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syan22's review against another edition
4.0
Jesus christ. My heart. This book tore my insides to pieces. I'm not sure how I'm going to get over it. Ahhhhhh i'm so heartbroken and sad.
Too many ambiguous plot ideas though..... what was with Jenny Flick?!? And Charlie's dad?
And how exactly did Charlie die?!?! And the pervert?!?! So many things left unexplained and that was disappointing.
Ugh Vera and Charlie ugh my heart broke so many times when i was reading this not even kidding UGHHH
Too many ambiguous plot ideas though..... what was with Jenny Flick?!? And Charlie's dad?
And how exactly did Charlie die?!?! And the pervert?!?! So many things left unexplained and that was disappointing.
Ugh Vera and Charlie ugh my heart broke so many times when i was reading this not even kidding UGHHH
lorilaws's review against another edition
5.0
I don't even know where to begin. Have you ever read a book that completely blew you away, but you knew you would never be able to put it into words? That's what this book did to me. I will never be able to do it justice with my measly little review. The entire time I was reading it I was trying to come up with words to use in my review, but I never had any! So what to say, what to say?...
Did you read The Dust of 100 Dogs? If you didn't, drop everything you are doing right now and go buy it! It was incredible. You have never read anything like it before, trust me! How does an author write a follow up that lives up to the extremely high expectations set by 100 Dogs? We should ask A.S. King, because she definitely did it.
Please Ignore Vera Dietz is about Vera Dietz, obviously. She's a little odd, but in a good way. She's dealing with the death of her ex-best friend, Charlie. She loved him. She hated him. She knows what happened the night he died, but can she find it in her to forgive him and clear his name?
Vera was such a fantastic protagonist! She was witty and smart, but she still did dumb things. She is a teenager so she is allowed a few dumb things. I connected with her instantly. My heart broke for her but she was unbelievable strong. She definitely held her own.
Her best friend Charlie is dead from the very beginning of the book, but you get glimpses of their relationship in the History chapters. I loved Charlie, and hated him. Just like Vera did. I wanted things to turn out differently for them, but obviously it couldn't because he was dead from page 1!
What makes this book so special? The writing! A.S. King has a way of telling you a story that will make you turn pages faster than you ever have before. The story is beautifully complex without being over done. She weaves the mystery and questions in flawlessly, but you don't get impatient for answers because the path to get there is so engaging. None of it was predictable and I never lost interest. Not even for a few seconds. The chores went undone while reading this book!
I must reiterate that this review doesn't do this book justice. Please, just read it and find out for yourself! Be prepared to read it in one sitting because it is addicting!
Did you read The Dust of 100 Dogs? If you didn't, drop everything you are doing right now and go buy it! It was incredible. You have never read anything like it before, trust me! How does an author write a follow up that lives up to the extremely high expectations set by 100 Dogs? We should ask A.S. King, because she definitely did it.
Please Ignore Vera Dietz is about Vera Dietz, obviously. She's a little odd, but in a good way. She's dealing with the death of her ex-best friend, Charlie. She loved him. She hated him. She knows what happened the night he died, but can she find it in her to forgive him and clear his name?
Vera was such a fantastic protagonist! She was witty and smart, but she still did dumb things. She is a teenager so she is allowed a few dumb things. I connected with her instantly. My heart broke for her but she was unbelievable strong. She definitely held her own.
Her best friend Charlie is dead from the very beginning of the book, but you get glimpses of their relationship in the History chapters. I loved Charlie, and hated him. Just like Vera did. I wanted things to turn out differently for them, but obviously it couldn't because he was dead from page 1!
What makes this book so special? The writing! A.S. King has a way of telling you a story that will make you turn pages faster than you ever have before. The story is beautifully complex without being over done. She weaves the mystery and questions in flawlessly, but you don't get impatient for answers because the path to get there is so engaging. None of it was predictable and I never lost interest. Not even for a few seconds. The chores went undone while reading this book!
I must reiterate that this review doesn't do this book justice. Please, just read it and find out for yourself! Be prepared to read it in one sitting because it is addicting!
kimberussell's review against another edition
2.0
This was the third book in my Book Riot Quarterly box, themed "try new genres" or something similar. I read it quickly, but I think I just don't enjoy reading books about kids who are stuck in awful, uncomfortable situations with no agency to change it. (see: first half of The Goldfinch)
And honestly, how much more could the author toss at Vera? Mom ran away, dad's kind of an ass, best friend is dead (but he was an ass too), the neighbor beats his wife, and Vera drives around in a borderline-dangerous pizza delivery job while self-medicating with swigs of vodka. Oh and a pet store is set on fire. The only thing it was missing was a slowly-dying group of Cancer Kids.
The ending wasn't enough to counter all of the negative crap Vera put up with, so I ended up feeling blah when I was finished.
And honestly, how much more could the author toss at Vera? Mom ran away, dad's kind of an ass, best friend is dead (but he was an ass too), the neighbor beats his wife, and Vera drives around in a borderline-dangerous pizza delivery job while self-medicating with swigs of vodka. Oh and a pet store is set on fire. The only thing it was missing was a slowly-dying group of Cancer Kids.
The ending wasn't enough to counter all of the negative crap Vera put up with, so I ended up feeling blah when I was finished.
cgreaderbee's review against another edition
4.0
This book was quietly demanding and emotive; I didn't expect to connect to it as much as I did.
I found myself simultaneously able to relate to and surprised by the characters, their relationships, their decisions. It left me feeling very engaged and invested in it all.
We follow the story of Vera after the death of Charlie - her neighbor, her best friend, her first love. But also a boy who hurts and betrays her.
Charlie was a complicated and damaged character. He struggled under the burden of an abusive upbringing and an avalanche of bad choices. You couldn't help feeling both angry at him and sympathizing with him. He's a nostalgic yet unforgivable character.
Vera herself is a complex character. She struggles to fight against the seemingly inevitable tides of her genes and background - living with her protective, ex-alcoholic father and abandoned by a troubled, ex-stripper mother who never truly wanted her. She wants to stay hidden from her past while also trying to identify who she is in the mix of it all.
The story line fluctuated between the past and present, slowly presenting the history between Vera and Charlie, from impressionable youth to the tense and dramatic outline of events that ultimately lead to Charlie's untimely death. In the mix of all that is the present Vera struggling to come to terms with Charlie's death and the role and responsibility she has in uncovering the truth.
The story also has segments of insight from the POV of Vera's father, the town's iconic landmark, and the deceased Charlie. I appreciated the wise hindsight and brutal reality that came with deceased Charlie's POV. He reflected on the fears and failures behind Charlie's decisions, his love and feeling of unworthiness for Vera.
Ultimately, there was a sense of urgency and drama beneath the story, and you just couldn't look away - you had to see what happened through to the end, good or bad.
I found myself simultaneously able to relate to and surprised by the characters, their relationships, their decisions. It left me feeling very engaged and invested in it all.
We follow the story of Vera after the death of Charlie - her neighbor, her best friend, her first love. But also a boy who hurts and betrays her.
Charlie was a complicated and damaged character. He struggled under the burden of an abusive upbringing and an avalanche of bad choices. You couldn't help feeling both angry at him and sympathizing with him. He's a nostalgic yet unforgivable character.
Vera herself is a complex character. She struggles to fight against the seemingly inevitable tides of her genes and background - living with her protective, ex-alcoholic father and abandoned by a troubled, ex-stripper mother who never truly wanted her. She wants to stay hidden from her past while also trying to identify who she is in the mix of it all.
The story line fluctuated between the past and present, slowly presenting the history between Vera and Charlie, from impressionable youth to the tense and dramatic outline of events that ultimately lead to Charlie's untimely death. In the mix of all that is the present Vera struggling to come to terms with Charlie's death and the role and responsibility she has in uncovering the truth.
The story also has segments of insight from the POV of Vera's father, the town's iconic landmark, and the deceased Charlie. I appreciated the wise hindsight and brutal reality that came with deceased Charlie's POV. He reflected on the fears and failures behind Charlie's decisions, his love and feeling of unworthiness for Vera.
Ultimately, there was a sense of urgency and drama beneath the story, and you just couldn't look away - you had to see what happened through to the end, good or bad.
emleemay's review against another edition
5.0
I have been lucky enough to read a LOT of great books this year and up until now I had a clear I-shine-above-the-rest favourite: [b:On the Jellicoe Road|1162022|On the Jellicoe Road|Melina Marchetta|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1212708945s/1162022.jpg|6479100]. Though I am actually going to be daring enough to say to all you Marchetta-obsessed bookaholics that for me [b:Please Ignore Vera Dietz|6665671|Please Ignore Vera Dietz|A.S. King|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394240671s/6665671.jpg|6860540] could compete with the sad and beautiful emotional turmoil I felt for [b:On the Jellicoe Road|1162022|On the Jellicoe Road|Melina Marchetta|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1212708945s/1162022.jpg|6479100].
There are two young adult topics that always make me think "oh, not again", and they are:
1) teen pregnancy, and
2) coping with the death of a loved one
These subjects are so overdone that the mere thought of tackling yet another piece of this melodramatic drivel makes my head ache... but [b:Please Ignore Vera Dietz|6665671|Please Ignore Vera Dietz|A.S. King|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394240671s/6665671.jpg|6860540] is probably the best book I have ever read that involves death and the aftermath of it; all the sorrow and guilt and "what ifs" told in such a beautiful way. In fact, I honestly cannot think of a novel that handles it better.
Anyone can put pretty words in the right order, but it takes a really talented author to make you truly feel. They are the kind of writers who know how to make you love, hate or just want to have sex with a character. Here, I felt everything that Vera felt; it was very emotionally draining but ultimately more rewarding at the end - I love those books that truly affect me, they stay with me far longer than the rest.
Charlie, as well as Vera, was a remarkable character. He reminded me of a debate I had recently about [b:Wuthering Heights|6185|Wuthering Heights|Emily Brontë|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388212715s/6185.jpg|1565818] and, in particular, Heathcliff. I've always said that the best actors are those who can make you feel sorry for an evil and twisted character, that can make you understand even if redemption is impossible... I feel it's the same with authors. [a:Emily Brontë|4191|Emily Brontë|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1529578586p2/4191.jpg] created a character who was a violent monster, yet the way she explores the unloved childhood he endured always makes me feel nothing but sympathy for a man who is cruel because he's been shown nothing else.
I love complex characters. There are few, if any, people in this world who can be called something so simple as "good" or "bad".
This is why I loved Charlie and all his stupid fuckedupness. Charlie makes so many mistakes and he frequently gets it all wrong. In the hands of a weaker author, you could easily hate him... but you don't. Yes, this is a novel about death and yes, this is a novel about friendship and love and the fine line between right and wrong... but [b:Please Ignore Vera Dietz|6665671|Please Ignore Vera Dietz|A.S. King|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394240671s/6665671.jpg|6860540] is first and foremost an exploration of two complex individuals who are two of the most well-drawn characters I have come across in the young adult genre. Huge thanks to Tatiana, without whom I would never have read this book.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
There are two young adult topics that always make me think "oh, not again", and they are:
1) teen pregnancy, and
2) coping with the death of a loved one
These subjects are so overdone that the mere thought of tackling yet another piece of this melodramatic drivel makes my head ache... but [b:Please Ignore Vera Dietz|6665671|Please Ignore Vera Dietz|A.S. King|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394240671s/6665671.jpg|6860540] is probably the best book I have ever read that involves death and the aftermath of it; all the sorrow and guilt and "what ifs" told in such a beautiful way. In fact, I honestly cannot think of a novel that handles it better.
Anyone can put pretty words in the right order, but it takes a really talented author to make you truly feel. They are the kind of writers who know how to make you love, hate or just want to have sex with a character. Here, I felt everything that Vera felt; it was very emotionally draining but ultimately more rewarding at the end - I love those books that truly affect me, they stay with me far longer than the rest.
Charlie, as well as Vera, was a remarkable character. He reminded me of a debate I had recently about [b:Wuthering Heights|6185|Wuthering Heights|Emily Brontë|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388212715s/6185.jpg|1565818] and, in particular, Heathcliff. I've always said that the best actors are those who can make you feel sorry for an evil and twisted character, that can make you understand even if redemption is impossible... I feel it's the same with authors. [a:Emily Brontë|4191|Emily Brontë|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1529578586p2/4191.jpg] created a character who was a violent monster, yet the way she explores the unloved childhood he endured always makes me feel nothing but sympathy for a man who is cruel because he's been shown nothing else.
I love complex characters. There are few, if any, people in this world who can be called something so simple as "good" or "bad".
This is why I loved Charlie and all his stupid fuckedupness. Charlie makes so many mistakes and he frequently gets it all wrong. In the hands of a weaker author, you could easily hate him... but you don't. Yes, this is a novel about death and yes, this is a novel about friendship and love and the fine line between right and wrong... but [b:Please Ignore Vera Dietz|6665671|Please Ignore Vera Dietz|A.S. King|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394240671s/6665671.jpg|6860540] is first and foremost an exploration of two complex individuals who are two of the most well-drawn characters I have come across in the young adult genre. Huge thanks to Tatiana, without whom I would never have read this book.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
erezende's review against another edition
3.0
I have no idea how I feel about this book, honestly. I liked a lot about this book but just like the problem I had with he last book I read, not going in depth when it needed to.
rakesrogues's review against another edition
3.0
Originally published at: http://muggle-born.net/please-ignore-vera-dietz-by-a-s-king-book-review/
I admit it: I have Reader’s Guilt because I felt like I did not like PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King as much as everyone else out there. PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ has the elements of being a fantastic book, but when it came down to it, the book just did not excite me as much as I wanted it to.
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King has the elements that I usually adore in contemporary books: a huge secret, multiple perspectives, and a funny main character. But unfortunately, the elements just couldn’t come together to blow me away. Maybe it’s the fact that I know the book won a Printz Honor and I had pretty high expectations coming in.
There wasn’t anything about Vera that made her really relatable. I like her as a character, but I don’t think that she made a lasting impression on me. I was able to empathize with her character, and I truly admire her loyalty to Charlie no matter how many things happened between them. Their friendship was the strongest aspect of the book.
Furthermore, PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King is a very gripping book. It’s the kind of book that you want to read straight through just to uncover the big secret. The problem with this however, that it led me toward a tendency of skimming. I just wanted instant gratification as a reader. I would constantly have to remind myself to slow down and appreciate King’s writing just to get to the good part.
Additionally, PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King is not the best book to read in digital format. The various flow charts that weave into the storyline were hard to read on a 6″ e-ink device. If I had read this on a print book, I probably would have enjoyed the flow charts a lot more.
Overall, PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King was a quick and enjoyable read. But because of the fact that I had high expectations, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I probably should have.
I admit it: I have Reader’s Guilt because I felt like I did not like PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King as much as everyone else out there. PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ has the elements of being a fantastic book, but when it came down to it, the book just did not excite me as much as I wanted it to.
PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King has the elements that I usually adore in contemporary books: a huge secret, multiple perspectives, and a funny main character. But unfortunately, the elements just couldn’t come together to blow me away. Maybe it’s the fact that I know the book won a Printz Honor and I had pretty high expectations coming in.
There wasn’t anything about Vera that made her really relatable. I like her as a character, but I don’t think that she made a lasting impression on me. I was able to empathize with her character, and I truly admire her loyalty to Charlie no matter how many things happened between them. Their friendship was the strongest aspect of the book.
Furthermore, PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King is a very gripping book. It’s the kind of book that you want to read straight through just to uncover the big secret. The problem with this however, that it led me toward a tendency of skimming. I just wanted instant gratification as a reader. I would constantly have to remind myself to slow down and appreciate King’s writing just to get to the good part.
Additionally, PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King is not the best book to read in digital format. The various flow charts that weave into the storyline were hard to read on a 6″ e-ink device. If I had read this on a print book, I probably would have enjoyed the flow charts a lot more.
Overall, PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King was a quick and enjoyable read. But because of the fact that I had high expectations, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I probably should have.
arlucadamo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
marielinsky's review against another edition
5.0
this review goes directly to wiri, u really understand the assignment that i want to sob and i want to get out from my reading slump.
Right, now. WOW this book was absolutly stunning, Vera and her internal struggle, her dad with all the prejudice, Charlie omg Charlie.
I have a lot of questions about Charlie and John but i get it, it wasn´t Vera secrets and history so why did she could talk about that?
I´m going to go a little over the edge and said that this really got me thinking about labels, you know, what is the indicator from good and bad? Did that person had a different moral or what? I don´t know but this really got me phylosophical.
9.5/10
Right, now. WOW this book was absolutly stunning, Vera and her internal struggle, her dad with all the prejudice, Charlie omg Charlie.
I have a lot of questions about Charlie and John but i get it, it wasn´t Vera secrets and history so why did she could talk about that?
I´m going to go a little over the edge and said that this really got me thinking about labels, you know, what is the indicator from good and bad? Did that person had a different moral or what? I don´t know but this really got me phylosophical.
9.5/10