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elizabethtye's review against another edition
5.0
5/5 stars. Perfect ending to the series. Love having these for my daughter.
impybelle's review against another edition
4.0
The end of the book will probably always make me cry, at least a little.
thewordwitch's review against another edition
4.0
As someone who identified strongly as a Molly as a child (and still does as an adult), I have had to take a good hard look at myself in this really uncomfortable way. Did I have an existential crisis? No. Is that because I just had one a few months ago during the pandemic? Probably. There's been moments in this series where I've read this and been like, "Oh god..am I really like that?" (Ex. Betraying a friend by dumping her worst fear on her - literally (Molly Saves the Day) ) Or other times where Molly has been kind of a brat (Happy Birthday Molly!) when she concocted an elaborate revenge scheme on a British girl who had been relocated to their home. (Also, total side not on that one - why not make her Jewish? Then they could touch upon all the horrors of the Holocaust which was barely noted in the Peek into the Past in Book 6. Book 6!)
Anyway, onto this book. Perms had had a presence in my childhood, as had crimping and other brutal forms of hair torture. So, I had been totally along with the 'Molly Gets a Perm' ride. I remember being ready to be horrified by the poofy results, but instead her older sister had come to save Molly from a poor life choice. This was relatable content for me, since I took have an older sister who has certainly saved me from other poor life choices.
As an adult reading this, it was hard to deal with the idea that a girl with straight brown hair and glasses couldn't be viewed as pretty enough, and that so much of this book focused on Molly's looks. She's 10. It's gross how as a society in general we've always placed a certain inherent value on a woman's looks, and seeing that in a book for young children is not something that I came here for. I remember distinctly not wanting to wear my glasses when I was around this age, and could it be Val Tripp's fault that I went blindly about life mistaking strangers for friends and friends for strangers? Maybe.
I do think there is a saving grace at the end of this book, where the fact that Molly looks the same as she always did has meaning to her father. As a parent, it's probably a gift to have someone who hasn't changed so drastically you worry you won't fit in anymore after being gone for so long. Has Molly grown? Debatable - the examples Jill gave were kind of trash. She cited Molly's 'generosity' towards Emily as a sign of growth when we all know Molly had been fully ready to banish her from it and had been pretty nasty to her when Jill wasn't around. If she has, it's not enough for her Dad to have missed major points in her life. She is still kind of a kid, and she's still stubbornly sticking to her guns.
(As a reviewer, I try to keep in mind that this book is written for little girls, and not me, but whatever. Once a Molly, always a Molly, so this is all about me no matter the age. Kidding - or am I?)
Anyway, onto this book. Perms had had a presence in my childhood, as had crimping and other brutal forms of hair torture. So, I had been totally along with the 'Molly Gets a Perm' ride. I remember being ready to be horrified by the poofy results, but instead her older sister had come to save Molly from a poor life choice. This was relatable content for me, since I took have an older sister who has certainly saved me from other poor life choices.
As an adult reading this, it was hard to deal with the idea that a girl with straight brown hair and glasses couldn't be viewed as pretty enough, and that so much of this book focused on Molly's looks. She's 10. It's gross how as a society in general we've always placed a certain inherent value on a woman's looks, and seeing that in a book for young children is not something that I came here for. I remember distinctly not wanting to wear my glasses when I was around this age, and could it be Val Tripp's fault that I went blindly about life mistaking strangers for friends and friends for strangers? Maybe.
I do think there is a saving grace at the end of this book, where the fact that Molly looks the same as she always did has meaning to her father. As a parent, it's probably a gift to have someone who hasn't changed so drastically you worry you won't fit in anymore after being gone for so long. Has Molly grown? Debatable - the examples Jill gave were kind of trash. She cited Molly's 'generosity' towards Emily as a sign of growth when we all know Molly had been fully ready to banish her from it and had been pretty nasty to her when Jill wasn't around. If she has, it's not enough for her Dad to have missed major points in her life. She is still kind of a kid, and she's still stubbornly sticking to her guns.
(As a reviewer, I try to keep in mind that this book is written for little girls, and not me, but whatever. Once a Molly, always a Molly, so this is all about me no matter the age. Kidding - or am I?)
panda_incognito's review against another edition
4.0
Even though I remembered everything about this book's ending and didn't intend to cry, I still had happy tears streaming down my face as I read the last two pages.
This book is a roller coaster of joys and disappointments. When I was a child, I was unhappy with one of the key plot developments, and when the Molly movie adaptation came out, I preferred its picture-perfect ending. Now, however, I am older and know that the book is perfect the way that it is. Sometimes life doesn't go the way that you want and is still beautiful anyway.
This book is a roller coaster of joys and disappointments. When I was a child, I was unhappy with one of the key plot developments, and when the Molly movie adaptation came out, I preferred its picture-perfect ending. Now, however, I am older and know that the book is perfect the way that it is. Sometimes life doesn't go the way that you want and is still beautiful anyway.
meghan's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
iamthelizardqueen's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
So happy for Molly!
simplyparticular's review against another edition
2.0
This review is from the perspective of a mother. I am reading the books to decided when they are age appropriate for my daughter.
I'm torn on this book. The early Molly books are about how she resists change, she wishes everything was like before the war, with her family together, and everyone the same. And then she begins to mature in the later books, taking on leadership roles and wanting the spotlight, sometimes in a childish way, but usually good.
Then this book flips everything around and she wishes she was different, that her dad would see how different she is now. So while all ends well for the McIntyres, even if things don't work out 100% for Molly, I feel like the message in this book was confusing compared to where the rest of the series went.
I think the series has highs and lows, but overall, the messages and lessons were well presented.
I'm torn on this book. The early Molly books are about how she resists change, she wishes everything was like before the war, with her family together, and everyone the same. And then she begins to mature in the later books, taking on leadership roles and wanting the spotlight, sometimes in a childish way, but usually good.
Then this book flips everything around and she wishes she was different, that her dad would see how different she is now. So while all ends well for the McIntyres, even if things don't work out 100% for Molly, I feel like the message in this book was confusing compared to where the rest of the series went.
I think the series has highs and lows, but overall, the messages and lessons were well presented.