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tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This book's cute art style makes it look like it should fall in the Lumberjanes school of "girls supporting each other and having awesome adventures." Reader, it does not.
The Bulldogs (even the ones who are supposed to be friends) are mean to each other for no obvious reason but then are suddenly and unearnedly bffs. Johnson tries to follow everyone's story, with the end result that she hardly follows anyone's (also, "a cavalcade of adolescent drama" =/= "a coherent plot"). And I'm pretty sure that's just not how team jersey numbering works.
Unlike others, I appreciate that the big "coming-together moment"wasn't "underdog team pulls together and Does A Good Sport" but rather "underdog team remembers they all hate this sport (except the one who likes it and only plays on this team because her dad is the coach) and kicks it to the curb." That feels like my kind of sports book. Still, one moment of collective walk-out doesn't justify a happily-friender-after ending full of pizza and team bonding.
Also, maybe middle school was just way too long ago for me to remember it correctly, or kids are just that much more mature now, but a lot of these alleged junior high kids sure look and act a lot more like high schoolers.
The Bulldogs (even the ones who are supposed to be friends) are mean to each other for no obvious reason but then are suddenly and unearnedly bffs. Johnson tries to follow everyone's story, with the end result that she hardly follows anyone's (also, "a cavalcade of adolescent drama" =/= "a coherent plot"). And I'm pretty sure that's just not how team jersey numbering works.
Unlike others, I appreciate that the big "coming-together moment"
Also, maybe middle school was just way too long ago for me to remember it correctly, or kids are just that much more mature now, but a lot of these alleged junior high kids sure look and act a lot more like high schoolers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Bullying
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, and Violence
Minor: Saneismvekenega's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death
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