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hazelcat13's review
3.0
I wasn't expecting much when I started this one. This isn't typically the book I go for; in fact, I never pick up books like this. But I'm going to an author luncheon where Combs will be speaking and I wanted to have read her work. I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I've never read a book that takes place in the state I've lived most of my life. I've never had the pleasure of experiencing the shock of familiarity when I see landmarks, counties, and places that I drive past and through before. For that reason, this novel became that more real for me. I loved the way Combs wrote about Kentucky in such an up-front matter. She talked about coal, mountaintop removal, basketball, the rolling hills, and the blue-grass.
This book is a beautiful portrait of young adulthood in a state that has a pension for being misrepresented. I only wish that it would have been around when I was in high school, when I needed to be reminded of all the beautiful things that make up Kentucky.
I've never read a book that takes place in the state I've lived most of my life. I've never had the pleasure of experiencing the shock of familiarity when I see landmarks, counties, and places that I drive past and through before. For that reason, this novel became that more real for me. I loved the way Combs wrote about Kentucky in such an up-front matter. She talked about coal, mountaintop removal, basketball, the rolling hills, and the blue-grass.
This book is a beautiful portrait of young adulthood in a state that has a pension for being misrepresented. I only wish that it would have been around when I was in high school, when I needed to be reminded of all the beautiful things that make up Kentucky.
percyflies's review
Really insufferable main character. Big not like other girls/women hating energy.
Felt like it was trying to be cool and quirky like John Green or Ferris Bueller but fell flat and just came across as overwrought, unrealistic, and annoying.
Felt like it was trying to be cool and quirky like John Green or Ferris Bueller but fell flat and just came across as overwrought, unrealistic, and annoying.
nedge's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mlindsey441's review
3.0
I loved the premise of this book and it involved some interesting characters, including a boxer puppy. It involves a summer of growth and change for a group of talented young people who attend a month long camp at state college. The novel centers around one teen-aged girl and three new friends who end up in the same strand of the program. It includes some of the teen angsty stuff that I have grown a bit tired of -- Really -- how can you fall in love hate-love with someone through the window of your dorm? And Gloria (the main character) was at times a bit overly reflective about things, which lent a sense of drama to the whole narrative that was a little tiresome. And I could have done without the butterfly sub-metaphor that ran through the book.
At the same time -- boxer puppy! So cool that a dog got to play such a key role in the formation of these young people. And the adults, while rarely in the picture, are rather cool people when they are -- not in a "We all want to be your friends way," but in a "We have lives of our own and we will share those lives with you if you let us" way. There are also some great literary references in here and good conversations about books and the importance of reading in shaping lives.
Overall, I liked the book. I didn't love it, mainly because I found it so hard to relate to Gloria, but I did find it a nice quick read. I am also not this book's intended audience, so readers who are in their teens may find in this book a dear set of friends. I would certainly not hesitate to recommend it to my young adult readers.
At the same time -- boxer puppy! So cool that a dog got to play such a key role in the formation of these young people. And the adults, while rarely in the picture, are rather cool people when they are -- not in a "We all want to be your friends way," but in a "We have lives of our own and we will share those lives with you if you let us" way. There are also some great literary references in here and good conversations about books and the importance of reading in shaping lives.
Overall, I liked the book. I didn't love it, mainly because I found it so hard to relate to Gloria, but I did find it a nice quick read. I am also not this book's intended audience, so readers who are in their teens may find in this book a dear set of friends. I would certainly not hesitate to recommend it to my young adult readers.
thunderbolt_kid's review
5.0
I very much liked this book. That said, it was uneven in places, and sometimes included both plot elements and chunks of narration that put me off.
All-in-all, though, a nice book that presents some of the issues in Kentucky without making conclusions for the reader. Good sense of place, and value for this same thing. So some of the results in the book were confusing/unclear as a result - rather than being left to interpret the narrator's choices, they are simply presented without any clear follow-up/understandable reasoning. That, however, can be adolescence, so I'm all over the map on this one.
Still, a recommend.
All-in-all, though, a nice book that presents some of the issues in Kentucky without making conclusions for the reader. Good sense of place, and value for this same thing. So some of the results in the book were confusing/unclear as a result - rather than being left to interpret the narrator's choices, they are simply presented without any clear follow-up/understandable reasoning. That, however, can be adolescence, so I'm all over the map on this one.
Still, a recommend.
charmaineac's review
4.0
This book is—at once—both poetic and substantial. The words weave an eloquent, elegant tale that makes you laugh and cry along with Gloria. It's comprised of all the wonderful moments that make up childhood, youth, and life in general. It's made up of the things that you look back on; the memories of a lifetime. It's introspective, innocent, and hopeful after discovering the vast new world, despite starting off jaded and "SO Over It."
I've been to my own version of a Canadian Geek Camp, so I found this particularly bittersweet. The book captured the feeling perfectly—meeting people who just GET YOU, who don't care about the pettiness of pop culture and social circles. Meeting people who are passionate about THINGS, even if they're so vastly different from your own passions. Meeting people who keep an open-mind about your passions, and are willing to hold intelligible conversations about them. Meeting people who are curious and ready to explore the world.
This book was The Breakfast Club (intentionally, I'm sure) meets the Dead Poets Society. It was such an eclectic bunch of people who wouldn't seemingly fit together, but worked so well. I fell in love with each of them. I loved how their quirks came out little by little, so they didn't DEFINE the characters—they became afterthoughts, because we got to know each of them so well. In fact, none of the characters fit into neat little stereotypes. They were all so fleshed out and REAL.
There were so many beautiful moments, and Gloria savoured each one: Plato's Myth of the Cave, having your own "spot" somewhere, passion, wholesome goodness, blackberries, 8-ales, the fourth of July, the Mystery Machine, helicopters, butterflies, sunsets, ideological disputes, real snail mail, stumbling upon something secret, and even downtime in a laundry room.
The book started kind of slowly, but it grew on me. It felt like one of those books that MATTERED, that tried to look into what life is all about... and managing to glean some insight to that genuine human experience.
I've been to my own version of a Canadian Geek Camp, so I found this particularly bittersweet. The book captured the feeling perfectly—meeting people who just GET YOU, who don't care about the pettiness of pop culture and social circles. Meeting people who are passionate about THINGS, even if they're so vastly different from your own passions. Meeting people who keep an open-mind about your passions, and are willing to hold intelligible conversations about them. Meeting people who are curious and ready to explore the world.
This book was The Breakfast Club (intentionally, I'm sure) meets the Dead Poets Society. It was such an eclectic bunch of people who wouldn't seemingly fit together, but worked so well. I fell in love with each of them. I loved how their quirks came out little by little, so they didn't DEFINE the characters—they became afterthoughts, because we got to know each of them so well. In fact, none of the characters fit into neat little stereotypes. They were all so fleshed out and REAL.
There were so many beautiful moments, and Gloria savoured each one: Plato's Myth of the Cave, having your own "spot" somewhere, passion, wholesome goodness, blackberries, 8-ales, the fourth of July, the Mystery Machine, helicopters, butterflies, sunsets, ideological disputes, real snail mail, stumbling upon something secret, and even downtime in a laundry room.
The book started kind of slowly, but it grew on me. It felt like one of those books that MATTERED, that tried to look into what life is all about... and managing to glean some insight to that genuine human experience.
charmaineac's review against another edition
4.0
This book is—at once—both poetic and substantial. The words weave an eloquent, elegant tale that makes you laugh and cry along with Gloria. It's comprised of all the wonderful moments that make up childhood, youth, and life in general. It's made up of the things that you look back on; the memories of a lifetime. It's introspective, innocent, and hopeful after discovering the vast new world, despite starting off jaded and "SO Over It."
I've been to my own version of a Canadian Geek Camp, so I found this particularly bittersweet. The book captured the feeling perfectly—meeting people who just GET YOU, who don't care about the pettiness of pop culture and social circles. Meeting people who are passionate about THINGS, even if they're so vastly different from your own passions. Meeting people who keep an open-mind about your passions, and are willing to hold intelligible conversations about them. Meeting people who are curious and ready to explore the world.
This book was The Breakfast Club (intentionally, I'm sure) meets the Dead Poets Society. It was such an eclectic bunch of people who wouldn't seemingly fit together, but worked so well. I fell in love with each of them. I loved how their quirks came out little by little, so they didn't DEFINE the characters—they became afterthoughts, because we got to know each of them so well. In fact, none of the characters fit into neat little stereotypes. They were all so fleshed out and REAL.
There were so many beautiful moments, and Gloria savoured each one: Plato's Myth of the Cave, having your own "spot" somewhere, passion, wholesome goodness, blackberries, 8-ales, the fourth of July, the Mystery Machine, helicopters, butterflies, sunsets, ideological disputes, real snail mail, stumbling upon something secret, and even downtime in a laundry room.
The book started kind of slowly, but it grew on me. It felt like one of those books that MATTERED, that tried to look into what life is all about... and managing to glean some insight to that genuine human experience.
I've been to my own version of a Canadian Geek Camp, so I found this particularly bittersweet. The book captured the feeling perfectly—meeting people who just GET YOU, who don't care about the pettiness of pop culture and social circles. Meeting people who are passionate about THINGS, even if they're so vastly different from your own passions. Meeting people who keep an open-mind about your passions, and are willing to hold intelligible conversations about them. Meeting people who are curious and ready to explore the world.
This book was The Breakfast Club (intentionally, I'm sure) meets the Dead Poets Society. It was such an eclectic bunch of people who wouldn't seemingly fit together, but worked so well. I fell in love with each of them. I loved how their quirks came out little by little, so they didn't DEFINE the characters—they became afterthoughts, because we got to know each of them so well. In fact, none of the characters fit into neat little stereotypes. They were all so fleshed out and REAL.
There were so many beautiful moments, and Gloria savoured each one: Plato's Myth of the Cave, having your own "spot" somewhere, passion, wholesome goodness, blackberries, 8-ales, the fourth of July, the Mystery Machine, helicopters, butterflies, sunsets, ideological disputes, real snail mail, stumbling upon something secret, and even downtime in a laundry room.
The book started kind of slowly, but it grew on me. It felt like one of those books that MATTERED, that tried to look into what life is all about... and managing to glean some insight to that genuine human experience.
thepaperreels's review against another edition
DNF at 75%
Breakfast Served Anytime allured me with it's beautiful cover. But man! I was so disappointed.
I'm blaming Gloria. I think the author wants Gloria to come out as poetic because of her way of telling the story but that's not what I got at all. Gloria rambles. She wants to talk about everything and she makes simple things complicated. So I thought, hmmm okay, the protagonist is annoying me but maybe I'll get something from the plot.
I was bored. I was dozing off the whole time. I tried, really tried. Then I just decided that it wasn't worth it anymore. I have a lot of books to read and I don't have time for this.
Breakfast Served Anytime allured me with it's beautiful cover. But man! I was so disappointed.
I'm blaming Gloria. I think the author wants Gloria to come out as poetic because of her way of telling the story but that's not what I got at all. Gloria rambles. She wants to talk about everything and she makes simple things complicated. So I thought, hmmm okay, the protagonist is annoying me but maybe I'll get something from the plot.
I was bored. I was dozing off the whole time. I tried, really tried. Then I just decided that it wasn't worth it anymore. I have a lot of books to read and I don't have time for this.
liralen's review
3.0
Mmm. Promise that wasn't quite delivered on, I think. I was interested in this one because I went to nerd school—not just nerd camp, as Gloria does, but a bona fide nerdy public boarding school with the same kind of scholarship offer that Gloria gets by virtue of going to this nerd camp: get accepted, and go, to nerd camp (school) and get a free ride to the local university. (Like Gloria...I wanted outoutout, which meant not the local university.)
Gloria never felt quite fully fleshed out to me; I think her voice was a little too...careful. Still, she ends up being a fairly entertaining character by dint of being something of a snob in a way that the author is in on. Says another character: "So what you're saying, basically, is that you're a huge snob, you're way better than everyone else, your own ego is too big for the big ego-fest, and that this silly acting business is best left to stupid little plebeian morons like, oh, I don't know, me?" (136)
And, a little further down the line: I was starting to realize that my own keen Powers of Observation, on which I prided myself beyond reason, were selective and mostly ridiculous. The truth was that I noticed things if I cared about them. If I didn't immediately care or understand, they filtered right through (154).
Plotwise, though, the whole thing fell a bit flat for me. There's this moment when clear-cutting is built up as the Big Thing that will come to define Gloria's summer, and I thought, oh, huh, that's not what I expected from the book, and then I kept waiting...and waiting...and, actually, nope. It's not the thing that comes to define Gloria's summer. Instead her summer looks a lot like anygirl's time spent at this sort of summer programme: she meets some people she probably wouldn't in her normal life (note: I did appreciate that her roommate, in particular, wasn't made out to be the mean girl); they have some low-key adventures; the big mystery about the professor is resolved in a manner that's a bit disappointing for characters and reader alike. The real substance never really materialises.
In sum: idea more interesting than end result. Oh well. At least it's one more off my to-read list.
Gloria never felt quite fully fleshed out to me; I think her voice was a little too...careful. Still, she ends up being a fairly entertaining character by dint of being something of a snob in a way that the author is in on. Says another character: "So what you're saying, basically, is that you're a huge snob, you're way better than everyone else, your own ego is too big for the big ego-fest, and that this silly acting business is best left to stupid little plebeian morons like, oh, I don't know, me?" (136)
And, a little further down the line: I was starting to realize that my own keen Powers of Observation, on which I prided myself beyond reason, were selective and mostly ridiculous. The truth was that I noticed things if I cared about them. If I didn't immediately care or understand, they filtered right through (154).
Plotwise, though, the whole thing fell a bit flat for me. There's this moment when clear-cutting is built up as the Big Thing that will come to define Gloria's summer, and I thought, oh, huh, that's not what I expected from the book, and then I kept waiting...and waiting...and, actually, nope. It's not the thing that comes to define Gloria's summer. Instead her summer looks a lot like anygirl's time spent at this sort of summer programme: she meets some people she probably wouldn't in her normal life (note: I did appreciate that her roommate, in particular, wasn't made out to be the mean girl); they have some low-key adventures; the big mystery about the professor is resolved in a manner that's a bit disappointing for characters and reader alike. The real substance never really materialises.
In sum: idea more interesting than end result. Oh well. At least it's one more off my to-read list.