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yeni9's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
threegoodrats's review
3.0
3.5 It's so hard to rate this one. I can't decide if the multiple storylines are gimmicky or if they actually add something to the plot. I listened to the audio and the narrator sometimes read in this oddly stilted, halting way - I just saw a review that said parts of it was written like poetry, so maybe it was those parts and it just came across awkwardly. Though also I can't imagine reading it that way either. But ultimately I really liked listening to it, liked the main character, and thought it was a compelling and thoughtful exploration of everything she was going through. Extra points for really great dog names. I have to struggle to remember the names of some of the characters, but I do remember Ella Bella, Rabbit, Lord Voldemort, Bea Cake (not sure how that was spelled), and The Great God Pan (often referred to as the abbreviated G.G. Pan.)
gracebirdly's review
4.0
I was very surprised by how much I liked this book. It was entertaining and the characters were interesting! The only thing that seemed to bug me was the
constant use of
this type of
format of writing
as if to emphasize her
point, but all it seemed
to do was bug me.
For some reason it didn’t bug me in her other book but it for sure did in this one! Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised by this book and I really did like it!
constant use of
this type of
format of writing
as if to emphasize her
point, but all it seemed
to do was bug me.
For some reason it didn’t bug me in her other book but it for sure did in this one! Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised by this book and I really did like it!
trin's review
3.0
To begin with, this felt like a return to form for me for Lockhart. It's literally a return to the setting of my favorite book of hers, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, a book I stan so hard my fingers now basically auto-type that longass title. I did not enjoy the two darker books Lockhart wrote between Frankie and this: We Were Liars and Genuine Fraud. They felt self-consciously dark. Here, there's a nimbleness of style and a lot of wit and humor, but also a deep sadness that felt authentic. I loved the parts of this book that dealt with Adelaide and her brother.
But all the alternate universe stuff didn't work for me.
It should have! This stuff is my catnip! But all the cutting between different versions of scenes felt arbitrary. There was no exploration of what caused the different branches, of what made paths diverge (except briefly in the section about AU versions of--interesting--Adelaide's brother). And that's what makes exploring alternate universes interesting! That's the whole thing that makes it interesting!!!
Maybe in an alternate universe I have loved or will love an E. Lockhart book as much as The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, but it's looking unlikely in this one.
But all the alternate universe stuff didn't work for me.
It should have! This stuff is my catnip! But all the cutting between different versions of scenes felt arbitrary. There was no exploration of what caused the different branches, of what made paths diverge (except briefly in the section about AU versions of--interesting--Adelaide's brother). And that's what makes exploring alternate universes interesting! That's the whole thing that makes it interesting!!!
Maybe in an alternate universe I have loved or will love an E. Lockhart book as much as The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, but it's looking unlikely in this one.
addyisreading's review
5.0
This was another great book by E. Lockhart! I love this author! This book is a but wired and some what confusing. You can get really attached to the characters. Adelaide is a high school student who is so
acidxox's review
1.0
could not finish
such a weird writing style and it made it hard to read
did not understand what was happening
i didnt care about the characters, they were flat
i just did not understand anything and i really tried hard
such a weird writing style and it made it hard to read
did not understand what was happening
i didnt care about the characters, they were flat
i just did not understand anything and i really tried hard
jaimeitw's review
3.0
I liked the vibes and the setting. It made me wish I was at an empty school campus in the summer walking people's dogs. Also loved how the family relationship was described here. Overall it was a breezy and enjoyable read.
Only con is that I'm not sure if I really understand the "meaning" of the book though. For example, I don't really understand why sometimes they would move to the next line in the midde of a sentence. I just felt a little noob reading cos I felt like I didn't really get it.
Only con is that I'm not sure if I really understand the "meaning" of the book though. For example, I don't really understand why sometimes they would move to the next line in the midde of a sentence. I just felt a little noob reading cos I felt like I didn't really get it.