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belladilemma_is_reading's review against another edition
5.0
Read this book in high school which is now over 10years ago & I still simply adore it. Brilliant read
jessicabock's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
anniemal01's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
5.0
carmenhartjensen's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't like this book as well as the other Maureen McCarthy I've read but it was a solid OK! I did listen to it and the reader is Australian which made it very enjoyable. This book just felt a little more superficial than the other one. I couldn't quite love all three of the main characters, but again a solid 3 stars.
melbsreads's review against another edition
3.0
It had been years since I last read this book, and when I ran out of library books the other day, I figured it was about time I revisited something I loved to death as a teenager. It's a familiar story to anyone who's moved away from home to university and has had to deal with living with a bunch of strangers. But at the same time, it's the story of how people aren't who you think they are, how friendships can grow in the most unlikely of places, and how the choices you make can impact your entire future.
It's pretty dated now - there are no mobile phones, no internet, very little mention of computers - but it's still thoroughly enjoyable.
It's pretty dated now - there are no mobile phones, no internet, very little mention of computers - but it's still thoroughly enjoyable.
mostlyshanti's review against another edition
4.0
This book is one of a type I'd like to read more of, set in the first year of university, where people make bad choices and good ones and learn about themselves. (Unrelated fact: My first year of university is about to start). It does the typical thing where the three heroines are 'from different worlds' and have a lot of bad and sad things happen to them (or actively cause them) but make friends through the process. So, fun.
I did find this more gritty than I was expecting.The whole 'relative gets sick at last minute to heighten tension may be a cliche, but I thought it was written fairly well, and not to judge the nineties, but they were the nineties, and it's a cliche I've used myself so *shrugs* There's lots of talk of pornography here, drugs (like, cocaine? Seriously?), a fair bit of drinking and partying. The book doesn't require that you know much about the political situation of the early nineties, but it does have a lot about the Chilean movement, which I barely knew anything about. I really liked that there was a biracial character and that that part of Jude's identity is well, and compassionately, explored. Also I knew nothing about Chilean atrocities of the seventies, so I feel educated as well. The characters all do some really dumb things, but they're really well fleshed out, so who cares?
Just mentioning the words 'The Breakfast Club' is tantamount to making me froth at the mouth, so I'm not going to compare this book to that (awful, horrible, nasty why is it so acclaimed I hate it so so so much) movie, because Queen Kat doesn't deserve that. (neither do Jude or Carmel). I think Carmel is the most unique character; her insecurities--and blossoming!--felt different to a lot of characters. I also liked that she was fat and learning to be ookay with it. Jude is The Political One and Kat is The Pretty, Shallow One. But because each character gets a change to tell their part of the story, you know that it's more complicated than all that. It would be hard to say what the plot of this novel is, because it's all about the exquisitely painful process of being brave and being alone and being friends with people who aren't like you. This book is also about family, about how painful it is to separate from them and become your own person--but how that's important too.
I really like reading classic YA like this, because it makes me understand modern YA like (my darling) [b:Untidy Towns|33296134|Untidy Towns|Kate O'Donnell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501553031s/33296134.jpg|54027728] better. How can you read this and not think that Kat is a little like Addie from [b:Take Three Girls|35492492|Take Three Girls|Cath Crowley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503957988s/35492492.jpg|54004846]? As I said, the characters, (especially Kat) are sort of archetypes. But McCarthy rips those archetypes aprat and makes them vulnerable, and that's why they're interesting. This book is old, and it's so nineties (letters? lp's? i don't understand?) but cafe's are forever.
As a side note, Melbourne is such a cool city and I definitely want to live there for a few months at some point.
This book is about learning about other people, even when that seems impossible. As such, it is really fun and important and also depressing.
I did find this more gritty than I was expecting.
Just mentioning the words 'The Breakfast Club' is tantamount to making me froth at the mouth, so I'm not going to compare this book to that (awful, horrible, nasty why is it so acclaimed I hate it so so so much) movie, because Queen Kat doesn't deserve that. (neither do Jude or Carmel). I think Carmel is the most unique character; her insecurities--and blossoming!--felt different to a lot of characters. I also liked that she was fat and learning to be ookay with it. Jude is The Political One and Kat is The Pretty, Shallow One. But because each character gets a change to tell their part of the story, you know that it's more complicated than all that. It would be hard to say what the plot of this novel is, because it's all about the exquisitely painful process of being brave and being alone and being friends with people who aren't like you. This book is also about family, about how painful it is to separate from them and become your own person--but how that's important too.
I really like reading classic YA like this, because it makes me understand modern YA like (my darling) [b:Untidy Towns|33296134|Untidy Towns|Kate O'Donnell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501553031s/33296134.jpg|54027728] better. How can you read this and not think that Kat is a little like Addie from [b:Take Three Girls|35492492|Take Three Girls|Cath Crowley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503957988s/35492492.jpg|54004846]? As I said, the characters, (especially Kat) are sort of archetypes. But McCarthy rips those archetypes aprat and makes them vulnerable, and that's why they're interesting. This book is old, and it's so nineties (letters? lp's? i don't understand?) but cafe's are forever.
As a side note, Melbourne is such a cool city and I definitely want to live there for a few months at some point.
This book is about learning about other people, even when that seems impossible. As such, it is really fun and important and also depressing.
hannahmayreads's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I first read this when I was 14 or 15. I loved it then, but I feel like I love it even more now - now I can connect with the characters because I've been there. I remember the anxiety of growing up and starting the next stage of life. It was weird, brilliant, stressful, fun... so many contradictions.
McCarthy is a great writer, and she knows what appeals to younger readers without descending into cliches and overly familiar characters that you feel like you've seen before. Even the classic perfect-yet-flawed pretty little rich girl Katerina (the least developed character I feel) seems better when written by McCarthy's pen. Jude is a little overdone, and Carmel a little too naive to be believable, but it all works so well together that it's easy to suspend any disbelief.
My experience reading this book was very different from the first time around (for obvious reasons), and it was well worth revisiting.
McCarthy is a great writer, and she knows what appeals to younger readers without descending into cliches and overly familiar characters that you feel like you've seen before. Even the classic perfect-yet-flawed pretty little rich girl Katerina (the least developed character I feel) seems better when written by McCarthy's pen. Jude is a little overdone, and Carmel a little too naive to be believable, but it all works so well together that it's easy to suspend any disbelief.
My experience reading this book was very different from the first time around (for obvious reasons), and it was well worth revisiting.
meganori's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely the classic Melbourne YA novel of my generation. Can't believe it took me so long to read it. Enjoyable, if not mind blowing. Big issue with the excusing/acceptance of rape; I hate that in YA fiction (and in real life).
megelzbth's review against another edition
5.0
It isn't perfectly written, but the enchantment and allure about these three girls and their story has you overlooking that completely.
Any good Australian YA novel seems to have this kind of magnetism to it that you can't get from anything else. This book is right up there with the likes of Looking for Alibrandi.
I was only 9 when the mini-series aired on TV, so I sought out a DVD on Fishpond for - wait for it - $8! It is currently on the way to me now and I can't wait to watch it because I'm slightly sad I've had to close this book for now.
Any good Australian YA novel seems to have this kind of magnetism to it that you can't get from anything else. This book is right up there with the likes of Looking for Alibrandi.
I was only 9 when the mini-series aired on TV, so I sought out a DVD on Fishpond for - wait for it - $8! It is currently on the way to me now and I can't wait to watch it because I'm slightly sad I've had to close this book for now.
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