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abstab's review against another edition
3.0
Nice story but most definitely a novel to be read in grade school
mars333's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-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
3.75
cristina14's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ethelothos's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
deadly_corvid's review against another edition
5.0
I am not going to lie. This book made me cry. Not the bad sort of cry, but the other kind. The one that fills you with a glow so warm you just have to let it out. My jaw still aches from crying and smiling and trying to hold in the sobs. Seriously people. It was so simple and beautiful and perfect. Every single character in there was beautiful. Sure, they had their flaws but in the end flaws do not define you. I never recommend books to anyone, but if you haven't read this one yet, DO IT. Please. It will leave you feeling good I promise.
jujudepamplemousse's review against another edition
2.0
I don't share the public opinion on this book. The intentions were noble but the execution didn’t work for me. I can’t really put my finger on it but something really bothered me all through the story.
Maybe it was the tone of the story. Surely, Wonder is an easy to get through book, but the light way the story was written kind of blurred all emotion for me and most particularly when the story is told through August's point of view. It was like August’s whole world was pinked up.
Or maybe it was the characters’ behavior. They were unrealistic and cliché. The characterization of the kids also felt off. Can a kid be at the same time of the age of getting put in bed at night by its parents and of dating or calling girls « hot » ? For me, that didn’t make any sense.
Or maybe it was the poorness of the multiple perspectives. They all pretty much look the same, "everyone has its own internal struggles and that explains the way they act". Justin’s perspective was the only kind of different one but it was also the worst. His perspective didn’t bring anything to the story and the way it was written was just painful to read. The only good thing about his part was that it was short.
One things for sure I hated the ending. Why did the author felt the need to go for a grand final ? She just put up everything I hate the most about endings. It felt either extremely unrealistic or insulting for the main character, I can’t decide on which one.
Because [b:Wonder|11387515|Wonder (Wonder, #1)|R.J. Palacio|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545695751l/11387515._SY75_.jpg|16319487] is written for middle-schooler it doesn’t mean that it has to be overly sugar-coated, unrealistic and cliché. I wouldn’t recommend this book to kids.
Maybe it was the tone of the story. Surely, Wonder is an easy to get through book, but the light way the story was written kind of blurred all emotion for me and most particularly when the story is told through August's point of view. It was like August’s whole world was pinked up.
Or maybe it was the characters’ behavior. They were unrealistic and cliché. The characterization of the kids also felt off. Can a kid be at the same time of the age of getting put in bed at night by its parents and of dating or calling girls « hot » ? For me, that didn’t make any sense.
Or maybe it was the poorness of the multiple perspectives. They all pretty much look the same, "everyone has its own internal struggles and that explains the way they act". Justin’s perspective was the only kind of different one but it was also the worst. His perspective didn’t bring anything to the story and the way it was written was just painful to read. The only good thing about his part was that it was short.
One things for sure I hated the ending. Why did the author felt the need to go for a grand final ? She just put up everything I hate the most about endings. It felt either extremely unrealistic or insulting for the main character, I can’t decide on which one.
Spoiler
What « ordinary kid », as August put it, would receive an award because he is himself ?Because [b:Wonder|11387515|Wonder (Wonder, #1)|R.J. Palacio|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545695751l/11387515._SY75_.jpg|16319487] is written for middle-schooler it doesn’t mean that it has to be overly sugar-coated, unrealistic and cliché. I wouldn’t recommend this book to kids.
blutterfly's review against another edition
5.0
WONDER
R.J. Palacio
[*****] 5 Stars.
If I act like the objective grown-up I'm supposed to be, I should give this book 4 stars. Problem with that would be that I love my "Queen of Biased Feels" title a little bit to much so yeah... there goes being mature. 5 SHINY RED STARS FOR YOU, BUDDY! *smiley face*
-----
Okay, I should try to redeem myself or something here. I'm physically disabled, or handicapped, or whatever normal people think people with medical issues are, and have been using crutches to walk ever since I can remember.
Side Note: I've always had problems with the word "normal". That's a word used in Physics for a kind of force. It's also used to casually describe the weather. That's about it. People misuse it for "common" when they're trying to mean "average". No living thing can be normal!
This may seem like a random invite to my personal life but it's not; it's my reason for why I'm specifically and extremely biased when it comes to "Wonder" and the emotions it evokes in me. All those things Auggie (the protagonist) has gone through, I've experienced at one or another point in my life. It's baffling and extremelly tiring to have to pretend not to notice strangers on the street throwing furtive looks your way when you're just innocently strolling down the street and had never comitted any type of crime to justify their behavior. Now, how am I supposed to NOT give this book the whole 5 stars?
Protagonist was too naive and forgave too easily for my liking. There's a few situations in where I would have reacted in a different way than him, even at his age (10 years old), but then again I'm a different person myself, more detached towards people (darn defense mechanisms!). Still, for the most part it felt a lot like reading my autobiography.
Aside from Auggie, I disliked every single character in the book with only three exceptions. Either they annoyed me, bored me or made me feel betrayed on his part. Every one of them, except for the one exception, got on his good side by the end of the story. I don't quite get how he can be so understanding to the point of Oh-My-God-what-are-you-doing? but whatever, apparently I'm a cold-hearted hater of humanity or something along those lines.
This spoiler/rant over here is what irked me the most:
Moving on, moving on... Since it's targeted to young kids, I guess the author wanted to deliver us a lesson or two about kindness, courage and hope. She did a good job but by the end of it all it was a little bit too hopeful. I love the feeling, I swear I do, but it's so not how reality works. If this were real life, poor Auggie would have had it a heck of a lot worse than this.
A few necessary mentions: The parents are all kinds of kick-ass and I'm adopting them as my own, I don't care that they're fictional characters. Summer is an extremelly good friend and everyone should be just like her, kinda-weird-and-awkward people are always the best sort of people.
Favorite Character: Mr. Tushman. What is this man anyway? I'm not even sure there's someone infinitesimally similar to him in existence. Award for most awesomesauce awesomeness in a human being ever in forever and ever, ever goes to him. Cheers! *clapclapclap*
Favorite Quotes: "'Shall we make a new rule of life... always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary.'" — Mr. Tushman (extracted from The Little White Bird by J. M. Barrie), page 299.
Favorite Chapters: A Simple Thing; Awards; Floating.
-----
Song: Warrior by Demi Lovato.
R.J. Palacio
[*****] 5 Stars.
If I act like the objective grown-up I'm supposed to be, I should give this book 4 stars. Problem with that would be that I love my "Queen of Biased Feels" title a little bit to much so yeah... there goes being mature. 5 SHINY RED STARS FOR YOU, BUDDY! *smiley face*
-----
Okay, I should try to redeem myself or something here. I'm physically disabled, or handicapped, or whatever normal people think people with medical issues are, and have been using crutches to walk ever since I can remember.
Side Note: I've always had problems with the word "normal". That's a word used in Physics for a kind of force. It's also used to casually describe the weather. That's about it. People misuse it for "common" when they're trying to mean "average". No living thing can be normal!
This may seem like a random invite to my personal life but it's not; it's my reason for why I'm specifically and extremely biased when it comes to "Wonder" and the emotions it evokes in me. All those things Auggie (the protagonist) has gone through, I've experienced at one or another point in my life. It's baffling and extremelly tiring to have to pretend not to notice strangers on the street throwing furtive looks your way when you're just innocently strolling down the street and had never comitted any type of crime to justify their behavior. Now, how am I supposed to NOT give this book the whole 5 stars?
Protagonist was too naive and forgave too easily for my liking. There's a few situations in where I would have reacted in a different way than him, even at his age (10 years old), but then again I'm a different person myself, more detached towards people (darn defense mechanisms!). Still, for the most part it felt a lot like reading my autobiography.
Aside from Auggie, I disliked every single character in the book with only three exceptions. Either they annoyed me, bored me or made me feel betrayed on his part. Every one of them, except for the one exception, got on his good side by the end of the story. I don't quite get how he can be so understanding to the point of Oh-My-God-what-are-you-doing? but whatever, apparently I'm a cold-hearted hater of humanity or something along those lines.
This spoiler/rant over here is what irked me the most:
Spoiler
Again, what the heck is this bullsh*t? Your "best friend" rips your heart off right out of your chest but oh, he sent you a "Hope u friend me agen cuz im really sorry" text message and all of a sudden everything's alright? Really?!Moving on, moving on... Since it's targeted to young kids, I guess the author wanted to deliver us a lesson or two about kindness, courage and hope. She did a good job but by the end of it all it was a little bit too hopeful. I love the feeling, I swear I do, but it's so not how reality works. If this were real life, poor Auggie would have had it a heck of a lot worse than this.
A few necessary mentions: The parents are all kinds of kick-ass and I'm adopting them as my own, I don't care that they're fictional characters. Summer is an extremelly good friend and everyone should be just like her, kinda-weird-and-awkward people are always the best sort of people.
Favorite Character: Mr. Tushman. What is this man anyway? I'm not even sure there's someone infinitesimally similar to him in existence. Award for most awesomesauce awesomeness in a human being ever in forever and ever, ever goes to him. Cheers! *clapclapclap*
Favorite Quotes: "'Shall we make a new rule of life... always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary.'" — Mr. Tushman (extracted from The Little White Bird by J. M. Barrie), page 299.
Favorite Chapters: A Simple Thing; Awards; Floating.
-----
Song: Warrior by Demi Lovato.
careycarpenter's review against another edition
5.0
Love this book!!! A fast and easy read but really good.