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The Fortunes of Indigo Skye
I suddenly see where I'm standing, and that's at the edge of change - really, really big change.
Eighteen-year-old Indigo Skye feels like she has it all - a waitress job she loves, an adorable refrigerator-delivery-guy boyfriend, and a home life that's slightly crazed but rich in love. Until a mysterious man at the restaurant leaves her a 2.5 million-dollar tip, and her life as she knew it is transformed.
At first its amazing: a hot new car, enormous flat-screen TV, and presents for everyone she cares about. She laughs off the warnings that money changes people, that they come to rely on what they have instead of who they are. Because it won't happen...not to her. Or will it? What do you do when you can buy anything your heart desires -- but what your heart desires can't be bought?
This is the story of a girl who gets rich, gets lost, and ultimately finds her way back - if not to where she started, then to where she can start again.
298 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2008
32 people are currently reading
2037 people want to read
About the author
Deb Caletti
37 books2,279 followersDeb Caletti is the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of over twenty books for adults and young adults, including Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, a finalist for the National Book Award, and A Heart in a Body in the World, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. Her books have also won the Josette Frank Award for Fiction, the Washington State Book Award, and numerous other state awards and honors, and she was a finalist for the PEN USA Award. She lives with her family in Seattle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
September 18, 2020
"My heart is still and satisfied. Wait, not 'still' - that would be a bad thing. Calm. Calm and satisfied. There's nothing else I desire right then . . . What I am is happy. And maybe that's the closest definition for the word we can get, a life equation: An absence of wanting equals happiness." -- Ms. Skye, on page 44
Deb Caletti has now authored over twenty books, but yet I had never heard of her until a GR friend (thanks, Melanie Brinkman) happened to post The Fortunes of Indigo Skye as a 'want-to-read' just last month. Is this what I've been missing? I suppose it's unseemly for a grown man to be excessive when offering praise, but I absolutely adored this book - the protagonist, the story, and the style of writing.
Indigo Skye is an eighteen year-old high school senior from the Seattle suburbs, just a few months shy of graduation. To financially help out her working-class family (divorced but dedicated mom, nice guy twin brother, intellectual younger sister -- the dad moved to Hawaii several years ago) she works as a waitress at a small diner where she sincerely cares about and serves a small group of assorted customers that she dubs 'the Irregulars.' During an otherwise routine-seeming breakfast shift Indigo earnestly remarks to a newer customer - a quiet, reserved and possibly very unhappy man - that he should quit his smoking habit. The man - blind-sided but thankful at a complete stranger expressing some actual concern for him - responds by gifting Indigo an unusual present of $2.5 million (!!!)
Fortunately, this is not a TV sitcom - although some readers may argue that some of the supporting characters are more 'types' than fully formed personalities - and Indigo Skye, despite her relatively young adult age, is depicted as a intelligent, well-meaning, and often thoughtful teenager. But, just as refreshingly, she occasionally curses, has taken a sip or two of liquor, and drops veiled hints that she likes to get it on with her Mustang-driving boyfriend. She can be snappy (but not hurtful) with her words - I much enjoyed the first-person narration - and reading the story felt like being allowed to page through involving journal entries. How exactly will she deal with the sudden influx of cash?
Fortunately, author Caletti keeps things fairly restrained - Indigo may learn a gentle life lesson or two, but this was not meant to be a full-blown cautionary tale. (She doesn't buy a mansion or Lear Jet.) And, since the story is set in the book's publication year of 2008, it predates the idea - or is it threat? - of becoming an instant social media celebrity. Also, I appreciated that Indigo reconnects with her distant dad (he is the calm voice of reason at a moment late in the story) and the man is presented as - despite his faults as a husband or father - a good guy who cares and worries about his children, and was not just written as a convenient villain. But in the end it all comes back to the charming Indigo Skye - she was humorous, selfless, and sometimes snarky, but she was written in such a way that we would be great to have her for a sister, friend, co-worker etc. in the real world.
Deb Caletti has now authored over twenty books, but yet I had never heard of her until a GR friend (thanks, Melanie Brinkman) happened to post The Fortunes of Indigo Skye as a 'want-to-read' just last month. Is this what I've been missing? I suppose it's unseemly for a grown man to be excessive when offering praise, but I absolutely adored this book - the protagonist, the story, and the style of writing.
Indigo Skye is an eighteen year-old high school senior from the Seattle suburbs, just a few months shy of graduation. To financially help out her working-class family (divorced but dedicated mom, nice guy twin brother, intellectual younger sister -- the dad moved to Hawaii several years ago) she works as a waitress at a small diner where she sincerely cares about and serves a small group of assorted customers that she dubs 'the Irregulars.' During an otherwise routine-seeming breakfast shift Indigo earnestly remarks to a newer customer - a quiet, reserved and possibly very unhappy man - that he should quit his smoking habit. The man - blind-sided but thankful at a complete stranger expressing some actual concern for him - responds by gifting Indigo an unusual present of $2.5 million (!!!)
Fortunately, this is not a TV sitcom - although some readers may argue that some of the supporting characters are more 'types' than fully formed personalities - and Indigo Skye, despite her relatively young adult age, is depicted as a intelligent, well-meaning, and often thoughtful teenager. But, just as refreshingly, she occasionally curses, has taken a sip or two of liquor, and drops veiled hints that she likes to get it on with her Mustang-driving boyfriend. She can be snappy (but not hurtful) with her words - I much enjoyed the first-person narration - and reading the story felt like being allowed to page through involving journal entries. How exactly will she deal with the sudden influx of cash?
Fortunately, author Caletti keeps things fairly restrained - Indigo may learn a gentle life lesson or two, but this was not meant to be a full-blown cautionary tale. (She doesn't buy a mansion or Lear Jet.) And, since the story is set in the book's publication year of 2008, it predates the idea - or is it threat? - of becoming an instant social media celebrity. Also, I appreciated that Indigo reconnects with her distant dad (he is the calm voice of reason at a moment late in the story) and the man is presented as - despite his faults as a husband or father - a good guy who cares and worries about his children, and was not just written as a convenient villain. But in the end it all comes back to the charming Indigo Skye - she was humorous, selfless, and sometimes snarky, but she was written in such a way that we would be great to have her for a sister, friend, co-worker etc. in the real world.
November 6, 2012
Reviewed by Tasha for TeensReadToo.com
Indigo Skye is pretty pleased with her life. She has an amazing boyfriend, she loves being a waitress at the homey neighborhood restaurant, Carrera's, and while her family may not be well off, they sure are filled with love.
While some situations may not be ideal, Indigo knows she will always be supported by those she loves. Whether it is her direct family or her family over at Carrera's (also known as the Irregulars), she knows she always has someone to turn to.
All is good until a new man starts coming into Carrera's. Indigo finds him very strange because he only orders coffee and just stares out the window. One day, Indigo finds a pack of cigarettes in his pocket and tells him off, as she cannot stand a smoker. She thinks she's scared him off until she gets a phone call from her boss telling her the mysterious man left her an envelope.
Indigo is puzzled as to what lays inside, but is sure that it will be disappointing. The contents are anything but disappointing; actually, they are stupendously unbelievable. Enclosed is a check for two-and-a-half million dollars. Indigo is thrilled, but doesn't know much about having money. She is constantly warned that money changes people, but she doesn't think it could ever happen to her.
This was a completely brilliant and amazing book. I fell in love with it from the very first sentence. Not only was the storyline amazing, but all of the characters, not just Indigo, had great personalities. Even the characters that you only met once or twice felt so real that I could automatically tell whether I liked them or not.
Indigo was definitely my favorite character, though. She was extremely sarcastic and witty. There were many, many times that I found myself laughing out loud at comments that Indigo would make or even her actions. What was also so wonderful about the story was its originality. It wasn't your generic rags-to-riches "everyone's rich and happy in the end" story. It was so much more. While Indigo did receive lots of money, she learned more about how to deal with it and become a better person. I felt that Indigo really underwent a change from the beginning of the book to the end, which was really neat.
Deb Caletti's writing was fresh and amazing. Having never read anything of hers before, but having heard good things, I expected a good read, maybe even a great read. Instead I got a stupendous, heartwarming, and hard-to-forget novel. I will definitely be reading many more of her books. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, as it truly was unforgettable. Also, I definitely think that Sarah Dessen fans will love Indigo's story, as well.
Indigo Skye is pretty pleased with her life. She has an amazing boyfriend, she loves being a waitress at the homey neighborhood restaurant, Carrera's, and while her family may not be well off, they sure are filled with love.
While some situations may not be ideal, Indigo knows she will always be supported by those she loves. Whether it is her direct family or her family over at Carrera's (also known as the Irregulars), she knows she always has someone to turn to.
All is good until a new man starts coming into Carrera's. Indigo finds him very strange because he only orders coffee and just stares out the window. One day, Indigo finds a pack of cigarettes in his pocket and tells him off, as she cannot stand a smoker. She thinks she's scared him off until she gets a phone call from her boss telling her the mysterious man left her an envelope.
Indigo is puzzled as to what lays inside, but is sure that it will be disappointing. The contents are anything but disappointing; actually, they are stupendously unbelievable. Enclosed is a check for two-and-a-half million dollars. Indigo is thrilled, but doesn't know much about having money. She is constantly warned that money changes people, but she doesn't think it could ever happen to her.
This was a completely brilliant and amazing book. I fell in love with it from the very first sentence. Not only was the storyline amazing, but all of the characters, not just Indigo, had great personalities. Even the characters that you only met once or twice felt so real that I could automatically tell whether I liked them or not.
Indigo was definitely my favorite character, though. She was extremely sarcastic and witty. There were many, many times that I found myself laughing out loud at comments that Indigo would make or even her actions. What was also so wonderful about the story was its originality. It wasn't your generic rags-to-riches "everyone's rich and happy in the end" story. It was so much more. While Indigo did receive lots of money, she learned more about how to deal with it and become a better person. I felt that Indigo really underwent a change from the beginning of the book to the end, which was really neat.
Deb Caletti's writing was fresh and amazing. Having never read anything of hers before, but having heard good things, I expected a good read, maybe even a great read. Instead I got a stupendous, heartwarming, and hard-to-forget novel. I will definitely be reading many more of her books. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, as it truly was unforgettable. Also, I definitely think that Sarah Dessen fans will love Indigo's story, as well.
October 9, 2013
SPOILER ALERT: I did in fact finish this one, despite the fact I stopped nearly every chapter and thought about chucking it. Caletti is in fact a decent writer, so I stuck it out in the hopes that the style would be matched at some point by the plot or the characters. The basic plot: a teenage waitress gets a tip for two and a half million dollars, and her life changes for the worse until she learns some lessons. I told this plot to one of my friends, and he said "Oh, so it's like that Nicholas Cage movie." I can't verify, I haven't seen that movie, but I remember the previews and yes...similar.
But the reasons why I disliked this book, without further ado:
1. The plot is completely and in all ways predictable. Indigo, the waitress, receives the money and her friends and family start to treat her differently and she begins to get a big head. Once her life has spun out of control, so looks around and has the brilliant epiphany that this isn't what she wanted and has to go around apologizing for her behavior.
2. Even though it is predictable that she end up back with the love interest, her boyfriend Trevor, I really wished it hadn't happened. As soon as Trevor finds out that she has this money he starts making lists of things to buy for himself. She is upset, rightly so, but ends up continually placating him after she argues with him about what amounts to him using his girlfriend to get what he wants. By the end of the book she's had to orchestrate a huge apology in order to get him back, he's decided to go to college for business and...she's decided to fund it. Really?! What is this teaching young girls? Not only is it ok for a guy to use you, but you should bend over backwards to keep this guy because you've been together so long that it's comfortable/expected and you'll never feel right without him. This guy had his entire car re-done with the thought that she would pay for it without telling her beforehand, and later in the book she left him a message saying "Please-hate me, but don't ignore me." I was livid.
3. Indigo handles having the money, i.e., keeps a level head, until her boyfriend takes her on a shopping spree to the mall. The mall is the big bad catalyst for her downfall, which follows thereafter so swiftly it actually makes very little sense.
4. Indigo's morals read like an after-school special. Let me preface this with saying I was not a smoker, stoner, drinker, etc. in high school either, so I actually agree with these statements. However, in this character it is hard to swallow. It is even thrown in that people who don't wear seatbelts are morons. True, but again... I felt trapped in an after-school special, and it is not really necessary to the plot. Indigo has such an issue with smoking that she goes ballistic on anyone she sees with a pack of cigarettes. Which brings me to number five...
5. The only reason the rich man left her a two and half million dollar tip is because she waited on him, reamed him out for having a pack of cigarettes, and it changed his life. I felt so let down. For the rich character, Indigo was the first person to tell him "no" because she cared about him instead of saying "yes" to him because he was rich. Hmmm...and for this he drops millions of dollars and moves to Hawaii? I could see leaving fifty or even a hundred because you respect the person, but in today's society, how many smokers haven't heard the phrase "those things will kill you" from multiple people? I'm sure if this had truly happened the man would have not left her a tip at all for presuming to yell at him for what is really his own business.
6. The rich guy and one of his friends are the only "good" rich people in the book. Otherwise, all the rich are shallow, manipulative, greedy bastards who only care about themselves. Even the "friend" Indigo has at the beginning of the book who is somewhat well off turns out to be just in it in life for what she can get. I felt this was generalization at its worst, and believe me, I'm anything but rich myself. Some of rich people's actions don't even make logical sense. Indigo's twin brother takes a rich girl to prom and then is later invited to a party at her house where he is expected not to be a guest, but rather a waiter. What?! If this girl were really that shallow, she wouldn't have deigned to be seen with him at prom, even as a "charity case" as we're supposed to believe. The rich are just demonized in this book. Obviously, many rich people can get big heads and fall into the trap of always wanting more. But aside from not every rich person falling into that category, there are plenty of poor or middle-class people who also always want more. Perhaps this is why Caletti threw in the madness of Trevor wanting to spend Indigo's money, but in the end what comes across is that the rich are innately horrible people, end of story.
7. Going along with six...money steals everyone's soul. Caletti took the "root of all evil" idea and ran with it. Aside from the boyfriend, Indigo's little sister ends up abandoning her philanthropic ideals to watch the massive tv that is bought, as told above - her brother abandons his self-respect for a rich girl (he was a waiter at one of her functions prior to the prom), and her best friend is only revealed to be less than a good friend once she is in Malibu at her father's, surrounded by opulence. The friend character says she feels more like herself in that setting, and lo and behold...she's no good there.
8. The only people immune to the evil pull of money (or jealousy over her having it) are Indigo's parents. So I guess add to the after-school special feel the idea that your parents know what's best. Even if, as in this case, one of your parents left your family and started living with a 28 year-old in Hawaii. But that's ok, because he is deep and philosophical and gives you books by Ralph Waldo Emerson and tells you to not lose yourself.
So that is why I gave this two stars, despite Caletti being able to write in a style that is actually pretty terrific.
But the reasons why I disliked this book, without further ado:
1. The plot is completely and in all ways predictable. Indigo, the waitress, receives the money and her friends and family start to treat her differently and she begins to get a big head. Once her life has spun out of control, so looks around and has the brilliant epiphany that this isn't what she wanted and has to go around apologizing for her behavior.
2. Even though it is predictable that she end up back with the love interest, her boyfriend Trevor, I really wished it hadn't happened. As soon as Trevor finds out that she has this money he starts making lists of things to buy for himself. She is upset, rightly so, but ends up continually placating him after she argues with him about what amounts to him using his girlfriend to get what he wants. By the end of the book she's had to orchestrate a huge apology in order to get him back, he's decided to go to college for business and...she's decided to fund it. Really?! What is this teaching young girls? Not only is it ok for a guy to use you, but you should bend over backwards to keep this guy because you've been together so long that it's comfortable/expected and you'll never feel right without him. This guy had his entire car re-done with the thought that she would pay for it without telling her beforehand, and later in the book she left him a message saying "Please-hate me, but don't ignore me." I was livid.
3. Indigo handles having the money, i.e., keeps a level head, until her boyfriend takes her on a shopping spree to the mall. The mall is the big bad catalyst for her downfall, which follows thereafter so swiftly it actually makes very little sense.
4. Indigo's morals read like an after-school special. Let me preface this with saying I was not a smoker, stoner, drinker, etc. in high school either, so I actually agree with these statements. However, in this character it is hard to swallow. It is even thrown in that people who don't wear seatbelts are morons. True, but again... I felt trapped in an after-school special, and it is not really necessary to the plot. Indigo has such an issue with smoking that she goes ballistic on anyone she sees with a pack of cigarettes. Which brings me to number five...
5. The only reason the rich man left her a two and half million dollar tip is because she waited on him, reamed him out for having a pack of cigarettes, and it changed his life. I felt so let down. For the rich character, Indigo was the first person to tell him "no" because she cared about him instead of saying "yes" to him because he was rich. Hmmm...and for this he drops millions of dollars and moves to Hawaii? I could see leaving fifty or even a hundred because you respect the person, but in today's society, how many smokers haven't heard the phrase "those things will kill you" from multiple people? I'm sure if this had truly happened the man would have not left her a tip at all for presuming to yell at him for what is really his own business.
6. The rich guy and one of his friends are the only "good" rich people in the book. Otherwise, all the rich are shallow, manipulative, greedy bastards who only care about themselves. Even the "friend" Indigo has at the beginning of the book who is somewhat well off turns out to be just in it in life for what she can get. I felt this was generalization at its worst, and believe me, I'm anything but rich myself. Some of rich people's actions don't even make logical sense. Indigo's twin brother takes a rich girl to prom and then is later invited to a party at her house where he is expected not to be a guest, but rather a waiter. What?! If this girl were really that shallow, she wouldn't have deigned to be seen with him at prom, even as a "charity case" as we're supposed to believe. The rich are just demonized in this book. Obviously, many rich people can get big heads and fall into the trap of always wanting more. But aside from not every rich person falling into that category, there are plenty of poor or middle-class people who also always want more. Perhaps this is why Caletti threw in the madness of Trevor wanting to spend Indigo's money, but in the end what comes across is that the rich are innately horrible people, end of story.
7. Going along with six...money steals everyone's soul. Caletti took the "root of all evil" idea and ran with it. Aside from the boyfriend, Indigo's little sister ends up abandoning her philanthropic ideals to watch the massive tv that is bought, as told above - her brother abandons his self-respect for a rich girl (he was a waiter at one of her functions prior to the prom), and her best friend is only revealed to be less than a good friend once she is in Malibu at her father's, surrounded by opulence. The friend character says she feels more like herself in that setting, and lo and behold...she's no good there.
8. The only people immune to the evil pull of money (or jealousy over her having it) are Indigo's parents. So I guess add to the after-school special feel the idea that your parents know what's best. Even if, as in this case, one of your parents left your family and started living with a 28 year-old in Hawaii. But that's ok, because he is deep and philosophical and gives you books by Ralph Waldo Emerson and tells you to not lose yourself.
So that is why I gave this two stars, despite Caletti being able to write in a style that is actually pretty terrific.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2009
What gives, Caletti? I found your previous books so charming, so lovely!
Here is a quote a few pages in that shook me to my very core:
Uhhh I never want to kiss anyone ever again.
You know, I really hate books about working class folks written by middle/upper class folks who don't seem to grasp what that actually means. They don't automatically call their mothers "Ma" and spend mealtimes talking about what they'd buy if only they were rich. Relationships aren't necessarily dominated by money/power/class - I mean, they might be? But they aren't ALWAYS. Also the copyright on my book is 2008, so why are cell phones such an indicator of money/uppitiness? Why is everyone in Malibu an effing jackass?
I also hate books where the author clearly keeps looking for excuses to drop in clever little quips like she's working out a comedy routine. Trust me, if they fit, I won't notice. Writers probably do it all the time and I have noooo idea. Here it is bizarrely transparent though. This dovetails with another complaint, which is that I truly never understood who Indigo was. Nothing and simultaneously EVERYTHING that she did surprised me, because who the hell was she anyway?
Also I hate the ending so, so, so much, and think it's a terrible lesson.
Here is a quote a few pages in that shook me to my very core:
He kisses me and our tongues loll around together, like seals playing in water.
Uhhh I never want to kiss anyone ever again.
You know, I really hate books about working class folks written by middle/upper class folks who don't seem to grasp what that actually means. They don't automatically call their mothers "Ma" and spend mealtimes talking about what they'd buy if only they were rich. Relationships aren't necessarily dominated by money/power/class - I mean, they might be? But they aren't ALWAYS. Also the copyright on my book is 2008, so why are cell phones such an indicator of money/uppitiness? Why is everyone in Malibu an effing jackass?
I also hate books where the author clearly keeps looking for excuses to drop in clever little quips like she's working out a comedy routine. Trust me, if they fit, I won't notice. Writers probably do it all the time and I have noooo idea. Here it is bizarrely transparent though. This dovetails with another complaint, which is that I truly never understood who Indigo was. Nothing and simultaneously EVERYTHING that she did surprised me, because who the hell was she anyway?
Also I hate the ending so, so, so much, and think it's a terrible lesson.
Read
June 10, 2008I don't know if I:
a) Need a break from YA
b) Need a break from Deb Caletti
c) Just don't like this book
I do know that I don't really like the main character. At all. She is a little too... self-aware or self-righteous or self-something for my taste. When I was 18 I was a moron. Either way, I just can't finish this book. I can hardly make it through a chapter a day, and if Faith didn't finish it I feel like it's ok that I don't either. Thank you, Faith, for saving me.
a) Need a break from YA
b) Need a break from Deb Caletti
c) Just don't like this book
I do know that I don't really like the main character. At all. She is a little too... self-aware or self-righteous or self-something for my taste. When I was 18 I was a moron. Either way, I just can't finish this book. I can hardly make it through a chapter a day, and if Faith didn't finish it I feel like it's ok that I don't either. Thank you, Faith, for saving me.
February 18, 2011
Indigo Skye doesn't really want much from life. She's happy with her job as a waitress, her boyfriend and her are crazy in love, and her family, however boisterous, is loving and lively. That's why Indigo's life is turned upside down when a mysterious stranger leaves her a 2.5 million dollar tip. At first, Indigo doesn't know what to do with herself. First, she tries to give it back. When that doesn't work, she tries to embrace it, buying expensive cars and a TV that will hardly fit in her house. But thats when she notices people start to change around her. Although she is warned time and time again that money changes people, Indigo can't help but feel a little lost. With all that money, what would you do?
Yes, I know. The plot needs work. The biggest complaint I gathered from other reviews was that the book was "boring". I didn't find it boring exactly, but it was certainly slow-paced. I really wasn't a fan of the plot at all, but there were other reasons why I enjoyed this book.
I love Deb Caletti's style. I didn't always. It is sincerely informal and rambling, and her sentences tend to be overlong and poorly structured. But if I were to write a journal, that is exactly what it would be like. Most teenage girls do not have editors in their brain.
There were just quotes in this book I adored. They were funny and strangely insightful. There are moments where I would look at the book in awe, thinking "I thought I was the only one who thinks of that stuff..." I'm a self-centered kid, so you can imagine how shocking that is to me.
Another area where Caletti shines is in her characters. They have a quirky exuberance only otherwise seen in Ellen Paige movies. They are the kind of people we all wish we could hang out with. Crazy, funny, and a whole lot to love.
So, yes, I liked this charming little book. I recommend it to lovers of a good piece of chick-lit.
Yes, I know. The plot needs work. The biggest complaint I gathered from other reviews was that the book was "boring". I didn't find it boring exactly, but it was certainly slow-paced. I really wasn't a fan of the plot at all, but there were other reasons why I enjoyed this book.
I love Deb Caletti's style. I didn't always. It is sincerely informal and rambling, and her sentences tend to be overlong and poorly structured. But if I were to write a journal, that is exactly what it would be like. Most teenage girls do not have editors in their brain.
There were just quotes in this book I adored. They were funny and strangely insightful. There are moments where I would look at the book in awe, thinking "I thought I was the only one who thinks of that stuff..." I'm a self-centered kid, so you can imagine how shocking that is to me.
Another area where Caletti shines is in her characters. They have a quirky exuberance only otherwise seen in Ellen Paige movies. They are the kind of people we all wish we could hang out with. Crazy, funny, and a whole lot to love.
So, yes, I liked this charming little book. I recommend it to lovers of a good piece of chick-lit.
April 11, 2010
Eighteen-year-old Indigo Skye never worries about money much. Her family is constantly struggling to remain afloat in the economy and lives in a shabby apartment. Despite of this, she is content with being a waitress full time instead of going to college. Indigo's life is changed one day when a mysterious man leaves her a large tip - two and a half million dollars.
The Fortunes of Indigo Skye was, frankly, all over the place. There wasn't really a plot line or anything; it was just events happening one after the other, and that made the book grow tiresome after the first one hundred pages. It didn't help that in addition to the harebrained plot the main character Indigo wasn't very likable either. Her narrative would constantly trail off into random thoughts that had absolutely nothing to do with the story, thus resulting in about 150+ pages of flowery fluff. In fact, none of the characters were really developed or easy to relate to.
Overall, it was an interesting concept done wrong. I've always wanted to read a book about someone who wins a large sum of money - but Caletti didn't control her characters, or her inane ramblings.
The Fortunes of Indigo Skye was, frankly, all over the place. There wasn't really a plot line or anything; it was just events happening one after the other, and that made the book grow tiresome after the first one hundred pages. It didn't help that in addition to the harebrained plot the main character Indigo wasn't very likable either. Her narrative would constantly trail off into random thoughts that had absolutely nothing to do with the story, thus resulting in about 150+ pages of flowery fluff. In fact, none of the characters were really developed or easy to relate to.
Overall, it was an interesting concept done wrong. I've always wanted to read a book about someone who wins a large sum of money - but Caletti didn't control her characters, or her inane ramblings.
October 19, 2009
All right. So this book was about a girl named Indigo Skye, who is an 18-year-old waitress/high school student (she graduates during the book), who gets a 2.5-million-dollar tip. (Remind you of anything?)
My biggest complaint about this book is that it was not a quick read. Maybe that sounds stupid, but the writing style is just one that I can't read quickly... I don't even know what it was... the short sentences, maybe? But the 298 pages took WAY longer than they should have. You know what else it could have been? The margins on the pages were really small... so the text area was pretty wide... and I think I'm mildly dyslexic... And so when there are really long paragraphs, it's hard for my eyes to... wrap... to go from one line to the next. *shrugs* Whatever. It took me a long time to read this book.
The other thing was pacing. I dunno... It seems weird to me that for a book about a girl who gets a 2.5-million-dollar tip, which it says on the inside flap, she'd get it pretty quick into the book. I don't think book flaps/backs should give away any info past about the quarter or third point. But she doesn't get the tip until page 103. I think it all ended up turning out all right, pacing-wise. But around page 60 or 80, I was like, "This is a 3-star book..." because the story wasn't going anywhere. I was like... "Is anything going to happen, or is she just going to sit around at the diner or make out with her boyfriend the whole book??"
Anyway, overall, I'd give this book 3.5 stars. I loved how Indigo was so anti-drugs, anti-smoking, and anti-drinking. And I really loved the "moral" of the story... BEEEEE YOURSELF!! Don't let the money change who you are!! :)
My biggest complaint about this book is that it was not a quick read. Maybe that sounds stupid, but the writing style is just one that I can't read quickly... I don't even know what it was... the short sentences, maybe? But the 298 pages took WAY longer than they should have. You know what else it could have been? The margins on the pages were really small... so the text area was pretty wide... and I think I'm mildly dyslexic... And so when there are really long paragraphs, it's hard for my eyes to... wrap... to go from one line to the next. *shrugs* Whatever. It took me a long time to read this book.
The other thing was pacing. I dunno... It seems weird to me that for a book about a girl who gets a 2.5-million-dollar tip, which it says on the inside flap, she'd get it pretty quick into the book. I don't think book flaps/backs should give away any info past about the quarter or third point. But she doesn't get the tip until page 103. I think it all ended up turning out all right, pacing-wise. But around page 60 or 80, I was like, "This is a 3-star book..." because the story wasn't going anywhere. I was like... "Is anything going to happen, or is she just going to sit around at the diner or make out with her boyfriend the whole book??"
Anyway, overall, I'd give this book 3.5 stars. I loved how Indigo was so anti-drugs, anti-smoking, and anti-drinking. And I really loved the "moral" of the story... BEEEEE YOURSELF!! Don't let the money change who you are!! :)
November 28, 2008
I love the way The Fortunes of Indigo Skye is written. Deb Caletti has a way with words. It's almost a magical touch. A way of capturing perfectly ordinary observations--details of daily life--that just sparkles.
In its simplest, The Fortunes of Indigo Skye, is a story of a girl who loses and finds herself. Indigo Skye is a waitress. She's happily content with being a waitress. She loves her life in fact. But when one of her customers leaves her a big tip--as in crazy big--then Indigo's life becomes challenging. What would you do--as a teenager or adult for that matter--if you woke up to discover that someone gave you a little over two million dollars. Would you stay true to you? Or would you begin changing, transforming into a stranger? What makes you you? How grounded would you need to be to stay real?
The Indigo Skye we first meet is charming as can be. Her definition of happiness is simple, "an absence of wanting equals happiness" (44). She's got her waitressing job, school, friends, family, a boyfriend, Trevor. And for the most part, she's content. That's not to say she doesn't have times when she's restless and unsure. Moments when she wonders what she is going to "be" when she's grown up. But the money she receives changes everything...and everyone...especially herself.
I didn't love this one. Don't get me wrong. I loved the writing in parts. There are phrases that I marked as being oh-so-right and oh-so-true. But I wasn't loving the story of this one. Interesting premise. Indigo starts off with potential. But I didn't find myself connecting with her family--her mom and dad, her brother, Severin, and her sister, Bex. I didn't feel her relationship with Trevor was that developed. He seemed a complete bore. Someone she didn't feel much affection or devotion for. And there weren't many friendships--either with her classmates or with her fellow waitresses--that seemed to be important to her. The book was full of observations--vignettes of human personalities and nature. There were sprinklings of characters that were interesting. But none were fully developed. None were fully engaging.
The novel was enjoyable because of the writing--the language, the style. But the characters, the plot? Just so-so. I thought the book was sluggish in the beginning. It takes a little over hundred pages for her to receive the money. And I can see that as a good thing--in a way--it establishes a "before" so that there can be an "after." (In fact, I enjoyed the first half better than the last half.) But still, I felt it was a bit unevenly paced.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
In its simplest, The Fortunes of Indigo Skye, is a story of a girl who loses and finds herself. Indigo Skye is a waitress. She's happily content with being a waitress. She loves her life in fact. But when one of her customers leaves her a big tip--as in crazy big--then Indigo's life becomes challenging. What would you do--as a teenager or adult for that matter--if you woke up to discover that someone gave you a little over two million dollars. Would you stay true to you? Or would you begin changing, transforming into a stranger? What makes you you? How grounded would you need to be to stay real?
The Indigo Skye we first meet is charming as can be. Her definition of happiness is simple, "an absence of wanting equals happiness" (44). She's got her waitressing job, school, friends, family, a boyfriend, Trevor. And for the most part, she's content. That's not to say she doesn't have times when she's restless and unsure. Moments when she wonders what she is going to "be" when she's grown up. But the money she receives changes everything...and everyone...especially herself.
I didn't love this one. Don't get me wrong. I loved the writing in parts. There are phrases that I marked as being oh-so-right and oh-so-true. But I wasn't loving the story of this one. Interesting premise. Indigo starts off with potential. But I didn't find myself connecting with her family--her mom and dad, her brother, Severin, and her sister, Bex. I didn't feel her relationship with Trevor was that developed. He seemed a complete bore. Someone she didn't feel much affection or devotion for. And there weren't many friendships--either with her classmates or with her fellow waitresses--that seemed to be important to her. The book was full of observations--vignettes of human personalities and nature. There were sprinklings of characters that were interesting. But none were fully developed. None were fully engaging.
The novel was enjoyable because of the writing--the language, the style. But the characters, the plot? Just so-so. I thought the book was sluggish in the beginning. It takes a little over hundred pages for her to receive the money. And I can see that as a good thing--in a way--it establishes a "before" so that there can be an "after." (In fact, I enjoyed the first half better than the last half.) But still, I felt it was a bit unevenly paced.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
September 20, 2008
My eyes are still wet and my heart is still swollen after reading this book! Deb Caletti has a way with words that makes her beautiful story easy to read, laugh out loud and cry with the main character. It is also a big plus that she is from Issaquah, Washington so the places Indigo goes are really there. (Indigo’s mom graduated from Lake Washington High School! I loved the connections I could make) Even though the main character, Indigo, is a recent high school graduate, readers of all ages can relate to her.
Indigo is a young woman working through the last months of high school at Carrera’s, a small “Cheers” like diner in Nine Mile Falls, Washington. She loves this job with the “Irregulars” sharing their daily problems and questions of life. She sees people through the eyes of a waitress, judging each person by the order she gives to the cook. One day a well-dressed older man comes in to Carrera’s and orders “just coffee.” The place is abuzz with curiosity the way a new customer brings. Rumors start about why he orders “just coffee.” He’s depressed, sad, he’s gay… Finally Indigo just asks and she gets her answer: he’s lonely in his successful life. In their short conversations she lets him know that at least one person cares about him, if it is just her. She is rewarded for her kindness with a check for 2.5 million dollars! Now Indigo’s life is full of wealth and confusion. Can money really buy happiness? Yes, it can, as long as the money makes you bigger and not smaller. READ T HIS BOOK!!!!! It’s not the typical “she won the lottery and life sucked.” It’s so much better.
I suggest reading this book with a pencil in hand, ready to underline the amazing quotes (don’t be afraid to write in your books-be an active reader!). Here are some of my favorites:
“Whenever Jack sees his leash, it’s like he’s looking at two plane tickets for around the world, even if it’s just going to the corner and back,” (pg. 33).
“’Indigo, jeeze. Would you quit with the menopause thing? I’m too young for menopause. You can be over forty and just be a bitch,’” (pg. 60).
“When you want what’s real and you try to that in high school, you might as well be looking for a mossy rock beside a babbling brook on the corner of Sixth and Pine in downtown Seattle,” (pg. 71).
“Maybe I want what she has without wanting to be what she is,” (pg. 72).
“We think a lot about having. When we don’t’ have and we think about not having, it’s called dreaming. When we do have and think about not having, it’s called greed,” (pg. 262).
Indigo is a young woman working through the last months of high school at Carrera’s, a small “Cheers” like diner in Nine Mile Falls, Washington. She loves this job with the “Irregulars” sharing their daily problems and questions of life. She sees people through the eyes of a waitress, judging each person by the order she gives to the cook. One day a well-dressed older man comes in to Carrera’s and orders “just coffee.” The place is abuzz with curiosity the way a new customer brings. Rumors start about why he orders “just coffee.” He’s depressed, sad, he’s gay… Finally Indigo just asks and she gets her answer: he’s lonely in his successful life. In their short conversations she lets him know that at least one person cares about him, if it is just her. She is rewarded for her kindness with a check for 2.5 million dollars! Now Indigo’s life is full of wealth and confusion. Can money really buy happiness? Yes, it can, as long as the money makes you bigger and not smaller. READ T HIS BOOK!!!!! It’s not the typical “she won the lottery and life sucked.” It’s so much better.
I suggest reading this book with a pencil in hand, ready to underline the amazing quotes (don’t be afraid to write in your books-be an active reader!). Here are some of my favorites:
“Whenever Jack sees his leash, it’s like he’s looking at two plane tickets for around the world, even if it’s just going to the corner and back,” (pg. 33).
“’Indigo, jeeze. Would you quit with the menopause thing? I’m too young for menopause. You can be over forty and just be a bitch,’” (pg. 60).
“When you want what’s real and you try to that in high school, you might as well be looking for a mossy rock beside a babbling brook on the corner of Sixth and Pine in downtown Seattle,” (pg. 71).
“Maybe I want what she has without wanting to be what she is,” (pg. 72).
“We think a lot about having. When we don’t’ have and we think about not having, it’s called dreaming. When we do have and think about not having, it’s called greed,” (pg. 262).
March 30, 2009
The Fortunes of Indigo Skye was my first book by Deb Caletti, I really liked the idea of it but in the end it was a bit too predictable for me. Usually predictable is fine but for some reason this time it sort of made the story suffer for me, like everything happened so conveniently and easily.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book. I thought Indigo was a rather likable character, how selfless she was and how carefree. She seemed to really love her life and only with the money she is given is she truly tested and ends up discovering more about herself and what she wants in her life. I also really liked the regulars (or Irregulars as Indigo calls them) that frequent the diner she works at. They were a great group of characters. I also really liked Indigo's relationship with her father, who left their family and moved to Hawaii, and how after all these years they are finally taking the chance to really get to know one another.
One character I didn't really care for was Indigo's boyfriend, Trevor, I didn't really see why Indigo would be attracted to him besides that they had been together for so long they were just comfortable with one another and frankly, Indigo seems rather easy to please. He started to get on my nerves after Indigo received the money and he assumed that it was "their" money, didn't even ask or tiptoe around the subject.
In the end, Indigo's journey to finding out who she is with the addition of 2.5 million dollars is an enjoyable one but a bit too predictable.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book. I thought Indigo was a rather likable character, how selfless she was and how carefree. She seemed to really love her life and only with the money she is given is she truly tested and ends up discovering more about herself and what she wants in her life. I also really liked the regulars (or Irregulars as Indigo calls them) that frequent the diner she works at. They were a great group of characters. I also really liked Indigo's relationship with her father, who left their family and moved to Hawaii, and how after all these years they are finally taking the chance to really get to know one another.
One character I didn't really care for was Indigo's boyfriend, Trevor, I didn't really see why Indigo would be attracted to him besides that they had been together for so long they were just comfortable with one another and frankly, Indigo seems rather easy to please. He started to get on my nerves after Indigo received the money and he assumed that it was "their" money, didn't even ask or tiptoe around the subject.
In the end, Indigo's journey to finding out who she is with the addition of 2.5 million dollars is an enjoyable one but a bit too predictable.
March 1, 2017
The two things I've noticed the most about other reviews for this book are how many of Caletti's books they've read in the past and that they are overall disappointed in this book. So, up front, this is my fourth book I've read by Deb Caletti. It was the most disappointing one so far.
I think the idea of the story is overall decent, but the book is just SO slow and honestly, just not that exciting. Also, I hate Trevor. Their relationship is everything I hate. They're 18, high school seniors and apparently supposed to be making every decision together as if they're married, when actually they're not even engaged. Their relationship doesn't even feel serious, it just feels like a thing we're all supposed to accept. Trevor gets all offended that Indigo doesn't automatically want to pay to fix up His mustang, because apparently the two of them being an "us" means it's "their money". It was irritating. The book was blah. I recommend putting this book down and picking of a different title my Caletti.
I think the idea of the story is overall decent, but the book is just SO slow and honestly, just not that exciting. Also, I hate Trevor. Their relationship is everything I hate. They're 18, high school seniors and apparently supposed to be making every decision together as if they're married, when actually they're not even engaged. Their relationship doesn't even feel serious, it just feels like a thing we're all supposed to accept. Trevor gets all offended that Indigo doesn't automatically want to pay to fix up His mustang, because apparently the two of them being an "us" means it's "their money". It was irritating. The book was blah. I recommend putting this book down and picking of a different title my Caletti.
August 6, 2021
I was worried that this was going to be a 3.5 star book, but Caletti saved it with a really sweet ending. Indigo isn’t perfect and neither is this book, but it sure was a fun ride. Even when I wasn’t completely enjoying the book, the unique cast of characters made up for the pacing and plotting flaws.
January 23, 2013
This book was very nice to read. It could have been better, but it didn't need to be.
I very much liked the emotions of the main character, she never lets herself stray too far outside of her own morals, but she pushes the limits just enough to let you know she can be careless.
The characters are a bit flat, but not super flat, and there isn't much development of their personalities (even though this is the supposed central theme of the book) but you still get a bit of a feel for them, it's just more like a 'paint by numbers' picture thana work of art. (In fairness to the author, it's hard to write emotionally in depth characters when the conflicts are mostly internal and you're trying not to make the story too heavy.)
The relationships are quite important in this, but it's Indigo's internal thoughts that really 'make' this book. She thinks a lot of funny and quirky things, and then some really silly things, and then some things that I found kind of insulting. I was okay with that, because if you really get a look into a persons head, you probably wouldn't like everything you heard, maybe not most of it.
There were two moments that stuck out in my mind as annoying, (and unfortunately, I seem to remember those more clearly than the ones I liked) the first was the moment when she talks about how ketchup ruins scrambled eggs, and how having that meal might reflect on someones mind-set. Which... well, I suppose I can't expect much better she's supposed to still be a teenager, and she does seem to think like one. So props for the author, I felt her imaturity verging on maturity, and the half blossomed state of a person who is learning who they are was a consistent and well presented theme in this.
The other moment, was the one where she looks around at the landscape while talking to her boyfriend, admires the beauty of the world around her and then asks "how could someone not believe in a creator?" -- Seriously? Urrg.
That feels like the authors world veiw bleeding over into the character, but I admit that it's not like the character might not think that. She's been raised in america, and that means she's surrounded by a moderately religious culture, and so despite not being overtly religious or spiritual, she probably still holds opinions that reflect that culture.
But it bugged me because she's looking at the natrual world and saying that. The natrual world, which doesn't need any super natrual elements to be beautiful, the natrual world which is the most amazing thing we know of, and the author had the character cheapen that beautiful moment with her by suggesting that it must need a super-natrual element to make it pretty, that it couldn't just BE beautiful and wonderful, and appreciable.
Pissed me off a lot.
Those were pretty much the only points those, other than that, the book feels strangely genuine in a weird way, and a lot of the characters feel very normal, but not super flat, which is nice. (Because usually 'normal' ends up meaning without trait, and that isn't the case here) Indigo's interactions with her family, and friends and boyfriend, and benefactor, as well as the customers and other (mostly 2D)characters from around town is pleasant.
It's a happy book, a somewhat fluffy book. And despite not getting much out of it, it's one I might even read again sometime just because it was so 'cotton-candy'.
Read it if you have nothing better to do, or need a break from more serious books.
April 23, 2009
Plot: Indigo Skye works as a waitress at Carrera’s restaurant and is happy, so happy in fact that she wants to continue being a waitress in lieu of college. The diner has a handful of quirky patrons, the tattooed Leroy, Joe the boxer, Trina of the hot car, Nick who was once accused of killing his wife, and Funny Coyote the poet. Indigo lives with her mother, her brother Severin and sister Bex and seems quite happy. Then, one day her life changes as a guy comes in on a Vespa and orders black coffee. On one occasion, he seems really glum and Indigo tries to cheer him up, changing his life. He decides to leave Indigo two and a half million dollars as a tip. Indigo travels to Hawaii to stay with her dad and step mom in order to give the money back. The Vespa guy convinces her to keep it. Indigo’s life immediately changes. She goes on a shopping spree and begins to get annoyed with her boyfriend Trevor who keeps referring to it as “their” money and finding ways to spend it. She is annoyed with her mother who does not seem to want any of the money, not even for a new house. She travels to Malibu with her friend to get away from everything and realizes that the rich set is not the type of person she wants to hang around with, and even the rock star of her dreams is a smoking loser and not as she pictured him. With the help of her father she develops a plan to distribute the money among her friends and returns home to Trevor, surely not to be destroyed by greed.
Strengths and weaknesses: There are a lot of characters to try and keep track of, and at the beginning it is hard to get a handle on everybody that goes to the diner. Indigo is a wonderful character and fun to read about and I think a lot of teens will be able to identify with her. The lessons that she learns about having money are good ones and the Malibu scene is a nice contrast with her life and the way she was raised. I did find that it took an awful lot of time to get the plot moving. The book was halfway over before she even received the check and the first half of the book moved really slowly. It did pick up the pace in the middle and although this type of story has been told several times before, the characters are fresh and interesting. Many of the side characters are well written. I really like the struggles of Indigo’s father and how he loves her but is unsure of how to be around her. I liked Trevor and his love for Bob Weaver, the mustang, and how he lovingly kept trying to restore him. I even liked Bex and her trying to collect for Tsunami relief until she discovered the television and became almost a zombie for a few chapters. This book would be easy to recommend with only a few swear words and some mentions of marijuana use (in the past.)
Strengths and weaknesses: There are a lot of characters to try and keep track of, and at the beginning it is hard to get a handle on everybody that goes to the diner. Indigo is a wonderful character and fun to read about and I think a lot of teens will be able to identify with her. The lessons that she learns about having money are good ones and the Malibu scene is a nice contrast with her life and the way she was raised. I did find that it took an awful lot of time to get the plot moving. The book was halfway over before she even received the check and the first half of the book moved really slowly. It did pick up the pace in the middle and although this type of story has been told several times before, the characters are fresh and interesting. Many of the side characters are well written. I really like the struggles of Indigo’s father and how he loves her but is unsure of how to be around her. I liked Trevor and his love for Bob Weaver, the mustang, and how he lovingly kept trying to restore him. I even liked Bex and her trying to collect for Tsunami relief until she discovered the television and became almost a zombie for a few chapters. This book would be easy to recommend with only a few swear words and some mentions of marijuana use (in the past.)
August 1, 2009
Indigo Skye is pretty pleased with her life. She has an amazing boyfriend, she loves being a waitress at the homey neighborhood restaurant Carrera’s, and while her family may not be well off they sure are filled with love. While some situations may not be ideal, Indigo knows she will always be supported by those she loves. Whether it is her direct family or her family over at Carrera’s (also known as the Irregulars) she knows she always has someone to turn to. All is good until a new man starts coming into Carrera’s. Indigo finds him very strange because he only orders coffee and just stares out the window. One day Indigo finds a pack of cigarettes in his pocket and tells him off, as she cannot stand a smoker. She thinks she’s scared him off until she gets a phone call from her boss telling her the mysterious man left her an envelope. Indigo is puzzled as to what lays inside, but is sure that it will be disappointing. The contents are anything but disappointing, actually they are stupendously unbelievable. Enclosed is a check for two and a half million dollars. Indigo is thrilled, but doesn’t know much about having money. She is constantly warned that money changes people, but she doesn’t think it could ever happen to her.
This was a completely brilliant and amazing book. I fell in love with it from the very first sentence. Not only was the storyline amazing, but all the characters, not just Indigo, had great personalities. Even the characters that you only met once or twice felt so real and I could automatically tell whether I liked them or not. Indigo was definitely my favorite character though. She was extremely sarcastic and witty. There were many, many times that I found myself laughing out loud at comments that Indigo would make or even her actions. What was also so wonderful about the story was its originality. It wasn’t your generic rags-to-riches everyone’s rich and happy in the end story. It was so much more. While Indigo did receive lots of money she learned more how to deal with it and become a better person. I felt that Indigo really underwent a change from the beginning of the book to the end, which was really neat. Deb Caletti’s writing was fresh and amazing. Having never read anything of hers before, but having heard good things, I expected a good read, maybe even a great read. Instead I got a stupendous, heartwarming, and hard to forget novel. I will definitely be reading many more of her books. I would highly recommend this book to everyone as it truly was unforgettable. Also I definitely think that Sarah Dessen fans will love Indigo’s story as well.
This was a completely brilliant and amazing book. I fell in love with it from the very first sentence. Not only was the storyline amazing, but all the characters, not just Indigo, had great personalities. Even the characters that you only met once or twice felt so real and I could automatically tell whether I liked them or not. Indigo was definitely my favorite character though. She was extremely sarcastic and witty. There were many, many times that I found myself laughing out loud at comments that Indigo would make or even her actions. What was also so wonderful about the story was its originality. It wasn’t your generic rags-to-riches everyone’s rich and happy in the end story. It was so much more. While Indigo did receive lots of money she learned more how to deal with it and become a better person. I felt that Indigo really underwent a change from the beginning of the book to the end, which was really neat. Deb Caletti’s writing was fresh and amazing. Having never read anything of hers before, but having heard good things, I expected a good read, maybe even a great read. Instead I got a stupendous, heartwarming, and hard to forget novel. I will definitely be reading many more of her books. I would highly recommend this book to everyone as it truly was unforgettable. Also I definitely think that Sarah Dessen fans will love Indigo’s story as well.
July 15, 2013
I have read many other books by Deb Caletti and I have enjoyed all of them a lot. I enjoyed this book too. It was sweet, funny, had an awesome main character, and taught a good lesson. First the plot was really good and I felt that it was realistic too. It made the lesson seem far more real. I thought that it was good and well written. But at times the plot would just stretch on with no point. But then it would became interesting again. The characters were all good, but then they changed. For one, I hated how Trevor was acting. He was always focused on the money and not the feelings of Indigo. I know that money can change people in big ways, but he was starting to annoy me. I thought that they were a really good couple and were really sweet together. Indigo was really funny with her snappy comebacks and everything. The other characters were really good in their different personalities. The lesson was fantastic. It taught me that don't change yourself because you have so much money. But it you happen to get lost in yourself with the money, you could always find your way back. And if you can't find the place you started, you can go to where you can start again. I loved that lesson, it taught me a lot and it will teach it to other readers too. Lastly, the ending was great because it wrapped up the book in the perfect way. Hope you enjoy this book and learn the lesson!!!!
February 11, 2024
3 1/2 stars.
This book was confusing for me. I think that Caletti always has significant lessons and all her books and the ways she uses words is very intriguing. However, this storyline was just boring for me. I mean, the only thing that happens is that she gets a lot of money.
Plus, I thought that her family and friends were treating her differently when she got the money, so I can understand why she would be mad/frustrated with them. I mean, they just assumed that they could use her money because they were connected. I mean, did her boyfriend even sit down to discuss anything with her? Did he listen to her opinion before coming up with some crazy way to spend the money? No. There was no communication. And then at the end of the book she is apologizing to him? Hell no. If anything they were both at fault, there is no way that she could take all the blame.
Although I disagree with parts of this book, I think the message is solid for people of all age to understand. Love and family is greater than money, always.
This book was confusing for me. I think that Caletti always has significant lessons and all her books and the ways she uses words is very intriguing. However, this storyline was just boring for me. I mean, the only thing that happens is that she gets a lot of money.
Plus, I thought that her family and friends were treating her differently when she got the money, so I can understand why she would be mad/frustrated with them. I mean, they just assumed that they could use her money because they were connected. I mean, did her boyfriend even sit down to discuss anything with her? Did he listen to her opinion before coming up with some crazy way to spend the money? No. There was no communication. And then at the end of the book she is apologizing to him? Hell no. If anything they were both at fault, there is no way that she could take all the blame.
Although I disagree with parts of this book, I think the message is solid for people of all age to understand. Love and family is greater than money, always.
December 4, 2009
This is one of those books that feels like it takes an eternity to read, not because it is particularly long, more because it's just not that interesting. I like a book to make me want to keep reading it and not want to put it down, not the case here.
Premise, Indigo Skye has a couple million dollars given to her because she was honest about her dislike/hatred of smoking.
She was working a job as a waitres, a lower class member of society and a sort of social outcast at her school.
The story proceeds to her wanting to return this money back to the donater. All of the "twists and turns" seem fairly obvious in this not likely story.
Premise, Indigo Skye has a couple million dollars given to her because she was honest about her dislike/hatred of smoking.
She was working a job as a waitres, a lower class member of society and a sort of social outcast at her school.
The story proceeds to her wanting to return this money back to the donater. All of the "twists and turns" seem fairly obvious in this not likely story.
September 9, 2011
By the time I got to disc 8 of 8 and realized that I didn't like the protagonist and didn't understand her quest to reunite with her boyfriend who assumed all of the money she received in a tip was for them to spend together, mostly on what he wanted, because Indigo realized that she loves him based on their shared appreciation of twilight, I recognized that this book was beyond the point of redemption. It really is a pity. The characters are two-dimensional across the boards here. I loved Caletti's The Nature of Jade, but after this attempt, I think it will be a long while before I wander into another novel of hers.
March 21, 2008
Deb Caletti hits another one out of the park. This isn't some message-heavy book about money being the root of all evil. Caletti has too many amazing characters to count, and she knows them all inside-out. I feel like her voice was a little different, lighter, than her previous books, and at times Indigo's voice reminded me of Maureen Johnson on her blog. This was a beautiful, heartfelt book with full-of-reality characters.
July 26, 2010
I enjoyed the book, but I felt like there was no depth to it. Indigo is a very likeable and down to earth character and we learn early on that she comes from a single parent family that struggles financially, and she has a job working as a waitress where she is left a 2.5 million dollar tip after telling a customer he shouldn't smoke. After reading this, I just feel so empty. I don't know any more than I did when I first started the book.
October 29, 2011
I don't know what to say about this one. I loved the cast of characters: Indigo, Severin, Bex, her mom, Trevor, Freud, Chico, The Irregulars, Jane, Luigi, the Vespa guy, her dad, her dad's friends (minus his wife), Keiko, etc. But something about the story was just not great. I can't put my finger on it. And it took me longer to get through than it should have. Better than Wild Roses but not better than The Six Rules of Maybe and Honey, Baby, Sweetheart. Onto the next Caletti book I go...
August 6, 2011
I really enjoyed this one. Indigo, for the most part, was so adorable and funny. I enjoyed all the characters so much... Indigo's family, her boyfriend, all the restaurant customers. Just a really great and fun story. Deb Caletti writes in such a gorgeous way. Lots of profound/thought provoking statements, but then fun and crazy lines as well.
October 29, 2008
Just doesn't work. The language is to philosophical and lacks depth. The characters don't ring true. The plot plods and then resolves way to fast with little reason or purpose. Released March 25, 2008
May 23, 2008
Caletti takes a familiar theme, adds a coming-fo-age theme, her trademark humor and stirs well with a cast of warm quirky characters. The message is tried and true but the delivery is painless and great fun. A fabulous book to take on vacation or to read AS a vacation.
July 15, 2016
Bitch if someone gave ME two million/billion dollars, I would not be such an uptight bitch literally Indigo you are someone who would call the cops on your neighbors for smoking weed on their porch... bitch.
April 20, 2009
LANGUAGE ALERT: This book contains bad language. Alltogether a good book. Teaches an important message for many.
March 27, 2012
Great, great book, great characters with fun to read ideas like how many places you've put you head down for sleep. Loved it!
December 19, 2024
Brief Summary:
In The Fortunes of Indigo Skye, by Deb Caletti, Indigo is the main character, as a senior who lives in Seattle. Working as a waitress at Carrera’s where she has her regulars come in every day, and she is pleased to see them every day. Her mom and dad are split up, so money’s tight. Her older brother, Severin, is the typical older brother, ignorant and careless. Her little sister, Bex, sits at the corner and takes money from strangers for “tsunami victims”, even when it's just for herself. Her boyfriend, Trevor, is a good guy, but has a shaky past. Indigo struggles to make enough money, especially to go to college, considering it's her senior year. So when an unusual guy comes into the restaurant, and leaves a $2.5 million dollar tip, she doesn’t know what to do with it. Indigo has many thoughts on what to use this money with, but she’s thinking it's for a good cause. Embark on Indigo’s journey as she figures out what to do with her money!
Characters:
Indigo Skye - Main character and POV is in 1st person, so we hear all of her thoughts and what's going on around her. Indigo is very observant, and she uses fantastic details to describe someone. Shes not like the other girls at her school, she’s herself and likes it that way.
Trevor - Indigo’s supportive boyfriend, who used to be bad, but changed just for Indigo, spends every day with Indigo and each day is perfect. If it's going to the waterfalls, or sitting by the lake looking at clouds.
Mother - Lisa Skye works at a psychiatrist office, every day being harder than the days before. Being divorced, she has to provide completely alone for her kids, even if it's not perfect conditions, she still does. Indigo and Lisa have a good relationship, considering both of them having very busy lives. They get by, one day at a time.
Themes and messages:
This story includes many themes and messages. One of the main themes is the idea of identity and self-discovery, as Indigo figures out how sudden wealth changes her life and her relationships. It also explores the concept of responsibility and the impact of money on personal values. Another key message is about the true meaning of happiness and how it's not necessarily tied to physical wealth, it’s rather than the people you have around you.
Personal Reflection:
I like how she tells it from her own perspective, you can really understand what is going on. This book probably doesn't have a lot of readers each year, but I decided to give it a chance. She really explains what goes on every day, with all the special characters at the restaurant, or just random exchanges with people during the day. Deb Caletti really expresses Indigo’s feelings and how observant she really is. As being a waitress, you are really observant, so she really did a good job with this book.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this to someone who likes to know what other people's feelings are like, and how their typical day goes.
Real world connections
This book could actually be real life, if you think of it like that. Many seniors could be a waitress, in Seattle, and that could be their life. Not too many people may get a $2.5 million dollar tip, but you never know. This book just shows the everyday life of Indigo and some people might relate.
In The Fortunes of Indigo Skye, by Deb Caletti, Indigo is the main character, as a senior who lives in Seattle. Working as a waitress at Carrera’s where she has her regulars come in every day, and she is pleased to see them every day. Her mom and dad are split up, so money’s tight. Her older brother, Severin, is the typical older brother, ignorant and careless. Her little sister, Bex, sits at the corner and takes money from strangers for “tsunami victims”, even when it's just for herself. Her boyfriend, Trevor, is a good guy, but has a shaky past. Indigo struggles to make enough money, especially to go to college, considering it's her senior year. So when an unusual guy comes into the restaurant, and leaves a $2.5 million dollar tip, she doesn’t know what to do with it. Indigo has many thoughts on what to use this money with, but she’s thinking it's for a good cause. Embark on Indigo’s journey as she figures out what to do with her money!
Characters:
Indigo Skye - Main character and POV is in 1st person, so we hear all of her thoughts and what's going on around her. Indigo is very observant, and she uses fantastic details to describe someone. Shes not like the other girls at her school, she’s herself and likes it that way.
Trevor - Indigo’s supportive boyfriend, who used to be bad, but changed just for Indigo, spends every day with Indigo and each day is perfect. If it's going to the waterfalls, or sitting by the lake looking at clouds.
Mother - Lisa Skye works at a psychiatrist office, every day being harder than the days before. Being divorced, she has to provide completely alone for her kids, even if it's not perfect conditions, she still does. Indigo and Lisa have a good relationship, considering both of them having very busy lives. They get by, one day at a time.
Themes and messages:
This story includes many themes and messages. One of the main themes is the idea of identity and self-discovery, as Indigo figures out how sudden wealth changes her life and her relationships. It also explores the concept of responsibility and the impact of money on personal values. Another key message is about the true meaning of happiness and how it's not necessarily tied to physical wealth, it’s rather than the people you have around you.
Personal Reflection:
I like how she tells it from her own perspective, you can really understand what is going on. This book probably doesn't have a lot of readers each year, but I decided to give it a chance. She really explains what goes on every day, with all the special characters at the restaurant, or just random exchanges with people during the day. Deb Caletti really expresses Indigo’s feelings and how observant she really is. As being a waitress, you are really observant, so she really did a good job with this book.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this to someone who likes to know what other people's feelings are like, and how their typical day goes.
Real world connections
This book could actually be real life, if you think of it like that. Many seniors could be a waitress, in Seattle, and that could be their life. Not too many people may get a $2.5 million dollar tip, but you never know. This book just shows the everyday life of Indigo and some people might relate.
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