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mwilso23's review against another edition
5.0
This is such a cute book!! Wes and June are such cute characters.
linzer712's review against another edition
4.0
A good teenage love story. Not too complicated, not too sugary-sweet. A little annoying at points. A little poetic at others.
lisa_berrones's review against another edition
4.0
It was cute. Although the ending was really unsatisfying. Maybe the editor was wrong and Hautman's book should have ended on Valentine's Day. Either way, it was worth the read.
newreader_007's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
sandraagee's review against another edition
4.0
The writing is quite lovely and thought provoking. Am somewhat irritated though that they got one of the main characters' names wrong on the flap.
maryelizab3th's review against another edition
3.0
Felt kind of bored reading this. Yes, it's realistic, but very vague. I felt like June and Wes barely even knew each other for most of it. It was cute at parts, but the characters / plot were both kind of bland. I like to read books as an escape from reality, and this kept reminding me how shittily boring high school is. I didn't mind it overall, but if I wanted a typical teen "love" story I could just go to school and look around (and still be bored).
this was harsh. sorry
this was harsh. sorry
missprint_'s review against another edition
1.0
After reading How to Steal a car I was pretty sure I was done with Pete Hautman. It isn't that his writing is bad or anything but it's very stark and the characters are sometimes thin, a little flat. And I also have a hard time identifying with the disaffected youth of America who seem to just have a massive case of ennui.
Anyway, I gave The Big Crunch a try because I fell in love with its cover. I knew it would be a book I would either love (as much as I love the cover) or it would be the book the convinced me to part ways once and for all with Pete Hautman.
The latter happened. I wish him all the best but his books will have to muddle along without my reading them.
The Big Crunch is a love story, but not that kind of love story. Wes and June don't fall in love at first sight, they don't swoon. It isn't that kind of love story. But eventually after orbiting and watching and thiking, Wes and June sort of collide. But not in a really romantic way.
This is a subtle love story, maybe a little too subtle for my tastes.
The story alternates between Wes and June's perspective but it's very rapid (like every other paragraph somtimes) and makes it hard to really feel involved with either protagonist.
The book reminded me a lot of How to Say Goodbye in Robot which was all about friendship and attachments in the face of deeply NOT wanting to get attached. Ultimately though The Big Crunch lacked the verve and, yes, spark to set it apart as something special. It might not be a convential love story but it felt a lot like something I've heard before.
Anyway, I gave The Big Crunch a try because I fell in love with its cover. I knew it would be a book I would either love (as much as I love the cover) or it would be the book the convinced me to part ways once and for all with Pete Hautman.
The latter happened. I wish him all the best but his books will have to muddle along without my reading them.
The Big Crunch is a love story, but not that kind of love story. Wes and June don't fall in love at first sight, they don't swoon. It isn't that kind of love story. But eventually after orbiting and watching and thiking, Wes and June sort of collide. But not in a really romantic way.
This is a subtle love story, maybe a little too subtle for my tastes.
The story alternates between Wes and June's perspective but it's very rapid (like every other paragraph somtimes) and makes it hard to really feel involved with either protagonist.
The book reminded me a lot of How to Say Goodbye in Robot which was all about friendship and attachments in the face of deeply NOT wanting to get attached. Ultimately though The Big Crunch lacked the verve and, yes, spark to set it apart as something special. It might not be a convential love story but it felt a lot like something I've heard before.
alexatheoracle's review against another edition
3.0
According to the acknowledgements in the back, the book was supposed to end much sooner than it did. Even though Pete Hautman added an extra hundred pages to it, it still feels incomplete. Maybe that's the point. Still, it wasn't my favorite.
kasiabrenna's review against another edition
1.0
This book was really boring. I liked the idea of a teen love story low on drama and high on realism, but this just didn't work. I feel like you either need a plot or character development, and this book had neither. The characters were uninteresting and flat, and I just didn't care about their boring relationship. I really wanted to give up on this one, but I felt bad not finishing something that was such an easy read so I powered through. Only after I finished the book and read the author info on the back flap did I realize Hautman also wrote Sweetblood, another book I gave only 1 star. I think I will avoid this author from now on.
kickpleat's review against another edition
4.0
Oooh, this was a good one, full of sweetness, teen love and enough realness so that it gets you in the gut.