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sam_hartwig's review against another edition
4.0
I could not put this down, I read it in two sittings! The way Simmone Howell sucks you into her story and characters is magic. This book is about a girl discovering who she is and finding "her people". It's a story of finding love, uncovering secrets and lots of music.
I felt like such a loser when I was reading this! There were so many music references that I didn't get because I didn't know the artists that the characters were talking about. It's another book I've read that is set in Australia, specifically St Kilda (a suburb in Melbourne). I live close to St Kilda and have visited many times so it was cool to read about places I have been.
A huge part of enjoying any book is enjoying the characters and Simmone knows how to write a good character. Sky is a rebel teenager, more than I ever was, but I guess living in St Kilda can do that to a girl. Gully is Sky's younger brother and when reading this you know that Gully has Asperger's or is on the autism spectrum but it's never spelled out. I really liked that about this book, everyone accepts him for who he is but doesn't label him. He could be difficult at times but I really liked Gully and thought he was a cool little dude.
Other than the characters, the intrigue was a big reason for my want to keep reading. I NEEDED to know why the girl in the graffiti was so sad. There were also moments of romance that were really nice, they gave me all the normal butterfly feelings in my stomach.
I have listened to Simmone Howell talk about writing and she also read the first chapter from this book. It made me want to read it oh so more. Now that I've read it all for myself I want to get my hands on Simmone's other books!
Also on my blog
I felt like such a loser when I was reading this! There were so many music references that I didn't get because I didn't know the artists that the characters were talking about. It's another book I've read that is set in Australia, specifically St Kilda (a suburb in Melbourne). I live close to St Kilda and have visited many times so it was cool to read about places I have been.
A huge part of enjoying any book is enjoying the characters and Simmone knows how to write a good character. Sky is a rebel teenager, more than I ever was, but I guess living in St Kilda can do that to a girl. Gully is Sky's younger brother and when reading this you know that Gully has Asperger's or is on the autism spectrum but it's never spelled out. I really liked that about this book, everyone accepts him for who he is but doesn't label him. He could be difficult at times but I really liked Gully and thought he was a cool little dude.
Other than the characters, the intrigue was a big reason for my want to keep reading. I NEEDED to know why the girl in the graffiti was so sad. There were also moments of romance that were really nice, they gave me all the normal butterfly feelings in my stomach.
I have listened to Simmone Howell talk about writing and she also read the first chapter from this book. It made me want to read it oh so more. Now that I've read it all for myself I want to get my hands on Simmone's other books!
Also on my blog
missbookiverse's review against another edition
3.0
Der Roman unterscheidet sich in seiner “Australischheit” schon mal enorm von gängigen US-Jugendromanen. Alles läuft lockerer und weniger konservativ, in Skylarks Familie vielleicht sogar zu sehr, denn seit ihre Mutter die Familie verlassen hat, muss sie sich gemeinsam mit ihrem Vater um ihren kleinen Bruder Gully kümmern. Der scheint ein wenig anders zu sein als seine Altersgenossen, was von seiner Familie aber auf liebevolle Weise akzeptiert wird. Weniger rosig geht es zwischen Skylark und ihrem Vater zu, der definitiv ein Alkoholproblem hat und die meiste Verantwortung für Gully bei ihr ablädt. All das wird zwischen den Zeilen schon irgendwie kritisiert, aber mir hat eine laute Auseinandersetzung gefehlt, bei der dem Vater mal ordentlich der Marsch geblasen wird.
Ähnlich kryptisch endet der Part über die verschwundenen Mädchen und Skylarks ältere Freundin Nancy. Ich bin ja durchaus dafür, dass ein Buch sich nicht bis aufs letzte Detail erklären muss, aber mir war das zu unklar. Andererseits hat mich dieser Mysteryaspekt gar nicht richtig interessiert, genauso wenig wie Gullys Detektivarbeit. Spannender fand ich Skylarks eigene Konflikte: das Sehnen nach ihrer Mutter, die Wut auf ihren Vater und die verwirrende Suche nach sich selbst. Diese Konflikte und die leise Liebesgeschichte hätten meinem Geschmack nach gern mehr Platz einnehmen können, dann hätte ich das Buch sicher auch höher bewertet.
Spezialausstattung: Melbourne (St. Kilda), Wohnen über einem Plattenladen, Musik (”nothing after 1995″)
Ähnlich kryptisch endet der Part über die verschwundenen Mädchen und Skylarks ältere Freundin Nancy. Ich bin ja durchaus dafür, dass ein Buch sich nicht bis aufs letzte Detail erklären muss, aber mir war das zu unklar. Andererseits hat mich dieser Mysteryaspekt gar nicht richtig interessiert, genauso wenig wie Gullys Detektivarbeit. Spannender fand ich Skylarks eigene Konflikte: das Sehnen nach ihrer Mutter, die Wut auf ihren Vater und die verwirrende Suche nach sich selbst. Diese Konflikte und die leise Liebesgeschichte hätten meinem Geschmack nach gern mehr Platz einnehmen können, dann hätte ich das Buch sicher auch höher bewertet.
Spezialausstattung: Melbourne (St. Kilda), Wohnen über einem Plattenladen, Musik (”nothing after 1995″)
liketheday's review against another edition
3.0
There's not really a plot, exactly, outside of Sky's brother sort of working on solving the brick-through-the-window mystery and Sky sort of working on solving the existential mystery of the dead girl. But surprisingly, I really got into this story that is essentially just a couple weeks in the life of regular, boring teenager.
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n_n_nikki's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book okay, but I'm not really sure what the overall plot was. I liked the characters and their development better than the storyline.
bookworm097's review against another edition
DNF'd. Just couldn't get into it. I'm not a huge fan of the writing style or setting, so this book just isn't for me.
katdid's review against another edition
4.0
This was bloody good: unflinching, entertaining, unjudgemental. And it was surprisingly comforting to read an Australian novel after a string of international ones. I found myself thinking that this was what would happen if one of the characters from Dogs In Space (dir. Richard Lowenstein, 1986) grew up and had a family.
limeywesty's review against another edition
4.0
Everytime I read a Simmone Howell novel I feel like the borderline dork that has been allowed to hang out with their idol for the day. Trying to fit in a Melbourne more hipster than I'm associated with, entirely envious, but full of gratitude for her generous sharing.
"Girl Defective" will make you wish you lived in St Kilda, visiting secret raves with a more credible authentic taste in music. It will have you people watching at Luna Park and humming Paul Kelly's appreciation tribute "From St Kilda to Kings Cross".
Skylark is the soul searching teen minus the angst, Nancy, a soul searching "adult". Sky's younger brother Gully is a bandit searching kind of guy instead. With characters as vibrant and, defective I suppose, you can't not end up with a wonderful tale. Simmone Howell will have you making a new wistful mixtape and wishing you were as cool as she is.
"Girl Defective" will make you wish you lived in St Kilda, visiting secret raves with a more credible authentic taste in music. It will have you people watching at Luna Park and humming Paul Kelly's appreciation tribute "From St Kilda to Kings Cross".
Skylark is the soul searching teen minus the angst, Nancy, a soul searching "adult". Sky's younger brother Gully is a bandit searching kind of guy instead. With characters as vibrant and, defective I suppose, you can't not end up with a wonderful tale. Simmone Howell will have you making a new wistful mixtape and wishing you were as cool as she is.