Scan barcode
4saradouglas's review against another edition
4.0
When fifteen year old Izzy’s date drove her home after a night of drinking, they get into an accident and Izzy’s leg must be amputated. She finds herself forced down a long hard path towards recovery which includes both regaining her strength and coordination with only one leg but also learning how to accept her body in its new condition and dealing with those who cannot see past her disability.
When most of us think of loss, our thoughts tend to go towards the loss of a friend or family member. The loss of a limb can be just as tragic if not more so, and this book offers a very frightening glimpse inside that world. It covers a lot of topics such as self-esteem and body image as well as prejudice and people’s discomfort around those who are disabled. The book’s only drawback is that it is sometimes apparent that it was written twenty years ago such as when the family considers buying a VCR but worry about the price.
When most of us think of loss, our thoughts tend to go towards the loss of a friend or family member. The loss of a limb can be just as tragic if not more so, and this book offers a very frightening glimpse inside that world. It covers a lot of topics such as self-esteem and body image as well as prejudice and people’s discomfort around those who are disabled. The book’s only drawback is that it is sometimes apparent that it was written twenty years ago such as when the family considers buying a VCR but worry about the price.
happytreereads's review against another edition
3.0
not entirely settled in my thoughts. still unsure of why i enjoyed this one as much as i did. it's long, and not much happens in way of a plot, but i never felt like it rambled, and i never once thought of abandoning it. (which is more than i can say for some other, far more popular books, i've tried to read of late.)
not a groundbreaking novel, and one can definitely tell it was written in the 70s or 80s, but i have few complaints (besides the somewhat awkward and uncomfortable portrayal of a black character, and some of the ways izzy viewed her disability). i found it a satisfying story, and i dare say it was deeply comforting to read a story about a girl lying around, sick and tired and depressed, while being all those things myself. i felt a connection to the character that i don't think i would have otherwise. <3
.
.
.
P.S. marco is the actual worst, and should be in jail.
not a groundbreaking novel, and one can definitely tell it was written in the 70s or 80s, but i have few complaints (besides the somewhat awkward and uncomfortable portrayal of a black character, and some of the ways izzy viewed her disability). i found it a satisfying story, and i dare say it was deeply comforting to read a story about a girl lying around, sick and tired and depressed, while being all those things myself. i felt a connection to the character that i don't think i would have otherwise. <3
.
.
.
P.S. marco is the actual worst, and should be in jail.
bldinmt's review against another edition
2.0
I read this book in grade school. It crossed my mind the other day so I thought I'd pick up a copy. It wasn't quite as good as I remembered, but...
jtlars7's review against another edition
4.0
I read this one many times as a pre-teen, and it’s still good.
hollysue22's review against another edition
4.0
so i found this one in the free book bin at my local 2nd and charles bookstore. there was a ton of awesome free books that day so i really scored. but anyway.... i heard the name of this book in passing many times over the years but i never really paid much mind to it or considered reading it or even looked up what it was about. so i took a chance. i had a hard time getting into it at first because the way the author starts it for a bit was kind of odd to me and kind of hard to follow. but once i got along in it and things "smoothed out" so to speak, i really liked it. one of my family members is a double amputee so i thought of him often while reading the book and what it must have been like. izzy is a real trooper. this is definitely a good book to read for anyone experiencing something similar, knowing someone who is an amputee or even if you just want to read a good book.
finesilkflower's review against another edition
4.0
I worried this would be "trauma porn" but it's actually a very sensitive and thoughtful portrayal of a teen coming to terms with permanent disability after an accident. Like all the Cynthia Voigt books I've read, it's excellently written with straightforward and emotionally hard-hitting prose. The attention to small details and lingering on each day of her recovery and adjustment brings a realism that makes it impossible not to relate to.
What I liked best about this book is how it illustrates the being different makes you a better person. Although I don't have any experience directly analagous to Izzy's, as a queer/trans person, I related to her simultaneous ability to see herself as she is now vs how she would be if she were "normal", and conclude that her adversity has given her a much more emotionally mature and nuanced view of the world.
What I liked best about this book is how it illustrates the being different makes you a better person. Although I don't have any experience directly analagous to Izzy's, as a queer/trans person, I related to her simultaneous ability to see herself as she is now vs how she would be if she were "normal", and conclude that her adversity has given her a much more emotionally mature and nuanced view of the world.
sabrinasayshey's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
librarygirlreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bowienerd_82's review against another edition
3.0
I just read all of Voigt's Tillerman Family series, and really enjoyed it, so I figured I'd check out a couple of her other books.
There were some good things about this book, including the way Voigt handled what a teen's feelings might be about losing a leg, but I wasn't very interested in most of the characters, and the book itself felt a little bit uneventful. It felt like there were some loose ends that never really got tied up, and a lot of things that never really happened.
There were some good things about this book, including the way Voigt handled what a teen's feelings might be about losing a leg, but I wasn't very interested in most of the characters, and the book itself felt a little bit uneventful. It felt like there were some loose ends that never really got tied up, and a lot of things that never really happened.