jessidee's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
see_sadie_read's review against another edition
I admit that when I picked this up I didn't realize it is a sequel. And, reading it, I did feel the lack of having read book one. But it is followable. I thought it was nice the way the girls (and their tag along gay friend) support each other and stick to their guns to do their art (as in Do Your Thing). There's a notably diverse cast and platonic male/female friendships (even in a book about Valentines Day). But I also thought it rushed (even for a graphic novel plot) and a little scattered. Plus, the villain is ridiculously depthless. All in all, not bad though.
witchofthemountains's review against another edition
5.0
A graphic novel about teen girls fighting the establishment, cultural expectations, and finding love in a way that doesn't let the boy's attention become their only focus? SIGN ME UP.
I love the Plain Janes series, and strongly recommend it to anyone who likes graphic novels, is a female, likes females, or generally likes good writing.
In this installment of the series, the girls are back to their art-loving ways, and Main Jane finds herself falling for a local boy after her sleeping beauty wakes up and reveals he is taken... in addition to being from a different country. Her awesome nature shows through as she doesn't mope about this. Instead she is happy to have a friend who went through the same ordeal she did, and even befriends his girlfriend.
And despite the fact that every Jane pursues love in this novel, they still maintain their senses of self and their other interests. So often girls in literature find themselves single-focused on the love they want. It's not a healthy portrayal, and this book turns it all on its head.
I love the Plain Janes series, and strongly recommend it to anyone who likes graphic novels, is a female, likes females, or generally likes good writing.
In this installment of the series, the girls are back to their art-loving ways, and Main Jane finds herself falling for a local boy after her sleeping beauty wakes up and reveals he is taken... in addition to being from a different country. Her awesome nature shows through as she doesn't mope about this. Instead she is happy to have a friend who went through the same ordeal she did, and even befriends his girlfriend.
And despite the fact that every Jane pursues love in this novel, they still maintain their senses of self and their other interests. So often girls in literature find themselves single-focused on the love they want. It's not a healthy portrayal, and this book turns it all on its head.
paranormalauren's review against another edition
5.0
I just loved these "Janes" books. So cute and had great messages about art and its ability to change entire neighborhoods. I also love the diversity shown in the panels. A standout graphic novel series.
miss_holly_readsalot's review against another edition
2.0
This was a disappointing sequel to a book that didn't need one.
readingrobyn's review against another edition
2.0
The P.L.A.I.N Janes feels a little bit too plain.
While I was reading Janes in Love the sequel to [b:The Plain Janes|313162|The Plain Janes|Cecil Castellucci|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173671615s/313162.jpg|2267175] my overall feeling was "shrug". This was a solid continuation of the previous story, set only days after the final events in the last graphic novel. But for me, this worked more against it then for it. It's just more of the same thing, and although I liked the last book and would recommend it to anyone who's interested, I don't see why this was made as a separate title.
I liked that this time around we got to know more about the other Janes, their characters shined through the story a bit, showing some actual character traits beyond their over-the-top labels. I'm not going to say "stereotypes" because they do have their own individual personalities but I really noticed in this book how it's a shame that the main Jane is the only one of the lot that gets to be a rounded character.
Speaking of our main Jane, she spends most of the story in angst. I won't go so far as to call it unnecessary because it does center around honest issues but it was just enough for me to wonder if anything else was actually going to happen. Nothing really did.
This is a case of a character driven story where everything just falls flat. Nothing is particularly bad, but nothing is amazing either.
I stick with my assessment of the first book in saying that this story overall would have been more dynamic as a novel where the characters could be given time to develop into people I could see myself investing in.
Overall, I recommend skipping the squeal.
While I was reading Janes in Love the sequel to [b:The Plain Janes|313162|The Plain Janes|Cecil Castellucci|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173671615s/313162.jpg|2267175] my overall feeling was "shrug". This was a solid continuation of the previous story, set only days after the final events in the last graphic novel. But for me, this worked more against it then for it. It's just more of the same thing, and although I liked the last book and would recommend it to anyone who's interested, I don't see why this was made as a separate title.
I liked that this time around we got to know more about the other Janes, their characters shined through the story a bit, showing some actual character traits beyond their over-the-top labels. I'm not going to say "stereotypes" because they do have their own individual personalities but I really noticed in this book how it's a shame that the main Jane is the only one of the lot that gets to be a rounded character.
Speaking of our main Jane, she spends most of the story in angst. I won't go so far as to call it unnecessary because it does center around honest issues but it was just enough for me to wonder if anything else was actually going to happen. Nothing really did.
This is a case of a character driven story where everything just falls flat. Nothing is particularly bad, but nothing is amazing either.
I stick with my assessment of the first book in saying that this story overall would have been more dynamic as a novel where the characters could be given time to develop into people I could see myself investing in.
Overall, I recommend skipping the squeal.
hinoki's review against another edition
2.0
(side note: why does the cover of the online ed have Jane w/ blue hair, but my physical book have Jane w/ red hair?)
I was really disappointing by this book. I read the 1st one a long time ago and really liked it. Al the characters were cool and the plot was interesting.
This book is weird. There were scenes I really didn't understand (like when Jayne made the pheromones) and many scenes with diologue, but no interaction; all the characters said some thing about the topic, but they didn't really interact w/ each other. I also didn't really understand the motivations of some of the characters, like that rude blond girl or the mom.
I admit this may have to do something to do with the fact that my attitude about art has really changed. Probably when I read the first time I wanted to be an artist, so I really related to the Janes. Now I kind of dislike art. I know that's strange, but I found Jane a little annoying. Go draw. In your home.
I was really disappointing by this book. I read the 1st one a long time ago and really liked it. Al the characters were cool and the plot was interesting.
This book is weird. There were scenes I really didn't understand (like when Jayne made the pheromones) and many scenes with diologue, but no interaction; all the characters said some thing about the topic, but they didn't really interact w/ each other. I also didn't really understand the motivations of some of the characters, like that rude blond girl or the mom.
I admit this may have to do something to do with the fact that my attitude about art has really changed. Probably when I read the first time I wanted to be an artist, so I really related to the Janes. Now I kind of dislike art. I know that's strange, but I found Jane a little annoying. Go draw. In your home.
library_hungry's review against another edition
4.0
A direct continuation of the first one, and it ties up the story nicely. The romance part is a bit on the high school side, and the end is pretty pat, but I do love how many of the characters have added depth--Cindy, who is a popular snob but doesn't let that stop her seeing and doing things that matter. Theater Jane, who is a hard person to be friends with and to like, but worth it. Those complexities really make this story for me.