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whitneymouse's review against another edition
2.0
I read this book because I had liked other books by these two authors (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares).
Man, does this not hold a candle to either of those.
This was not the worst book I’ve ever read, but it wasn’t great. It felt so frivolous through most of it. The relationships were ill-defined. Many characters were irritating as hell. And the majority of the “conflict” comes from really petty first world problems these characters unnecessarily put themselves through.
Sam was kind of a cotton candy character: looks fun on the outside but has no substance. His arc is about self-empowerment but his parts were putting me to sleep.
Ilsa is ALL. OVER. THE PLACE! She’s “in love” with this guy and then over the course of a couple of hours she isn’t in love with him suddenly and is starting another relationship that night. That seems unhealthy to me. Also, there’s this part where the authors have a character say something like “I don’t believe in labels” to avoid giving her a sexual identity, so it makes her seem like she’d be attracted to anything that moves. She also has this weird relationship with Sam where she loves him, hates him, resents him for being their grandmother’s favorite, etc. I had issues pinning them down.
KK was the standard Kim Kardashian wannabe rich girl. Irritating and boring at the same time. At one point, Ilsa says something like “if I don’t love her, I don’t think anyone else will” which is NOT a reason to be friends with someone!
Caspian/Frederyk would have been kicked out of my house immediately. He was so annoying and these characters just continue putting up with his crazy.
Johan, Parker and Li were more interesting to me than the other characters and I would’ve been more interested in their perspectives than the ones we got.
The issues in this book were so first world problem-y. “I didn’t get into this really expensive school I wanted to go to. I don’t want to leave the fancy apartment that my family won’t own at the end of the summer. My brother is our grandmother’s favorite and it makes me mad!”
I just was not impressed by this outing. I’ve only read one book by Rachel Cohn on her own (that I liked a lot) and one book by David Levithan on his own (that I despised) so I’m kind of inclined to blame him more for its issues. But, that aside, this was just not their best.
Man, does this not hold a candle to either of those.
This was not the worst book I’ve ever read, but it wasn’t great. It felt so frivolous through most of it. The relationships were ill-defined. Many characters were irritating as hell. And the majority of the “conflict” comes from really petty first world problems these characters unnecessarily put themselves through.
Sam was kind of a cotton candy character: looks fun on the outside but has no substance. His arc is about self-empowerment but his parts were putting me to sleep.
Ilsa is ALL. OVER. THE PLACE! She’s “in love” with this guy and then over the course of a couple of hours she isn’t in love with him suddenly and is starting another relationship that night. That seems unhealthy to me. Also, there’s this part where the authors have a character say something like “I don’t believe in labels” to avoid giving her a sexual identity, so it makes her seem like she’d be attracted to anything that moves. She also has this weird relationship with Sam where she loves him, hates him, resents him for being their grandmother’s favorite, etc. I had issues pinning them down.
KK was the standard Kim Kardashian wannabe rich girl. Irritating and boring at the same time. At one point, Ilsa says something like “if I don’t love her, I don’t think anyone else will” which is NOT a reason to be friends with someone!
Caspian/Frederyk would have been kicked out of my house immediately. He was so annoying and these characters just continue putting up with his crazy.
Johan, Parker and Li were more interesting to me than the other characters and I would’ve been more interested in their perspectives than the ones we got.
The issues in this book were so first world problem-y. “I didn’t get into this really expensive school I wanted to go to. I don’t want to leave the fancy apartment that my family won’t own at the end of the summer. My brother is our grandmother’s favorite and it makes me mad!”
I just was not impressed by this outing. I’ve only read one book by Rachel Cohn on her own (that I liked a lot) and one book by David Levithan on his own (that I despised) so I’m kind of inclined to blame him more for its issues. But, that aside, this was just not their best.
sophsparklz's review against another edition
4.0
This book was such a fun little read!! I’ve been very into dual POV lately so this was a nice twist with the two of them being twins. No crazy plot, the story is definitely relying on the strength of the characters.
A sock puppet at a dinner party?
And then a South African fiddler?
And then each twin’s ex shows up?
It had a lot of interesting characters for sure.
A sock puppet at a dinner party?
And then a South African fiddler?
And then each twin’s ex shows up?
It had a lot of interesting characters for sure.
finnthehuman217's review against another edition
5.0
Out of all the books Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written together, this is the deepest one. Full of great writing, talking about how to figure out where to go after high school, how to Navigate adulthood, being able to have fun and be garish for a few hours, and entertain a sock puppet for an evening. It was full of fun moments but full of life-affirming moments too. The ending was probably the sweetest thing. The whole novel was a strange one but very enjoyable at the same time!!! And I enjoy the nods to their other books(nick and Norah/Dash and Lily) with that song from Nicks band the fuckoffs. this book is for anyone who has been “stuck inside a fortress of their own building” and needs help to get out. It’s one of the best that Cohn and Levithan have written together!!!
emilymorgan02's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't love this one as much as some of their others...but I still enjoyed the cleverness and the characters. I love to imagine how these collaborations are written.
owls_rainbow's review against another edition
2.0
This was a strange book. Told over one night over the course of a final dinner party hosted by twins Sam and Ilsa while they come to terms with their future.
I found the characters hard to keep track of. I kept getting the exes mixed up, then there is the random South African, the girl who is too bitchy to even want to be best friends with, and a guy who will only talk via a sock puppet. I had to suspend my disbelief with that one.
Li was the shining beacon of pure light in a story that didn't seem to know where it was going. A lot of questions and talking, not a lot of answers or action. The history we were told was annoyingly vague, sometimes pointless e.g. Stan the hashtag guy.
The epilogue/final chapter 10 years later didn't seem to clear much up either. Honestly just pretentious through and through and I stuggled to finish it.
For more reviews: https://owls-rainbow.blogspot.com/
I found the characters hard to keep track of. I kept getting the exes mixed up, then there is the random South African, the girl who is too bitchy to even want to be best friends with, and a guy who will only talk via a sock puppet. I had to suspend my disbelief with that one.
Li was the shining beacon of pure light in a story that didn't seem to know where it was going. A lot of questions and talking, not a lot of answers or action. The history we were told was annoyingly vague, sometimes pointless e.g. Stan the hashtag guy.
The epilogue/final chapter 10 years later didn't seem to clear much up either. Honestly just pretentious through and through and I stuggled to finish it.
For more reviews: https://owls-rainbow.blogspot.com/
l1nds's review against another edition
3.0
I was so excited to get an advance copy of this because I absolutely love the authors' previous collaboration on the Dash and Lily books and Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. I expected something in the same vein - warm, amusing, slightly quirky, well rounded characters, and two distinct voices narrating (chapters alternate between the two main characters) but sadly I didn't get it.
The premise was interesting, twins Sam and Ilsa (boy and girl) throw one last dinner party for an odd assortment of their friends and acquaintances before their grandmother's beautiful rent controlled apartment is sold. I just felt like the magic is missing from this one. The two main characters didn't feel as distinct as usual - a few times I had to go back and check which character was narrating, and the main personality trait of most of the guests seemed to be obnoxious. Apart from the one who communicated solely via sock puppet who was frankly annoying, and all my sympathy was with the guest who wrestled the puppet off and tried to dispose of it. Sadly he wasn't successful.
The whole thing just felt very superficial, I never felt like we scratched beneath the surface - in Britain we would say it's all fur coat no knickers but I don't know how well that expression travels!
*ARC from Netgalley for an honest opinion*
The premise was interesting, twins Sam and Ilsa (boy and girl) throw one last dinner party for an odd assortment of their friends and acquaintances before their grandmother's beautiful rent controlled apartment is sold. I just felt like the magic is missing from this one. The two main characters didn't feel as distinct as usual - a few times I had to go back and check which character was narrating, and the main personality trait of most of the guests seemed to be obnoxious. Apart from the one who communicated solely via sock puppet who was frankly annoying, and all my sympathy was with the guest who wrestled the puppet off and tried to dispose of it. Sadly he wasn't successful.
The whole thing just felt very superficial, I never felt like we scratched beneath the surface - in Britain we would say it's all fur coat no knickers but I don't know how well that expression travels!
*ARC from Netgalley for an honest opinion*