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carladelgado's review against another edition
3.0
It was nice. It's not the kind of book that I usually read, but it's nice. :)
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
I am continuing my project of re-reading books I read as a kid during the summer vaca. A Solitary Blue is a solid entry in the Tillerman series, but I wished there had been more of Dicey and the Tillermans in it.
This books centers on Jeff Greene, Dicey's friend.
This books centers on Jeff Greene, Dicey's friend.
destiny_trombone's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
coinchantal's review against another edition
4.0
Book number 3 in this series, I really did like this story. It was a really sad story, but a great addition to the book series. You know get a better idea of who he is. A beautiful and sobering illustration of why isolation is so helpfull in times of pain or brokennes.
ardaigle's review against another edition
4.0
In One Word: Redemptive
Cannonball Read Bingo Square: Old Series
So far, Jeff is a boy at school, who plays guitar and sings and has begrudgingly caught Dicey's eye. This book takes us back in time in Jeff's story, and we learn how he and his father came to live in Crisfield. It was a really interesting take on the series, to focus on Jeff (who we just met in the second book, and has so far been of periphery interest to Dicey the main character) and make him the protagonist. The split in this book was about 80% Jeff and 20% the Tillerman family but because we already know the Tillerman's so well, their inclusion is seamless.
As for Jeff, he has earned his loner status fair and square, with a father who struggles to find his way and a mother who is the textbook definition of "piece of work" he does all he cans to make no waves. I challenge you to try to read about Jeff's manipulative, selfish, narcissistic mother without clenching your jaw. She does a number on him and then does it over and over AND OVER again. It's been a while since there was a fictional character I so thoroughly wanted to shake. Especially as a mother myself, it was hard to see him feel so discarded and question his own self-worth. But that's what I like about Voigt: she doesn't shy away from big feelings and hard topics and delivers impressive deep books that kids and adults alike can appreciate.
In Part Two of the book, once Jeff and his father move to Crisfield we see the Tillerman's from his point of view, as he moves from being a spectator of his own life to an active participant in the world around him. There was a neat moment of connection where we learn that Jeff really wanted to take home economics, not mechanical drawing (as we know from book 2 of Dicey's frustration with home economics because she wanted to take mechanical drawing) so Voight is already having these characters pull toward each other and sprinkle a bit of "opposites attract" foreshadowing in before they really have even met. In the end, we are back with the Tillerman's ready for them to be the focus of the next book, as both Jeff and Dicey learn to expand their circles and let others in.
Cannonball Read Bingo Square: Old Series
So far, Jeff is a boy at school, who plays guitar and sings and has begrudgingly caught Dicey's eye. This book takes us back in time in Jeff's story, and we learn how he and his father came to live in Crisfield. It was a really interesting take on the series, to focus on Jeff (who we just met in the second book, and has so far been of periphery interest to Dicey the main character) and make him the protagonist. The split in this book was about 80% Jeff and 20% the Tillerman family but because we already know the Tillerman's so well, their inclusion is seamless.
As for Jeff, he has earned his loner status fair and square, with a father who struggles to find his way and a mother who is the textbook definition of "piece of work" he does all he cans to make no waves. I challenge you to try to read about Jeff's manipulative, selfish, narcissistic mother without clenching your jaw. She does a number on him and then does it over and over AND OVER again. It's been a while since there was a fictional character I so thoroughly wanted to shake. Especially as a mother myself, it was hard to see him feel so discarded and question his own self-worth. But that's what I like about Voigt: she doesn't shy away from big feelings and hard topics and delivers impressive deep books that kids and adults alike can appreciate.
In Part Two of the book, once Jeff and his father move to Crisfield we see the Tillerman's from his point of view, as he moves from being a spectator of his own life to an active participant in the world around him. There was a neat moment of connection where we learn that Jeff really wanted to take home economics, not mechanical drawing (as we know from book 2 of Dicey's frustration with home economics because she wanted to take mechanical drawing) so Voight is already having these characters pull toward each other and sprinkle a bit of "opposites attract" foreshadowing in before they really have even met. In the end, we are back with the Tillerman's ready for them to be the focus of the next book, as both Jeff and Dicey learn to expand their circles and let others in.
solaana's review against another edition
5.0
The guy on the cover isn't half as hot as I imagined whatshisname to be.
doomslang's review against another edition
4.0
I don't really remember it but I think it was kind of my life. I'd like to read it again.
beklovesbooks's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Read the first two books in this series ahead of this if possible, but it stands very well on its own. Having connections to Charleston, SC and the Chesapeake Bay region, I enjoyed the references to those places as well as Baltimore, Ocean City, and primarily Crisfield. Excellent coming of age story, but tragic and triggering neglect really shapes the life of this boy. He is parentified early and becomes highly sensitive using people pleasing to survive. A satisfactory ending, but I don’t want to leave these characters behind!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Grief, Classism, Alcohol, Death, and Gaslighting
Minor: Racism, Sexism, Mental illness, and Child abuse