst. I've read many MORE angsty books than this one.
3. There should have been more diary entries / the diary entries weren't descriptive enough - I thought this was pretty realistic of Donnelly. Very few people can keep a diary religiously every day. Even more so when you're in the MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION and trying not to get killed. Also, diaries kept by normal people are not usually crazy detailed. Because they don't realise that it won't be familiar to someone who reads it. If anyone ever reads it. So this didn't bother me too much because I thought it was realistic.
Anyway - I liked the book. The romance annoyed me a bit, but it wasn't overwhelming. Andi's "denseness" annoyed me a bit, but again - not too annoying.
I think the best part of the book is the undercurrent. The prodding into what past revolutions and wars and tragedies have really meant for us.
The ending is a little treacle-sweet, but it made me a little emotional too. I thought the history and the academic nature of the story was very well done as well.
1. Too many musical references I don't understand - reading isn't like watching a movie. You can't do it and vegetate. Well, I guess you can vegetate with some books, but not with this one. Don't get all the references? Use Google. Magic.
2. Too much angst and suicide and drama - I suppose, yes. It was probably the part that annoyed me a bit too. But it is a book about a teenage musician. Teens have angst and drama. And teens exaggerate their angst and drama. It's part of the reason they annoy us so much, yet we write books about them. I tried just to get past the angst. I've read many MORE angsty books than this one.
3. There should have been more diary entries / the diary entries weren't descriptive enough - I thought this was pretty realistic of Donnelly. Very few people can keep a diary religiously every day. Even more so when you're in the MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION and trying not to get killed. Also, diaries kept by normal people are not usually crazy detailed. Because they don't realise that it won't be familiar to someone who reads it. If anyone ever reads it. So this didn't bother me too much because I thought it was realistic.
Anyway - I liked the book. The romance annoyed me a bit, but it wasn't overwhelming. Andi's "denseness" annoyed me a bit, but again - not too annoying.
I think the best part of the book is the undercurrent. The prodding into what past revolutions and wars and tragedies have really meant for us.
The ending is a little treacle-sweet, but it made me a little emotional too. I thought the history and the academic nature of the story was very well done as well.