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Girl Defective
In the tradition of High Fidelity and Empire Records, this is the literary soundtrack to Skylark Martin’s strange, mysterious, and extraordinary summer.
This is the story of a wild girl and a ghost girl; a boy who knew nothing and a boy who thought he knew everything.
It’s a story about Skylark Martin, who lives with her father and brother in a vintage record shop and is trying to find her place in the world. It’s about ten-year-old Super Agent Gully and his case of a lifetime. And about beautiful, reckless, sharp-as-knives Nancy. It’s about tragi-hot Luke, and just-plain-tragic Mia Casey. It’s about the dark underbelly of a curious neighborhood. It’s about summer, and weirdness, and mystery, and music.
And it's about life and death and grief and romance. All the good stuff.
This is the story of a wild girl and a ghost girl; a boy who knew nothing and a boy who thought he knew everything.
It’s a story about Skylark Martin, who lives with her father and brother in a vintage record shop and is trying to find her place in the world. It’s about ten-year-old Super Agent Gully and his case of a lifetime. And about beautiful, reckless, sharp-as-knives Nancy. It’s about tragi-hot Luke, and just-plain-tragic Mia Casey. It’s about the dark underbelly of a curious neighborhood. It’s about summer, and weirdness, and mystery, and music.
And it's about life and death and grief and romance. All the good stuff.
312 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
20 people are currently reading
3360 people want to read
About the author
Simmone Howell
7 books93 followerswriter of YA novels Notes from the Teenage Underground, Everything Beautiful, Girl Defective and Take Three Girls (w/Cath Crowley and Fiona Wood). Currently living by the sea, taking long walks, and writing book five.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
April 15, 2013
This review also appears on wordchasing
..and Girl Defective does have these things. But for me, it isn't about those elements so much being about a girl finding her place in the world. As with Notes from The Teenage Underground, Simmone Howell does this beautifully: it’s real and organic and subtle. Within the framework of a flagging record store, an unconventional family, a lost girl and a charismatic one – another girl grows and changes. Girl Defective is not just about the things that change her, but the girl that is changed - her metamorphosis between the pages.
There is a palpable sense of place in Girl Defective, (I promise that’s not just my bias as a former St Kildan speaking), and Howell’s rendering of Melbourne’s seaside playground suburb is both affectionate and frank. Alongside the tourists attractions and crowds and the slow slide from bohemianism into gentrification, Howell also portrays the homelessness, sex work and drug abuse that are very much a part of St Kilda. It would be disingenuous to ignore the sharp socio-economic contrasts that characterise the area; that disadvantage and privilege exist side by side in glaring disparity.
It’s a setting that fits Girl Defective, a kind of warped urban fairground populated by artists and hacks, misfits and celebrities. The fanciful and the real are entwined here: underground parties are filled with girls in silver and boys in masks, while street workers hug the edges of Carlisle and Greeves Streets. A run-down record store clings to the glory days of the mix tape and pristine vinyl, while a window on Inkerman Street is filled with the ugly mugs of infamous curb-crawlers.
As with the location, Howell develops her characters with various shades. As one character later states, they are not “bad” people, but they are flawed and layered. Part of this story is about Sky discovering this fundamental truth, peeling back the different versions of themselves people present, and understanding what lies beneath.
At the heart of Girl Defective are these relationships, each of which have some bearing on Sky’s character development. Whether they are familial, romantic or platonic, the connections between the characters are engaging and nuanced. Howell addresses matters of loneliness and lust, alienation and alcoholism, manipulation and empathy. Yet this isn’t a heavy book. There’s a certain levity to story that balances its substantial content, and an artfulness to the writing that is intelligent and gorgeous to read.
And then of course, there’s the music. (The lovely Mandee has put together a playlist for the book.) As befits a book with an iconic record store at its centre, music is woven through Girl Defective like an extension of the characters and setting, a soundtrack not only accompanies the plot, but feels integral to it.
A unique coming-of-age story with a touch of mystery, a lot of character and full of heart, Girl Defective is indeed “all the good stuff.”
The Face on the Wall
Simmone Howell posted about one of the "sparks" for Girl Defective on her tumblr, which links to this article from The Age: "The Girl in the Tunnel".
Reading that Rone's work played a part in inspiring Girl Defective felt almost serendipitous, given my own burgeoning obsession with his art. His posters and murals are highly recognisable, now appearing not only in Melbourne but around the world.
I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I think there is something a little haunting about Rone's 'girls' and their expressions. I don't know what their origin stories are, but I can't help but wonder if there are any lost girls among them...
“This is the story of a wild girl and a ghost girl; a boy who knew nothing and a boy who thought he knew everything. And it’s about life and death and grief and romance. All the good stuff.”
..and Girl Defective does have these things. But for me, it isn't about those elements so much being about a girl finding her place in the world. As with Notes from The Teenage Underground, Simmone Howell does this beautifully: it’s real and organic and subtle. Within the framework of a flagging record store, an unconventional family, a lost girl and a charismatic one – another girl grows and changes. Girl Defective is not just about the things that change her, but the girl that is changed - her metamorphosis between the pages.
"Sometimes I’d see Dad look at my brother and feel the acid tang of jealousy in the back of my mouth. I’d flash on Gully at four saying, ‘I’m a boy and Dad’s a boy but Sky is a GIRL.’ And I’d feel cursed and isolated and defective."Sky is a girl in transition. She’s not even sure if she fits in with her family of misfits: a father stuck in the past, a little brother who won’t take off his pig snout mask, and a mother who left her behind. She’s somewhere in between friendship and infatuation with the magnetic Nancy. A musician turned developer wants to build over St Kilda’s history and the place Sky calls home. Then there’s the quiet, short-sighted boy, spending nights pasting up pictures of a girl’s face on walls.
There is a palpable sense of place in Girl Defective, (I promise that’s not just my bias as a former St Kildan speaking), and Howell’s rendering of Melbourne’s seaside playground suburb is both affectionate and frank. Alongside the tourists attractions and crowds and the slow slide from bohemianism into gentrification, Howell also portrays the homelessness, sex work and drug abuse that are very much a part of St Kilda. It would be disingenuous to ignore the sharp socio-economic contrasts that characterise the area; that disadvantage and privilege exist side by side in glaring disparity.
It’s a setting that fits Girl Defective, a kind of warped urban fairground populated by artists and hacks, misfits and celebrities. The fanciful and the real are entwined here: underground parties are filled with girls in silver and boys in masks, while street workers hug the edges of Carlisle and Greeves Streets. A run-down record store clings to the glory days of the mix tape and pristine vinyl, while a window on Inkerman Street is filled with the ugly mugs of infamous curb-crawlers.
As with the location, Howell develops her characters with various shades. As one character later states, they are not “bad” people, but they are flawed and layered. Part of this story is about Sky discovering this fundamental truth, peeling back the different versions of themselves people present, and understanding what lies beneath.
At the heart of Girl Defective are these relationships, each of which have some bearing on Sky’s character development. Whether they are familial, romantic or platonic, the connections between the characters are engaging and nuanced. Howell addresses matters of loneliness and lust, alienation and alcoholism, manipulation and empathy. Yet this isn’t a heavy book. There’s a certain levity to story that balances its substantial content, and an artfulness to the writing that is intelligent and gorgeous to read.
"Kid, that was what she called me. Or little sister, or girlfriend, or dollbaby, or monkeyface. Sometimes she even used my name – Skylark, Sky – all in that drawl that felt like fingernails on my back lightly scratching itches I didn’t even know I had."
And then of course, there’s the music. (The lovely Mandee has put together a playlist for the book.) As befits a book with an iconic record store at its centre, music is woven through Girl Defective like an extension of the characters and setting, a soundtrack not only accompanies the plot, but feels integral to it.
"Late in the night, in the yoga light, I listened to Leonard Cohen but I didn’t have to coax the sadness out. His voice was a long tunnel with the tiniest pinprick of light at the end."
A unique coming-of-age story with a touch of mystery, a lot of character and full of heart, Girl Defective is indeed “all the good stuff.”
The Face on the Wall
Simmone Howell posted about one of the "sparks" for Girl Defective on her tumblr, which links to this article from The Age: "The Girl in the Tunnel".
Reading that Rone's work played a part in inspiring Girl Defective felt almost serendipitous, given my own burgeoning obsession with his art. His posters and murals are highly recognisable, now appearing not only in Melbourne but around the world.
I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I think there is something a little haunting about Rone's 'girls' and their expressions. I don't know what their origin stories are, but I can't help but wonder if there are any lost girls among them...
August 6, 2016
Sky is trying to find her place. In the world, in her personal relationships and even in her family. Her mother left long ago, pursuing dreams of art and recognition leaving her caring but alcoholic father to raise herself and her eccentric younger brother Gully. The one constant in life has been 'The Wishing Well', their beloved vintage record shop. But with a developer sniffing around for ways to claim the property even that is on shaky ground. With her best friend Nancy drifting further away and her new crush Luke dealing with a secret tragedy it's up to Sky to figure out a way to hold it all together, or decide to let it all go and begin anew.
This book had a lot of potential but never quite lived up to it. With one main mystery surrounding the plot line the other storylines felt at times like filler, something you want to get through quickly to get back to the real story. There are also many great side characters that I would have loved to see more of that don't get the attention they deserve. That said, Simmone Howell fills the pages with beautiful prose and an intelligent heroine, making this a worthwhile read and certainly an author I'll be following in the future.
This book had a lot of potential but never quite lived up to it. With one main mystery surrounding the plot line the other storylines felt at times like filler, something you want to get through quickly to get back to the real story. There are also many great side characters that I would have loved to see more of that don't get the attention they deserve. That said, Simmone Howell fills the pages with beautiful prose and an intelligent heroine, making this a worthwhile read and certainly an author I'll be following in the future.
May 14, 2013
Guys, I have shamefully been procrastinating reviewing Simmone Howell's outstanding new book. I felt intimidated to review this one because I truly just want to get my review right. I struggle to find words that will encapsulate my reading experience, the heart and the essence of the book and also the brilliant, careful and loving way in which it is written.
This book is truly as awesome as the cover (and the wickedly funny/awesome/crazy/unique blurb)suggests.
I loved the prose. Howell has this wicked way of delivering lines. Her dialogue cracks, her characters are painted in just a few swift words. She coins phrases and pitches words against each other that seem like an unlikely pairing but are actually brilliantly perfect.
She nails, nails, the coming of age stuff. It's this perfect blend of naivety banging up against loss of innocence and the underside of a very gritty world. It's hopeful and lonely and full of longing and wishes and, on one hand you see how idealistic the characters can be while at the same time they come to terms with just how real and tough the world can be. Take a look at this gorgeous quote:
I had a shock of yearning, of wishing I was Nancy The feeling was sharp and it carried a shadow I was always on the edge of something that was never going to happen. (page 46)
This is another one of those Aussie YA books that bring Melbourne to full colour, thriving life. I love how the setting itself becomes a character. The nightclubs, the streets, the artwork and the houses all add this incredible atmosphere. Most of all, the record shop. It felt timeless and true and like an homage to all the great music that has come before.
This is such a beautiful and original book. To be frank, Simmone's work here is grittier than my preference. I remain eternally idealistic, optimistic and naive and seeing a darker side of things usually leaves me uncomfortable, a tiny feeling of unease pooling in my belly. Not so, here. It was balanced out beautifully by our sweet narrator. Sky is just beautiful and genuine, Gully tugged at my heart strings, and Nancy, in spite of her flaws, was appealing as that lost charismatic/wild girl. (check this snippet from Nancy, talking to Sky: 'I don't want to see the world, kid. I want to see the weird.' (Nancy, page 9)) And another one,Sky on Nancy: Kid, was what she called me. or little sister, or girlfriend, or dollbaby, or monkeyface. Sometimes she even used my name - Skylark, Sky - all in that drawl that felt like fingernails on my back lightly scratching itches I didn't even know I had.' (page 3)
I love the family vibe in this one. Full of ache and brokenness and despair and genuine love. I love that Howell takes all these quirky things (mannerisms and personalities and obsessions) and somehow makes them seem so entirely normal and true. This is possibly one of my all time fave quotes about family:
Gully and I groaned and laughed. With the lights soft and everyone's faces all shiny happy I felt flooded with warmth - it was like we'd been infected with a buzzing, shaggy, loveliness that I guessed meant the best kind of family. (page 139)
I loved the mystery. There was also some swoon: I was not interested in Luke Casey. I was not going to jump him or fall for his hot and tragic combo. (page 81) Well, the hot and tragic combo pretty much had me interested from the get-go, haha.
And, oh my gosh, isn't Sky just the most charmingest of narrators: And the more I drank the less weird I felt. Then we were laughing again, and nothing was serious and we were in the moment and the moment was everything. [...] The grass in the dark looked like velvet. I lay upon it and stared up at the sky. The stars were spinning. I might have hugged a tree before puking. (page 171)
Okay, so my review is all over the place and I have tried to piece it together but it's just not happening. I hope somewhere in my review you can catch just the tiniest glimpse of the magic and heart inside these pages I bookmarked this book to pieces. It's got charm and originality and heartbreak and mystery and these awesome detective style reports interspersed. It has the Melbourne vibe going on (you know what I mean). It is also lonely and sad in just the right amounts (and I like that in a book).
Note on the cover: it is so much more awesome in person. Also, it's from the book! The poster had appeared the week before on the wall opposite the shop. It was a stencil of a girls' face, three feet high below a concrete sky. She had black hair and eyes. her lips were slightly parted and a single tear rolled down her cheek (page 9)
This book is truly as awesome as the cover (and the wickedly funny/awesome/crazy/unique blurb)suggests.
I loved the prose. Howell has this wicked way of delivering lines. Her dialogue cracks, her characters are painted in just a few swift words. She coins phrases and pitches words against each other that seem like an unlikely pairing but are actually brilliantly perfect.
She nails, nails, the coming of age stuff. It's this perfect blend of naivety banging up against loss of innocence and the underside of a very gritty world. It's hopeful and lonely and full of longing and wishes and, on one hand you see how idealistic the characters can be while at the same time they come to terms with just how real and tough the world can be. Take a look at this gorgeous quote:
I had a shock of yearning, of wishing I was Nancy The feeling was sharp and it carried a shadow I was always on the edge of something that was never going to happen. (page 46)
This is another one of those Aussie YA books that bring Melbourne to full colour, thriving life. I love how the setting itself becomes a character. The nightclubs, the streets, the artwork and the houses all add this incredible atmosphere. Most of all, the record shop. It felt timeless and true and like an homage to all the great music that has come before.
This is such a beautiful and original book. To be frank, Simmone's work here is grittier than my preference. I remain eternally idealistic, optimistic and naive and seeing a darker side of things usually leaves me uncomfortable, a tiny feeling of unease pooling in my belly. Not so, here. It was balanced out beautifully by our sweet narrator. Sky is just beautiful and genuine, Gully tugged at my heart strings, and Nancy, in spite of her flaws, was appealing as that lost charismatic/wild girl. (check this snippet from Nancy, talking to Sky: 'I don't want to see the world, kid. I want to see the weird.' (Nancy, page 9)) And another one,Sky on Nancy: Kid, was what she called me. or little sister, or girlfriend, or dollbaby, or monkeyface. Sometimes she even used my name - Skylark, Sky - all in that drawl that felt like fingernails on my back lightly scratching itches I didn't even know I had.' (page 3)
I love the family vibe in this one. Full of ache and brokenness and despair and genuine love. I love that Howell takes all these quirky things (mannerisms and personalities and obsessions) and somehow makes them seem so entirely normal and true. This is possibly one of my all time fave quotes about family:
Gully and I groaned and laughed. With the lights soft and everyone's faces all shiny happy I felt flooded with warmth - it was like we'd been infected with a buzzing, shaggy, loveliness that I guessed meant the best kind of family. (page 139)
I loved the mystery. There was also some swoon: I was not interested in Luke Casey. I was not going to jump him or fall for his hot and tragic combo. (page 81) Well, the hot and tragic combo pretty much had me interested from the get-go, haha.
And, oh my gosh, isn't Sky just the most charmingest of narrators: And the more I drank the less weird I felt. Then we were laughing again, and nothing was serious and we were in the moment and the moment was everything. [...] The grass in the dark looked like velvet. I lay upon it and stared up at the sky. The stars were spinning. I might have hugged a tree before puking. (page 171)
Okay, so my review is all over the place and I have tried to piece it together but it's just not happening. I hope somewhere in my review you can catch just the tiniest glimpse of the magic and heart inside these pages I bookmarked this book to pieces. It's got charm and originality and heartbreak and mystery and these awesome detective style reports interspersed. It has the Melbourne vibe going on (you know what I mean). It is also lonely and sad in just the right amounts (and I like that in a book).
Note on the cover: it is so much more awesome in person. Also, it's from the book! The poster had appeared the week before on the wall opposite the shop. It was a stencil of a girls' face, three feet high below a concrete sky. She had black hair and eyes. her lips were slightly parted and a single tear rolled down her cheek (page 9)
February 2, 2015
It’s so hard to know where to even start with this review, because Girl Defective just blew me away. Howell’s writing was absolutely gorgeous and she managed to capture the feeling of being on the cusp of adulthood beautifully.
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.”
I just loved Sky. She was feisty, but also fiercely loyal to her family. She was so incredibly real. She was naive and impressionable and angry at times, yet I loved her all the more for it. I felt like I was growing with her throughout the book as she discovered fragments of truth, not only about the girl on the poster, but about life in general. It goes without saying that I also loved Luke, Nancy and Gully who were all equally wonderful, and fully developed characters.
The family element of this was superbly done. As much as Sky loved her father and brother, she did get angry at them sometimes and to be honest, I loved it. I mean, we all have those moments, don’t we? I feel like it’s so unusual in YA to even see the parents in the story, but in Girl Defective the entire family relationship was so fully fleshed out and believable. I mean, families always love each other but they may not always like each other. That was something I felt really shone through in this.
I adored the record store setting; it just came to life on the page. I could just imagine sifting through the racks in search of my favourite bands. I loved the story behind the name, Bill’s Wishing Well, but must admit when I first read it this song popped into my head. Incidentally if I were in that record store, I’d be searching for records by Free. I wonder if Sky would approve of my taste in music?
“I liked the records to all be leaning the right way, facing me, full of promise. As I looked at their shiny faces I felt a mix of awe and sadness, Music was everything: the whole stinging ringing pulse of being human was in here pressed against each other.”
However, Girl Defective was definitely not a fluffy read. It was like looking a photo of St Kilda on a sunny day when the lens wasn’t fitted properly and darkness is creeping in at the edges. Behind the record store and the parties were lost girls and missing girls and sad girls. When I finished the book I had a fleeting sense of hope, yet this darkness lurking underneath left my uneasy.
“Blackbird fly, blackbird fly, into the light of a dark black night”
I tried to pick a Beatles song for Girl Defective and decided that the entire White Album (aka The Beatles) would be the perfect fit. But, if I had to pick one that really captured the essence of my reading experience, then Blackbird would be it.
Speaking of The Beatles, I absolutely adored all the references in Girl Defective. Mentions of She’s Leaving Home and Rocky Racoon kept me smirking throughout. Similarly, as someone whose laptop password hint was ‘Mrs Lennon’* it goes without saying that I loved the Ringo references. Oh, and if I ever, by some miracle, got into a lift with Paul McCartney, I’m sure I too would never get over it.
Needless to say this is definitely one of my favourite books of 2013 and one which I wholeheartedly recommend.
*A gold star to whoever can guess what my password was!
This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.”
I just loved Sky. She was feisty, but also fiercely loyal to her family. She was so incredibly real. She was naive and impressionable and angry at times, yet I loved her all the more for it. I felt like I was growing with her throughout the book as she discovered fragments of truth, not only about the girl on the poster, but about life in general. It goes without saying that I also loved Luke, Nancy and Gully who were all equally wonderful, and fully developed characters.
The family element of this was superbly done. As much as Sky loved her father and brother, she did get angry at them sometimes and to be honest, I loved it. I mean, we all have those moments, don’t we? I feel like it’s so unusual in YA to even see the parents in the story, but in Girl Defective the entire family relationship was so fully fleshed out and believable. I mean, families always love each other but they may not always like each other. That was something I felt really shone through in this.
I adored the record store setting; it just came to life on the page. I could just imagine sifting through the racks in search of my favourite bands. I loved the story behind the name, Bill’s Wishing Well, but must admit when I first read it this song popped into my head. Incidentally if I were in that record store, I’d be searching for records by Free. I wonder if Sky would approve of my taste in music?
“I liked the records to all be leaning the right way, facing me, full of promise. As I looked at their shiny faces I felt a mix of awe and sadness, Music was everything: the whole stinging ringing pulse of being human was in here pressed against each other.”
However, Girl Defective was definitely not a fluffy read. It was like looking a photo of St Kilda on a sunny day when the lens wasn’t fitted properly and darkness is creeping in at the edges. Behind the record store and the parties were lost girls and missing girls and sad girls. When I finished the book I had a fleeting sense of hope, yet this darkness lurking underneath left my uneasy.
“Blackbird fly, blackbird fly, into the light of a dark black night”
I tried to pick a Beatles song for Girl Defective and decided that the entire White Album (aka The Beatles) would be the perfect fit. But, if I had to pick one that really captured the essence of my reading experience, then Blackbird would be it.
Speaking of The Beatles, I absolutely adored all the references in Girl Defective. Mentions of She’s Leaving Home and Rocky Racoon kept me smirking throughout. Similarly, as someone whose laptop password hint was ‘Mrs Lennon’* it goes without saying that I loved the Ringo references. Oh, and if I ever, by some miracle, got into a lift with Paul McCartney, I’m sure I too would never get over it.
Needless to say this is definitely one of my favourite books of 2013 and one which I wholeheartedly recommend.
*A gold star to whoever can guess what my password was!
This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.
May 12, 2014
As I read Girl Defective, I kept finding myself wanting to love it but instead I found myself only liking it.
Like most teenagers, Skylark Martin is trying to find herself and her place in the world. She's confused about the status of various relationships, including the one between herself and her record-store running father, the one with her estranged rock-star mother (Sky continually uses the "Ask Me Anything" link on her mother's web site to ask pointed questions to which she receives little or no acknowledgement), the one with her ten-year-old boy-detective brother and the one with her older friend Nancy, who Sky may or may not have a crush on.
Enter into the world of her record shop, Luke, the older brother of a girl who mysteriously disappeared (the case is one of several that obsess her younger brother) and you've got a novel that could be a coming-of-age story. Or it could be the sarcastic observations of that girl who doesn't exactly fit in and is having some confusing feelings as she grows up. Or it could be a mystery as we try to solve the mystery surrounding not only the missing girl, but also a series of (apparently) random vandalism crimes in the neighborhood.
What it all adds up to is a book that has an intriguing narrator, some fascinating characters and a frustrating lack of focus. There are portions of Simonne Howell's Girl Defective that I absolutely loved and there were others where I just wanted to skim past them to get back to the more interesting stuff. I feel like there's a great novel lurking in here, if there had been a bit more focus.
Overall, I liked the book but didn't love it as much as I'd hoped or expected to based on the first few chapters. I've heard good things about Howell's other books and this one makes me a curious to pick those up and see what else she has to offer.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received an ARC of this book from the Amazon Vine Program in exchange for an honest review.
Like most teenagers, Skylark Martin is trying to find herself and her place in the world. She's confused about the status of various relationships, including the one between herself and her record-store running father, the one with her estranged rock-star mother (Sky continually uses the "Ask Me Anything" link on her mother's web site to ask pointed questions to which she receives little or no acknowledgement), the one with her ten-year-old boy-detective brother and the one with her older friend Nancy, who Sky may or may not have a crush on.
Enter into the world of her record shop, Luke, the older brother of a girl who mysteriously disappeared (the case is one of several that obsess her younger brother) and you've got a novel that could be a coming-of-age story. Or it could be the sarcastic observations of that girl who doesn't exactly fit in and is having some confusing feelings as she grows up. Or it could be a mystery as we try to solve the mystery surrounding not only the missing girl, but also a series of (apparently) random vandalism crimes in the neighborhood.
What it all adds up to is a book that has an intriguing narrator, some fascinating characters and a frustrating lack of focus. There are portions of Simonne Howell's Girl Defective that I absolutely loved and there were others where I just wanted to skim past them to get back to the more interesting stuff. I feel like there's a great novel lurking in here, if there had been a bit more focus.
Overall, I liked the book but didn't love it as much as I'd hoped or expected to based on the first few chapters. I've heard good things about Howell's other books and this one makes me a curious to pick those up and see what else she has to offer.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received an ARC of this book from the Amazon Vine Program in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2016
This pretty just arrived from the lovely Michelle Maree at Maree's Musings! So excited to start. Thank you, Maree!
April 30, 2013
Will someone please tell me what's in the water in Australia and where I can get some?! This book is gem. Damn. So good.
March 13, 2013
Mia Casey’s graffiti face with blackened tears watches over Bill's Wishing Well record shop. Mia was a real girl who died a few months ago, found face-down in the river and thought to be a ‘party-girl’ – no investigations are underway.
Skylark ‘Sky’ Martin thinks about Mia, even dreams about her. But Sky has enough to worry about without deluding herself into thinking she knew a dead girl . . .
For one thing, her dad is the Bill who owns Bill's Wishing Well record shop. Her dad can polish off a whole slab in a single sitting and long ago accepted his alcoholism as a permanent character flaw. Then there’s Sky’s little brother, Gully, who never takes off the pig-snout mask their mum sent him for his last birthday. And speaking of Sky’s mum – what’s the point? She changed her name to Galaxy and breezed off to perform installation art in Japan, and now she’s just a voice on the end of the phone.
But life isn’t all bad for soon-to-be-sixteen Sky. There’s Nancy; their failed cleaner turned only best friend Sky has ever known. Nancy is older and wilder; she’s a dream of a girl who can pull of wearing the vintage clothes Sky’s mum left behind and causes eyes to bug out of people’s heads.
Home is Blessington Street in St. Kilda – where tourists outnumber locals and nobody but Sky and Gully are born and bred St. Kildans. Locals are a colourful bunch and frequent the record shop – there’s the Weird Sisters and The Fugg (a poet), Steve Sharp (once famous, now sober) and Mystery Train.
It’s Mia Casey’s graffiti face that ignites everything – or so it seems. She’s plastered on the wall and suddenly bricks are flying, mysterious white vans are peeling away and a pretty newbie called Luke is hired at Wishing Well. Suddenly Sky’s life becomes full and messy – and glorious.
‘Girl Defective’ is the new young adult novel from Australian author Simmone Howell.
It has been too long since we’ve had a Simmone Howell novel. ‘Everything Beautiful’ was her last, and that was 2008. The moment I started reading ‘Girl Defective’ and Howell’s cracking voice rang out from the page – that was when I knew something (or, rather, someone) had been sadly missed on the Aussie YA scene. Howell writes such sharp characters and dark edges with a wry humour that’s wholly unique and breathtaking. Reading her latest offering is like gulping air you didn’t know was cut off – and I hope we never have to go so long between instalments from Ms Howell.
The novel is set in St. Kilda, Howell’s stomping ground. For those who don’t know, St. Kilda is a suburb of Melbourne and is one of the city’s more colourful areas. It has quite a past – back in the 1880’s the area experienced a land boom and because St. Kilda is overlooking Port Philip Bay, it became a seaside destination. But the depression bought a sharp decline to the area, and for many years it was a place for crooks, prostitutes and general low-lives. It was only in the 1990s that the area experienced a gentrification, and as ‘Girl Defective’ is set in the present, Sky observes that: “These days the red light still glowed but only faintly.” So St. Kilda is a real dichotomy – some areas are still imprints of the suburb’s seedy past, but there are oak-lined streets that are beyond posh and full of million-dollar properties.
I love the St. Kilda setting; for one thing it becomes a distinct character within Sky’s story, and for another it seems to be a reflection of the Martin family and associates. Father Bill is definitely living in the past (encapsulated in his record shop’s motto – “nothing after 1995”) while Sky’s best friend, Nancy, is determined to look forward and keep her eyes off the rear-view mirror. And as for Sky . . . well, she seems to be caught between the vibrancy of those around her. With a post-punk father and mother called Galaxy, a brother who is a detective-in-training and constantly snouted, not to mention Nancy’s silver magnetism – Sky constantly feels like the odd one out. She’s mostly friendless at school, prefers masculine clothing and is quietly observant. It’s no wonder that amidst so many fiery characters and temperaments, Sky doesn’t quite know where she fits in, what her ‘thing’ is or who 'her people' are. I love her. Quiet she may be, but Sky is wicked smart and eloquent. She’s such a wonderfully relatable character; constantly feeling like the sidekick or back-up singer is something many, many people can relate to. And Howell has given Sky quite a voice – I adore how she describes her tinging jealousy of Nancy’s shine;
I don’t know why it had to hurt, the way she dialled the world with her little finger.
Howell’s writing is magnificent – and my copy of ‘Girl Defective’ is peppered with markers to remember all the fine lines that caught me unawares. Howell’s similes alone made my knees weak;
My heart beating like a bird in a box
Not to mention;
Pheromones fizzing like fireflies around us.
This is, ultimately, a book about relationships. There’s a focus on family – of the parents who vamoose and those who stick around. Little brothers we want to cradle and protect, and the sisters we let slip away. The flimsy friendships we hope to blossom into permanency, and the tentative lust that catches us unawares. And then there’s the relationship we have to music – what Sky calls her ‘valve’ on life. Music is an outlet, a private ceremony and those in the book feel a deep connection to the soundtrack of their lives;
‘Put something on. Whatever you like.’
To some eyes this could look like a test. The first track a newbie played might set the tone for his employment. Luke was right to look uncertain. He wandered around the aisles for ages, coming back with Simon & Garfunkel.
I snorted. Even Gully shook his head.
‘What?’ Luke asked.
‘That record doesn’t tell me anything about your inner emotional landscape,’ I told him.
Luke stayed poker-faced. ‘Don’t have one of those.’
‘Bullshit.’
‘Sky – don’t psychoanalyse the new guy.’ Dad turned to Luke. ‘Gully reads faces, Sky reads records. We, the Martins, have superpowers.’
Simmone Howell slays me, every damn time. I didn’t want this book to end, and now that it’s over I just want to climb back into Howell’s world and re-read her words all over again. ‘Girl Defective’ is a book about the moment when everything changes, when you lose some and get some and the world falls into place (if, a little crookedly). Everyone has to read this, it’s good for the soul.
Skylark ‘Sky’ Martin thinks about Mia, even dreams about her. But Sky has enough to worry about without deluding herself into thinking she knew a dead girl . . .
For one thing, her dad is the Bill who owns Bill's Wishing Well record shop. Her dad can polish off a whole slab in a single sitting and long ago accepted his alcoholism as a permanent character flaw. Then there’s Sky’s little brother, Gully, who never takes off the pig-snout mask their mum sent him for his last birthday. And speaking of Sky’s mum – what’s the point? She changed her name to Galaxy and breezed off to perform installation art in Japan, and now she’s just a voice on the end of the phone.
But life isn’t all bad for soon-to-be-sixteen Sky. There’s Nancy; their failed cleaner turned only best friend Sky has ever known. Nancy is older and wilder; she’s a dream of a girl who can pull of wearing the vintage clothes Sky’s mum left behind and causes eyes to bug out of people’s heads.
Home is Blessington Street in St. Kilda – where tourists outnumber locals and nobody but Sky and Gully are born and bred St. Kildans. Locals are a colourful bunch and frequent the record shop – there’s the Weird Sisters and The Fugg (a poet), Steve Sharp (once famous, now sober) and Mystery Train.
It’s Mia Casey’s graffiti face that ignites everything – or so it seems. She’s plastered on the wall and suddenly bricks are flying, mysterious white vans are peeling away and a pretty newbie called Luke is hired at Wishing Well. Suddenly Sky’s life becomes full and messy – and glorious.
‘Girl Defective’ is the new young adult novel from Australian author Simmone Howell.
It has been too long since we’ve had a Simmone Howell novel. ‘Everything Beautiful’ was her last, and that was 2008. The moment I started reading ‘Girl Defective’ and Howell’s cracking voice rang out from the page – that was when I knew something (or, rather, someone) had been sadly missed on the Aussie YA scene. Howell writes such sharp characters and dark edges with a wry humour that’s wholly unique and breathtaking. Reading her latest offering is like gulping air you didn’t know was cut off – and I hope we never have to go so long between instalments from Ms Howell.
The novel is set in St. Kilda, Howell’s stomping ground. For those who don’t know, St. Kilda is a suburb of Melbourne and is one of the city’s more colourful areas. It has quite a past – back in the 1880’s the area experienced a land boom and because St. Kilda is overlooking Port Philip Bay, it became a seaside destination. But the depression bought a sharp decline to the area, and for many years it was a place for crooks, prostitutes and general low-lives. It was only in the 1990s that the area experienced a gentrification, and as ‘Girl Defective’ is set in the present, Sky observes that: “These days the red light still glowed but only faintly.” So St. Kilda is a real dichotomy – some areas are still imprints of the suburb’s seedy past, but there are oak-lined streets that are beyond posh and full of million-dollar properties.
I love the St. Kilda setting; for one thing it becomes a distinct character within Sky’s story, and for another it seems to be a reflection of the Martin family and associates. Father Bill is definitely living in the past (encapsulated in his record shop’s motto – “nothing after 1995”) while Sky’s best friend, Nancy, is determined to look forward and keep her eyes off the rear-view mirror. And as for Sky . . . well, she seems to be caught between the vibrancy of those around her. With a post-punk father and mother called Galaxy, a brother who is a detective-in-training and constantly snouted, not to mention Nancy’s silver magnetism – Sky constantly feels like the odd one out. She’s mostly friendless at school, prefers masculine clothing and is quietly observant. It’s no wonder that amidst so many fiery characters and temperaments, Sky doesn’t quite know where she fits in, what her ‘thing’ is or who 'her people' are. I love her. Quiet she may be, but Sky is wicked smart and eloquent. She’s such a wonderfully relatable character; constantly feeling like the sidekick or back-up singer is something many, many people can relate to. And Howell has given Sky quite a voice – I adore how she describes her tinging jealousy of Nancy’s shine;
I don’t know why it had to hurt, the way she dialled the world with her little finger.
Howell’s writing is magnificent – and my copy of ‘Girl Defective’ is peppered with markers to remember all the fine lines that caught me unawares. Howell’s similes alone made my knees weak;
My heart beating like a bird in a box
Not to mention;
Pheromones fizzing like fireflies around us.
This is, ultimately, a book about relationships. There’s a focus on family – of the parents who vamoose and those who stick around. Little brothers we want to cradle and protect, and the sisters we let slip away. The flimsy friendships we hope to blossom into permanency, and the tentative lust that catches us unawares. And then there’s the relationship we have to music – what Sky calls her ‘valve’ on life. Music is an outlet, a private ceremony and those in the book feel a deep connection to the soundtrack of their lives;
‘Put something on. Whatever you like.’
To some eyes this could look like a test. The first track a newbie played might set the tone for his employment. Luke was right to look uncertain. He wandered around the aisles for ages, coming back with Simon & Garfunkel.
I snorted. Even Gully shook his head.
‘What?’ Luke asked.
‘That record doesn’t tell me anything about your inner emotional landscape,’ I told him.
Luke stayed poker-faced. ‘Don’t have one of those.’
‘Bullshit.’
‘Sky – don’t psychoanalyse the new guy.’ Dad turned to Luke. ‘Gully reads faces, Sky reads records. We, the Martins, have superpowers.’
Simmone Howell slays me, every damn time. I didn’t want this book to end, and now that it’s over I just want to climb back into Howell’s world and re-read her words all over again. ‘Girl Defective’ is a book about the moment when everything changes, when you lose some and get some and the world falls into place (if, a little crookedly). Everyone has to read this, it’s good for the soul.
November 22, 2014
(Melina Marchetta blurbed this. If that doesn't attract you I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL)
It's difficult reading Australian YA, in the best way possible. Difficult because you're sometimes hard-pressed not to get too invested in the characters, and difficult because they're SO BLOODY GOOD. Even better when the characters live in a part of Melbourne (St. Kilda) that you're familiar with!
Girl Defective centers around Sky Martin, a 15-year-old living with her record-store-owner dad and eccentric little brother, Gully. It's a very character-driven novel - not much really happens, besides the ongoing mystery Gully is trying to solve (in the cutest manner possible), since it's mostly about how Sky deals with her best friend, the new "tragi-hot" guy who starts working for the store, and her burgeoning teen feelings.
Aussie YA is usually raw and a little bit sad and realistic almost to a fault. This is no exception. Sky goes through some dubious thought processes and feelings, stuff that may be strange, but it's how she deals with them and the family dynamics that really make the book.
Also, get the hardcover if you can, because DAT COVER! Ugh, the music in this. So good.
Brb going back Down Under ASAP to breathe whatever air they breathe in.
It's difficult reading Australian YA, in the best way possible. Difficult because you're sometimes hard-pressed not to get too invested in the characters, and difficult because they're SO BLOODY GOOD. Even better when the characters live in a part of Melbourne (St. Kilda) that you're familiar with!
Girl Defective centers around Sky Martin, a 15-year-old living with her record-store-owner dad and eccentric little brother, Gully. It's a very character-driven novel - not much really happens, besides the ongoing mystery Gully is trying to solve (in the cutest manner possible), since it's mostly about how Sky deals with her best friend, the new "tragi-hot" guy who starts working for the store, and her burgeoning teen feelings.
Aussie YA is usually raw and a little bit sad and realistic almost to a fault. This is no exception. Sky goes through some dubious thought processes and feelings, stuff that may be strange, but it's how she deals with them and the family dynamics that really make the book.
Also, get the hardcover if you can, because DAT COVER! Ugh, the music in this. So good.
Brb going back Down Under ASAP to breathe whatever air they breathe in.
January 21, 2015
What made me sad was that this book had so much potential and was so good but it lacked development in certain areas that would have made it even more enjoyable and more memorable.
September 4, 2013
What expectations I had for this weren't high enough. Loved.
April 1, 2015
Not a bad book, but a bit meh.
Review to come.
August 13, 2018
Page:103. Honestly I can't tell you what I read. I don't remember anything but the mom left them. I would not recommend reading, for me I never got into it.
October 9, 2013
I could not put this down, I read it in two sittings! The way Simmone Howell sucks you into her story and characters is magic. This book is about a girl discovering who she is and finding "her people". It's a story of finding love, uncovering secrets and lots of music.
I felt like such a loser when I was reading this! There were so many music references that I didn't get because I didn't know the artists that the characters were talking about. It's another book I've read that is set in Australia, specifically St Kilda (a suburb in Melbourne). I live close to St Kilda and have visited many times so it was cool to read about places I have been.
A huge part of enjoying any book is enjoying the characters and Simmone knows how to write a good character. Sky is a rebel teenager, more than I ever was, but I guess living in St Kilda can do that to a girl. Gully is Sky's younger brother and when reading this you know that Gully has Asperger's or is on the autism spectrum but it's never spelled out. I really liked that about this book, everyone accepts him for who he is but doesn't label him. He could be difficult at times but I really liked Gully and thought he was a cool little dude.
Other than the characters, the intrigue was a big reason for my want to keep reading. I NEEDED to know why the girl in the graffiti was so sad. There were also moments of romance that were really nice, they gave me all the normal butterfly feelings in my stomach.
I have listened to Simmone Howell talk about writing and she also read the first chapter from this book. It made me want to read it oh so more. Now that I've read it all for myself I want to get my hands on Simmone's other books!
Also on my blog
I felt like such a loser when I was reading this! There were so many music references that I didn't get because I didn't know the artists that the characters were talking about. It's another book I've read that is set in Australia, specifically St Kilda (a suburb in Melbourne). I live close to St Kilda and have visited many times so it was cool to read about places I have been.
A huge part of enjoying any book is enjoying the characters and Simmone knows how to write a good character. Sky is a rebel teenager, more than I ever was, but I guess living in St Kilda can do that to a girl. Gully is Sky's younger brother and when reading this you know that Gully has Asperger's or is on the autism spectrum but it's never spelled out. I really liked that about this book, everyone accepts him for who he is but doesn't label him. He could be difficult at times but I really liked Gully and thought he was a cool little dude.
Other than the characters, the intrigue was a big reason for my want to keep reading. I NEEDED to know why the girl in the graffiti was so sad. There were also moments of romance that were really nice, they gave me all the normal butterfly feelings in my stomach.
I have listened to Simmone Howell talk about writing and she also read the first chapter from this book. It made me want to read it oh so more. Now that I've read it all for myself I want to get my hands on Simmone's other books!
Also on my blog
October 11, 2014
Loved this book. I should really slap myself for judging this book by its cover because i am AGAINST that type of thing!! But i did and i thought this book would be stupid and boring and girlish i mean any book with "girl" in its title is most likely girly. I did after a while realise this was actually quite a nice cover and an authentic, real, beautiful story. Also, not to forget IT'S SET IN AUSTRALIA! WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE AWESOME! Loved it!
March 9, 2013
Totally loved this: sharp, witty and a clear vision. I knew it would make me hurt, but mostly in a good way.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
May 1, 2013
Beautiful.
November 1, 2016
Moving. Timeless. Great writing.
(Ignore the length of time taken to finish it. Daughter had it, and then I read it in snippets in the 'smallest room in the house'
(Ignore the length of time taken to finish it. Daughter had it, and then I read it in snippets in the 'smallest room in the house'
March 27, 2013
Read in one glorious night - fantastic.
May 18, 2018
*2 and a half stars*
July 26, 2014
Upon seeing the references to both Empire Records and High Fidelity in the blurb for Girl Defective I was quick to read this one as soon as it showed up on my doorstep. Empire will forever be in my top 5 favourite movies of all time list because I am a huge music junkie. I love the feelings that music captures and how it can evoke so much emotion from me as a listener. I was a big fan of how Howell conveyed the importance of music in the lives of the Martin family but since a lot of the references to bands and such weren’t ones I had ever heard of I didn’t fall as in love with that aspect of the story as I had hoped to.
Girl Defective is not what I would call a plot driven story. We are basically shown the life of the Martin family for a period of time and we just go along with their lives. There is no big event driving the story it’s simply character driven. This worked for me here because I did come to care about Skylark, Gully and Bill. The Martin family is not perfect by any means and that’s what made me care about them the most. We’re told the story through the eyes of Skylark, a 15 year old girl who is simply trying to find her way in life. She’s having romantic emotions for the first time and really just trying to figure shit out. I loved her infatuation with Nancy and how she struggled with putting a name on it. Nancy is a wild child who once worked in her father’s vinyl shop and she evokes so much wonder from young Skylark because she is such a free spirit. Don’t get me wrong, Nancy is not someone who should be a role model, but I liked how she got Skylark to go outside of her box and she really opened up her eyes at a very impressionable age.
Also driving along this change in Skylark is the super hot Luke Casey who her dad hires on at the shop. He was a great addition to the story because he also drives along the mystery that underlies the novel. Popping up around town are posters of a girl who drowned years ago and once Skylark finds out her the name of the new boy at the shop and that the drowned girls name was Mia Casey, she quickly puts two and two together. As Sky starts to get closer to Luke she realizes that they are really looking for the same answers, they want to know what happened to Mia that led her to her death that night. Through their sleuthing for the full story they start to fall for one another slowly and it’s really sweet. I liked that it was by no means insta-love, it buds slowly and at times you aren’t even sure if that is really the direction they are heading. Luke became close with the whole family which had me really rooting for their love story to grow.
Aside from the romance and the friendships in Girl Defective, there is such a fantastic family dynamic. We are quick to learn that Sky and Gully’s mother took off when they were much younger and there is a lot of resentment from Sky about it (rightfully so, in my eyes.) She’s really had to step up in her mother’s absence, not only due to it but also due to the fact that her father has a drinking problem. It was frustrating to see Bill constantly check out and crack open a beer when the kids really did need him. Gully wasn’t an easy child to handle at all, I can’t exactly pin point what was up with him but he had an obsessive personality and was prone to pretty extensive outbursts.
Everything I have said here probably comes across as a pretty glowing review and I do admit that I did like the book overall, but I can’t say that I fell in love with it. It was quite slow moving and at times I was frustrated with that. I am usually a pretty big fan of character driven stories so I can’t blame my subtle indifference to it on that, I did come to care for the characters, but I just wanted more I guess. Some of my disappointment is also because a lot of the musical references went over my head and I consider myself a pretty big music buff. Whatever the reason this one just felt like a 3 star for me so that’s what I am going to slap on it.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Girl Defective is not what I would call a plot driven story. We are basically shown the life of the Martin family for a period of time and we just go along with their lives. There is no big event driving the story it’s simply character driven. This worked for me here because I did come to care about Skylark, Gully and Bill. The Martin family is not perfect by any means and that’s what made me care about them the most. We’re told the story through the eyes of Skylark, a 15 year old girl who is simply trying to find her way in life. She’s having romantic emotions for the first time and really just trying to figure shit out. I loved her infatuation with Nancy and how she struggled with putting a name on it. Nancy is a wild child who once worked in her father’s vinyl shop and she evokes so much wonder from young Skylark because she is such a free spirit. Don’t get me wrong, Nancy is not someone who should be a role model, but I liked how she got Skylark to go outside of her box and she really opened up her eyes at a very impressionable age.
Also driving along this change in Skylark is the super hot Luke Casey who her dad hires on at the shop. He was a great addition to the story because he also drives along the mystery that underlies the novel. Popping up around town are posters of a girl who drowned years ago and once Skylark finds out her the name of the new boy at the shop and that the drowned girls name was Mia Casey, she quickly puts two and two together. As Sky starts to get closer to Luke she realizes that they are really looking for the same answers, they want to know what happened to Mia that led her to her death that night. Through their sleuthing for the full story they start to fall for one another slowly and it’s really sweet. I liked that it was by no means insta-love, it buds slowly and at times you aren’t even sure if that is really the direction they are heading. Luke became close with the whole family which had me really rooting for their love story to grow.
Aside from the romance and the friendships in Girl Defective, there is such a fantastic family dynamic. We are quick to learn that Sky and Gully’s mother took off when they were much younger and there is a lot of resentment from Sky about it (rightfully so, in my eyes.) She’s really had to step up in her mother’s absence, not only due to it but also due to the fact that her father has a drinking problem. It was frustrating to see Bill constantly check out and crack open a beer when the kids really did need him. Gully wasn’t an easy child to handle at all, I can’t exactly pin point what was up with him but he had an obsessive personality and was prone to pretty extensive outbursts.
Everything I have said here probably comes across as a pretty glowing review and I do admit that I did like the book overall, but I can’t say that I fell in love with it. It was quite slow moving and at times I was frustrated with that. I am usually a pretty big fan of character driven stories so I can’t blame my subtle indifference to it on that, I did come to care for the characters, but I just wanted more I guess. Some of my disappointment is also because a lot of the musical references went over my head and I consider myself a pretty big music buff. Whatever the reason this one just felt like a 3 star for me so that’s what I am going to slap on it.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
January 3, 2015
Ooo Australian, Teen High Fidelity...
Skylark, ahem... Sky Martin and her brother Seagull, ahem... Gully live above a record shop their father runs. Named after birds and armed with abandonment, rock music and restlessness they team up to solve St. Kilda's mysteries.
Sky and Gully both escape from the realities of their neglect to investigate a local girl who drowned, Mia, and a mysterious vandal of their record shop. Dad drowns his miseries in beer while mom has skipped the country to be an entertainer. Reminiscent of real life each character is battling their own identity issues tied to the past and the impending future.
There's a girl and there's a boy...
Sky's friends are limited and focus on Nancy an older teen/twenty-something who has no known roots and a few aliases. Channeling a hippy vibe, Nancy leads Sky to parties and unleashes maternal chats while exposing her to the harsh realities of living without consequence. Nancy plays substitute mom with a Penny Lane (a la Almost Famous) kind of flare.
Luke enter's the story during Sky's search for solutions and her father's search for help at the shop. In the beginning Sky has no interest in him but Luke's redeeming qualities are far from romantic. Their interactions are awkward and sometimes hilariously painful to watch. However, it's Luke's brooding pain that makes him interesting and his desire to move forward that brings him and Sky together.
I really like Luke's character and not because he's this brooding, artistic mystery boy. Although, that's nice but because he doesn't let all the Martin family dysfunction scare him off. His bond with Gully, even mid-meltdown, brings about feels.
It started slow...
but the music and dysfunction drew me in. If you're looking for a clear plot point, don't. Let the character development, darkness and the whimsical sadness act as your focal point. I have to admit I really wanted to know where we were going but I eventually got it and just let go.
The music is the beginning and end, and I can respect that. Music is powerful whether it be a vinyl record or mixtape it's always personal. I stopped along the way to visit YouTube for the songs referenced.
It's the connections I built to the characters that got me to the end but a stronger plot would've left me gripping my seat.
The gritty darkness was something...
Sky's nontraditional relationship with her dad allows her to roam around town unchecked which evolves into the exploration of Mia's death and the local music scene. For me there were definitely moments where the scene culture rang true, loud and clear. The scene is a place where innocence is lost and, when the sun comes up, there's no place to hide.
There's this idea that Sky needs to find "her people" and I think it's the darker tones that allow for the silver scarf to be pulled off. At some point the predictable unveilings feel like a Saturday morning PSA but it doesn't make it any less significant.
These characters have stayed with me...
I cannot shake Nancy and Gully from my head! There are feels involved here and I'm happy with how it all shakes out but it was a bumpy road. Simmone Howell really takes her time building these characters. Exploring their flaws, cracks, and coping mechanisms to tighten up my emotional investment. This is what made Girl Defective for me.
You'll like this if...
If you enjoy books about music, mysteries and darker contemps. Character development over plot. Similar in writing style and story to the novels Perks of a Wallflower and High Fidelity.
*Review copy provided by the publisher, opinions are honest and my own.
Skylark, ahem... Sky Martin and her brother Seagull, ahem... Gully live above a record shop their father runs. Named after birds and armed with abandonment, rock music and restlessness they team up to solve St. Kilda's mysteries.
Sky and Gully both escape from the realities of their neglect to investigate a local girl who drowned, Mia, and a mysterious vandal of their record shop. Dad drowns his miseries in beer while mom has skipped the country to be an entertainer. Reminiscent of real life each character is battling their own identity issues tied to the past and the impending future.
There's a girl and there's a boy...
Sky's friends are limited and focus on Nancy an older teen/twenty-something who has no known roots and a few aliases. Channeling a hippy vibe, Nancy leads Sky to parties and unleashes maternal chats while exposing her to the harsh realities of living without consequence. Nancy plays substitute mom with a Penny Lane (a la Almost Famous) kind of flare.
Luke enter's the story during Sky's search for solutions and her father's search for help at the shop. In the beginning Sky has no interest in him but Luke's redeeming qualities are far from romantic. Their interactions are awkward and sometimes hilariously painful to watch. However, it's Luke's brooding pain that makes him interesting and his desire to move forward that brings him and Sky together.
I really like Luke's character and not because he's this brooding, artistic mystery boy. Although, that's nice but because he doesn't let all the Martin family dysfunction scare him off. His bond with Gully, even mid-meltdown, brings about feels.
It started slow...
but the music and dysfunction drew me in. If you're looking for a clear plot point, don't. Let the character development, darkness and the whimsical sadness act as your focal point. I have to admit I really wanted to know where we were going but I eventually got it and just let go.
The music is the beginning and end, and I can respect that. Music is powerful whether it be a vinyl record or mixtape it's always personal. I stopped along the way to visit YouTube for the songs referenced.
It's the connections I built to the characters that got me to the end but a stronger plot would've left me gripping my seat.
The gritty darkness was something...
Sky's nontraditional relationship with her dad allows her to roam around town unchecked which evolves into the exploration of Mia's death and the local music scene. For me there were definitely moments where the scene culture rang true, loud and clear. The scene is a place where innocence is lost and, when the sun comes up, there's no place to hide.
There's this idea that Sky needs to find "her people" and I think it's the darker tones that allow for the silver scarf to be pulled off. At some point the predictable unveilings feel like a Saturday morning PSA but it doesn't make it any less significant.
These characters have stayed with me...
I cannot shake Nancy and Gully from my head! There are feels involved here and I'm happy with how it all shakes out but it was a bumpy road. Simmone Howell really takes her time building these characters. Exploring their flaws, cracks, and coping mechanisms to tighten up my emotional investment. This is what made Girl Defective for me.
You'll like this if...
If you enjoy books about music, mysteries and darker contemps. Character development over plot. Similar in writing style and story to the novels Perks of a Wallflower and High Fidelity.
*Review copy provided by the publisher, opinions are honest and my own.
May 17, 2013
Thanks to Pan Macmillan for the review copy!
4.5/5... I think. I never know what to rate these days.
I liked it. It's a glorious blend of things I like in contemporary YA.
* A dorky love interest who seems to care about the main character on a level higher than purely physical.
* Coming of age. There's a heck of a lot of it in this book. Think, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, except the priorities are a bit different here.
* Music. OMG so much music! I had no idea, otherwise I would have bumped this up the TBR a while ago. I read the first page and was instantly excited. The main setting is a record shop. Pop culture references are plentiful. I've got a .txt document keeping track of them all so I could look them up later.
* Outgoing, adventurous friend. If you've read Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard... it's kind of like that. Nancy is a free spirit. Our main character is four years her junior and looks up to her in a state of perpetual wonder. This plays into the coming of age theme very strongly. I just... loved it.
* The mystery! I loved the Martin family and all their kookiness. Gully has been soaking up crime dramas. He's a detective, and along with Sky we work towards cracking some cases in the local area.
* The Aussieness. Yet ANOTHER book set in St Kilda, Melbourne! I'll definitely have to go there when/if I go South. I liked the subtleness of the atmosphere that is created in Howell's writing. She paints the area in bleak tones... the Luna Park that's lame/boring unless you're hyped up on something (our Luna Park here isn't that great either, imo); old buildings are closing down and being sold out for renovations; the neighbourhood is full of bitter, cruel people.
* Family issues. Their mum leaves, changes her name and moves to Japan as a change of pace in her musical career. (She becomes a form of Lady Gaga.) The ripple after-effects are, of course, felt by all involved. Their dad starts drinking again (or drinks more). Gully copes by escaping into his fantasies; also, he won't take off that darned pig snout mask that his mum gave him before she left. And Sky...
* Writing................
* Edge factor............ There's a fair amount of swearing, sex, drugs, alcohol, smoking, party girls, little hints of experimentation. So. If you're looking for squeaky clean, in this book you will not find. But I think Howell handled it all brilliantly. It would be interesting to know what influenced her to include these elements to the story. I absolutely love this one moment where Nancy tells Sky about this Japanese festival where foreigners yell swears at them and just out of nowhere she yells the F word out the window. Just cracks me up (I know, it's a dumb thing to crack up at), and I know it's pretty irrelevant to the plot, but just that one paragraph shows a lot about Nancy's character. God, I have a lot to say about her.
* Themes of change and belonging. There's an allusion to the pupa (transitional stage from caterpillar to butterfly), for one. And some other stuff. My eyes, I see stars. More tomorrow.
--More words here, to come, tomorrow. (Maybe.) I'm so tired. Not sure if I've written any spoiler things above. But. Bottom line, I really liked it. There's a lot to talk about, which is good. It's just the matter of typing it all out. I wish there was some kind of way I could just transfer my thoughts straight from my brain on to here...
4.5/5... I think. I never know what to rate these days.
I liked it. It's a glorious blend of things I like in contemporary YA.
* A dorky love interest who seems to care about the main character on a level higher than purely physical.
* Coming of age. There's a heck of a lot of it in this book. Think, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, except the priorities are a bit different here.
* Music. OMG so much music! I had no idea, otherwise I would have bumped this up the TBR a while ago. I read the first page and was instantly excited. The main setting is a record shop. Pop culture references are plentiful. I've got a .txt document keeping track of them all so I could look them up later.
* Outgoing, adventurous friend. If you've read Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard... it's kind of like that. Nancy is a free spirit. Our main character is four years her junior and looks up to her in a state of perpetual wonder. This plays into the coming of age theme very strongly. I just... loved it.
* The mystery! I loved the Martin family and all their kookiness. Gully has been soaking up crime dramas. He's a detective, and along with Sky we work towards cracking some cases in the local area.
* The Aussieness. Yet ANOTHER book set in St Kilda, Melbourne! I'll definitely have to go there when/if I go South. I liked the subtleness of the atmosphere that is created in Howell's writing. She paints the area in bleak tones... the Luna Park that's lame/boring unless you're hyped up on something (our Luna Park here isn't that great either, imo); old buildings are closing down and being sold out for renovations; the neighbourhood is full of bitter, cruel people.
* Family issues. Their mum leaves, changes her name and moves to Japan as a change of pace in her musical career. (She becomes a form of Lady Gaga.) The ripple after-effects are, of course, felt by all involved. Their dad starts drinking again (or drinks more). Gully copes by escaping into his fantasies; also, he won't take off that darned pig snout mask that his mum gave him before she left. And Sky...
* Writing................
* Edge factor............ There's a fair amount of swearing, sex, drugs, alcohol, smoking, party girls, little hints of experimentation. So. If you're looking for squeaky clean, in this book you will not find. But I think Howell handled it all brilliantly. It would be interesting to know what influenced her to include these elements to the story. I absolutely love this one moment where Nancy tells Sky about this Japanese festival where foreigners yell swears at them and just out of nowhere she yells the F word out the window. Just cracks me up (I know, it's a dumb thing to crack up at), and I know it's pretty irrelevant to the plot, but just that one paragraph shows a lot about Nancy's character. God, I have a lot to say about her.
* Themes of change and belonging. There's an allusion to the pupa (transitional stage from caterpillar to butterfly), for one. And some other stuff. My eyes, I see stars. More tomorrow.
--More words here, to come, tomorrow. (Maybe.) I'm so tired. Not sure if I've written any spoiler things above. But. Bottom line, I really liked it. There's a lot to talk about, which is good. It's just the matter of typing it all out. I wish there was some kind of way I could just transfer my thoughts straight from my brain on to here...
February 16, 2015
Books like this one are the reason I still read YA at 23. It gets all the ugly-beautiful-tender-gritty coming of age stuff just right. It made me feel so nostalgic for my skipping school to hang out at the record shop days. It also made me feel happy, sad, hopeful and little adventurous. I absolutely adored it.
Skylark is a 15 year old girl who is trying to find her people and her place in the world. She is tough, vulnerable, smart, kind, passionate, insecure and hungry for adventure. She's right on the edge of something, wanting to take the leap, but also a bit afraid to.
Bill, the single-dad, who loves his children, music and a drink. He's stuck in the past: totally analog and nostalgic.
Seagull, the little brother, who wears his pig-snout mask 24/7 and is obsessed with solving mysteries.
Nancy, the beautiful, reckless and restless best friend. Shes Sky's ticket into a world of parties, glitter and danger.
Luke, the tragi-hot boy who starts working in the record shop.
And Mia, Luke's sister, a lost girl.
Characters like these are rare. They're layered, flawed, interesting and mostly well meaning people. I felt for every single one of them.
One of the things I loved the most about this book is the way Howell nails the closeness and complexities of teenage friendships. It's all in there. The good, the bad and the ugly.
The family relationships are also described perfectly. And though there's romance (sweet, sweet, romance - also done well) I really liked that this wasn't the main focus of the book. That the romantic relationship isn't depicted as more important than the others. It always annoys me when the boyfriend is the most important thing in the protagonists universe. Sky is not like that. At all.
And then there's the music. Because, of course, a book set mainly in a record shop is full of music. Whether Skye's listening to records alone in her room, going on a rant on the importance of taste or having an adventure at a concert the soundtrack sets the mood just right. The blurb mentions High Fidelity, but there's also a touch of Almost Famous, especially in the characters love for music and the palpable sense that it's all happening.
Just a warning: If you're an underliner like me, this is the kind of book you should read with a pencil in your hand, cause the writing is stunning and full of gems.
Skylark is a 15 year old girl who is trying to find her people and her place in the world. She is tough, vulnerable, smart, kind, passionate, insecure and hungry for adventure. She's right on the edge of something, wanting to take the leap, but also a bit afraid to.
Bill, the single-dad, who loves his children, music and a drink. He's stuck in the past: totally analog and nostalgic.
Seagull, the little brother, who wears his pig-snout mask 24/7 and is obsessed with solving mysteries.
Nancy, the beautiful, reckless and restless best friend. Shes Sky's ticket into a world of parties, glitter and danger.
Luke, the tragi-hot boy who starts working in the record shop.
And Mia, Luke's sister, a lost girl.
Characters like these are rare. They're layered, flawed, interesting and mostly well meaning people. I felt for every single one of them.
One of the things I loved the most about this book is the way Howell nails the closeness and complexities of teenage friendships. It's all in there. The good, the bad and the ugly.
"She got it - that everything old was good. And now we were retro girls together. I never dared dream of such a friendship. We listened to old records; we read old books. We watched old movies and filched the dialogue."
"I don't know why it had to hurt, the way she dialed the world with her little finger"
The family relationships are also described perfectly. And though there's romance (sweet, sweet, romance - also done well) I really liked that this wasn't the main focus of the book. That the romantic relationship isn't depicted as more important than the others. It always annoys me when the boyfriend is the most important thing in the protagonists universe. Sky is not like that. At all.
And then there's the music. Because, of course, a book set mainly in a record shop is full of music. Whether Skye's listening to records alone in her room, going on a rant on the importance of taste or having an adventure at a concert the soundtrack sets the mood just right. The blurb mentions High Fidelity, but there's also a touch of Almost Famous, especially in the characters love for music and the palpable sense that it's all happening.
"Sometimes I thought if it wasn't for music, I wouldn't be able to cry or laugh or feel giddy or wild."
"People who say they like everything have no taste. And having no taste is worse than having bad taste."
Just a warning: If you're an underliner like me, this is the kind of book you should read with a pencil in your hand, cause the writing is stunning and full of gems.
March 31, 2015
One-Sentence Summary: With a weirdo brother and an alcoholic father, all Sky wants is to not feel defective.
Time/Setting: Present day St. Kilda, Australia.
Review: This book is...I honestly don’t know how to describe it. It has its good moments, but overall, I’m not all that impressed. I always have a hard time reading stories with irresponsible parents placing the burdens on their offspring. You had the kids, you take care of them—simple. But everybody has to make things complicated all the time. Sky is just trying to find her place in the world, so it doesn’t help that she has to be her socially-challenged brother’s keeper and her need for companionship is found in an opportunist, older girl. I know I was supposed to feel hopeful at the end of the novel, but I didn’t. It felt short to me. Yes, one of the characters develops, but everyone else seems like they’ll just go back to their own cycles of destructive behaviors. It also didn’t help that I didn’t understand some of the language, but that’s to be expected when you read a novel written in another country that also speaks English.
Favorite Character: Eh, not sure honestly.
Least Favorite Character: The mom, and I didn’t like Nancy all that much. The dad kind of sucked, too.
Favorite Quote: “They don’t teach you how to make friends at school. How one day, If it’s the right person, you can open and empty out, and then they can pour their story into your space, and shifting of components goes on until you’re mixed good” (p. 224-5)
Recommend?: Eh, not really.
Re-read?: Highly unlikely.
Time/Setting: Present day St. Kilda, Australia.
Review: This book is...I honestly don’t know how to describe it. It has its good moments, but overall, I’m not all that impressed. I always have a hard time reading stories with irresponsible parents placing the burdens on their offspring. You had the kids, you take care of them—simple. But everybody has to make things complicated all the time. Sky is just trying to find her place in the world, so it doesn’t help that she has to be her socially-challenged brother’s keeper and her need for companionship is found in an opportunist, older girl. I know I was supposed to feel hopeful at the end of the novel, but I didn’t. It felt short to me. Yes, one of the characters develops, but everyone else seems like they’ll just go back to their own cycles of destructive behaviors. It also didn’t help that I didn’t understand some of the language, but that’s to be expected when you read a novel written in another country that also speaks English.
Favorite Character: Eh, not sure honestly.
Least Favorite Character: The mom, and I didn’t like Nancy all that much. The dad kind of sucked, too.
Favorite Quote: “They don’t teach you how to make friends at school. How one day, If it’s the right person, you can open and empty out, and then they can pour their story into your space, and shifting of components goes on until you’re mixed good” (p. 224-5)
Recommend?: Eh, not really.
Re-read?: Highly unlikely.
July 18, 2017
I was really surprised by how much I liked this book. It took no time at all to get into and I love the vibrant narrating and offbeat characters: Skylark the outcast (and main character); Gully the eccentric spy-wannabe little brother; Bill the well-meaning alkie/single dad looking for his holy grail; Nancy the exciting, flaky, retro-obsessed best friend; and a lot of other colorful people all maintaining in the Australian suburb of St. Kilda.
15 year old Skylark Martin's father Bill has just inexplicably hired the mysterious out-of-towner Luke in the family's record shop. Suddenly Skylark and Gully get swept up into a series of local mysteries in the midst of several changes to their family and town.
Despite the mysteries and mini-dramas, "Girl Defective" is a pretty laid back story that flows well. A lot of music I've never heard of is mentioned (and often) but yet the story is highly enjoyable and funny and I didn't want it to be over. Admittedly I envisioned a different ending, though. I'd definitely read more from this author, 4.5 stars.
15 year old Skylark Martin's father Bill has just inexplicably hired the mysterious out-of-towner Luke in the family's record shop. Suddenly Skylark and Gully get swept up into a series of local mysteries in the midst of several changes to their family and town.
Despite the mysteries and mini-dramas, "Girl Defective" is a pretty laid back story that flows well. A lot of music I've never heard of is mentioned (and often) but yet the story is highly enjoyable and funny and I didn't want it to be over. Admittedly I envisioned a different ending, though. I'd definitely read more from this author, 4.5 stars.
May 15, 2014
Set in St Kilda, this the story of Skylark, who is fifteen years old and living above the family record shop with her father and brother Gully. "We were like inverse superheroes, marked by our defects." She becomes obsessed with a girl who has drowned in the canal, while her brother leads an investigation into who bricked the shop window.
This is a modern day, gritty mystery thriller for older readers with drugs, alcohol and sexual references throughout. The characters are all damaged in some way and we follow the sad story of Mia Casey, the haunting girl on the cover, and how she spent her last days before her death.
The characters and the setting jump off the page as Sky searches for her place in the world amongst people who are flawed and layered, but not necessarily bad. Music is woven throughout and becomes the soundtrack of a story which older readers will love.
Highly recommended as a New Adult read.
This is a modern day, gritty mystery thriller for older readers with drugs, alcohol and sexual references throughout. The characters are all damaged in some way and we follow the sad story of Mia Casey, the haunting girl on the cover, and how she spent her last days before her death.
The characters and the setting jump off the page as Sky searches for her place in the world amongst people who are flawed and layered, but not necessarily bad. Music is woven throughout and becomes the soundtrack of a story which older readers will love.
Highly recommended as a New Adult read.
April 1, 2013
Simmone Howell is a friend and I was excited when she announced a while ago that her new novel Girl Defective was to be published. I’d read half of it early on and couldn’t wait for it to be published so I could read the rest.
This novel is a thing of beauty. Girl Defective is so weird, deep, fucked up and beautiful. It’s everything you want a young adult novel to be and as a writer it’s the sort of book that makes me sigh and wish to write something so amazing.
Since being published Simmone has sold it into the US for a 6 figure sum, which is absolutely amazing. It’s especially lovely to hear because Girl Defective is seeped into the landscape of St Kilda and it’s heartening that Australian literature is making it onto the international scene.
So if you love weird, deep, fucked up and beautiful young adult novels, pick up a copy of Girl Defective. You won’t be disappointed.
This novel is a thing of beauty. Girl Defective is so weird, deep, fucked up and beautiful. It’s everything you want a young adult novel to be and as a writer it’s the sort of book that makes me sigh and wish to write something so amazing.
Since being published Simmone has sold it into the US for a 6 figure sum, which is absolutely amazing. It’s especially lovely to hear because Girl Defective is seeped into the landscape of St Kilda and it’s heartening that Australian literature is making it onto the international scene.
So if you love weird, deep, fucked up and beautiful young adult novels, pick up a copy of Girl Defective. You won’t be disappointed.
September 10, 2014
I wanted to read this because I absolutely loved her book Everything Beautiful. This book is almost completely different but I enjoyed it too. (I feel like it's a testament to Simmone Howell that she's written two books that are almost exact opposites in terms of tone but that both are amazing, fun books. I think Lionel Shriver is the only other author I can think of who almost completely reinvents herself with every book.)
In its synopsis, this book is compared to High Fidelity and Empire Records but it reminded me more of Blake Nelson's book Girl. It had that same kind of feel in terms of a girl sort of coming of age by way of more experienced friends.
I liked Sky but I loved her brother, Gully. I can imagine that I'd feel differently if he were my brother, but he was a complete delight to read. (Gully is a detective.)
This book is an absolute delight. Recommended.
In its synopsis, this book is compared to High Fidelity and Empire Records but it reminded me more of Blake Nelson's book Girl. It had that same kind of feel in terms of a girl sort of coming of age by way of more experienced friends.
I liked Sky but I loved her brother, Gully. I can imagine that I'd feel differently if he were my brother, but he was a complete delight to read. (Gully is a detective.)
This book is an absolute delight. Recommended.
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