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A review by lawyerapologist
Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
3.0
I wanted to rate this book 4 stars instead of 3 because it was way better than the last book I rated 3 stars. However, the super-short, unsatisfying ending made it undeserving of a 4-star rating.
This was the first novel I ever read, so it definitely had a huge influence on my reading journey. I read this book in my native language instead of English, and I'm curious if that might have affected my reading experience. Perhaps reading it in my native language didn't do the book justice, but oh well.
I really liked the concept of rooftoppers in general, and I think this book depicts love in a unique and refreshing way. It also has an adventurous theme that I enjoyed.
I appreciated the underlying message about not always conforming to social norms. However, I think the execution could have been better. I understand the author wanted to depict a carefree girl who strays from rigid social norms and etiquette, but there were so many unnecessary references to bodily fluids (piss, poo, blood, saliva, spitting, snot, animal fat, etc.) that it was almost nauseating to read. As someone who loves and cherishes her books, I also don't understand why Charles was okay with Sophie "tainting" books with food-filled saliva.
There were also weird inconsistencies and plot holes throughout the book. For example, Sophie is apparently covered in blood and wounds every time she's back from a roof-hopping trip, but Charles never notices anything weird or out of the ordinary about her appearance and health. Furthermore, I doubt that finding the correct documents and papers in a storage room filled to the brim with documents is that easy. Is there really not a single person guarding the Notre Dame at night? I find that very hard to believe.
It's also frustrating that this story mostly takes place in Paris, yet every person they meet just so happens to speak English, even the rooftoppers. It seems like such an English-centered point of view. But I digress.
The ending was super disappointing. It seemed forced and abrupt, and it wasn't really "deserved." The fight scene that took place a couple of pages before didn't have much significance either; it seemed to be added just to create conflict and make the plot slightly more interesting and engaging. I would have been more interested if the major conflict in the book was between Charles (with his adult viewpoint and perspective) and Sophie (with her childlike thinking and imagination) regarding the whole rooftopper thing and searching for her mother in a dangerous way.
Overall, I think that with a little more work and polishing, this story could have been a super fun and adventure-filled read. 3/5.
This was the first novel I ever read, so it definitely had a huge influence on my reading journey. I read this book in my native language instead of English, and I'm curious if that might have affected my reading experience. Perhaps reading it in my native language didn't do the book justice, but oh well.
I really liked the concept of rooftoppers in general, and I think this book depicts love in a unique and refreshing way. It also has an adventurous theme that I enjoyed.
I appreciated the underlying message about not always conforming to social norms. However, I think the execution could have been better. I understand the author wanted to depict a carefree girl who strays from rigid social norms and etiquette, but there were so many unnecessary references to bodily fluids (piss, poo, blood, saliva, spitting, snot, animal fat, etc.) that it was almost nauseating to read. As someone who loves and cherishes her books, I also don't understand why Charles was okay with Sophie "tainting" books with food-filled saliva.
There were also weird inconsistencies and plot holes throughout the book. For example, Sophie is apparently covered in blood and wounds every time she's back from a roof-hopping trip, but Charles never notices anything weird or out of the ordinary about her appearance and health. Furthermore, I doubt that finding the correct documents and papers in a storage room filled to the brim with documents is that easy. Is there really not a single person guarding the Notre Dame at night? I find that very hard to believe.
It's also frustrating that this story mostly takes place in Paris, yet every person they meet just so happens to speak English, even the rooftoppers. It seems like such an English-centered point of view. But I digress.
The ending was super disappointing. It seemed forced and abrupt, and it wasn't really "deserved." The fight scene that took place a couple of pages before didn't have much significance either; it seemed to be added just to create conflict and make the plot slightly more interesting and engaging. I would have been more interested if the major conflict in the book was between Charles (with his adult viewpoint and perspective) and Sophie (with her childlike thinking and imagination) regarding the whole rooftopper thing and searching for her mother in a dangerous way.
Overall, I think that with a little more work and polishing, this story could have been a super fun and adventure-filled read. 3/5.