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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-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
So I was expecting this book to be well-written (which it most definitely was) and to be off-putting since it involved baseball (which it was not) but I wasn't expecting it to be -this- sad. I'm still not quite sure what the heck happened at the end, but if it's what I think happened, then I am a sad, sad little girl and I need a moment to cry in silence. Jennifer Smith has written a really beautiful story. The ending was a little rushed, compared to the calm pacing of the rest of the novel, but overall, I really enjoyed this book. Great relationships exist within its pages and there's the perfect mix of romance (for those hopelessly romantic girls like me out there) and sports (for any guys who would shy away from this novel). Great book. I'm already itching to read You Are Here, the author's next book.
I can't with the third person POV nor the way that I now know so much about Cubs statistics from what little I read.
Also... as a Wisconsinite I just feel wrong reading this
Also... as a Wisconsinite I just feel wrong reading this
Chicago + baseball + deftly handled teenage grieving and moving on = out of the park YA.
Review originally posted on Rather Be Reading Blog --
In some families, being born into a sport and a team is like a legacy. I could totally relate to Ryan and her dad’s affection for the Cubs. Sure, I was brought up a Yankees fan which is totally different because yes, we have won a lot of championships but I also remember sitting through many, many boring games in the 90s where they hardly won. But we stayed the whole game and still listened to the post-game on the way home. My dad taught me how to keep score. We were friends with all the people who sat in our section. Instead of going to church on Sundays, we went to home games at Yankee Stadium.
So I could understand how Ryan’s love of the Cubs and of her father were so closely intertwined. Jennifer E. Smith is a master of delving us into the depths of this 14-year old’s innermost thoughts. Her language is poetic and as relaxed, deliberate, and exciting as any great Friday night baseball game. Smith writes about the Cub’s history with such enthusiasm and fluidity throughout the novel and just an absolute love the game. One that brings people together like Ryan and her dad, and later, Ryan and Nick.
Ah, Ryan and Nick’s relationship. It’s quiet and different than other YA relationships I’ve read about. It’s not full of these huge epic gestures or plans or even that much expectation. For both Ryan and Nick, it’s about trusting the other person (for different reasons) and finding hope in dreadful situations. As the Cubs embark on the 100th year since winning their last World Series title, they are pretty much the perfect metaphor for many of the emotions running through the entire story. Why do the fans hang on like they do? How do the players continue to run out on that field day after day when they are never the chosen team? It’s all about getting up in the morning and moving forward. Any way you can.
My emotional reaction to The Comeback Season can only be a testament to Smith’s writing. I was completely invested in Ryan’s life as soon as the story began and even though it took me longer to read than other YAs, I had the pleasure of spending a substantial amount of time with this story. There is such passion behind the words, and so many gorgeous phrases I just wanted to never stop reading. It’s funny to go backwards when reading the work of one author, and I was absolutely blown away by this debut. It is a book that must find a home on my bookshelf and one that will be challenging to top…
In some families, being born into a sport and a team is like a legacy. I could totally relate to Ryan and her dad’s affection for the Cubs. Sure, I was brought up a Yankees fan which is totally different because yes, we have won a lot of championships but I also remember sitting through many, many boring games in the 90s where they hardly won. But we stayed the whole game and still listened to the post-game on the way home. My dad taught me how to keep score. We were friends with all the people who sat in our section. Instead of going to church on Sundays, we went to home games at Yankee Stadium.
So I could understand how Ryan’s love of the Cubs and of her father were so closely intertwined. Jennifer E. Smith is a master of delving us into the depths of this 14-year old’s innermost thoughts. Her language is poetic and as relaxed, deliberate, and exciting as any great Friday night baseball game. Smith writes about the Cub’s history with such enthusiasm and fluidity throughout the novel and just an absolute love the game. One that brings people together like Ryan and her dad, and later, Ryan and Nick.
Ah, Ryan and Nick’s relationship. It’s quiet and different than other YA relationships I’ve read about. It’s not full of these huge epic gestures or plans or even that much expectation. For both Ryan and Nick, it’s about trusting the other person (for different reasons) and finding hope in dreadful situations. As the Cubs embark on the 100th year since winning their last World Series title, they are pretty much the perfect metaphor for many of the emotions running through the entire story. Why do the fans hang on like they do? How do the players continue to run out on that field day after day when they are never the chosen team? It’s all about getting up in the morning and moving forward. Any way you can.
My emotional reaction to The Comeback Season can only be a testament to Smith’s writing. I was completely invested in Ryan’s life as soon as the story began and even though it took me longer to read than other YAs, I had the pleasure of spending a substantial amount of time with this story. There is such passion behind the words, and so many gorgeous phrases I just wanted to never stop reading. It’s funny to go backwards when reading the work of one author, and I was absolutely blown away by this debut. It is a book that must find a home on my bookshelf and one that will be challenging to top…
Could not finish this book! I have read and enjoyed 6 of Jennifer E Smith’s books but could not finish this one! I like baseball but pages after pages of Cubs and Wrigleys stadium statistics and history got to be so tedious that I drop it.
Not one of my favorite of Jennifer's books but I still really enjoyed it. I do wish that the ending was less ambiguous. I loved all the baseball and Cubs talk!
I thought the ending let this down a bit, but overall it was sweet.