elyssaisntreal's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jsmithborne's review against another edition
4.0
Sweet book about identity, lying, and growing up. I loved the way that the love Astrid sent up to the passengers changed them.
punkystarshine's review against another edition
5.0
My adult self is giving this four stars, but it gets a bonus star because I'm so glad it exists. And also because I'm a nerd and loved all the philosophy stuff. I feel like this book has all the answers, and I'm probably going to have to reread it someday. Though it's another book I wish existed when I was in high school.
atlantiareads's review against another edition
2.0
Rating: 2.5
This book is hard to not like, and I loved Astrid. She was an amazing character. But the overwhelming amount of nothing that happened in this book left me to feel like this book had no point. Even though the point of the book is clear. This probably doesn't make much sense but, sometimes a book can have an obviously clear point and still leave the reader feeling like nothing happened.
Basically this book was awesome and weird all within the same pages. And I'm still not sure how I feel about Ask The Passengers. It had a great writting style that kept me reading, and wanting to know what would happen next. But overall I was left waiting for something to happen, and by the time the end of the book came I was still waiting. But I understand that this book is a creative style of writting, and maybe if I had know what this story would be like going in I might have felt differently.
This book is hard to not like, and I loved Astrid. She was an amazing character. But the overwhelming amount of nothing that happened in this book left me to feel like this book had no point. Even though the point of the book is clear. This probably doesn't make much sense but, sometimes a book can have an obviously clear point and still leave the reader feeling like nothing happened.
Basically this book was awesome and weird all within the same pages. And I'm still not sure how I feel about Ask The Passengers. It had a great writting style that kept me reading, and wanting to know what would happen next. But overall I was left waiting for something to happen, and by the time the end of the book came I was still waiting. But I understand that this book is a creative style of writting, and maybe if I had know what this story would be like going in I might have felt differently.
honestlyholly's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.75
God the mum made me SO ANGRY. I was so mad the entire time I read this.
Then I cried because people irl are like this. How can anyone have hate in their heart for someone who just wants to love who they love. The world sucks.
Anyway... Fake dating, coming out, awkward families and small towns. It's great. But be prepared to feel anger.
Then I cried because people irl are like this. How can anyone have hate in their heart for someone who just wants to love who they love. The world sucks.
Anyway... Fake dating, coming out, awkward families and small towns. It's great. But be prepared to feel anger.
callo's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
My 8th grade teacher reccomend this to me a long time ago. I had totally hated reading for years because most of it was assigned by teachers and in subjects I wasn't interested in. My teacher must have known I was gay even before I did because this was the perfect book for me to read and reflect on. I really love the journey the character goes on and the inclusion of philosophy as part of it. Not many people would think to write a coming of age story for a gay teen who things about Socrates a lot. Anyway, huge fan. A book I'm glad to have sitting on my bookshelf.
xxbritneyyyxx's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lolo626's review against another edition
5.0
Helped me figure a lot of stuff out. Definitely pick it up if you're looking for something lighthearted that'll make you think
michelle_pink_polka_dot's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Astrid lays on a picnic table in her backyard and sends all her love to the people in the airplanes which fly above her. In Astrid's life, love isn't something that comes easy. She lives in a small town where everybody is watching and judging, the relationships in her family are fully messed up, and all the while she's not sure of what she really feels.
My Thoughts:
This is one of those books where I don't have a whole heck of a lot to say about it. The writing was great, but it is A.S. King, so that was to be expected. I thought it was a very good book... would I put it up there as one of my favorites? Probably not. But still an enjoyable book.
What I liked: Throughout the book there were little breaks where we would get one of the airplane passenger's side stories. I honestly wish there were more of these because sometimes they were more interesting than what was going on in the book. Not to say the book wasn't interesting, but not a TON happens in the book and these other stories were such a nice break. I guess this is what is called magical realism because the "love" that Astrid was sending would penetrate through the plane and hit a passenger, changing their way of thinking. I also really liked the family dynamics aspect of the book. Astrid's family was seriously f'd. I don't know how anyone would escape from that house without some major issues. But Astrid seemed pretty normal considering her circumstances.
What bugged me: I liked the book a lot... but I just didn't feel like it was THAT original. Other than the passenger aspect, the rest of it was just a story about a girl trying to come to terms with her sexuality. Worrying what her family and people at school were going to think. Sure that stuff is important, but I feel like I've read that story before. A few times. I also didn't like the love interest that Astrid had. For most of the book the author makes her out to be just another person in Astrid's life who doesn't understand her. So forgive me if I can't just pull a 180 and start liking her just because there is a "talk" at the end.
The town and school also seemed a little like a caricature instead of some place real. I mean I know there are bigoted people out there, and maybe I'm naive, but in 2014 I don't think the reaction to a teen being gay would be this BIG. The book is full of villain after villain to the point where the only good people in the book are Astrid and her philosophy teacher. I'm just not going to buy into that dramatic of a place.
I really did enjoy reading this book overall though. I think it is a good story with a good message and could really make an impact on the right teenager. It wasn't the best book on this subject I've ever read, but it was worth reading.
OVERALL: I liked it. It wasn't the best coming of age book I've ever read, but the writing was excellent and there were some interesting elements throughout the book. I felt some elements to be a little forced and unbelievable, but overall it's was another good one for A.S. King. Oh and if you haven't read Please Ignore Vera Dietz... you really should, it's fabulous!
My Blog:
Astrid lays on a picnic table in her backyard and sends all her love to the people in the airplanes which fly above her. In Astrid's life, love isn't something that comes easy. She lives in a small town where everybody is watching and judging, the relationships in her family are fully messed up, and all the while she's not sure of what she really feels.
My Thoughts:
This is one of those books where I don't have a whole heck of a lot to say about it. The writing was great, but it is A.S. King, so that was to be expected. I thought it was a very good book... would I put it up there as one of my favorites? Probably not. But still an enjoyable book.
What I liked: Throughout the book there were little breaks where we would get one of the airplane passenger's side stories. I honestly wish there were more of these because sometimes they were more interesting than what was going on in the book. Not to say the book wasn't interesting, but not a TON happens in the book and these other stories were such a nice break. I guess this is what is called magical realism because the "love" that Astrid was sending would penetrate through the plane and hit a passenger, changing their way of thinking. I also really liked the family dynamics aspect of the book. Astrid's family was seriously f'd. I don't know how anyone would escape from that house without some major issues. But Astrid seemed pretty normal considering her circumstances.
What bugged me: I liked the book a lot... but I just didn't feel like it was THAT original. Other than the passenger aspect, the rest of it was just a story about a girl trying to come to terms with her sexuality. Worrying what her family and people at school were going to think. Sure that stuff is important, but I feel like I've read that story before. A few times. I also didn't like the love interest that Astrid had. For most of the book the author makes her out to be just another person in Astrid's life who doesn't understand her. So forgive me if I can't just pull a 180 and start liking her just because there is a "talk" at the end.
The town and school also seemed a little like a caricature instead of some place real. I mean I know there are bigoted people out there, and maybe I'm naive, but in 2014 I don't think the reaction to a teen being gay would be this BIG. The book is full of villain after villain to the point where the only good people in the book are Astrid and her philosophy teacher. I'm just not going to buy into that dramatic of a place.
I really did enjoy reading this book overall though. I think it is a good story with a good message and could really make an impact on the right teenager. It wasn't the best book on this subject I've ever read, but it was worth reading.
OVERALL: I liked it. It wasn't the best coming of age book I've ever read, but the writing was excellent and there were some interesting elements throughout the book. I felt some elements to be a little forced and unbelievable, but overall it's was another good one for A.S. King. Oh and if you haven't read Please Ignore Vera Dietz... you really should, it's fabulous!
My Blog: