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The Beginner's Guide to Revenge
Two friends. One book of revenge. Zero consequences?As a soldier’s daughter, Romola’s been to six schools in eight years, always having to make new friends … and now enemies. Meanwhile, Sebastian’s mum is about to make the biggest mistake of their lives, unless Sebastian can find his dad in time to stop her. Thrown together by chance, these two thirteen-year-olds set out to even the score. But once that big old ball of revenge starts rolling down the hill, there’s not an awful lot they can do to stop it … or is there? If you found the perfect way to pay someone back, would you do it?
134 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
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12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 30, 2017
A very entertaining read about 2 kids who come together by accident and help each other to solve some of the problems messing up their lives. They're both well-rounded, believable characters who make their own trouble too yet have fun at the same time so that while the book has several serious issues underlining the story, these things add to the engagement rather than slowing it down. It's very thought-and-discussion provoking.
June 1, 2016
I chose to read this book as the front cover looked interesting, fun, sad and it grabbed me in a little. It had a fascinating blurb. I chose it also because I found that the characters personalities shown in the blurb sort of relate to me and have the same values. I not only chose the book but I explored and tried to understand the information on the book as much as I can on the front and back cover so I would get a better understand before I started. I am expecting that this book will wow me and I expect that I will hopefully enjoy it and I won’t take a long time to read it.
My impression on all the characters are that they all seem a little naughty, nice, fun, boring, bad, engaging and that they misbehave. They all are sort of spread out equally throughout the book but the main girl Ramola that is in the book is based on, obviously has the main part, so more than the other’s. The storyline so far is based out on different days and what happens at the girl’s school and what happens throughout her day and throughout her weeks. It is sad for her as she has been to six different schools in eight year due to her father as having an occupation of being a solider to serve for their country. The writing style is very funny in a weird way but smart for what the book is written about. This sort of writing style suits the book but doesn’t meet what I was thinking of which was a letdown. The writing style is looking like a diary entry but it’s actually a day of her life. It includes the date, chapter number, chapter heading and day at the start of chapter/diary entry. Overall, the middle stage of the book is not good and I am not enjoying it a lot.
At the end of the book I felt upset as I didn’t enjoy it. It wasn’t what I thought it would be like. What I thought it would be like is that it would be an interesting storyline and that it would be engaging and entertaining throughout the whole book. It hasn’t met my expectations because I wanted/ hoping it would be as exciting as it sounded on the blurb. I think that Musgrove had written an engaging blurb but the book wasn’t up to standard with matching the blurb. I did not finish the book as I didn’t enjoy it and I had no interest in it halfway through. I didn’t expect the book halfway to be so bad. I had the motivation at the start to complete it but halfway it seemed like a huge disappointment. My original expectations were that I was going to enjoy the book, that I expected myself to not read for a long time and I expected that I was going to enjoy it. Overall, the book up to halfway was unenjoyable and I almost hated it. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone that likes humour as this book was sad.
My impression on all the characters are that they all seem a little naughty, nice, fun, boring, bad, engaging and that they misbehave. They all are sort of spread out equally throughout the book but the main girl Ramola that is in the book is based on, obviously has the main part, so more than the other’s. The storyline so far is based out on different days and what happens at the girl’s school and what happens throughout her day and throughout her weeks. It is sad for her as she has been to six different schools in eight year due to her father as having an occupation of being a solider to serve for their country. The writing style is very funny in a weird way but smart for what the book is written about. This sort of writing style suits the book but doesn’t meet what I was thinking of which was a letdown. The writing style is looking like a diary entry but it’s actually a day of her life. It includes the date, chapter number, chapter heading and day at the start of chapter/diary entry. Overall, the middle stage of the book is not good and I am not enjoying it a lot.
At the end of the book I felt upset as I didn’t enjoy it. It wasn’t what I thought it would be like. What I thought it would be like is that it would be an interesting storyline and that it would be engaging and entertaining throughout the whole book. It hasn’t met my expectations because I wanted/ hoping it would be as exciting as it sounded on the blurb. I think that Musgrove had written an engaging blurb but the book wasn’t up to standard with matching the blurb. I did not finish the book as I didn’t enjoy it and I had no interest in it halfway through. I didn’t expect the book halfway to be so bad. I had the motivation at the start to complete it but halfway it seemed like a huge disappointment. My original expectations were that I was going to enjoy the book, that I expected myself to not read for a long time and I expected that I was going to enjoy it. Overall, the book up to halfway was unenjoyable and I almost hated it. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone that likes humour as this book was sad.
January 12, 2013
The two main characters take turns narrating this story, and almost every chapter opens with a quote about revenge. Romola and Sebastian both have distinct voices and are well developed characters. The conflicts they both face are realistic, making them easy to identify with. They both have fairly obvious lessons to learn, but it's a nice journey to take with them both.
The revenge tactics of the two characters are vastly different, which I liked seeing. I thought Sebastian's tactics were a bit underdeveloped for someone so obsessed with the idea of revenge, but they were as impulsive and destructive as most 13-year-old boys would think to be. I was happy to see the more socially controlling tactics of Romola--more akin to the strategies I used as a teen. Her revenge plans were satisfyingly good, but not so inventive as to inspire real life bullying that's not already happening.
Overall, a good short read with real-life characters and scenarios, with enough Australian terminology for Australian readers to feel at home, but not so many that it seems alienating or overly nationalistic.
As a bit of a side note, this book includes an interesting depiction of anti-war sentiment. The only war critic is a villainous bully who hates on anyone associated with those who fight. Australians are really into their war history, but are quite sensitive about the havoc war wreaks on the families of those who fight/fought, so while this book doesn't advocate against war, it doesn't really advocate for it either. The strongest message is to be respectful to other people, which is a pretty good message. A nice little Australianism for an outsider like me to see in a book.
The revenge tactics of the two characters are vastly different, which I liked seeing. I thought Sebastian's tactics were a bit underdeveloped for someone so obsessed with the idea of revenge, but they were as impulsive and destructive as most 13-year-old boys would think to be. I was happy to see the more socially controlling tactics of Romola--more akin to the strategies I used as a teen. Her revenge plans were satisfyingly good, but not so inventive as to inspire real life bullying that's not already happening.
Overall, a good short read with real-life characters and scenarios, with enough Australian terminology for Australian readers to feel at home, but not so many that it seems alienating or overly nationalistic.
As a bit of a side note, this book includes an interesting depiction of anti-war sentiment. The only war critic is a villainous bully who hates on anyone associated with those who fight. Australians are really into their war history, but are quite sensitive about the havoc war wreaks on the families of those who fight/fought, so while this book doesn't advocate against war, it doesn't really advocate for it either. The strongest message is to be respectful to other people, which is a pretty good message. A nice little Australianism for an outsider like me to see in a book.
November 17, 2015
Four and a half stars.
Sebastian doesn't like his mum's new partner but it only dawns on him that they are considering marriage when he sees his mum trying on an heirloom wedding dress.
Romola's dad is overseas on active duty in the army. She only hears from him occasionally when he can manage to get access to Skype.
She's moved around a lot and finds it hard to make friends. But at her new school, she is chosen to give an ANZAC Day address. It's a pity her latest attempt at friendship involves her with girls who are anti-war, immature and spiteful. Romola is sure she's making it worse by her abrupt attitude and is determined to set things right. But it's not as easy as she thinks and she is stunned when she is left behind one day and is forced to miss a precious call from her dad.
But by then she's met Sebastian and, although he's starting to wonder if revenge is as sweet as it's always claimed, her plans begin to take shape.
But she and Seb have cottoned on to one thing. Most people leave out the rest of the quote: Revenge is sweet, sweeter than life itself - so say fools.
Sebastian doesn't like his mum's new partner but it only dawns on him that they are considering marriage when he sees his mum trying on an heirloom wedding dress.
Romola's dad is overseas on active duty in the army. She only hears from him occasionally when he can manage to get access to Skype.
She's moved around a lot and finds it hard to make friends. But at her new school, she is chosen to give an ANZAC Day address. It's a pity her latest attempt at friendship involves her with girls who are anti-war, immature and spiteful. Romola is sure she's making it worse by her abrupt attitude and is determined to set things right. But it's not as easy as she thinks and she is stunned when she is left behind one day and is forced to miss a precious call from her dad.
But by then she's met Sebastian and, although he's starting to wonder if revenge is as sweet as it's always claimed, her plans begin to take shape.
But she and Seb have cottoned on to one thing. Most people leave out the rest of the quote: Revenge is sweet, sweeter than life itself - so say fools.
September 23, 2014
Engaging. I loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews