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kristid's review
3.0
What an awesome book!
I wasn't sure what to expect when starting this book. I had read Lara's other novel Donut Days, and I remember that I liked it and that it had a religious theme to it. It wasn't one of those "preachy" novels, but I wondered if Aggie Winchester would have any of those elements.... and from the first page I could tell this was going to be a whole different novel. Lara's trademark wit and humor where there, but this was a whole different world. And I loved it!
Aggie was an interesting characters... and I mean interesting in the fascinating way. She paints on her Goth make-up everyday as a shield against the outside world. And one of the aspects of the story that I enjoyed the most was watching her find her true self. I mean the girl likes to go bass fishing! How cool is that... bet you wouldn't have expected that!
I hated Aggie's best friend, Sylvia. She's mean and selfish, and she drops Aggie like yesterday's trash when a new girl comes to school. I was glad for Aggie that their friendship fizzled even though it wasn't ideal for Aggie at the time. Aggie and her relationship with her mother was intriguing... and not really in a good way. It was a train wreck, their relationship is sad. Aggie's mom is so focused on why she's doing the things she's doing, like her Goth make-up, that she forgets to focus on the person she is underneath the make-up. It's heartbreaking.
And then the prom scandal... and boys... Aggie has a lot to deal with!
A fantastic contemporary! Add this one to your reading piles!
I wasn't sure what to expect when starting this book. I had read Lara's other novel Donut Days, and I remember that I liked it and that it had a religious theme to it. It wasn't one of those "preachy" novels, but I wondered if Aggie Winchester would have any of those elements.... and from the first page I could tell this was going to be a whole different novel. Lara's trademark wit and humor where there, but this was a whole different world. And I loved it!
Aggie was an interesting characters... and I mean interesting in the fascinating way. She paints on her Goth make-up everyday as a shield against the outside world. And one of the aspects of the story that I enjoyed the most was watching her find her true self. I mean the girl likes to go bass fishing! How cool is that... bet you wouldn't have expected that!
I hated Aggie's best friend, Sylvia. She's mean and selfish, and she drops Aggie like yesterday's trash when a new girl comes to school. I was glad for Aggie that their friendship fizzled even though it wasn't ideal for Aggie at the time. Aggie and her relationship with her mother was intriguing... and not really in a good way. It was a train wreck, their relationship is sad. Aggie's mom is so focused on why she's doing the things she's doing, like her Goth make-up, that she forgets to focus on the person she is underneath the make-up. It's heartbreaking.
And then the prom scandal... and boys... Aggie has a lot to deal with!
A fantastic contemporary! Add this one to your reading piles!
lindacbugg's review
4.0
I didn't have high hopes for this one but I really enjoyed it. The main character Aggie was believable and the back-stabbing and BS reminded me of my own high school days.
bethestage's review
4.0
Another great book by Lara Zielin! I had all good intentions of just reading a few chapters before bed but I read the whole thing in one sitting. I would definitely recommend this one to older YA readers, at least high school aged. I don't think I'd want middle school kids reading this one especially if they're feeling tempted to rebel. I'm working right now with a child who is a lot like Aggie and as much as I'd love for her to read this, I feel like she might latch on to the wrong things. But that's just the social worker in me coming out. :)
I really did enjoy the book. The characters either made me love them (Fitz, Jrex) or hate them (Sylvia, Beth) which is always a good sign. I really wish there had been a little more to the end though. I wasn't ready for it to stop where it did. :)
I really did enjoy the book. The characters either made me love them (Fitz, Jrex) or hate them (Sylvia, Beth) which is always a good sign. I really wish there had been a little more to the end though. I wasn't ready for it to stop where it did. :)
aprilbooksandwine's review
4.0
Aggie Winchester is the principal’s daughter, but don’t expect her to be prissy. She’s full on goth and wears dark make up (inspiring me to google goth kids which is a barrel full of laughs). Her life is anything but easy. From a strained relationship with her mom who has cancer, to dealing with her best friend who is preggers and about to ditch Aggie for the new goth girl while running for prom queen in order to win over the baby daddy, popular Ryan, it is no wonder Lara Zielin’s latest is titled The Implosion Of Aggie Winchester.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
foreveryoungadult's review
Graded By: Meghan
Cover Story: Between Friends
BFF Charm: Maybe
Swoonworthy Scale: 2
Talky Talk: My So-Called Life
Bonus Factors: Crazyprom, Boy Next Door
Anti-Bonus Factor: The Patty Chase Awful Mom Award
Relationship Status: That Teen Movie I Can't Pass Up
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Between Friends
BFF Charm: Maybe
Swoonworthy Scale: 2
Talky Talk: My So-Called Life
Bonus Factors: Crazyprom, Boy Next Door
Anti-Bonus Factor: The Patty Chase Awful Mom Award
Relationship Status: That Teen Movie I Can't Pass Up
Read the full book report here.
gothamgal's review
4.0
This was an interesting book and the two sides pulling at each side of Aggie were compelling.
saragrochowski's review
4.0
The Implosion of Aggie Winchester proved to be a relatively quick read that managed to tackle multiple issues simultaneously, including teen pregnancy, the acceptance of the "goth" culture, the political ramifications of both of these issues (at the high school level), cancer, and unhealthy relationships. Admittedly, none of these topics are explored too deeply, but they're all touched upon and interconnected in a cohesive manner.
The plot centers around Aggie and her best friend, Sylvia. Both girls are goth, but the reader quickly discovers that, though they dress the same, they definitely don't think the same, nor are they goth for the same reasons. Aggie uses her dress and attitude as a way to keep people at arm's length, while Sylvia seems to use it for attention, having no problem allowing people to get close to her. Sylvia seems to find herself invincible, even after discovering she's pregnant by one of the most popular boys in school. Aggie, on the other hand, if completely aware of just how vulnerable she is.
When Sylvia is nominated for prom queen, she sees it as her chance to prove her worthiness to the father of her baby. Sylvia's peers find that they have more in common with her than the stereotypical girls who usually take the crown and rally behind her. The school's staff, however, regard the prom queen as a role model... a role that a pregnant goth girl is in no position to fill. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a scandal ensues.
The scandal is definitely the main focus of The Implosion of Aggie Winchester, but it was the other smaller issues that drew my focus. Throughout the novel Aggie is struggling to let go of her ex-boyfriend, who is, for all intents and purpose, leading her on and keeping her emotionally involved to use her whenever he feels like it. In short, he's not a good guy and is messing with Aggie's head for his own gain. Even if I hadn't dealt with this type of guy in real life, I still would have been rooting for Aggie to find enough self-respect to tell this guy to take a hike. And, to let you in on a little secret, Aggie may have given me a bit of courage to do the same!
This sophomore offering from Lara Zielin was a great read on multiple levels. It dealt with some serious issues and featured a main character that clearly grows throughout the novel, while incorporating a budding romance and humor. I definitely recommend it.
The plot centers around Aggie and her best friend, Sylvia. Both girls are goth, but the reader quickly discovers that, though they dress the same, they definitely don't think the same, nor are they goth for the same reasons. Aggie uses her dress and attitude as a way to keep people at arm's length, while Sylvia seems to use it for attention, having no problem allowing people to get close to her. Sylvia seems to find herself invincible, even after discovering she's pregnant by one of the most popular boys in school. Aggie, on the other hand, if completely aware of just how vulnerable she is.
When Sylvia is nominated for prom queen, she sees it as her chance to prove her worthiness to the father of her baby. Sylvia's peers find that they have more in common with her than the stereotypical girls who usually take the crown and rally behind her. The school's staff, however, regard the prom queen as a role model... a role that a pregnant goth girl is in no position to fill. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a scandal ensues.
The scandal is definitely the main focus of The Implosion of Aggie Winchester, but it was the other smaller issues that drew my focus. Throughout the novel Aggie is struggling to let go of her ex-boyfriend, who is, for all intents and purpose, leading her on and keeping her emotionally involved to use her whenever he feels like it. In short, he's not a good guy and is messing with Aggie's head for his own gain. Even if I hadn't dealt with this type of guy in real life, I still would have been rooting for Aggie to find enough self-respect to tell this guy to take a hike. And, to let you in on a little secret, Aggie may have given me a bit of courage to do the same!
This sophomore offering from Lara Zielin was a great read on multiple levels. It dealt with some serious issues and featured a main character that clearly grows throughout the novel, while incorporating a budding romance and humor. I definitely recommend it.
theresidentbookworm's review
2.0
Let me pose an interesting question to everyone out there: Are we teenagers all the same? Now, it may seem like a stupid question. Of course we're not all the same. We have different styles and personalities and tastes in music and things we're interested in and futures we want to have. But does those differences really make us that different? I thought about that while reading The Implosion of Aggie Winchester because every character, from bad-ass pregnant Sylvia to our Goth bass-fishing protagonist to claw-handed Jess, seem to want the sames thing. They want things to be fair and life to be easier. They want love with the people they think are right for them, even if they aren't. All the teenagers in this novel seem to mess up one way or another, regardless of cliches or families. I think there's something to be said that even the Goth girls, like Aggie and Sylvia, want the same kind of loving relationships, the same kind of respect from guys, that the cheerleaders like Tiffany want.
Other than the very interesting question I just posed to you, I didn't get much out of The Implosion of Aggie Winchester. Frankly, I thought the novel was a mess. The writing itself was okay, but it was hard to like any of the characters (except for maybe Jess). Aggie was sympathetic at times, and I really thought she was trying to do the right thing, but she didn't have any respect for her parents or their rules. Note to Aggie: If you're constantly going to disobey rules, your parents are not going to trust you. It was unfair of Aggie to pin all the blame on them for not trusting her when they should've because she hadn't given her a reason to. On the other hand, Aggie's parents assumed too much for knowing so little. It seemed like they just wanted to lecture her instead of working through their problems, which I know from experience doesn't work. Aggie's mom, though at the center of the story, always felt a little too distant for me. I guess that just goes to show how used to I am of my mom being extremely hands-on in my life.
The supporting characters were mostly unremarkable. I really couldn't figure out why Aggie stayed friends with a bitch like Sylvia and cheered when the friendship dissolved. Sylvia was delusional if she thought Ryan, who had never acknowledged her in public, was going to step up and be a father to their baby if she won prom queen. Guess denial's not just a river in Egypt. And on a similar note, what kind of friend tries to convince their friend NOT to go to college since they're not going. Seriously? Neil annoyed the heck out of me, and I was so happy when Aggie finally realized she deserved better. Fitz had great potential, but he was so under-utilized it was ridiculous. Note to Zeilin: Less Neil, more Fitz= better novel. Pretty much the only character I really truly liked was Jess: snarky, honest, and a great friend. Too bad I think she was thrown in just as Aggie's Jiminy Cricket, but hey, someone has to do the job.
I'm not even going to talk about the plot I'm sure Zielin pulled from Lifetime Movie's archives. In fact, the whole mom-as-principal-covers-stuff-up bit reminded me of that movie, Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal staring Ashley Benson (third time she's played a cheerleader if you're interested). Ulitmately, my recommendation is to stay away. Go watch that delightful cheerleader movie instead
Other than the very interesting question I just posed to you, I didn't get much out of The Implosion of Aggie Winchester. Frankly, I thought the novel was a mess. The writing itself was okay, but it was hard to like any of the characters (except for maybe Jess). Aggie was sympathetic at times, and I really thought she was trying to do the right thing, but she didn't have any respect for her parents or their rules. Note to Aggie: If you're constantly going to disobey rules, your parents are not going to trust you. It was unfair of Aggie to pin all the blame on them for not trusting her when they should've because she hadn't given her a reason to. On the other hand, Aggie's parents assumed too much for knowing so little. It seemed like they just wanted to lecture her instead of working through their problems, which I know from experience doesn't work. Aggie's mom, though at the center of the story, always felt a little too distant for me. I guess that just goes to show how used to I am of my mom being extremely hands-on in my life.
The supporting characters were mostly unremarkable. I really couldn't figure out why Aggie stayed friends with a bitch like Sylvia and cheered when the friendship dissolved. Sylvia was delusional if she thought Ryan, who had never acknowledged her in public, was going to step up and be a father to their baby if she won prom queen. Guess denial's not just a river in Egypt. And on a similar note, what kind of friend tries to convince their friend NOT to go to college since they're not going. Seriously? Neil annoyed the heck out of me, and I was so happy when Aggie finally realized she deserved better. Fitz had great potential, but he was so under-utilized it was ridiculous. Note to Zeilin: Less Neil, more Fitz= better novel. Pretty much the only character I really truly liked was Jess: snarky, honest, and a great friend. Too bad I think she was thrown in just as Aggie's Jiminy Cricket, but hey, someone has to do the job.
I'm not even going to talk about the plot I'm sure Zielin pulled from Lifetime Movie's archives. In fact, the whole mom-as-principal-covers-stuff-up bit reminded me of that movie, Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal staring Ashley Benson (third time she's played a cheerleader if you're interested). Ulitmately, my recommendation is to stay away. Go watch that delightful cheerleader movie instead
martha_schwalbe's review
3.0
This book made me wonder if Lara Zielin has personal experience with all this chaos or if she took parts from lots of lives and combined them into one.
There have been periods in my life where I have felt that if my life were made into a movie no one would believe that all the things really happened to me. Throughout this book I kept thinking can't poor Aggie catch a break. She tried to do right and her efforts were misunderstood.
I think this book's appeal is similar to that of Sleeping Freshmen never Lie because one fiasco after another haunts Aggie. I wanted to run away from the book though the story moves along quickly.
This is a good book for any high school student I think. I wonder if boys would like it?
There have been periods in my life where I have felt that if my life were made into a movie no one would believe that all the things really happened to me. Throughout this book I kept thinking can't poor Aggie catch a break. She tried to do right and her efforts were misunderstood.
I think this book's appeal is similar to that of Sleeping Freshmen never Lie because one fiasco after another haunts Aggie. I wanted to run away from the book though the story moves along quickly.
This is a good book for any high school student I think. I wonder if boys would like it?