bericson13's review against another edition
2.0
I had such a hard time really ever getting into this? It wasn't the characters that bothered me, so much as I just felt like there was something dense about it. Who knows.
mora55's review against another edition
5.0
The thing I loved most about this book was the voice. It sounded so clearly sarcastic anxious teen and it was distinct and kept making me laugh. Ellen was very relatable. Her relationships to so many side characters were all well-developed and I loved how she found community!
cw JKR/HP:
cw JKR/HP:
Spoiler
I understand completely why some people have too many negative associations with quidditch and thus would not be able to read this book, and I hate that JKR gave a negative connotation to this sport in which so many people, such as the author and the characters in this book, have found a safe space and community. However, the HP franchise and its author are condemned explicitly throughout and the book focuses on the sport and community of real quidditch (I am NOT attempting to dismiss anyone's 100% valid reluctance to read but rather attempting to provide some clarification for those wondering).bookishemma_'s review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with a copy of this book. This is How we Fly is a loose retelling of Cinderella with Quidditch. Ellen and her stepmom disagree often which results in her being grounded the entire summer before she leaves for college. Her only escape from her punishment is quidditch practice. This book does mention the problems with J.K. Rowling. There are a lot of characters I enjoyed in this book. The start of this book was slow for me. It wasn't until the last half that the book really gripped me. This book dealt with family problems, friends drifting apart and discussed social change and justice. If you loved Harry Potter and or Sports this book is for you.
sparklingstarling's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tobyyy's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book! As a (very loose) retelling of Cinderella on the (real life) quidditch field, I was wondering if the author would address JKR’s transphobia & other racist/misogynistic & bigoted statements. To my shock, it was discussed in the book (although not in as much detail as I’d prefer).
Also, the MC was questioning, and there were side characters who were non-binary, lesbian, gay, and pan/bi/questioning. I loved the diversity and the way that Ellen tackled social justice issues with her stepmom and dad. A lot of the things she confronts her parents about, are things that I’ve also spent time thinking and talking about. Like the patriarchy, rape culture, ableism, etc.
The story arc was fun and I loved seeing Ellen’s confidence grow as she played Quidditch and made friends and pushed boundaries. A fun story overall! I did feel like I didnt get to know Ellen super well especially given the length of the book — she seemed slightly two-dimensional rather than fully three-dimensional. It was also fairly simply written but I believe this is Meriano’s first YA book (she typically writes MG fantasy) so I can cut her some slack. TBH I didn’t even really notice the simplicity of the writing until I read another review that mentioned it. It didn’t detract from the story for me.
Also, the MC was questioning, and there were side characters who were non-binary, lesbian, gay, and pan/bi/questioning. I loved the diversity and the way that Ellen tackled social justice issues with her stepmom and dad. A lot of the things she confronts her parents about, are things that I’ve also spent time thinking and talking about. Like the patriarchy, rape culture, ableism, etc.
The story arc was fun and I loved seeing Ellen’s confidence grow as she played Quidditch and made friends and pushed boundaries. A fun story overall! I did feel like I didnt get to know Ellen super well especially given the length of the book — she seemed slightly two-dimensional rather than fully three-dimensional. It was also fairly simply written but I believe this is Meriano’s first YA book (she typically writes MG fantasy) so I can cut her some slack. TBH I didn’t even really notice the simplicity of the writing until I read another review that mentioned it. It didn’t detract from the story for me.
r_anderson4108's review against another edition
Just had a focus on seeming really different; “different than other books” vibes
theoverflowingbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
Like many people out there, I enjoy the occasional sports-themed rom-com or YA novel. However, This Is How We Fly by Anna Meriano highlights a different kind of athletic activity: Quidditch. This young adult book, set to be released December 15th, is a great feel-good contemporary about growing up and finding a place to belong.
I really enjoyed the concept of this book! Being a fan of Harry Potter, I knew what Quidditch was and that people actually played it in real-life, but I didn’t really know any of the logistics of it. Meriano does a fabulous job of showcasing this wonderfully wacky sport and how it has developed into a worldwide phenomenon. Additionally, to see Ellen use Quidditch as a way to express herself and find a sense of belonging was wonderful to see.
Meriano leaves references at the end of the book to real-life sources to find actual Quidditch leagues around the world which really helped showcase this diverse athletic community! There was also some great LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation in this story which further highlighted the diversity and inclusivity of the Quidditch Community!
While I liked the plot, I did find Ellen to be a bit over dramatic at times and found it a bit hard to connect with her. I might just be getting too far removed from my own teen years to relate to her, but Ellen seemed almost too angsty at times. This book also tackles a lot of progressive issues like feminism, gender identity, gender roles, veganism, and societal standards. While I appreciated the way these issues were highlighted, it was almost overwhelming at times and I found there to be too many mentions of too many different issues.
Overall, I think this is a great YA book and I hope to see Quidditch highlighted in more stories in the future! If you're looking for a quick read that will satisfy your craving for neediness and a little bit of competition then this book is a fabulous choice!
*I received an ARC from Penguin Teen in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really enjoyed the concept of this book! Being a fan of Harry Potter, I knew what Quidditch was and that people actually played it in real-life, but I didn’t really know any of the logistics of it. Meriano does a fabulous job of showcasing this wonderfully wacky sport and how it has developed into a worldwide phenomenon. Additionally, to see Ellen use Quidditch as a way to express herself and find a sense of belonging was wonderful to see.
Meriano leaves references at the end of the book to real-life sources to find actual Quidditch leagues around the world which really helped showcase this diverse athletic community! There was also some great LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation in this story which further highlighted the diversity and inclusivity of the Quidditch Community!
While I liked the plot, I did find Ellen to be a bit over dramatic at times and found it a bit hard to connect with her. I might just be getting too far removed from my own teen years to relate to her, but Ellen seemed almost too angsty at times. This book also tackles a lot of progressive issues like feminism, gender identity, gender roles, veganism, and societal standards. While I appreciated the way these issues were highlighted, it was almost overwhelming at times and I found there to be too many mentions of too many different issues.
Overall, I think this is a great YA book and I hope to see Quidditch highlighted in more stories in the future! If you're looking for a quick read that will satisfy your craving for neediness and a little bit of competition then this book is a fabulous choice!
*I received an ARC from Penguin Teen in exchange for my honest opinion.
__allison__'s review against another edition
4.0
I love this book.
The story
The Harry Potter references
The d r a m a
It's good!
Ellen could be annoying sometimes, but I still love her.
The story
The Harry Potter references
The d r a m a
It's good!
Ellen could be annoying sometimes, but I still love her.
nedge's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
apressler's review against another edition
2.0
This book was fine; there was a lot I disliked about it personally, but I can see the redeeming qualities, the authenticity of the voice and the experience. I hadn't realised this was a loose Cinderella retellings, and I honestly would have preferred it... not? This is the second book I'm reading this month with a Cinderella-like plot and I'm just not a fan of such binary villians as portrayed in This Is How We Fly. I wish we saw a bit more nuance to the family dynamics.
The Quiddich thing is fun, and I enjoyed how it separated the art from it's shitty transphobic artist.
The Quiddich thing is fun, and I enjoyed how it separated the art from it's shitty transphobic artist.