clairebartholomew549's review against another edition
4.0
Entering my reviews over from my old Goodreads profile I unearthed recently...here are some super sappy thoughts from 2010-era 15-year-old Claire!
loved how it didn't shy away from the hard stuff.
loved how it didn't shy away from the hard stuff.
kitkat2500's review against another edition
3.0
A wonderfully engrossing novel for young adults. A pleasure to read!
dlberglund's review against another edition
4.0
A really great book. There's a lot more novel than graphic to it--some graphics but mostly text. I was taken aback by the death in it--seemed like too much for a young adult novel. It would still be a heartbreaking and hopeful and depressing and witty and charming and gut-punching story even without the final death of the book. (Or one of the ones in the middle.) I know I'm Pollyanna and all, but still... Almost anything by Alexie is highly recommended.
rhiana_everest's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
susannaopal's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite YA of the year outside of "The Hate U Give" (which if you haven't read that, stop reading this and go read that and then this!). Outstanding and remarkable are the two words coming to mind an hour or so after I finished this one. My heart broke with Junior's and rose again with him at the end. I loved this book, especially how gritty and grief-stricken it was and I am once again reminded at just how amazing Sherman Alexie's writing is, he is a true gift and talent to a reader!
mattcheu's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book so much and can’t recommend it more. This story does an amazing job of balancing social issues, personal drama, and humor. You follow Junior through his struggles with school, friends, family, society, and personal identify. As Junior leaves his school to pursue more opportunity he struggles with his community on the reservation and his sense of belonging.
The author does an amazing job of providing an authentic emotional portrait of a person. Even though Junior is young he is presented through the perspective of an adult. Many times I read a book from the perspective of a younger character and there is no self awareness because of the immaturity of the character but this wasn’t the case with Junior. Though Junior has so much room to grow as a person he understands that his actions have consequences and that we make choices that may not be correct but we do them because that is what we know. It is great to read about such a real character who isn’t perfect and who makes mistakes but grows so much as the story progresses.
Through this book Junior is up against so many odds but through his determination and strengths he is able overcome the social pressures, the family issues, the broken friendships, the racism, and the pain of loss. Junior is a character someone of any age can learn from and this is a book I think everyone should read.
The author does an amazing job of providing an authentic emotional portrait of a person. Even though Junior is young he is presented through the perspective of an adult. Many times I read a book from the perspective of a younger character and there is no self awareness because of the immaturity of the character but this wasn’t the case with Junior. Though Junior has so much room to grow as a person he understands that his actions have consequences and that we make choices that may not be correct but we do them because that is what we know. It is great to read about such a real character who isn’t perfect and who makes mistakes but grows so much as the story progresses.
Through this book Junior is up against so many odds but through his determination and strengths he is able overcome the social pressures, the family issues, the broken friendships, the racism, and the pain of loss. Junior is a character someone of any age can learn from and this is a book I think everyone should read.
pamiverson's review against another edition
4.0
Young adult semi-autobiographical novel about identity and maturity. How he goes off the reservation for school, and struggles socially in both settings. At times poignant, at other times very funny. Good perspective on a different life, appropriate for "older" adult readers too.
cflorea's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars!
This book was engaging, and fun to read. It made me laugh, it made me tear up a bit. It made me think about relationships and diversity. Junior's voice was so strong through the book, I felt like he became a close friend. And I couldn't stop reading, cheering him on the whole way through. I loved the drawings throughout, and how sometimes lists were incorporated. It really felt like I was reading someone's diary. Great book!
This book was engaging, and fun to read. It made me laugh, it made me tear up a bit. It made me think about relationships and diversity. Junior's voice was so strong through the book, I felt like he became a close friend. And I couldn't stop reading, cheering him on the whole way through. I loved the drawings throughout, and how sometimes lists were incorporated. It really felt like I was reading someone's diary. Great book!
cindeereads's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great coming of age story about a Native American boy that was a pretty easy yet interesting read. I really liked the characters especially Junior he was an interesting boy a funny yet at times thoughtful boy who even with his problems in life he was a genuinely interesting character to read about. I really liked the plot it started out with a boy who was made fun of and beaten up all the time who then decided after listening to his teacher to leave the reservation school for better opportunities and finds many good and not so great things along the way. So overall I really liked this book it was an entertaining read for sure.
miranda_is_fully_booked's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0