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somanybookstoread's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I appreciated this for form above story or characters. That said, it was memorable and worthwhile all around.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use and Death of parent
Minor: Rape
malmax's review against another edition
I LOVE THIS BOOK. So many feels. Just kidding. The simple fragmented sentences make it seem like these are actually Jenna's thoughts, making it raw and authentic. I absolutely love how it was written. Completely recommend.
mynameismarines's review against another edition
3.0
Marking this three stars is strange, because this is a well crafted book, if not one that you enjoy reading. It's short, and relatively easy to read, though it does take on hefty topics like drug abuse, drinking, and rape. I've read complaints about this book "trying too hard" but I enjoyed the way JCO played with words and structure. It gives the book a duality: flimsy, yet gritty, much like the life of our protagonist after she's involved in a fatal car accident.
I understood Jenna all throughout the book, even when I wanted to slap her.
I liked the character of Crow, but his involvement in the storyline was the weakest part for me, and the most forced thing. There was a bridge scene that had me rolling my eyes, because it takes Crow like 10 minutes to get Jenna through some issues she's been battling all book long. Okay.
Either way, I can appreciate this book for it's merit and substance.
I understood Jenna all throughout the book, even when I wanted to slap her.
I liked the character of Crow, but his involvement in the storyline was the weakest part for me, and the most forced thing. There was a bridge scene that had me rolling my eyes, because it takes Crow like 10 minutes to get Jenna through some issues she's been battling all book long. Okay.
Either way, I can appreciate this book for it's merit and substance.
zoe_m's review against another edition
3.0
Overall I liked it.
I wish it was paced a bit differently. For all his being on the back blurb, Crow doesn't show up all that much. I would have been more satisfied, I think, if it had been chunked into thirds: therapy, Trina, Crow.
I appreciated Oates playing with formating and more surreal scenes, especially at the beginning, but for the average reader I can see it being off-putting.
I wish it was paced a bit differently. For all his being on the back blurb, Crow doesn't show up all that much. I would have been more satisfied, I think, if it had been chunked into thirds: therapy, Trina, Crow.
I appreciated Oates playing with formating and more surreal scenes, especially at the beginning, but for the average reader I can see it being off-putting.
papalbina's review against another edition
2.0
Quite chaotic book. It's told from the point of view of the main character, Jenna.
Jenna is a mess and very confused the most part of the book, so that the narration in first person is like the one you would find in a diary or directly in her head or at least a mix between thoughts and normal narration. At the beginning I liked that, but somewhere in the middle in the book I began to be annoyed by that style.
There are a lot of metaphors and subtle morals about life and teenager behaviour. The characters are quite flat, except for Jenna and Crow, which are rich, but stereotyped (although Oates says that Crow wasn't a stereotype).
Probably my problem with this novel is that I read it in English and I couldn't get the whole meaning of the words. Or that my expectations were just too high...
Jenna is a mess and very confused the most part of the book, so that the narration in first person is like the one you would find in a diary or directly in her head or at least a mix between thoughts and normal narration. At the beginning I liked that, but somewhere in the middle in the book I began to be annoyed by that style.
There are a lot of metaphors and subtle morals about life and teenager behaviour. The characters are quite flat, except for Jenna and Crow, which are rich, but stereotyped (although Oates says that Crow wasn't a stereotype).
Probably my problem with this novel is that I read it in English and I couldn't get the whole meaning of the words. Or that my expectations were just too high...
kricketa's review against another edition
3.0
Jenna can't remember exactly what caused the wreck that killed her mother, but she has an ugly feeling that it was her. The pain medicine during her immediate recovery made it so easy to drift away and forget, but the doctors have cut her off and now she's in New Hampshire, living with her aunt and uncle, going to a new school. Always she is trying to get back that ability to drift away "into the blue" (a phrase she uses ad nauseam, along with "before the wreck" and "after the wreck").
Jenna's narration comes in sort of an angry, dramatic stream-of-conscious. I did not particularly warm to it. Everything was so depressing and humorless and the second traumatic situation toward the end of the story was over the top. I can understand the purpose of the book and I definitely wanted to see how it would end, but probably won't showcase it at work or anything.
Jenna's narration comes in sort of an angry, dramatic stream-of-conscious. I did not particularly warm to it. Everything was so depressing and humorless and the second traumatic situation toward the end of the story was over the top. I can understand the purpose of the book and I definitely wanted to see how it would end, but probably won't showcase it at work or anything.
maigloeckchen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
naomi41's review against another edition
3.0
This book was kinda ok at first, but as I kept on reading, I realized that this is a really good book. Jenna Abbott is a teenager who was in a car accident with her mother, but unfortunately only she was the survivor. She separates her life in two categories: before the wreck and after the wreck. Her heart,body,mind and soul becomes hard with grief, distress, lonliness and a isolation that she cannot control. She feels like she cannot trust nor love anyone ever again and that her mom is the only person she should remain faithful to. It takes a long time until a mysterious handsome/"druggie"/caring looking person named Gabriel "Crow" Saint-Croix to help her realize that if you open your eyes, you will realize that you do have a purpose in life and don't ever take it for granted. If you read or heard of Oates books such as Big Mouth,Ugly Girl, you will want to read this book.
mjmettle's review against another edition
2.0
Not my favorite Joyce Carol Oates. I wonder if young adults have a hard time following this book. I did.
elzbietapet's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25