christie_evelyn's review
emotional
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual harassment, and Racial slurs
Minor: Child death
redroofcolleen's review
4.0
Beautifully captures the inner turmoil of adolescence, the slow boil of emotions and separateness, and the inescapable loss of innocence.
jonbrammer's review
4.0
A brilliant Southern coming-of-age story, steeped in adolescent disorientation. Frankie's sense of identity, gender and otherwise, evolves through the course of this novel, demarcated by boredom and crisis. I love this book because it accurately simulates the chaos in the mind of a young person who does not fit into her world, and whose view of reality is constantly being renegotiated.
hannahmg's review against another edition
reflective
slow-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
5.0
cohengib's review
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
thebristolreader's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
carlytenille's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Suicidal thoughts
etc85's review
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sashahawkins's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
burritapal_1's review
funny
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? Yes
3.0
Spoiler
I read this eBook called "A Member of the Wedding, " by Carson McCullers about a 12 year old girl who is in that gawky time in between childhood and when you're going to be a teenager. You don't know who the heck you are your, body is growing all gangly and you're starting to have introspection and being metaphysical.
I can remember that time, particularly One Moment In Time, when I believe it was when we lived in Scottsdale Arizona. I'm not sure I think I was around 12 and I was talking to a friend of mine, a boy, on the phone in the kitchen, the wall phone with its long long cord and talking for probably an hour. talking about things like outer space, what's out there. I can't remember the specific stuff we talked about but I remember having a metaphysical conversation.
This girl child is left at home in the summer with her cousin a 6-year-old boy, and the housekeeper named Berenice. I pronounce the word in my mind in Spanish because it's a beautiful name in Spanish and not so much in english. Anyways this housekeeper sits in as a mom figure for her because her mom died giving birth to her. The girl's name is Frances, so it's certain to be Frankie, but from the time that she finds out her brother (who's 23 years old I think) is getting married, she starts calling herself F. Jade. Because her middle name is Jade. She doesn't like the name Frankie, it's two childish. She is already I think 5'9, something crazy like that, and she's worrying about, if she's got so many more years to grow, she'll be a giant, like about 7 ft tall when she's finished her growing. She walks by herself around town, and because she's so tall this one soldier mistakes her for a more grown up girl, maybe 18, and buys her a beer in this Cafe and takes her upstairs to his room and starts to lay hands on her and she clumps him over the head with a water pitcher, running away from him. That was hilarious.
She's convinced that she is going to be part of this wedding, and also that she's going to go away with her brother and his wife on their honeymoon. She dreams about this all day long this late month of Summer (it's during the world World War II). She plans out in her mind how she'll go with her brother and his wife to some exotic location (of course within the state of georgia). It's hilarious but it also pulls your heartstrings because you can remember those years and how anguished you are because you got your hormones coming on, pulling you every which way, and you don't have your mind mature enough to make sense of much. And of course when she finds out she can't go with her brother and his wife she throws a hissy fit and embarrasses herself and then tries to run away. of course there's nowhere to run to, so she just goes to the cafe, and this cop comes in and tells her her father will pick her up at the bus station.
it's important for the work the author put into it showing very realistically what this stage of life can be, especially for a girl. But the story itself didn't interest me that much. I gave it two stars but I may put that up to three stars just for the importance of the work itself.