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libreroaming's review against another edition
3.0
More of a 3.5 really. "The Language of Stars" has a great premise based loosely on a real event when a bunch of teenagers were arrested for vandalizing Robert Frost's home and were sentenced to classes about his poetry as part of their punishment. Hawes reimagines it with a living poet, Rufus Baylor, who decides to teach the delinquents himself.
The good part was you can feel the love of poetry in every chapter. And the poetry of a "world famous poet" sounds professional so it isn't clunky when it's praised for its beauty. Although one con is there is way too much "our poet" and "greatest poet" embelishment that it gets too repetitive to maintain that allure and turns into saintly haigography. However the rest of the surrounding cast, from the social class starved mother to the self-absorbed boyfriend, were given complicated characterization that helped the interpersonal scenes.
But for all the pausing for moments of beauty and insight, the story dragged and retrode its lines. There were also moments of stylized script prose, written with sound effects that just didn't work well for characters or narration.
If you like slow meandering stories that focus on poetry and introspection this novel will speak your language.
The good part was you can feel the love of poetry in every chapter. And the poetry of a "world famous poet" sounds professional so it isn't clunky when it's praised for its beauty. Although one con is there is way too much "our poet" and "greatest poet" embelishment that it gets too repetitive to maintain that allure and turns into saintly haigography. However the rest of the surrounding cast, from the social class starved mother to the self-absorbed boyfriend, were given complicated characterization that helped the interpersonal scenes.
But for all the pausing for moments of beauty and insight, the story dragged and retrode its lines. There were also moments of stylized script prose, written with sound effects that just didn't work well for characters or narration.
If you like slow meandering stories that focus on poetry and introspection this novel will speak your language.
neglet's review against another edition
5.0
If you enjoy poetry, you should love this story, which is filled with verse as the main character takes a class as penance for destroying a poet’s home. I want to go back and try all the poetry exercises they do! The MC’s growth is hard-won and believable; the poetry is a bonus.
angeldevoursliterature's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
luckynumber7's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
In 2008 some teenagers broke into what had been Robert Frost's former home and trashed it. Their sentence included taking a course in Frost's poetry. Hawes used this story as an inspiration for this novel. Instead of a dead poet she used a local author who was still alive and who decided to teach a poetry course to the vandals.
danielsnkyla's review against another edition
4.0
Such a great story of the impact that individuals in different generations can have on each other. This was a sweet story and allows you to remember not to give up on life until its over. I appreciated the ending and was grateful for the closure her poem gave.
alinaborger's review against another edition
The poet Rufus Baylor is more alive to me now than my real idols. I enjoyed this exploration of a teen girl finding that love is a multiplier not a subtracter, that noticing is what makes us alive, that telling the people you love what you really want is not always going to explode. Thanks Louise Hawes for a charmer of a book. I loved living in that world.
onlyongracexm's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I absolutely loved the poetry parts, those beautiful parts where Sarah and the other characters reveal deeper parts about themselves that we normally wouldn’t verbalize aloud, let alone even write them down. Those parts I think we can really learn from and apply to our own lives.
The parts where Sarah turned into a gushing mess around her asshole boyfriend, Fry? Didn’t like those much.
But seriously, Sarah’s life Sucked Hard. No joke, I would run away if I were in Sarah’s life—parents who dictate their child’s life like that are bonkers nuts. No wonder Sarah’s life was so devoid of color.
I liked the ending, despite the sad bits that I won’t spoil. Though I really hope that last “stay” wasn’t for Fry. Ugh.
The parts where Sarah turned into a gushing mess around her asshole boyfriend, Fry? Didn’t like those much.
But seriously, Sarah’s life Sucked Hard. No joke, I would run away if I were in Sarah’s life—parents who dictate their child’s life like that are bonkers nuts. No wonder Sarah’s life was so devoid of color.
I liked the ending, despite the sad bits that I won’t spoil. Though I really hope that last “stay” wasn’t for Fry. Ugh.
rainbowreader's review against another edition
this book made me cry. it gave me words for the way i think about language -- i can't explain it, and this isn't even a good review, but i adored this book.
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