essetsess's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
jenniefrid's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
drakebogart's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
edith_reads's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
stubbornbones's review against another edition
5.0
Hoooooo nelly. All I'm gonna say is that if i had read this at a younger age I would have had my gender crisis a lot sooner. This book is as kind as possible to its protagonist while being honest about the ravages of puberty. While it was hard to read at points I really have to respect it.
jessicaalynn94's review against another edition
4.0
What a strange journey! At first I was very unsure of how I felt, but by the end I really enjoyed it
melllo03's review against another edition
2.0
I've read this two times, both for school. I'm not a person who reads a lot of books but from the ones I have read this is not one of my favorites.
The first time I read it, it was quite muddled. The second time, when I reread it a year later, I understood much more of what was happening.
I could've gone on and on about the things that irk me and what I dislike, but I think I can summarize it like this:
This book, as most books, wants to tell us something. It wants to teach life lessons and talk about difficult topics that are demanding to read, and It's a book that challenges us to think. But better books that are out there, that want to do the same, and do it better, definitely exist. There is a reason to why a lot of teens who read this don't like it. Part of it might also be because of this book being a work of its time, being published in 2011. But to simply chalk it up to them 'not being experienced enough' and or that 'they don't want to know the truth' are overused arguments.
A book might want something, but that doesn't mean that it succeeds in doing so, and Pojkarna is one of them that don't.
The first time I read it, it was quite muddled. The second time, when I reread it a year later, I understood much more of what was happening.
I could've gone on and on about the things that irk me and what I dislike, but I think I can summarize it like this:
This book, as most books, wants to tell us something. It wants to teach life lessons and talk about difficult topics that are demanding to read, and It's a book that challenges us to think. But better books that are out there, that want to do the same, and do it better, definitely exist. There is a reason to why a lot of teens who read this don't like it. Part of it might also be because of this book being a work of its time, being published in 2011. But to simply chalk it up to them 'not being experienced enough' and or that 'they don't want to know the truth' are overused arguments.
A book might want something, but that doesn't mean that it succeeds in doing so, and Pojkarna is one of them that don't.
zen's review against another edition
Molte idee confuse su questo libro, ma non riesco a scrollarmi di dosso ciò che si legge tra le righe, ovvero la sensazione che l'essere donna sia una costante condanna a violenze sessuali e sociali
sarrehs's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating, magical and just incredible!
This book swallowed me whole and not until someone asked me what I thought about it did I figure out the themes in this novel!
The boarder between self and soul, what determines what you are and how you should be? Is it the flesh between your legs or the lack of it?
Through out the novel Shiefauer paints an image about three girls who are victims of gender discrimination in school, where the boys are putting them through sexual harassment everyday, which is overlooked. Also how the stereotypical norms about females and males are cornering the individual side of everyone, how boys have to act macho and sexy to withhold a certain standard, and how females still acting as kids are seen as something wrong even though they are still kids at fourteen?
However, the magical thing is that Bella, one of the girls, gets an unknown seed and out come a beautiful flower, with magical properties. The whole discovery of the magic property is an accident and the consequences are only temporary, when you taste the fruit from the flowers pastilles you will turn into the opposite sex (or maybe just boys...). My first thought was "wow! Wonder how that would be like!" Since I have been thinking about this topic since I was a child, how different it would feel and the novell really captures the differences but at the same time the similarities.
However, at some points I got really surprised, disgusted and even this feeling of fascination mixed with horror and recognition.
I would recommend this as a "must read" for everyone! I have to stalk my friends and force this book upon them!
This book swallowed me whole and not until someone asked me what I thought about it did I figure out the themes in this novel!
The boarder between self and soul, what determines what you are and how you should be? Is it the flesh between your legs or the lack of it?
Through out the novel Shiefauer paints an image about three girls who are victims of gender discrimination in school, where the boys are putting them through sexual harassment everyday, which is overlooked. Also how the stereotypical norms about females and males are cornering the individual side of everyone, how boys have to act macho and sexy to withhold a certain standard, and how females still acting as kids are seen as something wrong even though they are still kids at fourteen?
However, the magical thing is that Bella, one of the girls, gets an unknown seed and out come a beautiful flower, with magical properties. The whole discovery of the magic property is an accident and the consequences are only temporary, when you taste the fruit from the flowers pastilles you will turn into the opposite sex (or maybe just boys...). My first thought was "wow! Wonder how that would be like!" Since I have been thinking about this topic since I was a child, how different it would feel and the novell really captures the differences but at the same time the similarities.
However, at some points I got really surprised, disgusted and even this feeling of fascination mixed with horror and recognition.
I would recommend this as a "must read" for everyone! I have to stalk my friends and force this book upon them!