nicholhumphery's review against another edition
5.0
absolutely amazing. i do think i will ever read another book like this one. this book is so relatable in a weird sense of friendships. i loved eulabee and i wish the world had more of them. will definitely read more of her books. i honestly think i’m obsessed with this book. it’s the type of book u recommend to everyone u know and will think it about it for years to come!!!
i loved eulabee’s humor and wittiness. i loved her honesty. she was everything i love and more. each character is someone we all know whether we love or hate them. the european culture references also made this book ten times more amazing than it already was. it felt like i was eulabee myself at times. i could see myself in so many characters the late middle school/early high school girl vibes were so strong. through this, it made the entire story so much more personable.
this book made me laugh, jump up and down, cry and so much more. the literary references in this book were top tier. u could feel Vida’s personal life experiences and childhood all throughout the book which i enjoyed dearly. the 80s nostalgia was a whole vibe. i wish i could go back and time and read this book all over again. love love love
i loved eulabee’s humor and wittiness. i loved her honesty. she was everything i love and more. each character is someone we all know whether we love or hate them. the european culture references also made this book ten times more amazing than it already was. it felt like i was eulabee myself at times. i could see myself in so many characters the late middle school/early high school girl vibes were so strong. through this, it made the entire story so much more personable.
this book made me laugh, jump up and down, cry and so much more. the literary references in this book were top tier. u could feel Vida’s personal life experiences and childhood all throughout the book which i enjoyed dearly. the 80s nostalgia was a whole vibe. i wish i could go back and time and read this book all over again. love love love
stlkatiek's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
As a product of an all-girls school myself, this is probably one of my favorite portrayals of the social dynamics at an all-girls school. Besides that, it was an interesting mix of coming-of-age, mystery, and character-driven storytelling.
Read it because:
Book Club pick for October 2023.
Read it because:
Book Club pick for October 2023.
kaiteelutes's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
briaraq's review against another edition
3.0
I truly have nothing to say. It was a decent read. Nothing really stuck out.
fionatanja's review
5.0
SO good! Funny, a little twisted, set in SF, what’s not to love… Reminds me of “The Idiot”. Thank you Becca for the rec
hleary's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
phyllis_lam's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sem210's review
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
rumwienum's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I picked this book up because I liked the cover (the german version) and read it mainly in two sittings during my shift at work.
This book and its characters are unexplainable, the plot random and any motivations unrecognizable, but I think that that’s the whole point. It illustrates coming of age and puberty and, represented by the main character Eulabee, the struggles of growing up and dealing with emotionless and a sort of dissociation from your own body and reality.
I especially loved the descriptive, unimpressed writing style.
Would recommend.
This book and its characters are unexplainable, the plot random and any motivations unrecognizable, but I think that that’s the whole point. It illustrates coming of age and puberty and, represented by the main character Eulabee, the struggles of growing up and dealing with emotionless and a sort of dissociation from your own body and reality.
I especially loved the descriptive, unimpressed writing style.
Would recommend.
kandicez's review
4.0
I really, really enjoyed this! Not only because Marin Ireland read it, and she is among my favorite narrators, but because Eulabee was a fantabulous character!
This is really just the story of some kids being kids in a neighborhood. Much like I recently mentioned in regards to [a:Harlan Coben|24689|Harlan Coben|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1642188401p2/24689.jpg], all writers use the same base ingredients, but the magic happens in the ways, quantities and styles in which they combine them. Vida combined so many types of families and family dynamics, all while keeping them separate, but intertwined (magic!) to propel this tale.
Children lie. If you can't admit and accept that, you shouldn't have children. Adults lie as well, but you can choose not to associate with these adults. Children are different. Vida takes the lie of a child and weaves such an incredibly interesting tapestry. That one lie is built upon, added to, refuted, believed, proved, disproved and on and on until years, decades have gone by. The ripple effect is fantastic to read. A lie can draw you in and encourage you to add to it, or swear by it.
In the end, Vida shows us that the lies of children don't end up meaning all that much to the adults they become. Unless, of course, the child liar, becomes an adult liar. The same kind I mentioned above that as an adult you have the choice to avoid.
This is really just the story of some kids being kids in a neighborhood. Much like I recently mentioned in regards to [a:Harlan Coben|24689|Harlan Coben|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1642188401p2/24689.jpg], all writers use the same base ingredients, but the magic happens in the ways, quantities and styles in which they combine them. Vida combined so many types of families and family dynamics, all while keeping them separate, but intertwined (magic!) to propel this tale.
Children lie. If you can't admit and accept that, you shouldn't have children. Adults lie as well, but you can choose not to associate with these adults. Children are different. Vida takes the lie of a child and weaves such an incredibly interesting tapestry. That one lie is built upon, added to, refuted, believed, proved, disproved and on and on until years, decades have gone by. The ripple effect is fantastic to read. A lie can draw you in and encourage you to add to it, or swear by it.
In the end, Vida shows us that the lies of children don't end up meaning all that much to the adults they become. Unless, of course, the child liar, becomes an adult liar. The same kind I mentioned above that as an adult you have the choice to avoid.