saluki's review against another edition
3.0
I loved We Were Liars so thought I'd read another by E. Lockhart.
This is no normal love story. Gretchen morphs into a fly!
It's about locker room shenanigans and chatter, friendships, relationships and the differences of attraction between gherkins and biscuits (in other words, boy and girl wobbly bits) in adolescents.
Everyone remembers school yard banter, first crushes and the lengthy twittering with BFF's about such and such boy or girl. This is a snapshot of those times.
Funny.
This is no normal love story. Gretchen morphs into a fly!
It's about locker room shenanigans and chatter, friendships, relationships and the differences of attraction between gherkins and biscuits (in other words, boy and girl wobbly bits) in adolescents.
Everyone remembers school yard banter, first crushes and the lengthy twittering with BFF's about such and such boy or girl. This is a snapshot of those times.
Funny.
fulltime_movieaddict's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Stalking, Biphobia, Grief, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
bayafezz's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
marpesea's review
3.0
Interesting spin on Kafka's "Metamorphosis"-- a teen girl is temporarily changed into a fly and spends about a week watching the boys' locker room. Basically, I came because I utterly loved "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks" and I stayed for the "gherkin."
P.S. I don't agree with the author's view of "hetero-lady librarians," but she can write a fascinating novel. Lockhart, if you're reading this, I've never bought a book for my library (or myself!) because of how physically attracted I am to the author.
P.S. I don't agree with the author's view of "hetero-lady librarians," but she can write a fascinating novel. Lockhart, if you're reading this, I've never bought a book for my library (or myself!) because of how physically attracted I am to the author.
ncarson's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
nedge's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
phoebe_books's review against another edition
2.0
Perhaps a 2.5/5. I thought this had an interesting concept being inspired by Kafkas 'The Metamorphosis'. This book had the potentially to deal with many insecurities of young people and their mental health but completely missed the chance. I kind of feel like this was one of those books that was willing to lose its purpose and meaning just to remain a short story.
fictionalkate's review against another edition
4.0
Gretchen Yee attends a prestigious art school where the best way to fit in is to try and stand out. With unmissable bright red hair, Gretchen tries to fit in but doesn’t feel like she does. When her best friend starts acting standoffish and her parents deciding to get a divorce, Gretchen’s life is getting messy. There’s also Gretchen’s crush on fellow artist, Titus, making things complicated. If only Gretchen could be a fly on the wall and find out what he was thinking…
Fly on the Wall is a fun read about curiosity, boys and surviving teenage years. At only 182 pages, it’s a quick read but manages to deliver a full story with quirky characters, interesting ideas and a true sense of what it is like to be Gretchen as she comes out of her shell.
This book shows us Gretchen’s life as a somewhat typical arty teenage girl. When her wish comes true and she becomes a fly on the wall, we get to watch as Gretchen sees things from a different perspective. I liked Gretchen’s curiosity during her fly stage. She sees things she’s not experienced before and it’s dealt with in an inquisitiveness that felt right. Having her eyes opened to conversations she would never have been privy to as a teenage girl, Gretchen gains a greater understanding for others in her life.
There is a bit of a fantasy twist in this book with Gretchen literally becoming a fly on the wall but the magical element isn’t what this book is about – it’s merely a facilitator for Gretchen to examine her life. She gets to see what behind the locker room door and find out how boys behave when they’re alone. The way teenagers are described felt honest and this feels like a book teens would be able to relate to. It’s not always politically correct or socially acceptable (the way certain characters talk to each other and some of the language being flung around would possibly offend some readers) but that did contribute to the plot and added to the realistic vibe of the characters.
Despite it being such a short book, there’s quite a lot of character growth. Gretchen learns a lot about life and relationships during her fly time and I enjoyed this quirky concept. Fly on the Wall isn’t like other books I’ve read before but I had great fun reading about Gretchen and her life.
Fly on the Wall is a fun read about curiosity, boys and surviving teenage years. At only 182 pages, it’s a quick read but manages to deliver a full story with quirky characters, interesting ideas and a true sense of what it is like to be Gretchen as she comes out of her shell.
This book shows us Gretchen’s life as a somewhat typical arty teenage girl. When her wish comes true and she becomes a fly on the wall, we get to watch as Gretchen sees things from a different perspective. I liked Gretchen’s curiosity during her fly stage. She sees things she’s not experienced before and it’s dealt with in an inquisitiveness that felt right. Having her eyes opened to conversations she would never have been privy to as a teenage girl, Gretchen gains a greater understanding for others in her life.
There is a bit of a fantasy twist in this book with Gretchen literally becoming a fly on the wall but the magical element isn’t what this book is about – it’s merely a facilitator for Gretchen to examine her life. She gets to see what behind the locker room door and find out how boys behave when they’re alone. The way teenagers are described felt honest and this feels like a book teens would be able to relate to. It’s not always politically correct or socially acceptable (the way certain characters talk to each other and some of the language being flung around would possibly offend some readers) but that did contribute to the plot and added to the realistic vibe of the characters.
Despite it being such a short book, there’s quite a lot of character growth. Gretchen learns a lot about life and relationships during her fly time and I enjoyed this quirky concept. Fly on the Wall isn’t like other books I’ve read before but I had great fun reading about Gretchen and her life.
kricketa's review against another edition
4.0
super-adorable urban fantasy. gretchen wishes she was a fly on the wall in the boy's locker room at her nyc arts high school and poof- that's how she wakes up the next day. her new perspective helps her understand guys in general as well as her friends and divorcing parents. really short & amusing.
note to self: contains frank discussion of penises, so do not give to the lady who likes to read all the books before giving them to her daughter.
note to self: contains frank discussion of penises, so do not give to the lady who likes to read all the books before giving them to her daughter.