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beingbreezie's review against another edition
4.0
Great coming of age story and depiction of teen life and religion.
maisyp's review against another edition
5.0
genuinely a beautiful book. judged it at first bc it seemed basic and like “teenagers r edgy” but god it was so lovely
darrellreads2much's review against another edition
4.0
Where gods with a little g falters, and it falters a fair deal, it more than makes up for with powerful images that hit harder than any number of beers chugged in an empty garage, and one liners that put most modern poets to shame. With a rather original format, Hassman manages to make light of things that in most other teen narratives (of which there are a lot which tackle these subjects) would take pages to unpack, and makes heavy the slightest of details.
There's a lot to enjoy here, despite frequent pitfalls and fairly lacklustre character development. gods with a little g is as quality of a bildungsroman as I've read in years.
There's a lot to enjoy here, despite frequent pitfalls and fairly lacklustre character development. gods with a little g is as quality of a bildungsroman as I've read in years.
oddfigg's review against another edition
5.0
Tupelo Hassman has shot to the top of my *holy crap this writer is incredible* list.
A coming-of-age story with such a strong and spirited voice that it basically vibrates right off the page. I was Helen as I read these pages—I felt her experience, the emotional journey, everything, deep in my soul. And I loved it.
The cover is amazing, as you can see, and it is so perfectly suited to the book, since Helen uses the idea (metaphorically and sometimes literally) of “Lost” posters throughout the book as a physical manifestation of how she’s reacting to change. I loved this aspect of the book—Her lost cat poster for a cat that went missing when her mom died is a small act of rebellion against her dad’s new girlfriend. Her (humorous) lost dad poster signifies how she’s feeling as her dad finds love again and seems to be a new and different person. This is just a small taste of the insight this book has to offer.
The writing is exquisite. Humorous, tongue-in-cheek, and witty, Helen’s voice sparkles and surprises, and I wanted her to be my best friend. The book is written from the immediacy of the teenage experience as it is being experienced, unlike so many coming-of-age narratives that are told from some point in the future by an older, wiser version of the character. Not so here. You get the straight facts, emotions, experience—just as Helen sees it.
Her specific experience, one of being stuck in a town that’s so cut off from the rest of the world that they can block specific parts of the internet and ban kids from getting tattoos based on some inane part of the Bible, is not necessarily one that is universal in itself. But her emotional experiences of first love, sexual urges, injustices, being an outcast, feeling alone, not knowing how to grieve for her mother and deal with her father moving on, and just wanting more from life hit me deeply. Not only did I feel her journey, but it felt so real.
I loved this book. One of my favorites of the year so far.
Thank you, thank you, FSG for putting this one in my hands to read and review.
A coming-of-age story with such a strong and spirited voice that it basically vibrates right off the page. I was Helen as I read these pages—I felt her experience, the emotional journey, everything, deep in my soul. And I loved it.
The cover is amazing, as you can see, and it is so perfectly suited to the book, since Helen uses the idea (metaphorically and sometimes literally) of “Lost” posters throughout the book as a physical manifestation of how she’s reacting to change. I loved this aspect of the book—Her lost cat poster for a cat that went missing when her mom died is a small act of rebellion against her dad’s new girlfriend. Her (humorous) lost dad poster signifies how she’s feeling as her dad finds love again and seems to be a new and different person. This is just a small taste of the insight this book has to offer.
The writing is exquisite. Humorous, tongue-in-cheek, and witty, Helen’s voice sparkles and surprises, and I wanted her to be my best friend. The book is written from the immediacy of the teenage experience as it is being experienced, unlike so many coming-of-age narratives that are told from some point in the future by an older, wiser version of the character. Not so here. You get the straight facts, emotions, experience—just as Helen sees it.
Her specific experience, one of being stuck in a town that’s so cut off from the rest of the world that they can block specific parts of the internet and ban kids from getting tattoos based on some inane part of the Bible, is not necessarily one that is universal in itself. But her emotional experiences of first love, sexual urges, injustices, being an outcast, feeling alone, not knowing how to grieve for her mother and deal with her father moving on, and just wanting more from life hit me deeply. Not only did I feel her journey, but it felt so real.
I loved this book. One of my favorites of the year so far.
Thank you, thank you, FSG for putting this one in my hands to read and review.
smagdarine's review against another edition
5.0
I wish there was a touch more plot but at the expense of losing any of these character dynamics, but Helen is such a fun character. and so is everyone else, really.
therewillbenewsuns's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Terminal illness, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
emisallbooked's review against another edition
4.0
So I really had no idea what I was getting into with this book. Sure I read the inner flap, but the novel exceeded my expectations and I ended up loving it! I would classify this as a coming of age novel in a Footloose-esque conservative town.
Rosary, California is a town that through local elections becomes governed by evangelical Christians that change everything from education curriculum to mandatory Vacation Bible School to the types of businesses that can operate. Helen is a high schooler trying to process the death of her mother years earlier, her dad wanting to remarry now, and the complicated social dynamics of high school. When she makes friends with the two new kids at school, Helen begins to see that maybe she’s not the only one with struggles.
I thought this book was great! Helen was a fully rounded character, and her dry, sarcastic remarks kept me laughing throughout. She was flawed, but not to the point of being cruel or annoying. None of the characters felt painfully “teenager” which I sometimes struggle with when reading YA or adult books featuring them.
I enjoyed the short chapters, the timeline was mostly linear with a few chapters describing flashbacks of what Helen’s mom was like. It really makes this book a quick read.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sarcastic humor and a well done coming of age story!
Rosary, California is a town that through local elections becomes governed by evangelical Christians that change everything from education curriculum to mandatory Vacation Bible School to the types of businesses that can operate. Helen is a high schooler trying to process the death of her mother years earlier, her dad wanting to remarry now, and the complicated social dynamics of high school. When she makes friends with the two new kids at school, Helen begins to see that maybe she’s not the only one with struggles.
I thought this book was great! Helen was a fully rounded character, and her dry, sarcastic remarks kept me laughing throughout. She was flawed, but not to the point of being cruel or annoying. None of the characters felt painfully “teenager” which I sometimes struggle with when reading YA or adult books featuring them.
I enjoyed the short chapters, the timeline was mostly linear with a few chapters describing flashbacks of what Helen’s mom was like. It really makes this book a quick read.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sarcastic humor and a well done coming of age story!
latad_books's review against another edition
4.0
- Well written story with a compelling main character, and well described emotional situations, despite its super short chapters with their episodic format.
- Thin on plot, but lots of great characterization. For example, I love the way the author described Helen Dedleder's grief over her mother's death, and her various self-destructive actions coming out of that. And Helen's inability to recognize how she felt about the people around her, including her friends.
- I really enjoyed Helen's relationship with her scandalous aunt, the owner of the psychic store.
- Though I found my interest flagging a little around the halfway mark, I stuck with the book, and liked its resolution.
- Thin on plot, but lots of great characterization. For example, I love the way the author described Helen Dedleder's grief over her mother's death, and her various self-destructive actions coming out of that. And Helen's inability to recognize how she felt about the people around her, including her friends.
- I really enjoyed Helen's relationship with her scandalous aunt, the owner of the psychic store.
- Though I found my interest flagging a little around the halfway mark, I stuck with the book, and liked its resolution.