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Getting Somewhere

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Four girls: dealer, junkie, recluse, thief
Sarah, Jenna, Lauren, and Cassie may look like ordinary girls, but they're not. They're delinquents whose lives collide when they're sent to an experimental juvenile detention program on a farm in the middle of nowhere. As the girls face up to the crimes they committed, three of them will heal the wounds of their pasts and discover strengths they never dreamed they had. And one, driven by a deep secret of her own, will seek to destroy everything they've all worked so hard for.
"An Excerpt from Getting Somewhere: She thinks of herself as the surviving type. Able to make things work out the way she wants them to. Okay, so, yeah. This is a little glitch in her plans. But she's not going to stay. Absolutely no way. She'll just tell them she's not happy, that it isn't working out for her. The room where they put her is ridiculous. Tiny. No television, no phone. Geez, they even had those at detention. Well, not in the rooms, but still. Hell, if she has to, she'll just walk out. Nothing to stop her.
It will be fine. It always is."

448 pages, ebook

First published January 19, 2012

6 people are currently reading
951 people want to read

About the author

Beth Neff

1 book34 followers
My first novel, Getting Somewhere (Viking/Penquin – 2012) is the story of four very different girls who serve juvenile crime sentences in an alternative detention program located on an organic farm. The setting of this YA/crossover story came quite naturally to me since I am a former organic farmer, having raised vegetables and dairy goats on an eight-acre farm for over two decades. I have also worked as a journalist,sustainability activist, and community planner and now serve as the Young Adult Librarian at the Three Rivers, MI Public Library. When I am not writing or working with teens, I like to garden, read, play the guitar and piano, quilt, cook and especially catch up with the busy lives of my four kids (ages 19 to 29.)

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5 stars
46 (27%)
4 stars
44 (26%)
3 stars
46 (27%)
2 stars
19 (11%)
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14 (8%)
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Maggie.
437 reviews435 followers
April 27, 2012
Every once in a while, to prove that Goodreads isn't the boss of me, I'll read a book that none of my friends have read or reviewed. (Meanwhile, Goodreads is all, Step back three paces. Turn around.) I can't remember how I first came across Getting Somewhere, but I remember that cover. I mean, just look at it! And the simple tagline: "Four girls. A million secrets." Count me in.

Getting Somewhere is about four strangers picked to live on a farm and have their lives monitored. To find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real... The Real World: Rural Michigan!

Lauren, Sarah, Jenna, and Cassie are average teenage girls, except that they are all in juvenile detention for various crimes. They get picked for a new rehabilitation program where they will be sent to a farm in the middle of nowhere to live, work, and get counseling. The book begins with Jenna getting off the bus in Hicksville, where she is greeted by Ellie, Grace, and Donna, the three women who run the farm.

Listen, I have no problem reading a book with seven characters of the same race and gender. But, unless their names are Happy, Dopey, Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Bashful, and Doc, I'm going to have a tough time remembering them and telling them apart. This is both a positive and negative attribute of the book -- I loved that Neff refused to make her characters easily identifiable stereotypes for simplicity's sake, but it lessens the impact of the story when I can't remember why a detail is important to a certain character, or even who the character is at first. Donna? Sorry, girl, I kept forgetting who you were. For the record, she's the cook at the farm.

Another issue that I had, that also contributed to some disconnect with the characters, was that the story was told in the 3rd person present tense.
"Sarah thinks Ellie had better watch out for poisoned apples."


I'm making it sound like I didn't like this novel, and that's not true at all. In fact, I ended up buying the Kindle edition after a few chapters because I had so many notes scrawled on various scraps of paper. This book is gorgeously written. Neff draws pictures in my mind with her words. Take this line:
"Sarah shakes her head hard to dislodge the image, tries to listen to Donna's story, but her mind is like a cracked plate, too damaged to hold the contents."
I also liked the idea behind the prison farm and the book itself -- going back to basics and working the land, then working on yourself. At first we see the girls struggling to adapt as they learn basic farm skills. Then we gradually start to see the different reasons the girls ended up where they are, and the various issues holding them back. This isn't an action packed story, but rather a slow burn. The heat turns up slowly as we learn more about the characters until it erupts and the girls learn not everything can be undone. This is an ambitious, challenging, and ultimately rewarding book by debut author Beth Neff.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars.

This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous.
Profile Image for Renae.
1,022 reviews339 followers
January 6, 2016
This book’s first issues arrive early, and continue on from there. The opening is extremely vague and nondescript. Some girls are on a bus, they arrive at some place, and some women greet them. That’s it. There is absolutely no sense of place or setting or causality in this opening, and therefore no reason for the reader to keep reading. Honestly, the only real “answers” I got about Getting Somewhere were found in the book’s jacket copy. ITS JACKET COPY. If I have to read the back of the book to even know what’s going on, you have done something seriously wrong as an author.

The setting, in actuality, is some sort of alternative juvenile reform program, set on a farm. But Neff never explains this—it could honestly be the moon or 1850s Canada or modern-day Australia for all the establishment of place she does. Just because this is “contemporary” fiction doesn’t mean setting doesn’t matter; it does. Nor does she really establish any credibility. The women who run the farm don't seem to have any training or past experiences with helping girls, and the program itself seems to consist of letting these four girls sit around and do whatever the hell they want for however long they’re there. You expect me to believe that some court system sent convicted teenage felons off to a farm that has no security or any clear-cut therapy/rehabilitation curriculum and is run by three odd women who don’t seem to know what they’re doing at all? REALLY?

Throughout Getting Somewhere, Neff deals with admittedly serious topics such as child molestation, teen prostitution, drug addiction, and cutting with no respect or seeming awareness of what she’s talking about. They’re just there in the story to make things for the characters horrific, but it’s not dealt with in a way that seems like it furthers the story. The cutting in particular was really upsetting to me. One of the girls, Sarah, is a known cutter (this is on her records), but for weeks the adults on the farm never check up on her, and they only find out that she’s cutting again by accident when one of her infected cuts oozes through her shirt. By this time, Sarah’s running a fever and should seriously go to the doctor, but do the adults who are IN CHARGE do that? No, they don’t. What. The. Hell. You run a program for juvenile delinquents who have recorded mental health issues, you don’t check up on them, act completely flabbergasted when you discover that said issues exist, and then DON’T GET YOUR UNDERAGE CHARGES MEDICAL CARE?!?!

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

Cutting is a serious issue. And it’s the adult’s responsibility to A) report it, and B) get medical attention for a girl whose wounds are infected and who’s running a fever. I can’t believe that Neff would treat the issue so flippantly, insensitively, and without any true comprehension of how serious the issue was. That’s just straight-up offensive.

This isn’t real life, this isn’t plausible. This is bad writing, sloppy plot-building, and a ridiculously infantile world-view. Shame on you, Ms. Neff. That is fucking ridiculous, and that’s when I stopped reading the book. I really don’t think that the court system is going to put these girls with three such apparently incompetent, oblivious, not to mention untrained, caretakers. They’re FELONS, for fuck’s sake.

There is, furthermore, no characterization or character depth in Getting Somewhere at all. The three adult women on the farm are mostly didactic mouthpieces through which Neff spouts off whatever “lesson” she wants readers to learn—usually about organic farming. The four girls in the program are virtually indecipherable from one another. I have no idea which is which. The only one I could tell apart was the hopelessly flat “villain” character, Lauren, who’s a raging homophobe for no discernible reason at all, and is obsessed with outing the women who run the farm. Why? No freaking clue. There was no depth or plausibility in her actions, it just seemed like Neff needed a “bad guy” kind of character. Getting Somewhere’s weak 3rd person narration does an awful lot of telling about these seven female characters, but reveals absolutely no insight into them, their lives, or their emotions. They were figurative paperdolls—indistinguishable ones at that.

Beyond that, there’s absolutely no sense of urgency to the novel at all. The only source of conflict comes from Lauren’s cartoonish villainy. Otherwise, the girls show up at the farm…and do nothing. Weeks pass. There’s absolutely no sense of urgency or tension in Getting Somewhere, and with the lack of characterization or setting and completely implausible “alternative reform center”, this book is left scraping the bottom of the barrel for any redeeming quality that would potentially made Getting Somewhere worth my time.

Hint: there wasn’t one.

As I mentioned before, I stopped reading in earnest once the completely offensive bungling of Sarah’s cutting and illness happened, which was at 45% into the book. I skimmed the remaining 55% of Getting Somewhere, and it was even more atrocious than the rest.

This is a seriously fucking awful book. I recommend it to absolutely no one, and would be quite happy to point out much better young adult novels that deal with similar subjects.
Profile Image for Barbara.
14.9k reviews312 followers
May 30, 2012
While this book certainly contains some exquisite phrases and the author's heart is in the right place in creating an alternative to a detention setting for girls who have fallen off the beaten path, almost inevitably the storyline follows a predictable pattern. The four teen girls who end up working on a vegetable farm along with three women in rural Michigan all have plenty of secrets, of course, which begin to be revealed over the course of the two months they spend there. It is clear from the beginning that Lauren will be the most difficult one to change while Cassie, Sarah, and Jenna, one by one, seize the second chance and affection they are being offered by Ellie, Grace, and Donna, who are in charge of the farm and alternative program. The author seems to support the idea that hard work, trust, and sharing may lead to life changes, an idea with which I would agree, but in the end their program seems to have turned into a home for the girls, a noble idea, yes, but how likely is that to happen? I'd have been comfortable with the happy ending and all that weeding and food gathering and talking about their feelings since those are all part of the girls' road to recovery, but some issues such as abuse, drug addiction and self-mutilation are only briefly addressed and then left hanging. I don't know how far-fetched Lauren's accusations of sexually harassment are, but I was certainly saddened at her disgust over the two women's relationship. And while her attitude stemmed no doubt from her father's own prejudices, it seemed to be such a dated attitude in my eyes. In the end, despite the book's somewhat preachy tone--do real folks actually talk like this?--it does offer hope and a way out of a downward life spiral. Pity poor Lauren who returns to the same problems she left behind when she ended up on the farm. Not every person who is broken can be repaired, as she clearly illustrates.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jimme.
16 reviews2 followers
July 15, 2012
I found this book to be really special. The concept and events fit together perfectly. The author has a very special way with words. Her descriptive capacity is not to be outdone, particularly as far as her individual characters. I realized from reading this book how individual people, including young people in big trouble, can believe they have a right to emotionally attack others who have something real to offer them and who can help the attackers bounce back from their pasts (rather than) continually wastefully approaching their own lives and refusing to recover in meaningful ways in a rather unusual place. What a great opportunity it would be to have earthful responsibilities for work that contributes to the whole world, which is what these girls were given. I wanted peace for everyone, but, as the Rolling Stones said, "[Y]ou Can't Always Get What You Want".

I really don't agree with other readers who found this book to be predictable. There are so many other ways the various events could have turned out. Every character could have made quite different choices, and you didn't know who would do what under challenging circumstances.

I gave this book to my 15-year-old daughter trying not to show my love for it, and she loved it too. I think before she read it she may have had certain prejudices that the book undid for her.
904 reviews3 followers
April 20, 2012
This was one of the best books I've read in along time--compassionate and inspiring. We all make mistakes and need to move on, learning to find out who we are beyond the labels, the self loathing and any baggage from the past. The book is also about what happens when girls don't have good mothers to nurture them. Women need to learn to love themselves and reach out and nurture each other.

It is just as good as an adult book as a teen read. The chapters alternate between the four girls so you get a good picture of what each girl is like and what the demons are that she is battling with. If you like action stories, then this book is not for your--it talks about hard work on a farm and the slow process of recovery. It isn't tied up in happy endings but rather leaves the reader with a sense that there are positive changes in the girls' experiences that may give them hope of a better future. Very well written and thought provoking.

Profile Image for AthleticStilletto.
12 reviews3 followers
October 4, 2012
Prose poetry.

I spent this entire book getting to know the heart-wrenchingly-described characters, and they became very real to me. They are enchanting even at their worst in this author's deft hands. Pain and joy co-exist. This book is as old as the Bible and yet just as current.

This author has a way with words that whisper to you, sing to you, make your heart pound, reveal inter-human cruelty and love, and show the impact of strife, both from outside in and from inside out of each character.

Learn what true self-salvation means by reading this book. Learn about how hard that will be to achieve. Learn about getting help as well as getting "somewhere." Learn the essential roles that nutritional repasts, organically produced foods and the very biology of humans can fulfill. Grow, grow, grow.

This book is not to be missed, and is definitely not just a YA book.
Profile Image for A. Mickey Perkins.
332 reviews
May 7, 2017
Pretty good. Much gayer than I expected, and I appreciate that. I was concerned at the beginning because of Lauren's attitude, but she was then established as a villain, so all was well. (But if I had to guess, I'd still say the author is probably a hetero.)
Profile Image for Kaitlyn.
31 reviews2 followers
June 17, 2023
Having so many characters introduced in the very beginning of the book (with not many distinct differences) made it very difficult to follow along with who was who.
Profile Image for Drew.
200 reviews20 followers
May 26, 2024
This book's main characters are four teenage girls who work on a farm. It's a good story about something I might like to do myself.
Profile Image for JJ.
22 reviews1 follower
July 15, 2012
OMG! How great can a book be!! I just finished it last night and I already want to start all over again. I am 16 years old and I dunno if that is a YA or not, but who cares. These four girls are so real and they mostly end up thinking for themselves. Maybe this doesn't count, but I am a senior in high school, and there are really a lot of mean people there. I don't know what to do about seeing people be mean and I don't go along. I'm pretty sure I should be doing something about this which I don't do. I think about that a lot like these girls in the book had to do. These girls were so lucky even though they didn't always know it. There are some sorts of people I don't know much about so I also learned a lot which I need to know and want to know and I think I'll be a more open-minded person now because of this book. I just can't believe how much I got out of this book.

Mrs. Neff is such a great writer and gives you incredible descriptions of everything which are the kind that make you just say wow on every page. She talks about nature so you want to follow that saying about stopping to smell the roses. I've never wanted to grow a garden before until now. She uses the absolutely right words in all parts of the whole book.

Plus, I just liked the way I was feeling when I was reading this book because everyone had such hard decisions to make just like they had their whole lives. I sort of got close to the girls. I wanted to be at that farm even if I wasn't in trouble. I would like to get a chance to be with other girls in a group with a grownup who can help you talk about yourself. I'm actually getting my Mom to get me 2 more copies so I can give them to as many of my friends to read all at one time as possible because this is just such a really special book and I wish I could tell you all my other reasons which I will only think of later.
Profile Image for EF.
3 reviews
August 5, 2012
OMG! How great can a book be!! I just finished it last night and I already want to start all over again. I am 16 years old and I dunno if that is a YA or not, but who cares. These four girls are so real and they mostly end up thinking for themselves. Maybe this doesn't count, but I am a senior in high school, and there are really a lot of mean people there. I don't know what to do about seeing people be mean and I don't go along. I'm pretty sure I should be doing something about this which I don't do. I think about that a lot like these girls in the book had to do. These girls were so lucky even though they didn't always know it. There are some sorts of people I don't know much about so I also learned a lot which I need to know and want to know and I think I'll be a more open-minded person now because of this book. I just can't believe how much I got out of this book.

Mrs. Neff is such a great writer and gives you incredible descriptions of everything which are the kind that make you just say wow on every page. She talks about nature so you want to follow that saying about stopping to smell the roses. I've never wanted to grow a garden before until now. She uses the absolutely right words in all parts of the whole book.

Plus, I just liked the way I was feeling when I was reading this book because everyone had such hard decisions to make just like they had their whole lives. I sort of got close to the girls. I wanted to be at that farm even if I wasn't in trouble. I would like to get a chance to be with other girls in a group with a grownup who can help you talk about yourself. I'm actually getting my Mom to get me 2 more copies so I can give them to as many of my friends to read all at one time as possible because this is just such a really special book and I wish I could tell you all my other reasons which I will only think of later.
Profile Image for Crystal Holder.
28 reviews2 followers
March 9, 2012
In this gritty teen story four girls, who all have secrets and haunting pasts, are put together when they all choose to go to an alternative detention center instead of jail. This alternative center is actually a farm run by three women, while there the girls are expected to work in the garden and help around the house as well as attend sessions with Ellie, the head of the program. I really enjoyed reading this book. The book address hard but realistic issues that many people will be able to relate to. Parts of the book are graphic and raw, however, I appreciated the author not running from these issues or talking about them in a way that would make them sound less serious. The character building in this story is great, I quickly found myself rooting for different characters. Through out the book the girls learn to accept themselves and not let their pasts define them, all but one that is. While the other girls work to get better one of them is determined to get away, and bring everyone down on her way out.
440 reviews3 followers
May 19, 2012
This book has been calling to me from the YA shelves for months now. I'm not a hundred percent sure why, in retrospect.

The most interesting part was the intertwining 4 storylines--one timeline, 4 points of view. The four girls sounded very similar; only Lauren was distinguishable for her whining. When the spoke out loud, then the differences were pronounced, but they all had the same internal voice (Beth Neff's, perhaps?). It was also a somewhat improbable ending. I've seen school teachers' careers destroyed from allegations of sexual harassment that turned out to be completely groundless. It doesn't matter--the accusation is all that's needed. This book made it sound like you could act how you like, and it will work out anyway, that the consequences won't be so bad. I think that wasn't what they were going for.
Profile Image for Sean Kottke.
1,964 reviews30 followers
March 13, 2013
This is four problem novels in one, which allows it to transcend the conventions of problem novel narratives to paint a more comprehensive portrait of the challenges faced by a generation of young women ... and a way out. Four teens learn empowerment and empathy in an alternative juvenile justice program on an organic farm. The mood is thoroughly earnest, the characters well-drawn and the emotions real. If the narrative trajectory is predictable, that is merely the fault of the form used to tell this story. As an exercise in consciousness raising, this should be an especially powerful read for its target audience of millennial and post-millennial youth more comfortable in urbanized and corporatized virtual spaces than engaged with real feelings, real people and real nature.
Profile Image for Victoria Fuller.
400 reviews11 followers
June 28, 2016
The main problem is that the book is incredibly vague. 100 pages in and I don't know much about any of the girls or the leaders of the farm. I know that Grace and Lauren have issues. That's about all i know.
i wasn't in the mood to trudge through the rest of the book to watch Lauren be a bitch for no reason.
and what amazes me is that every single character is white. Some diversity may have dragged this book out of the dnf pile but nope.
Profile Image for Arminzerella.
3,746 reviews91 followers
February 1, 2016
I ended up skimming this because I didn't like most of the characters and the conflict was telegraphed from the beginning (spoiled, privileged, troubled teen girl uses her inside knowledge to hurt and blackmail people into doing what she wants). Skipped to the end to see what happened. Frustrating read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Katie.
559 reviews7 followers
October 17, 2012
Young women serving time on a farm producing organic produce, which happens to be run by a female couple. While it has the potential to fall into pedantic lessons, it stayed remarkably true and poignant.
Profile Image for Kristin Lenz.
Author 2 books97 followers
September 19, 2012
An insightful story that dives deep into relationships, motivation, prejudice, and the healing power of empathy and digging-in-the-dirt. If you like Barbara Kingsolver's novels, you'll appreciate this book.
Profile Image for Chick.
9 reviews2 followers
July 24, 2012
You know that list of books you should read before you die? This is one of them. Everyone 14 years and no matter how much older should READ THIS BOOK!
Profile Image for Lesley.
372 reviews5 followers
November 10, 2015
This felt an awful lot like sustainable farming propaganda disguised as a coming-of-age story, but damn if it didn't make me crave some vegetables.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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