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blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, I enjoyed this novel about a teen with epilepsy trying to fit in when she can't help but stand out. I haven't read any other YA novels about epilepsy, so I appreciated the new information/awareness about the disease. The plot and characters in this one aren't anything special. It's all very predictable and, truthfully, the MC drove me a little crazy. Still, the novel teaches some important lessons about compassion, hope, and taking risks. It's clean and uplifting, which are big pluses in my book.
You can read my full review of THE THING WITH FEATHERS here: http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/2017/11/ya-epilepsy-novel-compassionate-hopeful.html
You can read my full review of THE THING WITH FEATHERS here: http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/2017/11/ya-epilepsy-novel-compassionate-hopeful.html
meaghan17's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing! I loved it so much! It’s a very heartwarming story of a girl finding herself and live life around her disability instead of letting it control her life. I will say again that I loved the book, and 100 percent recommended it!
perilous1's review against another edition
5.0
Originally Reviewed For YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/20975-the-thing-with-feathers-2
A refreshing, quality debut--meaningfully woven and beautifully engaging, from the first page to the last.
Emilie Day's "normal" life ended one day in the middle of elementary school, when she suddenly had a seizure. The uncontrolled nature of her newly diagnosed epilepsy meant that homeschooling was the only suitable option--one which worked well for a time thanks to the support of her father and the addition of a beloved service dog. But it's now three years after Emilie's father died, and her relationship with her mother has become strained. Thanks to a stabilizing medication, it is finally plausible for her to transition back into public school--which is precisely what her therapist is recommending. But Emilie has trouble seeing the shift as anything but an ongoing opportunity to embarrass herself in front of new friends and classmates.
The obligation of having to explain to all of her friends and close acquaintances what they need to do and watch for if she experiences a grand mal seizure--complete with possible vomiting and/or loss of bowel/bladder control--is understandably unappealing to her. Especially when one of the people she may need to tell happens to be a surprisingly interesting basketball player who might be vying for boyfriend material. And her mother's recent odd behavior isn't making things any easier in Emilie's mind...
Told in a remarkably unobtrusive first-person present-tense format, THE THING WITH FEATHERS is a coming-of-age story centered around new beginnings, old grief, and coming to terms with an "invisible" disability. I liked the subject matter and voice in the blurb enough to give this a go, but it was the first line that truly snared me: "My mother lost her mind today, and I'm going to prison."
A terrific introduction to the main character, Emilie, in a single (and perplexingly snarky) sentence. From there the author doesn't just grab initial attention, she holds onto it with crisp writing, insightful emotional depth, and a relatably smart, sarcastic heroine.
Kudos to the author on such solid characterization of a service animal. Hitch (Emilie's seizure-sensing golden retriever) feels immediately believable, and his functionality is explained and expanded on at natural intervals. What's more, the additional significance and personality Emilie ascribes to his actions and facial expressions often tells readers as much (if not more) about her own mindset as it does about the dog himself.
"If Hitch were a person, he'd be Mother Theresa or Gandhi or someone who treated all living creatures with the respect they deserve. It's depressing how my dog is a better human being than I am."
I'd never before heard the theory that Emily Dickinson may have been Epileptic--but it would certainly explain both her reclusive nature (especially during an era in which the condition was misunderstood and stigmatized) and her broodingly hopeful compositions. That tie-in was a welcome organic thread, offering opportunity for both educational points and outside literary input; without beating readers over the head with it. There isn't anything surprising about the plot itself--no twists or anything you won't see coming from early on. The primary antagonist (outside of epilepsy itself) struck this reader as almost disappointingly toothless. But the story's execution is charming and the ending pulls everything together with a satisfying and ultimately hopeful symmetry.
Final Analysis:
This is the kind of strong writing and memorable, empathy-expanding content this reader loves to see in contemporary YA. I would unhesitatingly thrust this book into the hands of my goddaughters.
Hoyle is a talented new fiction voice, and an author I'd highly recommend keeping an eye on!
Favorite Quotes:
*"Some people see the liquid and think half full. Others only see the air and think half empty. Sometimes I get the sense Chatham sees it all, which is kind of terrifying. I don't know if I want him to see me--the real me."
"Hope is the thing with feathers--
that perches in the soul--
And sings the tune without words--
And never stops--at all."
~Emily Dickinson
A refreshing, quality debut--meaningfully woven and beautifully engaging, from the first page to the last.
Emilie Day's "normal" life ended one day in the middle of elementary school, when she suddenly had a seizure. The uncontrolled nature of her newly diagnosed epilepsy meant that homeschooling was the only suitable option--one which worked well for a time thanks to the support of her father and the addition of a beloved service dog. But it's now three years after Emilie's father died, and her relationship with her mother has become strained. Thanks to a stabilizing medication, it is finally plausible for her to transition back into public school--which is precisely what her therapist is recommending. But Emilie has trouble seeing the shift as anything but an ongoing opportunity to embarrass herself in front of new friends and classmates.
The obligation of having to explain to all of her friends and close acquaintances what they need to do and watch for if she experiences a grand mal seizure--complete with possible vomiting and/or loss of bowel/bladder control--is understandably unappealing to her. Especially when one of the people she may need to tell happens to be a surprisingly interesting basketball player who might be vying for boyfriend material. And her mother's recent odd behavior isn't making things any easier in Emilie's mind...
Told in a remarkably unobtrusive first-person present-tense format, THE THING WITH FEATHERS is a coming-of-age story centered around new beginnings, old grief, and coming to terms with an "invisible" disability. I liked the subject matter and voice in the blurb enough to give this a go, but it was the first line that truly snared me: "My mother lost her mind today, and I'm going to prison."
A terrific introduction to the main character, Emilie, in a single (and perplexingly snarky) sentence. From there the author doesn't just grab initial attention, she holds onto it with crisp writing, insightful emotional depth, and a relatably smart, sarcastic heroine.
Kudos to the author on such solid characterization of a service animal. Hitch (Emilie's seizure-sensing golden retriever) feels immediately believable, and his functionality is explained and expanded on at natural intervals. What's more, the additional significance and personality Emilie ascribes to his actions and facial expressions often tells readers as much (if not more) about her own mindset as it does about the dog himself.
"If Hitch were a person, he'd be Mother Theresa or Gandhi or someone who treated all living creatures with the respect they deserve. It's depressing how my dog is a better human being than I am."
I'd never before heard the theory that Emily Dickinson may have been Epileptic--but it would certainly explain both her reclusive nature (especially during an era in which the condition was misunderstood and stigmatized) and her broodingly hopeful compositions. That tie-in was a welcome organic thread, offering opportunity for both educational points and outside literary input; without beating readers over the head with it. There isn't anything surprising about the plot itself--no twists or anything you won't see coming from early on. The primary antagonist (outside of epilepsy itself) struck this reader as almost disappointingly toothless. But the story's execution is charming and the ending pulls everything together with a satisfying and ultimately hopeful symmetry.
Final Analysis:
This is the kind of strong writing and memorable, empathy-expanding content this reader loves to see in contemporary YA. I would unhesitatingly thrust this book into the hands of my goddaughters.
Hoyle is a talented new fiction voice, and an author I'd highly recommend keeping an eye on!
Favorite Quotes:
*"Some people see the liquid and think half full. Others only see the air and think half empty. Sometimes I get the sense Chatham sees it all, which is kind of terrifying. I don't know if I want him to see me--the real me."
"Hope is the thing with feathers--
that perches in the soul--
And sings the tune without words--
And never stops--at all."
~Emily Dickinson
authorjasminecartwright's review against another edition
1.0
I was pretty disappointed in this book and only finished it because I am cramming to finish my reading goal. I Now understand what people mean by very little plot or character development because this book had it. The characters either had very little development or what development they ended up having was crammed and rushed into the very end. I also don't want to sound insensitive but the way the main character was reacting to her illness, epilepsy, was a little overdone. While I'm sure having epilepsy is a very devastating thing to live with it shouldn't be that hard to Simply tell people that that's what you have it's not something that would affect your friendships that bad I would assume again I'm not trying to downplay such a serious illness it's just that the feels that the character was it displayed in reference to telling people about her illness was that of something I would have expected from a person with schizophrenia or HIV or something that directly affects the person in contact with you if anything you would want people to know that you're epileptic so that they can help you if needed. A lot of the scenes with the male character and the female character were at times cheesy and cliche. actually most of the themes in this book were pretty cliche.
shinesalot's review against another edition
3.0
Told with an authentic teen voice, The Thing with Feathers, reads like a true story. Emilie is dealing with grief, managing her epilepsy while also trying to navigate the tumultuous waters of high school AND her mom. Teens will connect with the authentic voice and the struggle Emilie is faced with. While not many students are faced with trying to hide a condition like epilepsy, all teens struggle with some part of their life/identity - so the read will ring true to any young adult who picks up this book.
I like how the protagonists preconceived notions and stereotypes are all challenged, forcing her to take a good look at herself.
Good read.
I like how the protagonists preconceived notions and stereotypes are all challenged, forcing her to take a good look at herself.
Good read.
madelinelemings's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rctovillo's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-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
3.5
literarilyjess's review against another edition
4.0
The Thing With Feathers is a lovely debut. As hinted at by the title, it ties in Emily Dickinson poetry in a really fun way. When her mother insists she return to public school, Emilie Day is wary of how her seizure disorder will affect her in a new environment, and isn't quite sure how to navigate the social landscape of high school after years at home. Emilie's voice was very compelling, and the writing is great all around. I think teens will find Emilie instantly relatable.
Plus, Chatham is very swoony ;)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC!
Plus, Chatham is very swoony ;)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC!
bethberry18's review against another edition
3.0
This had good epilepsy representation and was a good ya book.
sierra_color's review against another edition
1.0
Okay, so I got an early copy of this book. I was excited for it because it seemed like such an interesting concept!
But boy, was I wrong.
Let’s start with a summary, so this book is about an all too cliché main character who has epilepsy and who’s mother is making her go to public school. That’s all that’s important really.
So, what do I hate about it?
The main character.
It seemed to me that she wasn’t really all that dedicated to staying at home like she seemed to be, and I say that because with this character she literally sees a guy and changes her tune in the snap of a finger. It was almost as if the conflict wasn’t treated as a REAL conflict, it didn’t have tension or weight and was just there so the author could tell a story. This book was such a frustrating read that it got to the point where I wanted to throw it in the recycling bin, because the change wasn’t natural, it felt too forced and it didn’t seem realistic at all.
I also felt that she was just too boy crazy throughout the book and that the author didn’t take her character seriously. I couldn’t find myself relating to her because she was such a frustrating character! She couldn’t make a single decision on her own! It was like the author was trying to convey uncertainty about her facing new situations, but did it very poorly. She just seemed (for the lack of a better word) like a whiny brat with no sense.
Did I finish this book?
No.
Did I like this book?
No.
The character really didn’t grow at all! And maybe I can’t comment about this because I read a little beyond the middle or so, but usually, with books like this, you see some form of character growth by this time— such as a character realizing that their goal is unrealistic or they mature, but with this book it didn’t happen. The author tried to make it seem as if she was changing, but she really wasn’t, she was just.. very annoying and frustrating because she didn’t try to either not like public school or like it, and plus, the whole conflict with not telling people about her disability was so, so frustrating! She was a very passive character and that the story was an overused cliché that’s all too common in YA— a whiny girl who’s determined to do something until she sees a boy and falls head over heels!
The writing was alright at first, but then again it got repetitive and she just got whiny. I wouldn’t recommend this book. It could’ve been executed so much better if the character actually had a personality, if the conflict was treated like an actual conflict, and if we actually saw reasons for her to want to stay in public school, or reasons as to why she likes the people she likes— the story needed more story and the characters needed more character, is what I’m trying to say. They all felt like cut outs you’d get in the back of a cereal box. So, in conclusion, this book seemed promising but the main character and the writing of her POV just made her annoying.
But boy, was I wrong.
Let’s start with a summary, so this book is about an all too cliché main character who has epilepsy and who’s mother is making her go to public school. That’s all that’s important really.
So, what do I hate about it?
The main character.
It seemed to me that she wasn’t really all that dedicated to staying at home like she seemed to be, and I say that because with this character she literally sees a guy and changes her tune in the snap of a finger. It was almost as if the conflict wasn’t treated as a REAL conflict, it didn’t have tension or weight and was just there so the author could tell a story. This book was such a frustrating read that it got to the point where I wanted to throw it in the recycling bin, because the change wasn’t natural, it felt too forced and it didn’t seem realistic at all.
I also felt that she was just too boy crazy throughout the book and that the author didn’t take her character seriously. I couldn’t find myself relating to her because she was such a frustrating character! She couldn’t make a single decision on her own! It was like the author was trying to convey uncertainty about her facing new situations, but did it very poorly. She just seemed (for the lack of a better word) like a whiny brat with no sense.
Did I finish this book?
No.
Did I like this book?
No.
The character really didn’t grow at all! And maybe I can’t comment about this because I read a little beyond the middle or so, but usually, with books like this, you see some form of character growth by this time— such as a character realizing that their goal is unrealistic or they mature, but with this book it didn’t happen. The author tried to make it seem as if she was changing, but she really wasn’t, she was just.. very annoying and frustrating because she didn’t try to either not like public school or like it, and plus, the whole conflict with not telling people about her disability was so, so frustrating! She was a very passive character and that the story was an overused cliché that’s all too common in YA— a whiny girl who’s determined to do something until she sees a boy and falls head over heels!
The writing was alright at first, but then again it got repetitive and she just got whiny. I wouldn’t recommend this book. It could’ve been executed so much better if the character actually had a personality, if the conflict was treated like an actual conflict, and if we actually saw reasons for her to want to stay in public school, or reasons as to why she likes the people she likes— the story needed more story and the characters needed more character, is what I’m trying to say. They all felt like cut outs you’d get in the back of a cereal box. So, in conclusion, this book seemed promising but the main character and the writing of her POV just made her annoying.