ettegoom's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this book up to use as a prop in a show, and started reading it.
It's a very gentle story that examines loneliness, grief, and coming of age.
I found Miranda relatable. Her realisation of how things worked outside of her very insular childhood and adolescence was realistic in the haphazard and confusing encounters she has with outsiders.
The conclusion wasn't entirely satisfying, but neither was the rest of the story, and neither is life. Questions are not always answered and we sometimes never find out what happens to those we leave behind.
Overall a good book, and one I'll probably read again at some point. I'll also be adding Ovid to my To Read list.
It's a very gentle story that examines loneliness, grief, and coming of age.
I found Miranda relatable. Her realisation of how things worked outside of her very insular childhood and adolescence was realistic in the haphazard and confusing encounters she has with outsiders.
The conclusion wasn't entirely satisfying, but neither was the rest of the story, and neither is life. Questions are not always answered and we sometimes never find out what happens to those we leave behind.
Overall a good book, and one I'll probably read again at some point. I'll also be adding Ovid to my To Read list.
slimy's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
sseaford's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
daniaustria's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
sneakypants's review
reflective
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? No
4.5
Starts a little slow, but part of the way through I had a hard time putting it down. I ended up really loving this book
ecstaticlistening's review against another edition
4.0
This was a perfect book to read as I prepare to leave NYC. Sweeney captures all the awkwardness that comes from being new in this city--from feeling under dressed and unfashionable at all times, to not knowing what a "regular" coffee is, to learning how to walk with the crowd. My favorite observation about New Yorkers is about weather. In the rain, "they seemed to feel as if the weather was meant for someone else, or somewhere else," and isn't that always the way with New Yorkers? Some days I feel like a bunch of Californians somehow ended up in the Northeast, surprised to find that it gets cold or snows or rains or is generally intemperate 75% of the year. I've been trying to pin that attitude down for years.
Oh, the story is lovely, too, and Sweeney builds characters that make sense, like people you have met. This book got me devouring books in a way I haven't for years. I'm writing this review, and I hardly ever do that anymore.
Oh, the story is lovely, too, and Sweeney builds characters that make sense, like people you have met. This book got me devouring books in a way I haven't for years. I'm writing this review, and I hardly ever do that anymore.
jasminenoack's review against another edition
5.0
according to the internet this person's name is pronounced even. I hope that is true.
This book is amazing really and truly amazing. I can't actually tell you that much about the book because I have realized that even being aware of the genre of this book actually minimizes the impact of the book. But what I can do is talk to you about some of the reasons this book worked for me that may or may not work for you.
This is a really great coming of age novel (now remember I hate coming of age novels passionately).
So how did I end up with this novel. Well I have seen it and not bought it many times. I like the fact the title is about starting to smoke. Second I didn't bring a book with me the day of my language and thought midterm and there was an hour between work and my test and I was worried continuing to think about it would just stress me out more (although I didn't actually end up starting the book till after the test). Lastly, it was in a "last chance" 3.99 display at work so I paid like 3 for it which meant even if it was terrible I wouldn't have wasted that much money on it. basically it is a great situation. lastly lastly the book is about a person from an island in maine that moves to new york and starts smoking!! how could I not read that.
So this book is about a girl who grows up on crab island in maine. Although crab island is an actual place in maine off freeport in the book it is an imaginary crab island near a town call yvesport. This is obvious cause someone asks her if she has been to a city and she responds "bangor" bangor is not the city if you live in freeport, because there are larger cities clustered in southern maine. Bangor is referred to as the city above the midcost region in the down east region (Yeah I know this makes no sense fucking deal). this means that the imaginary island is in the region that the real island I grew up on is in. There is a size difference. although she mentions "other children" on crab island there are no size indicators but it doesn't have a school, even a one room school house (yeah these still exist on islands in maine but as far as I know they only go through 8th grade). So we are talking islesford (little cranberry) size(yeah these maine references aren't going to stop seeing as how I never get to use them). The island I grew up on is larger than this. much larger 4 towns, 4 elementary schools, 1 high school, 3 fire departments, several libraries, and a lot of cute one room post offices (but the library and police station downtown are huge).
This is bar harbor:
they have laws about how much grey has to be added to color in signs. My mom lives "in bar harbor" now this actually means about 20 minutes from down town (picture above) in the winter 45 to an hour in the summer (yeah that's stupid).
However, I grew up in tremont. historically tremont was a bustling town they had factories, two banks, a roller rink, and a movie theater. This was back when it cost 5 cents to go to a movie,it lasted till it started to cost around 30 cents I think. When I grew up there was one general store, one hotel, and one camp ground. The book gets it right, you aren't a mainer unless you are born there, or in my towns case if your grandparents were born there. Also there is a dislike of smart people. So the isolation in the book I get that even if technically I was around more people.
*mild spoilers*
there is a character in the book called mr. blackwell he is a fisherman. He takes care of miranda because clearly her father isn't able. When I was in the third or fourth grade my mom started dating a lobsterman. Okay back up my mom can't cook, didn't spend much time at home, and lets just say when she was there I wasn't the most respectful ten year old. So when I was young my mom didn't come to my games, she didn't check my grades, actually Mraz discribes divorce well:
"it's probably because when you're young
It's okay to be easily ignored
I'd like to believe it was all about love for a child
It's kinda nice to work the floor since the divorce
I've been enjoying both my Christmases and my birthday cakes
And taking drugs and making love at far too young an age
And they never check to see my grades"
Okay so miranda's parents aren't divorced but her mother is dead and she sees this effect just as I did as a child. then this guy Mr. Blackwell comes along and he isn't unlike the lobsterman I knew "scotty" who got up at 4am to drive me to swim practice, came to all my basketball games, and told me that I should have been getting a+s not just as. Well Blackwell does that in the book. There is a feeling of transference of love or even love of the parent that is more directly related to love of their child and you see that in the book.
Moving on to the new york stuff. when you take a small town person (I think this is especially true about maine but I realize this could come from a very intense entrenchment in maine culture) and you send them to new york they never actually become new york. There is this phase where they really try. they date a rich guy, they spend money, they buy miniskirts but in the end the fall back is always jeans, they never really learn to walk in heels, etc. this book is really about what happens if you are that person. the person who isn't going to ever adapt. What do you do then?
well read the book and see.
This book is amazing really and truly amazing. I can't actually tell you that much about the book because I have realized that even being aware of the genre of this book actually minimizes the impact of the book. But what I can do is talk to you about some of the reasons this book worked for me that may or may not work for you.
This is a really great coming of age novel (now remember I hate coming of age novels passionately).
So how did I end up with this novel. Well I have seen it and not bought it many times. I like the fact the title is about starting to smoke. Second I didn't bring a book with me the day of my language and thought midterm and there was an hour between work and my test and I was worried continuing to think about it would just stress me out more (although I didn't actually end up starting the book till after the test). Lastly, it was in a "last chance" 3.99 display at work so I paid like 3 for it which meant even if it was terrible I wouldn't have wasted that much money on it. basically it is a great situation. lastly lastly the book is about a person from an island in maine that moves to new york and starts smoking!! how could I not read that.
So this book is about a girl who grows up on crab island in maine. Although crab island is an actual place in maine off freeport in the book it is an imaginary crab island near a town call yvesport. This is obvious cause someone asks her if she has been to a city and she responds "bangor" bangor is not the city if you live in freeport, because there are larger cities clustered in southern maine. Bangor is referred to as the city above the midcost region in the down east region (Yeah I know this makes no sense fucking deal). this means that the imaginary island is in the region that the real island I grew up on is in. There is a size difference. although she mentions "other children" on crab island there are no size indicators but it doesn't have a school, even a one room school house (yeah these still exist on islands in maine but as far as I know they only go through 8th grade). So we are talking islesford (little cranberry) size(yeah these maine references aren't going to stop seeing as how I never get to use them). The island I grew up on is larger than this. much larger 4 towns, 4 elementary schools, 1 high school, 3 fire departments, several libraries, and a lot of cute one room post offices (but the library and police station downtown are huge).
This is bar harbor:
they have laws about how much grey has to be added to color in signs. My mom lives "in bar harbor" now this actually means about 20 minutes from down town (picture above) in the winter 45 to an hour in the summer (yeah that's stupid).
However, I grew up in tremont. historically tremont was a bustling town they had factories, two banks, a roller rink, and a movie theater. This was back when it cost 5 cents to go to a movie,it lasted till it started to cost around 30 cents I think. When I grew up there was one general store, one hotel, and one camp ground. The book gets it right, you aren't a mainer unless you are born there, or in my towns case if your grandparents were born there. Also there is a dislike of smart people. So the isolation in the book I get that even if technically I was around more people.
*mild spoilers*
there is a character in the book called mr. blackwell he is a fisherman. He takes care of miranda because clearly her father isn't able. When I was in the third or fourth grade my mom started dating a lobsterman. Okay back up my mom can't cook, didn't spend much time at home, and lets just say when she was there I wasn't the most respectful ten year old. So when I was young my mom didn't come to my games, she didn't check my grades, actually Mraz discribes divorce well:
"it's probably because when you're young
It's okay to be easily ignored
I'd like to believe it was all about love for a child
It's kinda nice to work the floor since the divorce
I've been enjoying both my Christmases and my birthday cakes
And taking drugs and making love at far too young an age
And they never check to see my grades"
Okay so miranda's parents aren't divorced but her mother is dead and she sees this effect just as I did as a child. then this guy Mr. Blackwell comes along and he isn't unlike the lobsterman I knew "scotty" who got up at 4am to drive me to swim practice, came to all my basketball games, and told me that I should have been getting a+s not just as. Well Blackwell does that in the book. There is a feeling of transference of love or even love of the parent that is more directly related to love of their child and you see that in the book.
Moving on to the new york stuff. when you take a small town person (I think this is especially true about maine but I realize this could come from a very intense entrenchment in maine culture) and you send them to new york they never actually become new york. There is this phase where they really try. they date a rich guy, they spend money, they buy miniskirts but in the end the fall back is always jeans, they never really learn to walk in heels, etc. this book is really about what happens if you are that person. the person who isn't going to ever adapt. What do you do then?
well read the book and see.
mmkkll's review against another edition
3.0
This is Sweeney's debut novel, which becomes fairly evident when the story is taken as a whole. I liked this book well enough, but I didn't love it. I did like how Sweeney weaves elements of Ovid's Metamorphoses into the story -- those passages were among my favorites.