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A Certain October
Three-time Coretta Scott King Award–winner Angela Johnson writes a wrenching, honest book about surviving the unimaginable and finding a way to go on.
Scotty compares herself to tofu: no flavor unless you add something. And it’s true that Scotty’s friends, Misha and Falcone, and her brother, Keone, make life delicious. But when a terrible accident occurs, Scotty feels responsible for the loss of someone she hardly knew, and the world goes wrong. She cannot tell what is a dream and what is real. Her friends are having a hard time getting through to her and her family is preoccupied with their own trauma. But the prospect of a boy, a dance, and the possibility that everything can fall back into place soon help Scotty realize that she is capable of adding her own flavor to life.
With artfully spare prose, acclaimed and award-winning author Angela Johnson explores the ramifications of unexpected death in this compelling coming-of-age story.
Scotty compares herself to tofu: no flavor unless you add something. And it’s true that Scotty’s friends, Misha and Falcone, and her brother, Keone, make life delicious. But when a terrible accident occurs, Scotty feels responsible for the loss of someone she hardly knew, and the world goes wrong. She cannot tell what is a dream and what is real. Her friends are having a hard time getting through to her and her family is preoccupied with their own trauma. But the prospect of a boy, a dance, and the possibility that everything can fall back into place soon help Scotty realize that she is capable of adding her own flavor to life.
With artfully spare prose, acclaimed and award-winning author Angela Johnson explores the ramifications of unexpected death in this compelling coming-of-age story.
Audio CD
First published August 28, 2012
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About the author
Angela Johnson
130 books269 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Angela Johnson is the author of the Coretta Scott King Honor picture book When I Am Old with You; as well as A Sweet Smell of Roses, illustrated by Eric Velasquez; Just Like Josh Gibson, illustrated by Beth Peck; and I Dream of Trains, which was also illustrated by Loren Long. She has won three Coretta Scott King Awards, one each for her novels Heaven, Toning the Sweep, and The First Part Last. In recognition of her outstanding talent, Angela was named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow. She lives in Kent, Ohio.
Angela Johnson is the author of the Coretta Scott King Honor picture book When I Am Old with You; as well as A Sweet Smell of Roses, illustrated by Eric Velasquez; Just Like Josh Gibson, illustrated by Beth Peck; and I Dream of Trains, which was also illustrated by Loren Long. She has won three Coretta Scott King Awards, one each for her novels Heaven, Toning the Sweep, and The First Part Last. In recognition of her outstanding talent, Angela was named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow. She lives in Kent, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
September 23, 2022
A Certain October is a story of grief and survivor's guilt from the POV of Scotty. It basically entails the aftermath of a train crash and the consequences Scotty has to deal with upon losing a classmate and seeing her brother in a coma.
I liked the complex nature of the book, this is something I had never read about before so I felt like I was learning something new. The book was successful in making me feel all kinds of emotional and I could share Scotty's pain.
But imo this would have fared better if it was a bit longer and the author had the audience make connections with the other characters of the book. I also could not understand whether there was a specific reason for Keone's character being shown autistic, it was barely focused on in the book.
I liked the complex nature of the book, this is something I had never read about before so I felt like I was learning something new. The book was successful in making me feel all kinds of emotional and I could share Scotty's pain.
But imo this would have fared better if it was a bit longer and the author had the audience make connections with the other characters of the book. I also could not understand whether there was a specific reason for Keone's character being shown autistic, it was barely focused on in the book.
December 17, 2021
I really enjoyed Johnson's deft, breezy characterization; her construction of Scotty as a sympathetic, complex, and flawed character was effective, and I was impressed that it was done in a text as brief as this one. That said, an autistic person is turned from a character into a plot point here, and he's not the only character whose story gets overlooked: this book's weakness is that it's so brief we do not get to "know" the cast of characters we are introduced to, we're separated from enough backstory to make the narrative meaningful, and we're left, as readers, trying to fill in blanks. While at times the spareness of the prose really worked, I was ultimately left wanting –– and specifically, wanting for Scotty's autistic brother to be an actual character rather than a vehicle for her personal growth.
March 3, 2013
First Part Last was also a slim volume, but it packed so much more of a punch than A Certain October. As a main character, Scotty doesn't make much of an impression, compared to her gorgeous and confident best friends. Misha always gets attention but is determined to stay true to herself even when chosen for the Homecoming Court, tattoos and dreads and all. Falcone is out to his father and a sympathetic sounding board. Scotty is primarily defined by her misery and grief in the face of tragedy. After a train accident causes the death of a boy from school who stayed on past his stop to keep her company and to help her handle her little brother, she blames herself and grieves as well for her autistic brother, lying in a coma.
If she can figure out how life goes on and happiness can survive the devastation of sadness, she might be able to get in that stretch limo and make it to the Homecoming Dance with something approaching joy.
An easy read for people looking for a sad story that provides the promise of hope and healing, but not as powerful as it might be.
If she can figure out how life goes on and happiness can survive the devastation of sadness, she might be able to get in that stretch limo and make it to the Homecoming Dance with something approaching joy.
An easy read for people looking for a sad story that provides the promise of hope and healing, but not as powerful as it might be.
February 21, 2012
My book has the title A Certain October. Goodreads has it listed under this title. Either way, it's a beautifully written very poignant book about life. Thank you Angela for offering us teen characters who are silly, strong, loving and kind. And thank you for making the teen boys gentlemen. Our teens need to see more characters like these.
November 3, 2024
Quick review for a quick read. Angela Johnson's "A Certain October" is a book I read quite some time ago, but it had been a while since I picked it up, so I thought I would revisit it in 2024. Scotty reflects on her family and friends and has a normal life up until surviving a horrible tragic accident, which claims the life of a boy who happened to be on the train with her. She didn't know the boy for very long, apart from when he knew her back when they were nine years old and he put gum in her hair. But she was starting to get to know him and see him differently before tragedy struck. She's wracked with survivor's guilt and also worried about her little autistic brother, who lies in a coma after the events of the accident.
This backdrop makes "A Certain October" seem more intense than it actually is, but it's slice of life, coming of age, and more breezy for execution as it jumps between time points and reflective. It's meandering in the way a teen's thoughts would be - which both help and hurt the narrative, if I'm honest. You get an eye into Scotty's mindset and daily life, between her reading Anna Karenina, seeing her autistic seven year old brother getting into trouble, and interacting with her friends. You definitely see spaces of her grief and grappling with the tragic events, but I think the presentation only gives a partial weight to that major event.
The spare prose makes this a very quick read, but the landing of it doesn't hit hard as much as I thought it would, and I remember that was one major critique I had of it when I first picked up "A Certain October". I think teens may like this novel for what it offers, but unfortunately I don't think the execution supports the weight of this book for what it tries to do. Even Scotty's little brother, who is an interesting character whom you can tell she feels for, feels underdeveloped for his autism and doesn't shine as more than the story events would lend. I liked how Scotty's friends came across and the conversational tone she takes on when telling her story, but the jagged, non-linear presentation, even for a short read, makes it difficult to stick.
Audiobook is well-read by Harlie Vaughn.
Overall score: 3/5 stars.
This backdrop makes "A Certain October" seem more intense than it actually is, but it's slice of life, coming of age, and more breezy for execution as it jumps between time points and reflective. It's meandering in the way a teen's thoughts would be - which both help and hurt the narrative, if I'm honest. You get an eye into Scotty's mindset and daily life, between her reading Anna Karenina, seeing her autistic seven year old brother getting into trouble, and interacting with her friends. You definitely see spaces of her grief and grappling with the tragic events, but I think the presentation only gives a partial weight to that major event.
The spare prose makes this a very quick read, but the landing of it doesn't hit hard as much as I thought it would, and I remember that was one major critique I had of it when I first picked up "A Certain October". I think teens may like this novel for what it offers, but unfortunately I don't think the execution supports the weight of this book for what it tries to do. Even Scotty's little brother, who is an interesting character whom you can tell she feels for, feels underdeveloped for his autism and doesn't shine as more than the story events would lend. I liked how Scotty's friends came across and the conversational tone she takes on when telling her story, but the jagged, non-linear presentation, even for a short read, makes it difficult to stick.
Audiobook is well-read by Harlie Vaughn.
Overall score: 3/5 stars.
March 8, 2020
When a train accident occurs involving Scotty, her younger autistic brother, and a new friend, she's the only one left unscathed. There's funerals to attend, hospital rooms to visit, and the knowledge that it was ultimately her decision to ride the train that day was all hers. For Scotty, a high schooler, all of this is almost too much to bear. She mourns, she hopes, she hurts, and it seems like nothing will ever be the same again. And she's right in that it won't be.
Angela Johnson does a fantastic job of cycling Scotty through shock and grief and worry and hope. There's no good cycle, no rhythm, no steps to follow with her emotions, and they pop up at inopportune times. How can something that wasn't her fault also be her fault at the same time? It's hard to hold these two truths in her mind, especially as she's blaming herself for this accident. With beautiful writing and a hint of hope and humor (she never gets around to writing her Anna Karenina essay), Johnson takes a horrid experience and turns it into something that everyone can feel for.
Also, I have to say that this is probably one of the first books I've read that doesn't center solely around race as the main focal point. It focuses on the accident and her emotions, of her family struggling to strive in this time. It was so refreshing, and definitely something we need to see more represented in our reading choices and selections.
Review cross-listed here!
Angela Johnson does a fantastic job of cycling Scotty through shock and grief and worry and hope. There's no good cycle, no rhythm, no steps to follow with her emotions, and they pop up at inopportune times. How can something that wasn't her fault also be her fault at the same time? It's hard to hold these two truths in her mind, especially as she's blaming herself for this accident. With beautiful writing and a hint of hope and humor (she never gets around to writing her Anna Karenina essay), Johnson takes a horrid experience and turns it into something that everyone can feel for.
Also, I have to say that this is probably one of the first books I've read that doesn't center solely around race as the main focal point. It focuses on the accident and her emotions, of her family struggling to strive in this time. It was so refreshing, and definitely something we need to see more represented in our reading choices and selections.
Review cross-listed here!
May 2, 2015
Johnson, A. (2012) A Certain October. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR.
Original Review:
Sometimes, what makes us unique is not our hair color, our clothes or our family structure, but our unique perspective and method of coping in the face of loss. Just like love is unique, so is the hole we must find a way to fill up. Scotty feels like it is all her fault, the train wreck, the presence of her nemesis-cum-potentially-more friend, the inability to handle the real world and her brother’s coma. She stumbles along, almost putting herself into harm’s way sexually, when she is pulled out of the funk by the relationships she has with her friends, old and new. She finds that she is not just a distraction, but a budding presence in someone’s life. Giving her fuel, she seeks out a dress for the dance and yearns to share it with Keone. Dancing in Keone’s room, to show off the dress, we see a glimpse of Scotty before the accident, finding a novel way to communicate an experience to her brother.
Original Recommendation:
Keep this available, possibly in multiplicity, for the readers who will be passing it around, as they have in my classroom. This appears to be a quick, shallow read, and while it is deceptively small for a novel, it will have students caught up in the experience of Scotty’s loss and way back to normalcy.
Grade Level: 9th and up
Awards/Honors:
Choices, 2013 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Horn Book Fanfare, 2012 Horn Book
Kirkus Book Review Stars, July 1, 2012
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, August 2012 Cahners
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2013 American Library Association
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2013; Texas
Tags: Young Adult Required Reading, Project 1, YA, realistic fiction, LLLS 5532, loss
Original Review:
Sometimes, what makes us unique is not our hair color, our clothes or our family structure, but our unique perspective and method of coping in the face of loss. Just like love is unique, so is the hole we must find a way to fill up. Scotty feels like it is all her fault, the train wreck, the presence of her nemesis-cum-potentially-more friend, the inability to handle the real world and her brother’s coma. She stumbles along, almost putting herself into harm’s way sexually, when she is pulled out of the funk by the relationships she has with her friends, old and new. She finds that she is not just a distraction, but a budding presence in someone’s life. Giving her fuel, she seeks out a dress for the dance and yearns to share it with Keone. Dancing in Keone’s room, to show off the dress, we see a glimpse of Scotty before the accident, finding a novel way to communicate an experience to her brother.
Original Recommendation:
Keep this available, possibly in multiplicity, for the readers who will be passing it around, as they have in my classroom. This appears to be a quick, shallow read, and while it is deceptively small for a novel, it will have students caught up in the experience of Scotty’s loss and way back to normalcy.
Grade Level: 9th and up
Awards/Honors:
Choices, 2013 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Horn Book Fanfare, 2012 Horn Book
Kirkus Book Review Stars, July 1, 2012
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, August 2012 Cahners
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2013 American Library Association
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2013; Texas
Tags: Young Adult Required Reading, Project 1, YA, realistic fiction, LLLS 5532, loss
December 10, 2012
Johnson continues to write powerful books in a short format. Here we meet Scotty, a teenage girl who thinks of herself as rather bland, like tofu. The people around her seem more vibrant and complex like her little brother who has autism and enjoys trains, being naked, and eating cookies. Her best friends too seem to be more interesting to Scotty. Then in October everything changes because of a train accident. Scotty’s little brother is injured severely and another boy is killed. Scotty feels responsible for both of them, though she barely knew the other boy. This is a story that takes the small details of life and then shows how a single event can tear through, changing life forever.
Johnson writes like a poet, using unique symbolism to make her points. Scotty sees herself as tofu, bland until someone else adds flavor. Readers though will immediately understand that that is how Scotty views herself, not how the she actually is. Instead Scotty is an intriguing mix of teen angst, intelligence, and a big heart.
Johnson writes her characters in real life. They all read as real people, not even the parents becoming stereotypical. The teen boys are just as human as the main character, treating the girls with respect and friendship. It’s a refreshing change to see male secondary characters who are more than a stereotype too. When Scotty is grieving, the power of family and friendship together is obvious.
With its dynamic cover and short length, this book is sure to be picked up by teen readers. Here they will find a strong heroine who is intensely and utterly real. Appropriate for ages 13-15.
Johnson writes like a poet, using unique symbolism to make her points. Scotty sees herself as tofu, bland until someone else adds flavor. Readers though will immediately understand that that is how Scotty views herself, not how the she actually is. Instead Scotty is an intriguing mix of teen angst, intelligence, and a big heart.
Johnson writes her characters in real life. They all read as real people, not even the parents becoming stereotypical. The teen boys are just as human as the main character, treating the girls with respect and friendship. It’s a refreshing change to see male secondary characters who are more than a stereotype too. When Scotty is grieving, the power of family and friendship together is obvious.
With its dynamic cover and short length, this book is sure to be picked up by teen readers. Here they will find a strong heroine who is intensely and utterly real. Appropriate for ages 13-15.
August 7, 2014
Ever had a book you couldn't put down? This was one of them. I'm a huge fan of Angela Johnson's books and wish they were available to me during my preteen-young adolescent years. But a good book is good for any age.
There are many things I like about "A Certain October" particularly the backdrop. It is not often I read a book with familiar places—East Cleveland, Coventry, Fairmount, the Metroparks, the "Rapid" transit system... are all places from my own upbringing. And October is also my favorite month and fall my favorite season.
Written in a first person as told through the lens of main character Scotty, the story revolves around the lives and shared experiences of three friends, juniors in high school, who live in the moment and remain true to one another despite tragedy that brings them closer together.
Johnson's culturally and ethnically diverse characters ( a main character has recently come out as gay) could be any high school junior in an urban community -- their language, interests, fashion sense, music... are authentic, and the supporting cast of "crazy" family members and neighbors round out the story.
I like that the narrative is told and driven by a young person, Scotty, and though no age is mentioned, is perhaps 15 or 16 (a few other friends drive). We know her thoughts, emotions, opinions, vulnerabilities, and fears, and they are real, honest, and raw.
There are no villans or bullies or mean adults here. Not even a cruel stepmother. Just a delightful story about friendship and acceptance, life and death all happening during a certain October.
There are many things I like about "A Certain October" particularly the backdrop. It is not often I read a book with familiar places—East Cleveland, Coventry, Fairmount, the Metroparks, the "Rapid" transit system... are all places from my own upbringing. And October is also my favorite month and fall my favorite season.
Written in a first person as told through the lens of main character Scotty, the story revolves around the lives and shared experiences of three friends, juniors in high school, who live in the moment and remain true to one another despite tragedy that brings them closer together.
Johnson's culturally and ethnically diverse characters ( a main character has recently come out as gay) could be any high school junior in an urban community -- their language, interests, fashion sense, music... are authentic, and the supporting cast of "crazy" family members and neighbors round out the story.
I like that the narrative is told and driven by a young person, Scotty, and though no age is mentioned, is perhaps 15 or 16 (a few other friends drive). We know her thoughts, emotions, opinions, vulnerabilities, and fears, and they are real, honest, and raw.
There are no villans or bullies or mean adults here. Not even a cruel stepmother. Just a delightful story about friendship and acceptance, life and death all happening during a certain October.
January 5, 2013
While I found A Certain October entertaining enough as I read it, I don't think it is a memorable book.
Scotty stays busy with her friends and family and taking care of Keone, her autistic little brother. A terrible accident kills a new friend of Scotty's and puts her brother in a coma. Scotty blames herself.
That's pretty much it. We get to know Scotty and her friends, then we experience the terrible accident and go through Scotty's turmoil afterwards.
The book is very short and quickly read, however I wouldn't necessarily recommend A Certain October to reluctant readers because even I was confused with the non-linear timeline. Other than that, the writing was easily read, and Scotty is an interesting, realistic teen character.
I just don't know when I would recommend A Certain October except to girls wanting a quick read. I've read several of Angela Johnson's other books and enjoyed them much more than this one. I would recommend The First Part Last in a heartbeat (and have many times!)
Scotty stays busy with her friends and family and taking care of Keone, her autistic little brother. A terrible accident kills a new friend of Scotty's and puts her brother in a coma. Scotty blames herself.
That's pretty much it. We get to know Scotty and her friends, then we experience the terrible accident and go through Scotty's turmoil afterwards.
The book is very short and quickly read, however I wouldn't necessarily recommend A Certain October to reluctant readers because even I was confused with the non-linear timeline. Other than that, the writing was easily read, and Scotty is an interesting, realistic teen character.
I just don't know when I would recommend A Certain October except to girls wanting a quick read. I've read several of Angela Johnson's other books and enjoyed them much more than this one. I would recommend The First Part Last in a heartbeat (and have many times!)
September 9, 2013
Book Title: A Certain October
Lexile: 870
In a nutshell: Scotty gets into an accident that puts her little brother in a coma. She’s trying to deal with getting back to normal teenager life and her brother’s injuries with him being in the hospital.
I liked this book because the emotions felt so real. For example, when Scotty visited her brother Keone in the hospital, it was so sad. I could also understand how Scotty felt around Jason because she really likes him and he makes her a little nervous.
What I liked best about the book was when Scotty played cupid and got her friends back together or matched up with a person they liked/loved. Something I’d change about the book would be how it jumped around in time before and after the accident because it got confusing. I would recommend this book to readers who like realistic fiction and stories about teens dealing with hard times because Scotty deals with normal teen problems and some unusual problems too.
Lexile: 870
In a nutshell: Scotty gets into an accident that puts her little brother in a coma. She’s trying to deal with getting back to normal teenager life and her brother’s injuries with him being in the hospital.
I liked this book because the emotions felt so real. For example, when Scotty visited her brother Keone in the hospital, it was so sad. I could also understand how Scotty felt around Jason because she really likes him and he makes her a little nervous.
What I liked best about the book was when Scotty played cupid and got her friends back together or matched up with a person they liked/loved. Something I’d change about the book would be how it jumped around in time before and after the accident because it got confusing. I would recommend this book to readers who like realistic fiction and stories about teens dealing with hard times because Scotty deals with normal teen problems and some unusual problems too.
December 7, 2015
Had A Certain October been written in a more linear fashion, I would have easily given it four stars. The author takes too long to get to the heart of the story, namely a tragedy that shakes Scotty to her very core. Although this book is very short, the character of Scotty is exceedingly well developed. Her anguish, then jubilation, comes through very clearly and the small snapshot into her life definitely had me interested. The author uses the flashback method, as well as the "it was just a dream" one, which takes away from the believability of the story. As a reader, it is hard to rely on the recollections of the main character when some of which that is presented as fact initially is explained away. I am interested to read more by author Angela Johnson, especially if the book is longer and has more plot line possibilities.
August 30, 2013
What I enjoy about Angela Johnson's books withstanding (integrated community, eloquence and art to her narrative style, ambiguous "gray space" themes and topics), A Certain October fell short for me as a novel. For one, the central plot isn't revealed until around page 40, and even then I'm not sure what has happened or what the protagonist -Scotty- is planning to do about it. Scotty's autistic younger brother is important to the book, but for some reason reads kind of like an afterthought. Finally, with all the various parents referred to by their first names, I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and how each person related to the story (and to Scotty.) Not a "bad" book, but also not memorable. Evermore, I remain a fan of Ms. Johnson's and look forward to her next work.
September 13, 2012
When you see it's by Angela Johnson...even before you finish it, you KNOW it is going to get 5 of 5 stars. That's just the kind of writer that Johnson is. This book should win the Printz this year, but it won't because it is too good. Poet, honest, real, different, heart-breaking, beautiful, that's A Certain October.
The book chronicle's Scotty's life during the month of October when she is on a train and a boy she sort of new from school is killed in a terrible train accident, which also leaves her little brother in a coma. Scotty is a wonderful character and all of the supporting characters are as well. Less than 160 pages, this sends the message again to people like Stephen King- it's not about the number of words or pages, you have to actually SAY something.
The book chronicle's Scotty's life during the month of October when she is on a train and a boy she sort of new from school is killed in a terrible train accident, which also leaves her little brother in a coma. Scotty is a wonderful character and all of the supporting characters are as well. Less than 160 pages, this sends the message again to people like Stephen King- it's not about the number of words or pages, you have to actually SAY something.
August 4, 2013
Confession: I didn't finish this. It's not a bad book--I just got bored. Angela Johnson is fabulous and amazing, but I just feel like I've read this book a million times before and there wasn't enough originality to make me want to read it again: Awesome girl with fabulous, hilarious pseudo-misfit friends and an autistic younger brother gets caught in the middle of a freak accident that completely rips her world apart and makes her feel like every bad thing is her fault. It's a coming-of-age rite of passage to become obsessed with a book like this (the pivotal one that I read in adolescence was Nobody's Fault by Patricia Hermes), but I think I've just read too many at this point.
August 22, 2014
A Certain October is about a girl named Scotty, her family, and her two friends. This book was around the time that Scotty and her family had a very tragic event happen to them. Scotty was just getting close to an old enemy when something terrible happened, and she has to deal with the guilt of thinking it was al her fault. By the end of the book, Scotty has finally realized that it wasn't all her fault, and now she can sit back and enjoy life. I rated this 5 out of 5 stars because it was a somewhat fast paced book, and it had a very happy ending. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading books about real life problems, and characters who have internal conflicts.
October 10, 2012
I found it hard to connect with the main character. I liked her but I wasn't drawn in to her story. I liked how she truly grieved with a support system of friends and family but hated that the book magically ended in a limo after prom--the perfect night with the perfect couples.
Contains: African-Americans, autism, gay couple
Contains: African-Americans, autism, gay couple
November 21, 2012
While initially confusing because of non-linear format, this short but powerful book was very readable. Johnson packs a lot into a very short book about love, loss, coming of age teen experience. Scotty as first person narriator was so honest about everything. Good to pass on to a teen with an autistic sibling, loss of a sibling.
July 8, 2015
Like Angela Johnson's other works, she writes about a tough topic, stays true to life, and makes the most mundane parts of our daily lives into a whisper of poetry. Some parts hit hard, and the ending was realistic, beautiful, and satisfying. I especially enjoyed the camaraderie between Scotty and her two best friends.
June 28, 2019
An heartfelt YA book about life after grief. Fine writing and engaging narrative voice with a realistically hurting and confused main character. An especially nice portrayal of genuine teen friendship.
September 12, 2012
Gorgeous prose, wonderful characters and a powerful story. Full review up at slatebreakers at http://slatebreakers.com/2012/10/01/r...
January 20, 2015
Dude, this was actually the cutest book ever! Love it!
March 11, 2019
So I finished this book about two weeks ago and I was so FLOORED by it that I couldn't even write about it. First of all, note that this was a "traffic pick" meaning I randomly selected it from my library's free audio books so that I could endure the hour traffic home. Therefore, I was not expecting the very emotional, solid writing that I encountered.
Very rarely do I encounter novels about African-American families with children on the Autistic Spectrum. I won't say WHO it is but it is very important to see this in contemporary writing since there is this weird energy facing minority communities with mental/physical disabilities. So this NEEDS to be addressed.
I also loved the writing. Of course, READING this book would be different from listening to it. Since I listened to it, there was a sense of beautiful rhythm that I wasn't expecting: that I don't encounter very often. Since the novel is narrated by a teenager, you get a sense of urgency (that comes with wanted to grow up quickly) but also a sense of relaxation/calmness/high (that comes with naivete).
Overall, I would recommend this book to those who love a refreshing writer who can capture the teenage spirit while still maintaining a solid tone and writing ability. Johnson touches your soul (for sure) makes you laugh, and makes you think. Read it.
Very rarely do I encounter novels about African-American families with children on the Autistic Spectrum. I won't say WHO it is but it is very important to see this in contemporary writing since there is this weird energy facing minority communities with mental/physical disabilities. So this NEEDS to be addressed.
I also loved the writing. Of course, READING this book would be different from listening to it. Since I listened to it, there was a sense of beautiful rhythm that I wasn't expecting: that I don't encounter very often. Since the novel is narrated by a teenager, you get a sense of urgency (that comes with wanted to grow up quickly) but also a sense of relaxation/calmness/high (that comes with naivete).
Overall, I would recommend this book to those who love a refreshing writer who can capture the teenage spirit while still maintaining a solid tone and writing ability. Johnson touches your soul (for sure) makes you laugh, and makes you think. Read it.
July 24, 2020
I don't have much to say about this one. It's under 200 pages, but took me two months to read because I couldn't get into it. As such, I don't think any review coming from me is super reliable since I didn't experience it the way I'd prefer.
I kept waiting for something about this to grab me and it never did. I don't mind short books. Honestly, I kind of prefer them to longer books because I'd rather a story be told as succinctly as possible. But it felt like Johnson was cramming a 300 page story into a book half its length. It felt like so many events were skimmed over and only touched on briefly.
I never got a feel for any of the characters either. It wasn't like they were poorly crafted or annoying, it's just that I couldn't tell you a single characteristic of any of them. I finished this book two weeks back and it left no impact. At one point there's a train crash that kills people and I felt nothing.
I dunno. It's rare that I read a book that makes me feel literally nothing like this one did, but I was also in a bit of a reading slump and going through a rough time at work and reading it over the course of several months was definitely not the way to go. So I can't really put the blame on the book when it might have been hugely impacted by my mood. I'd be down to give Angela Johnson a second chance, though, because I don't have any negative thoughts on this book.
I kept waiting for something about this to grab me and it never did. I don't mind short books. Honestly, I kind of prefer them to longer books because I'd rather a story be told as succinctly as possible. But it felt like Johnson was cramming a 300 page story into a book half its length. It felt like so many events were skimmed over and only touched on briefly.
I never got a feel for any of the characters either. It wasn't like they were poorly crafted or annoying, it's just that I couldn't tell you a single characteristic of any of them. I finished this book two weeks back and it left no impact. At one point there's a train crash that kills people and I felt nothing.
I dunno. It's rare that I read a book that makes me feel literally nothing like this one did, but I was also in a bit of a reading slump and going through a rough time at work and reading it over the course of several months was definitely not the way to go. So I can't really put the blame on the book when it might have been hugely impacted by my mood. I'd be down to give Angela Johnson a second chance, though, because I don't have any negative thoughts on this book.
October 11, 2021
Scotty blames herself for death due to a terrible accident. Her friends and family try their best to help her and confront her but her mental health is still in shambles and the only thing she has recovered from the accident is her physical recovery. Now as a whole was pretty good but one opinion of mine is that there was a lot going during the book. There wasn't just one topic there were multiple different topics, scenarios, and events happening all at once so it was hard to keep up with what was truly going on during the whole book. But also one really good thing about this book is how personal it is. Some of the events that happened in this story could easily happen to someone in the real world. You felt some type of connection while reading this book and not a lot of books do that. I personally felt a lot of sympathy for Scotty because she was going through a lot of things that I know many other people have been through and dealt with. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys having a connection and feeling like they are a part of the book and also people who enjoy learning more about real-life problems.
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January 30, 2020SPOILER ALERT: don't read this, there are plenty of other books to read. Personally, I would read any other book over this, EVEN twilight. ZERO STARS. This book was garbage, I would rather have cut up jalapenos and rub the seeds in my eyeballs than read this book. DO NOT spend 9 dollars to read this disgrace.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2023
At first I was very confused about what was happening and going on in this book but as I read it I was finding the underlying messages. This book was a fun short book to read. I really like all of the characters and the roles they play. I am not going to spoil anything but its a short book so you might as well read it.
May 23, 2017
Important topics with a funny and light tone; a journey of grief and recovery
October 10, 2017
AUDIOBOOK:
loved the voice selected for the main character, drew you right in! so short though! so the ending felt abrupt! I wanted more!
loved the voice selected for the main character, drew you right in! so short though! so the ending felt abrupt! I wanted more!
July 27, 2018
Just re-read this coming of age story about finding yourself while trying to overcome tragedy.
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