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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Book Review: The Geography of Girlhood


The Geography of Girlhood is definitely one of the most refreshing novels written in verse in a long time.


Dances are a dream come true

or a nightmare,

depending on who you are

or how you talk

or what you choose to wear that day.

I made the mistake of polka dots.

The Geography of Girlhood is a raw and powerful novel about a girl navigating the unknown - the difficult limbo between youth and adulthood. Written in verse, the novel follows a girl form ages fourteen to eighteen, exploring first crushes, first dances, first kisses, and the many other dangers of growing up. Kirsten Smith's writing bursts with painfully accurate and sharply witty observations, evoking supercharged emotions with just a simple phrase or two.

(Goodreads)


To me, this novel is necessary for anyone who's ever felt somewhat oppressed by growing up. It caught me right away. I had to pull myself away to finish my homework. There wasn't anything that left me on the edge of my seat, the writing was just that good. And so relatable! Everyone has felt this way at one point or another in their life. It was so great to read a YA novel that wasn't filled with so much fluff and shallow-ness.

It was one of those books that I realized would become a favorite as I was reading. I also found out that the author, Kirsten Smith, is a screenwriter. She wrote some of my favorite movies, like She's the Man and 10 Things I Hate About You! No wonder I enjoyed it so much!


Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The Bermudez Triangle


The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson.Okay, the description on the back of the book did not do justice. It was only a small part of the plot, hardly even the main conflict.


The Bermudez Triangle, consisting of three best friends, has always been solid, sturdy. And then the group's staple, Nina Bermudez goes off to a pre-college camp all summer. When she returns home, she finds that her two best friends, Avery and Mel have grown a lot closer than she would have thought. And when things between Mel and Avery start to tumble, where does that leave Nina?

So this isn't the first piece of LGBT lit that I've read, but it's different than the other books. Like in Will Grayson, Will Grayson (John Green & David Levithan), there was more of a struggle. It was very personal and thoughtful. And this really wasn't. This is however, the first piece of work I've read by Maureen Johnson, and it didn't really sell me. I've heard that she's a phenomenal author, I just really hope the other books are better.

I really don't think this is a book I'd read again. It didn't really catch me right away. The back cover gave away things that didn't seem to be touched on until way later in the novel.

But Maureen is still a great author. She's really good at making dialogs interesting, and inserting different little things that makes it fun.