mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a hilarious, laugh out loud book combined with some realistic themes (losing a big competition and what that does to someone, the pressure of a training camp, weight problems, feeling alone, and some other thins) which really balance the book. You laugh at some parts, you cheer, and also worry, at other parts.
Our MC is a terrific girl, and I just loved her from the first page. I felt sorry for her that she wasn't fast enough, though I do wonder why she got last? From what we read in the book later on she did consistently win every competition. And sure, I can imagine that there are better people, but come on, this just seemed weird that she would end up dead last.
The book focuses on what happens next to our MC. How she tries to go through her day now she doesn't have a strict swimming schedule, how she tries to fit in at school, how she tries to make her schoolwork (since that is now the most important thing, though she does find out that she should have paid attention back when she was still a swimmer), she tries to make new friends.
I really loved when she found Gabe, Roman, and Pete. They were such delightful characters, and I loved what they planned, and also loved the dedication that our MC puts in it. She could also just easily said no, but instead she finds something new, and totally dedicates herself to it. Of course, finding out that not everyone is a swimming genius. :D
Gabe and our MC? I just knew what would happen, and I was just cheering so much during the book, hoping that they would get together, because they sure had some chemistry. I won't say anything about if they did get together or not, read the book and find that one out yourself. :P
Then we also have the MC's best friend. She is at the training camp, and to see her change? It was quite sad. She started off so sweet, so happy, and then later it is totally different. I do wonder why the training camp never noticed, I am sure they wouldn't want their athletes to look like freaking skeletons, or would they? And also what is up with the parents of the girl? Why did they act like it was nothing, that it was just drama. The girl is lucky she has such a great best friend, with great parents who do care.
Of course we also have some mean girls (duh), though I have to say that I didn't expect that swimming coach to be such a bitch. Cammie, sure. But a trainer being so bitchy? So someone lost? Does that mean you just drop them completely? That you act like you are so superior and better? That you totally disregard her when she comes to you to talk. What the hell.
What more? Ah yes, I loved the competition that the guys and our MC entered. I really would have loved to see it live, it sounds like an amazing show.
All in all, this is a book that will make you laugh, it will make you cheer, you will want to shake your fist at characters, you will swoon, and much more! Highly recommended!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com
Our MC is a terrific girl, and I just loved her from the first page. I felt sorry for her that she wasn't fast enough, though I do wonder why she got last? From what we read in the book later on she did consistently win every competition. And sure, I can imagine that there are better people, but come on, this just seemed weird that she would end up dead last.
The book focuses on what happens next to our MC. How she tries to go through her day now she doesn't have a strict swimming schedule, how she tries to fit in at school, how she tries to make her schoolwork (since that is now the most important thing, though she does find out that she should have paid attention back when she was still a swimmer), she tries to make new friends.
I really loved when she found Gabe, Roman, and Pete. They were such delightful characters, and I loved what they planned, and also loved the dedication that our MC puts in it. She could also just easily said no, but instead she finds something new, and totally dedicates herself to it. Of course, finding out that not everyone is a swimming genius. :D
Gabe and our MC? I just knew what would happen, and I was just cheering so much during the book, hoping that they would get together, because they sure had some chemistry. I won't say anything about if they did get together or not, read the book and find that one out yourself. :P
Then we also have the MC's best friend. She is at the training camp, and to see her change? It was quite sad. She started off so sweet, so happy, and then later it is totally different. I do wonder why the training camp never noticed, I am sure they wouldn't want their athletes to look like freaking skeletons, or would they? And also what is up with the parents of the girl? Why did they act like it was nothing, that it was just drama. The girl is lucky she has such a great best friend, with great parents who do care.
Of course we also have some mean girls (duh), though I have to say that I didn't expect that swimming coach to be such a bitch. Cammie, sure. But a trainer being so bitchy? So someone lost? Does that mean you just drop them completely? That you act like you are so superior and better? That you totally disregard her when she comes to you to talk. What the hell.
What more? Ah yes, I loved the competition that the guys and our MC entered. I really would have loved to see it live, it sounds like an amazing show.
All in all, this is a book that will make you laugh, it will make you cheer, you will want to shake your fist at characters, you will swoon, and much more! Highly recommended!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com
yourlocalducknamer's review against another edition
4.0
actually decent.
uses "srsly" instead of "seriously" once, so i had to dock some points.
uses "srsly" instead of "seriously" once, so i had to dock some points.
tracyfeye's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
storytimed's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty fun book but nothing really stood out. Loved the concept of dancing in an aquarium.
littleelfman's review against another edition
4.0
A fun, and funny, book about how when things go wrong, they can actually be headed to right.
yoonwhoisstillblooming's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I read this when I was fifteen, her age. Some parts in here I could relate to and some parts I wish I could relate to. The boys, they are priceless. The dynamic of those four is what I wish to have in my relationships with people. The book made me laugh out loud in the middle of the night when everyone in the house is sleeping. From the start to the end, there was not a part I did not like.
jshettel's review against another edition
3.0
Sweet story about friendship and finding yourself after disappointment.
genevievelin's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
katlinmorris's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This was cute but I feel like it could have been more. This isn't a very long book and I usually read contemporary and romcoms in a single sitting but this one took me four nights to finish. It's not bad, it's just not really that special and that's a shame because I think it could have been.
Here's a list of what I liked:
Lou's voice: Lou is fifteen, a professional swimmer facing the end of her career before it really started and a very cynical first person narrator. I loved her voice and the way she sees her family, her friends and of course the three boys who ask her to teach them synchronised swimming.
The humour: The humour was right up my alley, I just wish there had been more of it. The book gave me some good chuckles but there weren't really any laughing-out-loud-moments. It was funny and light though and I liked that.
Lavender: Lou's sixteen year old sister and the only character who felt fleshed out. She's popular and a goth at the same time and I liked how she cares about Lou and tries to help her in her own special way. I really liked her and sometimes wished she had been the main character instead of Lou.
Let's cover all the stuff I didn't like in list format too:
Ableism: This book deals with quite a lot of sensitive topics: Illness, mental issues, eating disorders. Lou seems to be burned out from taking swimming too seriously and so does her friend Hannah. The book tries to deal with these issues in a sensitive way but I feel like the issues weren't taken seriously enough and the solutions were stunningly simple. It wouldn't be that easy in real life to battle burnout syndrome or an eating disorder and I don't think the book always struck the right tone dealing with these issues.
I was also really uncomfortable how Lou and later her Dad said Hannah had "gone crazy" when it became apparent that Hannah couldn't deal with her workload anymore and was developing an ED. It felt like such a cruel throaway remark aimed at a girl with serious problems. And coming from two people who genuinely care about her. It was... just not a good word choice.
The characters: I mean, I liked the characters but they weren't fleshed out enough. We learn nothing about Lou except that she likes swimming. You spend about 300 pages in her head and you learn nothing about her other than that she has major body issues ("I'm too tall, my hair is ugly, Lavender is so much prettier than me") that aren't really addressed either.
It's also a real pity that the same is true for Roman, Pete and Gabe, the three boys Lou trains in synchronised swimming. I'm not sure we even learn their hair colours. All I know is that Pete is a little grumpy and Gabe is Roman's little brother. Characters and their relationships are so important in romcoms/contemporaries but these fell flat for me, they weren't interesting enough.
The Pacing: I think the pacing wasn't done well. This is a short book and about a third of it goes by before Lou even really meets the three boys. Then it's all about them wanting to do synchronised swimming at some "Britain's Got Talent" knock-off show until that's suddenly not even important anymore in the last third of the book. The plot meanders too much, I think.
So... I did enjoy "Goldfish" but not as much as I was hoping I would. It was a nice read but it's not the laugh-out-loud romcom the blurb promises.
This was cute but I feel like it could have been more. This isn't a very long book and I usually read contemporary and romcoms in a single sitting but this one took me four nights to finish. It's not bad, it's just not really that special and that's a shame because I think it could have been.
Here's a list of what I liked:
Lou's voice: Lou is fifteen, a professional swimmer facing the end of her career before it really started and a very cynical first person narrator. I loved her voice and the way she sees her family, her friends and of course the three boys who ask her to teach them synchronised swimming.
The humour: The humour was right up my alley, I just wish there had been more of it. The book gave me some good chuckles but there weren't really any laughing-out-loud-moments. It was funny and light though and I liked that.
Lavender: Lou's sixteen year old sister and the only character who felt fleshed out. She's popular and a goth at the same time and I liked how she cares about Lou and tries to help her in her own special way. I really liked her and sometimes wished she had been the main character instead of Lou.
Let's cover all the stuff I didn't like in list format too:
Ableism: This book deals with quite a lot of sensitive topics: Illness, mental issues, eating disorders. Lou seems to be burned out from taking swimming too seriously and so does her friend Hannah. The book tries to deal with these issues in a sensitive way but I feel like the issues weren't taken seriously enough and the solutions were stunningly simple. It wouldn't be that easy in real life to battle burnout syndrome or an eating disorder and I don't think the book always struck the right tone dealing with these issues.
I was also really uncomfortable how Lou and later her Dad said Hannah had "gone crazy" when it became apparent that Hannah couldn't deal with her workload anymore and was developing an ED. It felt like such a cruel throaway remark aimed at a girl with serious problems. And coming from two people who genuinely care about her. It was... just not a good word choice.
The characters: I mean, I liked the characters but they weren't fleshed out enough. We learn nothing about Lou except that she likes swimming. You spend about 300 pages in her head and you learn nothing about her other than that she has major body issues ("I'm too tall, my hair is ugly, Lavender is so much prettier than me") that aren't really addressed either.
It's also a real pity that the same is true for Roman, Pete and Gabe, the three boys Lou trains in synchronised swimming. I'm not sure we even learn their hair colours. All I know is that Pete is a little grumpy and Gabe is Roman's little brother. Characters and their relationships are so important in romcoms/contemporaries but these fell flat for me, they weren't interesting enough.
The Pacing: I think the pacing wasn't done well. This is a short book and about a third of it goes by before Lou even really meets the three boys. Then it's all about them wanting to do synchronised swimming at some "Britain's Got Talent" knock-off show until that's suddenly not even important anymore in the last third of the book. The plot meanders too much, I think.
So... I did enjoy "Goldfish" but not as much as I was hoping I would. It was a nice read but it's not the laugh-out-loud romcom the blurb promises.
mellyjj's review against another edition
2.0
I had really high expectations and I was kind of disappointed. It was very amateurish. Full review to come.