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The Last Boy and Girl in the World
What if your town was sliding underwater and everyone was ordered to pack up and leave? How would you and your friends spend your last days together?
While the adults plan for the future, box up their possessions, and find new places to live, Keeley Hewitt and her friends decide to go out with a bang. There are parties in abandoned houses. Canoe races down Main Street. The goal is to make the most of every minute they still have together.
And for Keeley, that means taking one last shot at the boy she’s loved forever.
There’s a weird sort of bravery that comes from knowing there’s nothing left to lose. You might do things you normally wouldn’t. Or say things you shouldn’t. The reward almost always outweighs the risk.
Almost.
It’s the end of Aberdeen, but the beginning of Keeley’s first love story. It just might not turn out the way she thought. Because it’s not always clear what’s worth fighting for and what you should let become a memory.
While the adults plan for the future, box up their possessions, and find new places to live, Keeley Hewitt and her friends decide to go out with a bang. There are parties in abandoned houses. Canoe races down Main Street. The goal is to make the most of every minute they still have together.
And for Keeley, that means taking one last shot at the boy she’s loved forever.
There’s a weird sort of bravery that comes from knowing there’s nothing left to lose. You might do things you normally wouldn’t. Or say things you shouldn’t. The reward almost always outweighs the risk.
Almost.
It’s the end of Aberdeen, but the beginning of Keeley’s first love story. It just might not turn out the way she thought. Because it’s not always clear what’s worth fighting for and what you should let become a memory.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2016
237 people are currently reading
10145 people want to read
About the author
Siobhan Vivian
67 books1,595 followersSiobhan Vivian is the author of THE LAST BOY AND GIRL IN THE WORLD (April 2016), as well as THE LIST, NOT THAT KIND OF GIRL, SAME DIFFERENCE, and A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE. She also co-wrote BURN FOR BURN series with her best friend JENNY HAN. She currently lives in Pittsburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 888 reviews
July 4, 2016
I really don't know why people have been rating this book so low. Our main character is a self involved teenage girl. Her dad is nuts. Her friendships are messy. Her relationship is shallow. Does this not paint a picture of authentic youth? I dig it.
September 12, 2025
This is by far the best book I've read by Siobhan Vivian. The writing was so textured and rich with town history and Keeley's childhood that I felt like I really knew the characters. Admittedly, the story got a little tedious in the middle, but I wasn't trying to read this book quickly, so I always came back to the book feeling excited to continue. I have no idea why I haven't hear anyone talking about this book, and I wish I had read it close to release (when I actually bought it) so I could've build the hype then. But I'm telling you now, this is not a book you want to miss out on. It's a contemporary that's going to stick with you.
I really understood Keeley. I felt everything she did, and her humour kept me distracted from the really quite depressing events happening around her. You think this is about her relationship with Jesse, her dream boy, or about the floods threatening to wipe out all of Aberdeen, but really, The Last Boy And Girl In The World is about friendship. It's about change and not realising it's happening, and not being able to do anything about it.
I really enjoyed the tone of the whole thing. It was nostalgic, and lighthearted, but there's also a great sense of urgency, and not least because everyone in town is being evacuated. I think the romance is a bit rushed towards the end, but it's a different kind of love story to the one you might be expecting, so that was refreshing.
Pacing wise, admittedly, the story got a little tedious in the middle, but I wasn't trying to read this book quickly, so I always came back to the book feeling excited to continue. It's quite a melancholy story as well, so you have to be quite resilient when reading. It puts you in the kind of reflective state that 'We Are Okay' by Nina Lacour does, so if you liked that, I think you'll really enjoy this too!
Overall, I really loved this book, and I want people to pick it up so badly!
I really understood Keeley. I felt everything she did, and her humour kept me distracted from the really quite depressing events happening around her. You think this is about her relationship with Jesse, her dream boy, or about the floods threatening to wipe out all of Aberdeen, but really, The Last Boy And Girl In The World is about friendship. It's about change and not realising it's happening, and not being able to do anything about it.
I really enjoyed the tone of the whole thing. It was nostalgic, and lighthearted, but there's also a great sense of urgency, and not least because everyone in town is being evacuated. I think the romance is a bit rushed towards the end, but it's a different kind of love story to the one you might be expecting, so that was refreshing.
Pacing wise, admittedly, the story got a little tedious in the middle, but I wasn't trying to read this book quickly, so I always came back to the book feeling excited to continue. It's quite a melancholy story as well, so you have to be quite resilient when reading. It puts you in the kind of reflective state that 'We Are Okay' by Nina Lacour does, so if you liked that, I think you'll really enjoy this too!
Overall, I really loved this book, and I want people to pick it up so badly!
April 13, 2016
I really loved the idea of this and I was so eager to start it. Sadly, it didn't deliver.
The beginning was promising and I really liked Keeley. Until I didn't. She became such a selfish brat that I struggled to continue. I hated the choices she was making and how she was treating people. There were a few secondary characters that could have added something, but it felt like everyone was pushed aside for The Keeley Show.
My main issue was that the plot moved so slowly. I ended up skimming a lot of passages because it started to get really repetitive. The fun, frivolous "end of the world" aspect I was expecting never seemed to show up and as the story progressed, I just wanted it to be over.
Overall, I loved the prologue and the set up for the story, but not much else. I can definitely see how people will love it, ultimately it wasn't for me.
**Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
The beginning was promising and I really liked Keeley. Until I didn't. She became such a selfish brat that I struggled to continue. I hated the choices she was making and how she was treating people. There were a few secondary characters that could have added something, but it felt like everyone was pushed aside for The Keeley Show.
My main issue was that the plot moved so slowly. I ended up skimming a lot of passages because it started to get really repetitive. The fun, frivolous "end of the world" aspect I was expecting never seemed to show up and as the story progressed, I just wanted it to be over.
Overall, I loved the prologue and the set up for the story, but not much else. I can definitely see how people will love it, ultimately it wasn't for me.
**Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
August 28, 2016
This impressed me SO much. I went into it with pretty low expectations bc I've seen people giving it not the best ratings, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved all the characters and aside from the whole 'end of the world' thing I found this all to be extremely realistic. I'll definitely pick up more from Siobhan in the future.
May 4, 2016
The main character of this book is a horrible, HORRIBLE human being! She's not a murderer or anything extreme like that. She's just the type of person you wouldn't want to be friends with, date her or be related to her. She is selfish, insensitive and she's a huge brat. I thought she was going to change throughout the book but nope! She remained an a-hole.
It takes guts to write from the perspective of a self-involved little girl. Siobhan Vivian is one brave author. Too bad her decision is going to cost her ratings here on goodreads. No one's going to root for this spoiled girl. And she's not the only one! Her father is f****** crazy! The whole town is in danger of a major flood and he's refusing to leave because he wants a bigger payout! Speaking from someone who lives near a place which was flooded two years ago-that's insane! Get your family to safety! You don't want to be that one person waiting on a roof for a helicopter to save you because you were too stubborn and didn't want to listen about the level of danger you were facing.
The book itself wasn't bad, it was just too hard to connect with this brat when everything she was saying was making me want to slap her.
Look at the cover though. It's so pretty! I want it on my wall.
It takes guts to write from the perspective of a self-involved little girl. Siobhan Vivian is one brave author. Too bad her decision is going to cost her ratings here on goodreads. No one's going to root for this spoiled girl. And she's not the only one! Her father is f****** crazy! The whole town is in danger of a major flood and he's refusing to leave because he wants a bigger payout! Speaking from someone who lives near a place which was flooded two years ago-that's insane! Get your family to safety! You don't want to be that one person waiting on a roof for a helicopter to save you because you were too stubborn and didn't want to listen about the level of danger you were facing.
The book itself wasn't bad, it was just too hard to connect with this brat when everything she was saying was making me want to slap her.
Look at the cover though. It's so pretty! I want it on my wall.
March 9, 2018
I don’t know where to start... Losing your hometown when you’re sixteen and it’s the center of your universe must be devastating. Knowing that all the people that you knew for all your life will be gone... It’s sad. This is why I thought that Jesse and Keeley’s attitude was so great, trying to make everyone feel okay with this, or having one last fun at least. The emotions are raw, the characters are real, I enjoyed this book. I now feel a hole inside me, knowing that the book is over...
October 24, 2016
Actually 3.75 stars.
This book had the potential to be a solid 4 stars book for me, but events towards the end diminished those hopes for me, without giving away spoilers.. the part that didn't make sense to me was the direction the story took in the last 50 pages.... it felt rushed, like it was just one of many alternative endings that the author chose at the end and didn't have much time to fully integrate it with the story in the firs 300 pages... That being said, the story was a classy YA story, 2 teenagers fall in love, there is an obstacle (in this case your town being sunk to make room for a dam), they have fun, I dotn want to give it away how it ends ..but it felt rushed either way...If you want a simple book to entertain you for a while pick this one up. If you want something deeper then stay away from this one.
This book had the potential to be a solid 4 stars book for me, but events towards the end diminished those hopes for me, without giving away spoilers.. the part that didn't make sense to me was the direction the story took in the last 50 pages.... it felt rushed, like it was just one of many alternative endings that the author chose at the end and didn't have much time to fully integrate it with the story in the firs 300 pages... That being said, the story was a classy YA story, 2 teenagers fall in love, there is an obstacle (in this case your town being sunk to make room for a dam), they have fun, I dotn want to give it away how it ends ..but it felt rushed either way...If you want a simple book to entertain you for a while pick this one up. If you want something deeper then stay away from this one.
did-not-finish
October 22, 2016I'm not going to lie, I picked this up initially because I liked the cover, then I read the description and it sold me even more. I read quite a lot of YA books but in this case, the characters were too immature for my liking.
Read fully up to the 25% mark and then skimmed through til the end, so I'm not going to rate it.
Disappointed.
May 20, 2016
2 stars for the main character
4 stars for the plot
I’m going to average out the stars to three on “The Last Boy and Girl in the World” because that is the only fair way to deal with what felt like two separate books.
The story itself is beautiful and haunting. The feeling of love of your hometown and the shock of losing it overnight is described very well. It also points out what can happen when greed and government corruption go up against the poor. Add to it a flawed family that is very relatable and you have a perfect book, right? No.
Keeley, the narrator, almost ruins the entire thing. I’ve never read a character that could be so insecure and yet think so highly of herself in terms of how she’s viewed by her friends, family, and even teachers. Even when confronted with how they really feel she doesn’t get it. In fact, I’m shocked she even managed to have friends. That would have been ok if there had been a character growth arc, but there wasn’t. She suddenly grew up in the last couple of chapters and her relationship with one character is inexplicably fixed even after not seeing one another for months. It felt crammed in as an afterthought.
If you read the book description and “The Last Boy and Girl in the World” sounds interesting to you, then give it a shot. The writing is good, but it just wasn’t for me.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars for the plot
I’m going to average out the stars to three on “The Last Boy and Girl in the World” because that is the only fair way to deal with what felt like two separate books.
The story itself is beautiful and haunting. The feeling of love of your hometown and the shock of losing it overnight is described very well. It also points out what can happen when greed and government corruption go up against the poor. Add to it a flawed family that is very relatable and you have a perfect book, right? No.
Keeley, the narrator, almost ruins the entire thing. I’ve never read a character that could be so insecure and yet think so highly of herself in terms of how she’s viewed by her friends, family, and even teachers. Even when confronted with how they really feel she doesn’t get it. In fact, I’m shocked she even managed to have friends. That would have been ok if there had been a character growth arc, but there wasn’t. She suddenly grew up in the last couple of chapters and her relationship with one character is inexplicably fixed even after not seeing one another for months. It felt crammed in as an afterthought.
If you read the book description and “The Last Boy and Girl in the World” sounds interesting to you, then give it a shot. The writing is good, but it just wasn’t for me.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2021
•misleading title, prologue,and synopsis. I was crestfallen and a bit angry.
•characters were a okay...torn between punching them and kissing their precious feet.
•am not gonna lie, the writing style was great but ya know, am not just a fan of the plot.
•fast-paced but frustrating events in the novel.
•the romance was somehow good and awful. Good because yey, she chose the good guy but 99% of the book, she was head-over-heels to this semi-bad guy.
•would be good if the author develops the female and male protagonists relationship to each other way deeper.
•the ending was nothing but a typical ending. I mean, come on, add a chapter or a three and i’ll close the book with a smile painted on my face.
•again, misleading title, prologue, and synopsis. I bought this book bc I though i’ll be reading a book about survival. But no, I was greeted by a bunch of hormonal teenagers.
•characters were a okay...torn between punching them and kissing their precious feet.
•am not gonna lie, the writing style was great but ya know, am not just a fan of the plot.
•fast-paced but frustrating events in the novel.
•the romance was somehow good and awful. Good because yey, she chose the good guy but 99% of the book, she was head-over-heels to this semi-bad guy.
•would be good if the author develops the female and male protagonists relationship to each other way deeper.
•the ending was nothing but a typical ending. I mean, come on, add a chapter or a three and i’ll close the book with a smile painted on my face.
•again, misleading title, prologue, and synopsis. I bought this book bc I though i’ll be reading a book about survival. But no, I was greeted by a bunch of hormonal teenagers.
February 5, 2017
WTF WAS THAT??? This is like click bait for a book. Not only did nothing interesting happen in this book but there was also zero plot development nor character development. I hated almost all of the characters, Keeley was annoying AF and I really wanted her dad to die ASAP. I think Siobhan Vivian was trying to avoid writing another cliché YA novel, but if you're not going to write a cliché YA novel then DON'T NAME IT "THE LAST BOY AND GIRL IN THE WORLD". I feel like I've been catfishes by a book. For example, on the book jacket it says "There are parties in abandoned houses," ummm there was one party and literally no one got lit so like what's the point...? The jacket also said "Canoe races down the Main Street," THIS LITERALLY NEVER HAPPENED, false advertising much????? I could go on forever... So if you really enjoy getting catfished, hating main characters, and boring plots then this book is for you!
March 24, 2018
I didn't hate this book, but I hated the way it made me feel. I was depressed the whole time I read it. I actually thought about dnf-ing it several times but the story held enough intrigue that I didn't stop reading it. I wanted to know what happened. So curiosity got the best of me. The writing was good except for the ending. It wasn't satisfying for me. It just left me a little empty feeling. It's a good book for learning life choices and picking your friends or boyfriends when you're a early teen, but I really wish I hadn't read it.
This is just my personal experience with this book and yours could be very different!
Keely is in her junior year of high school in a small town called Aberdeen. A huge storm causes flooding and destroys a portion of the homes there. At the same time Keely is realizing her long time crush just might like her back. She decides to take this opportunity and make the most of it with her friends. There is a lot of turmoil for Keely as she continuously gets called out on her crap and tries to cover everything up with humor. All she does is make things worse. Now the town is evacuating and she has to decide who and what she will take with her from her hometown and what will be lost to the flood.
This is just my personal experience with this book and yours could be very different!
Keely is in her junior year of high school in a small town called Aberdeen. A huge storm causes flooding and destroys a portion of the homes there. At the same time Keely is realizing her long time crush just might like her back. She decides to take this opportunity and make the most of it with her friends. There is a lot of turmoil for Keely as she continuously gets called out on her crap and tries to cover everything up with humor. All she does is make things worse. Now the town is evacuating and she has to decide who and what she will take with her from her hometown and what will be lost to the flood.
March 5, 2016
An emotional story about growing up, & moving on, & how we must live with the consequences of our choices. It features a solid, realistic friendship, with its own growing pains. A very interesting plot line kept the story moving forward, & had me anticipating what might happen next. Overall, really enjoyed this one. Since I read the ARC, I'll be curious to see what changes were made at the end for the finished copy, as stated by the author.
December 27, 2021
This book was better than I expected to be. The back sounds somewhat boring, but I actually really enjoyed it.
I'll admit that Keeley's relationship with Jesse was cute and outgoing, but I always wanted to see Keeley with Levi instead of him. Levi and Keeley were so frickin adorable even though they never had an actual relationship with each other. I kind of what to see more of them and how everyone else's lives are going now that they are apart and no longer living in Aberdeen. I want to see Morgan's life without Keeley. I want to see if Jesse still wants to be friends with Keeley or not, and see how Jesse's sister Julia is doing.
I was glad that it turned out like I thought in the end for them. I was kinda upset when Morgan said that she didn't see Keeley as her friend in the future. But in the end it turned out being a good thing for both of them so they could turn over a new leaf and start their new lives.
Some of my absolute favorite parts:
1.) "Keeley, why are you crying?"
"Because I've lost Morgan, I've lost Aberdeen. I don't want to lose you."
"Every time I thought about you, Keeley, I felt sad."
Hearing that broke my heart.
"But now you're here, sad is the furthest thing from what I feel. I don't want to let you go either. Not if I don't have to."
Levi leaned across his kayak, and I leaned too. He kissed me. I wrapped my hands around his neck and kissed him back. I think we would have kissed each other forever if we hadn't been interrupted. But someone shouted, "Put your hands up!"
We both turned and looks. Three police boats were motoring towards us. Sheriff Hamrick was in one of them and he looked madder than mad.
Levi took my hand in his. I knew he wasn't going to let me go. Not in the way that mattered. And I wouldn't either.
2.) I'm crying when I looked up from the letter. Not because out sticker book is gone forever. Or for all the things lost underneath the water. My tears are ones of relief, because I can finally see the new beginnings all around me.
3.) Levi stepped forward, and he touched my hair. "Keeley."
I had never heard my name so softly. Expect for one other time. When Levi found me in the hallway. I felt from his what I'd felt from him then, only magnified a million times. A warmth, a caring. A comfort. He was seeing me at my lowest, my most vulnerable. And it was okay.
He gaze slowly lowered to the floor and his cheeks turned pink.
"You're looking at me like you want to kiss me."
4.) Even though I wasn't sure of anything, I knew I could tell Levi everything. Because I was my most me with him. I'd once felt that wat about Jesse, but it turns out that was becuase we were broken in the same way.
I wanted to talk and I wanted to kiss Levi and I wanted to start completely over and it was all a jumble in my brain that I couldn't untangle.
I'll admit that Keeley's relationship with Jesse was cute and outgoing, but I always wanted to see Keeley with Levi instead of him. Levi and Keeley were so frickin adorable even though they never had an actual relationship with each other. I kind of what to see more of them and how everyone else's lives are going now that they are apart and no longer living in Aberdeen. I want to see Morgan's life without Keeley. I want to see if Jesse still wants to be friends with Keeley or not, and see how Jesse's sister Julia is doing.
I was glad that it turned out like I thought in the end for them. I was kinda upset when Morgan said that she didn't see Keeley as her friend in the future. But in the end it turned out being a good thing for both of them so they could turn over a new leaf and start their new lives.
Some of my absolute favorite parts:
1.) "Keeley, why are you crying?"
"Because I've lost Morgan, I've lost Aberdeen. I don't want to lose you."
"Every time I thought about you, Keeley, I felt sad."
Hearing that broke my heart.
"But now you're here, sad is the furthest thing from what I feel. I don't want to let you go either. Not if I don't have to."
Levi leaned across his kayak, and I leaned too. He kissed me. I wrapped my hands around his neck and kissed him back. I think we would have kissed each other forever if we hadn't been interrupted. But someone shouted, "Put your hands up!"
We both turned and looks. Three police boats were motoring towards us. Sheriff Hamrick was in one of them and he looked madder than mad.
Levi took my hand in his. I knew he wasn't going to let me go. Not in the way that mattered. And I wouldn't either.
2.) I'm crying when I looked up from the letter. Not because out sticker book is gone forever. Or for all the things lost underneath the water. My tears are ones of relief, because I can finally see the new beginnings all around me.
3.) Levi stepped forward, and he touched my hair. "Keeley."
I had never heard my name so softly. Expect for one other time. When Levi found me in the hallway. I felt from his what I'd felt from him then, only magnified a million times. A warmth, a caring. A comfort. He was seeing me at my lowest, my most vulnerable. And it was okay.
He gaze slowly lowered to the floor and his cheeks turned pink.
"You're looking at me like you want to kiss me."
4.) Even though I wasn't sure of anything, I knew I could tell Levi everything. Because I was my most me with him. I'd once felt that wat about Jesse, but it turns out that was becuase we were broken in the same way.
I wanted to talk and I wanted to kiss Levi and I wanted to start completely over and it was all a jumble in my brain that I couldn't untangle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2016
I live in a small, rural town on the edge of a major river. And I could see the events of this book playing out similarly where I live. The fight against turning the town into a lake would start out strong. Residents would rally and pretend that everything would go on the same as it always had, knowing it would all come to an end eventually, understanding that the battle was already lost before it had begun.
Despite that, this novel was still uplifting when it came down to it. Keeley was one of those unlikable characters that I just couldn't help but like. Because she makes mistakes. Because she's genuine and inevitably remorseful and just trying to do what she thinks is right. Yeah, she's selfish. And she turns a blind eye to everything until it's too late. But that's what makes her real and makes her realize what she really wants and needs.
This was the first Siobhan Vivian book I've read, but I have a feeling I'll be checking out her backlist soon.
Despite that, this novel was still uplifting when it came down to it. Keeley was one of those unlikable characters that I just couldn't help but like. Because she makes mistakes. Because she's genuine and inevitably remorseful and just trying to do what she thinks is right. Yeah, she's selfish. And she turns a blind eye to everything until it's too late. But that's what makes her real and makes her realize what she really wants and needs.
This was the first Siobhan Vivian book I've read, but I have a feeling I'll be checking out her backlist soon.
April 26, 2016
Okay but how is there running electricity and other random amenities when it continually rains bricks? My neighborhood gets sucked into darkness when a squirrel chills on a transmission tower (only slightly kidding).
So I don't know if I should rate this a 1 or 2 stars lalala.
--Full review pending.
So I don't know if I should rate this a 1 or 2 stars lalala.
--Full review pending.
August 6, 2017
If you've been following me a while, you know that I'm not a fan of a lot of young adult literature. Occasionally, however, I will pick something up because it gets a lot of chatter, someone thinks I will like it, or (as in this case with this book) it's a part of a Battle of the Books tournament I am participating in.
The premise of the book sounded interesting, but it was more interesting when I was under the impression that it was a dystopia of some sort. I suppose one could argue that a town being flooded and everyone having to leave to go live elsewhere is somewhat dystopic, but that's not the intention behind this story which, I understand, is based on some real-life situation, though the author does not mention anywhere in the book which real-life situation it was. And all I could think about was that movie with Robert Downey, Jr. and the peaches.
Keeley is the young adult that is featured in this story. She is such a young adult that it is difficult to read. Young adults (or "teens" as they used to be known) are rotten little people. I say this because I survived those years (the "teen years" as they used to be called) and I can look back now and realize just how awful I was and how awful all my friends were. We meant well, of course. We didn't live the kind of life Keeley lives in this story, and yet we were still assholes. That just comes with the territory. It's like you turn that age, and for the next several years you're just an asshole.
Even knowing this, it makes reading people in that stage of their lives, even worse because when you read it, it's even more glaring than when you see or hear it.
Keeley likes a boy, the boy starts to like Keeley, it doesn't stop raining, the town decides they might as well just flood the whole kit and caboodle, and Keeley is just an asshole throughout. However, being an asshole doesn't necessarily make the whole story bad. There are plenty of assholes in literature. I rolled my eyes a lot because Keeley is just rotten, being all interested in this guy who treats her like shit (let's just be real) why her best friends' lives are falling apart for real and legit things like they just lost their house, and she will time and again go off with the boy instead of being there for her friends and family. She makes a lot of bad decisions, as we all do in that age range, and I know one day Keeley will grow up and look back on this as all very unfortunate and she'll have to have that awkward conversation with her parents in which she admits she really was an asshole, and she is sorry for everything she put them through. Maybe she'll reach out to her old friends on Facebook or SnapChat or whatever it is kids are doing these days and apologize for not being there for them too.
Or maybe Keeley will be that person we all know who is so self-involved she never recognizes how shitty a person she used to be - because she is still (and always will be) an asshole.
No, it's not so much that. This is just not a very well written book. And that may be because I find it difficult to read young adult novels without treating them like everything else I read. I felt the premise (once I realized it wasn't some cool dystopia) was asinine, the characters were not fully developed and were contrived, and Keeley's life in the midst of all of this serious shit going on was such a poor choice. Yes, it is possible to write about a young adult's life in the midst of life-changing and awful experiences, without the story being ridiculous or juvenile. Most coming-of-age novels can manage it. Salvage the Bones is an adult book but has a very similar (and much more realistic) plot, and yet it isn't dumbed down in any way for the reader. It's real and brutal and vivid.
And then there's Keeley who cares more about her dress for the school dance and whether or not she can help pull off the party of a century in one of the abandoned homes after the initial evacuation.
Come. On.
I know there are readers who dig this sort of thing, so they will enjoy this. Younger readers, of course, will also enjoy it. I try to put myself in that mindset, if I was that age, would I like this book. I don't know, it's really hard to say because I'm so far removed (but not so far removed I can't remember how much it sucked to be that age). I have a hard time with the young adult classification because when I was a younger reader we had "Childrens" and then "Teens" and then we started reading V.C. Andrews and Stephen King, and rarely did we look back. So it's strange to me that there's this whole "young adult" world that people read almost exclusively. Not judging, just speculating.
So people who read exclusively young adult novels will probably really like this. I don't know why, but if it appeals to you as a reader, hey, knock yourself out. I found it trite, especially after reading Sartre (which sounds more pretentious than I intended). Keeley has not yet had an existential crisis and she may never experience one if she stays so self-involved.
The premise of the book sounded interesting, but it was more interesting when I was under the impression that it was a dystopia of some sort. I suppose one could argue that a town being flooded and everyone having to leave to go live elsewhere is somewhat dystopic, but that's not the intention behind this story which, I understand, is based on some real-life situation, though the author does not mention anywhere in the book which real-life situation it was. And all I could think about was that movie with Robert Downey, Jr. and the peaches.
Keeley is the young adult that is featured in this story. She is such a young adult that it is difficult to read. Young adults (or "teens" as they used to be known) are rotten little people. I say this because I survived those years (the "teen years" as they used to be called) and I can look back now and realize just how awful I was and how awful all my friends were. We meant well, of course. We didn't live the kind of life Keeley lives in this story, and yet we were still assholes. That just comes with the territory. It's like you turn that age, and for the next several years you're just an asshole.
Even knowing this, it makes reading people in that stage of their lives, even worse because when you read it, it's even more glaring than when you see or hear it.
Keeley likes a boy, the boy starts to like Keeley, it doesn't stop raining, the town decides they might as well just flood the whole kit and caboodle, and Keeley is just an asshole throughout. However, being an asshole doesn't necessarily make the whole story bad. There are plenty of assholes in literature. I rolled my eyes a lot because Keeley is just rotten, being all interested in this guy who treats her like shit (let's just be real) why her best friends' lives are falling apart for real and legit things like they just lost their house, and she will time and again go off with the boy instead of being there for her friends and family. She makes a lot of bad decisions, as we all do in that age range, and I know one day Keeley will grow up and look back on this as all very unfortunate and she'll have to have that awkward conversation with her parents in which she admits she really was an asshole, and she is sorry for everything she put them through. Maybe she'll reach out to her old friends on Facebook or SnapChat or whatever it is kids are doing these days and apologize for not being there for them too.
Or maybe Keeley will be that person we all know who is so self-involved she never recognizes how shitty a person she used to be - because she is still (and always will be) an asshole.
No, it's not so much that. This is just not a very well written book. And that may be because I find it difficult to read young adult novels without treating them like everything else I read. I felt the premise (once I realized it wasn't some cool dystopia) was asinine, the characters were not fully developed and were contrived, and Keeley's life in the midst of all of this serious shit going on was such a poor choice. Yes, it is possible to write about a young adult's life in the midst of life-changing and awful experiences, without the story being ridiculous or juvenile. Most coming-of-age novels can manage it. Salvage the Bones is an adult book but has a very similar (and much more realistic) plot, and yet it isn't dumbed down in any way for the reader. It's real and brutal and vivid.
And then there's Keeley who cares more about her dress for the school dance and whether or not she can help pull off the party of a century in one of the abandoned homes after the initial evacuation.
Come. On.
I know there are readers who dig this sort of thing, so they will enjoy this. Younger readers, of course, will also enjoy it. I try to put myself in that mindset, if I was that age, would I like this book. I don't know, it's really hard to say because I'm so far removed (but not so far removed I can't remember how much it sucked to be that age). I have a hard time with the young adult classification because when I was a younger reader we had "Childrens" and then "Teens" and then we started reading V.C. Andrews and Stephen King, and rarely did we look back. So it's strange to me that there's this whole "young adult" world that people read almost exclusively. Not judging, just speculating.
So people who read exclusively young adult novels will probably really like this. I don't know why, but if it appeals to you as a reader, hey, knock yourself out. I found it trite, especially after reading Sartre (which sounds more pretentious than I intended). Keeley has not yet had an existential crisis and she may never experience one if she stays so self-involved.
February 24, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
4.5 Stars
The Last Boy and Girl in the World has got to be up there as one of my favourite reads of the year. This book is believable and original and the main character is realistic and relatable. It is written so incredibly well that the characters really come to life. Everything about this book is just so enjoyable!
The Last Boy and Girl in the World has a concept unlike anything I've ever read. In this book, a whole town is slowly sinking and the citizens have to evacuate. It is really interesting reading about the whole procedure and the resistance group trying to fight it. I can't even imagine losing all my possessions and having to leave a town that I've spent my whole life in. The fact that the book is based on true events makes it that much more powerful.
The main character in The Last Boy and Girl in the world is actually very relatable. As she goes through the last days in her hometown, she makes many mistakes. Some of which can't be easily undone. When it comes to main characters in contemporary novels, a lot of them are flawless, which makes the book a lot less believable. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, and I appreciated how Keeley is not perfect.
There is such incredible writing in The Last Boy and Girl in the World! The whole book is filled with vivid descriptions of the state of the town and the response to the flooding. But what I absolutely adored about this book is the amount of character development. At the end of the book, the reader will have really gotten to know each and every character and actually start to feel things for them. Reading this book is an emotional adventure because you can connect so easily with everyone. This is definitely my favourite of Siobhan Vivian's books.
The Last Boy and Girl in the World is a realistic book with a main character who is relatable and has her flaws. The writing is absolutely gorgeous and the characters are so well developed. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, as it is the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day.
4.5 Stars
The Last Boy and Girl in the World has got to be up there as one of my favourite reads of the year. This book is believable and original and the main character is realistic and relatable. It is written so incredibly well that the characters really come to life. Everything about this book is just so enjoyable!
The Last Boy and Girl in the World has a concept unlike anything I've ever read. In this book, a whole town is slowly sinking and the citizens have to evacuate. It is really interesting reading about the whole procedure and the resistance group trying to fight it. I can't even imagine losing all my possessions and having to leave a town that I've spent my whole life in. The fact that the book is based on true events makes it that much more powerful.
The main character in The Last Boy and Girl in the world is actually very relatable. As she goes through the last days in her hometown, she makes many mistakes. Some of which can't be easily undone. When it comes to main characters in contemporary novels, a lot of them are flawless, which makes the book a lot less believable. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, and I appreciated how Keeley is not perfect.
There is such incredible writing in The Last Boy and Girl in the World! The whole book is filled with vivid descriptions of the state of the town and the response to the flooding. But what I absolutely adored about this book is the amount of character development. At the end of the book, the reader will have really gotten to know each and every character and actually start to feel things for them. Reading this book is an emotional adventure because you can connect so easily with everyone. This is definitely my favourite of Siobhan Vivian's books.
The Last Boy and Girl in the World is a realistic book with a main character who is relatable and has her flaws. The writing is absolutely gorgeous and the characters are so well developed. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, as it is the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day.
April 28, 2016
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I came kind of close to DNFing this one, actually. I was about 12% in, and I felt like I had been reading for hours (I hadn't been). And it was 432 pages, which is kind of long for a contemporary. Especially one about the rain. I was kind of hoping for a really epic apocalypse level water situation, but it really wasn't that at all. It was more like "Hmm, this place flooded a bit, and it's raining all the time for no actual reason but no one is concerned, so let's turn the town into a lake! For reasons."
Keeley is the main character, and she has these best friends, Morgan and Elise, but frankly, I felt like she just wanted Elise to go away. Then somehow, she ends up in a quasi-relationship with this guy Jesse, who she's had a big old crush on for years. So during this time, Keeley's dad is fighting for the townspeople's right to stay in their homes. And that's just something that is also happening, because Keeley is busy. She has to do immature stuff with Jesse, and ditch her friends, and be awful to the guy who was nice enough to give her a job even though the whole town is flooding away.
But then she had redeeming moments where I genuinely felt for her, and she did grow as a character, so she wasn't all bad. And while the whole flood thing wasn't exactly realistic, the relationships and friendships were, which I appreciated. I also have read that there are quite a few changes that were made in the finished copy, so maybe some of these things have been cleared up.
Bottom Line: While I didn't hate this one, it was long and draggy where it didn't need to be, and Keeley really was trying at times. But the honest relationship portrayal is a definite plus!
I came kind of close to DNFing this one, actually. I was about 12% in, and I felt like I had been reading for hours (I hadn't been). And it was 432 pages, which is kind of long for a contemporary. Especially one about the rain. I was kind of hoping for a really epic apocalypse level water situation, but it really wasn't that at all. It was more like "Hmm, this place flooded a bit, and it's raining all the time for no actual reason but no one is concerned, so let's turn the town into a lake! For reasons."
Keeley is the main character, and she has these best friends, Morgan and Elise, but frankly, I felt like she just wanted Elise to go away. Then somehow, she ends up in a quasi-relationship with this guy Jesse, who she's had a big old crush on for years. So during this time, Keeley's dad is fighting for the townspeople's right to stay in their homes. And that's just something that is also happening, because Keeley is busy. She has to do immature stuff with Jesse, and ditch her friends, and be awful to the guy who was nice enough to give her a job even though the whole town is flooding away.
But then she had redeeming moments where I genuinely felt for her, and she did grow as a character, so she wasn't all bad. And while the whole flood thing wasn't exactly realistic, the relationships and friendships were, which I appreciated. I also have read that there are quite a few changes that were made in the finished copy, so maybe some of these things have been cleared up.
Bottom Line: While I didn't hate this one, it was long and draggy where it didn't need to be, and Keeley really was trying at times. But the honest relationship portrayal is a definite plus!
August 2, 2016
I probably had too much hope for this book going in.
Do you know what killed this for me? The friendship. I will always always ALWAYS choose a good friendship plot/building over romance. And the friendship in this story straight up SUCKED. By the end of this novel I had to ask myself, "Were they even friends? Like true friends???" Everything was everywhere. I didn't feel the connection between the "friends." STOP MAKING IT SEEM THAT ROMaNCE WITH A BOY IS MORE IMPORTANT. Even though Morgan calls Keeley out for her obsession with Jesse, she's exactly the same. uRGH. The in-cohesive and terrible friendship ruined this. There was literally no faith or trust. If there was, it was BS.
What also ruined this was Keeley's ANNOYING AND SELFISH CHARACTER.
You know what slightly saved this for me? Levi Hamrick. The only one who made sense. (What does he see in Keeley?? I don't really know)
Do you know what killed this for me? The friendship. I will always always ALWAYS choose a good friendship plot/building over romance. And the friendship in this story straight up SUCKED. By the end of this novel I had to ask myself, "Were they even friends? Like true friends???" Everything was everywhere. I didn't feel the connection between the "friends." STOP MAKING IT SEEM THAT ROMaNCE WITH A BOY IS MORE IMPORTANT. Even though Morgan calls Keeley out for her obsession with Jesse, she's exactly the same. uRGH. The in-cohesive and terrible friendship ruined this. There was literally no faith or trust. If there was, it was BS.
What also ruined this was Keeley's ANNOYING AND SELFISH CHARACTER.
You know what slightly saved this for me? Levi Hamrick. The only one who made sense. (What does he see in Keeley?? I don't really know)
September 17, 2016
30% dnf
Maybe I'll come back to this book in the future but as of right now, I cannot continue. I see the plot going absolutely no where. It just revolves around Keeley and her crush on playboy Jesse.
I was so intrigued by the whole idea of the flood thing, I mean just look at the title, "The Last Boy and Girl in the World" and so far all I've read about is how gorgeous and hilarious and fabulous Jesse is. . . don't think this one is for me.
Maybe I'll come back to this book in the future but as of right now, I cannot continue. I see the plot going absolutely no where. It just revolves around Keeley and her crush on playboy Jesse.
I was so intrigued by the whole idea of the flood thing, I mean just look at the title, "The Last Boy and Girl in the World" and so far all I've read about is how gorgeous and hilarious and fabulous Jesse is. . . don't think this one is for me.
June 15, 2017
Sul blog http://www.leggereromanticamente.com/...
Noi, gli unici al mondo è un romanzo young adult autoconclusivo dalla trama particolare, ma che a fine lettura mi ha proprio lasciata insoddisfatta.
La situazione critica in cui sono coinvolti i cittadini di Aberdeen, ben spiegata all'interno del romanzo e che riserverà anche una serie di retroscena, fa da scenario alla storia di un gruppo di liceali che ho trovato particolarmente superficiali e insulsi.
La stessa protagonista principale Keeley non è il massimo della simpatia: oltre ad essere totalmente ingenua si comporta in più occasioni in maniera sempliciotta.
La prima “storia d'amore” (con tanto di virgolette perché non sono sicura di poterla definire tale) di Keeley nascerà proprio in occasione di questa strana situazione. Con chi? Avete presente il classico buffone di classe? Quello che deve sempre combinare qualche casino e far ridere tutti altrimenti non è contento? Ecco, Jesse, il ragazzo per cui Keeley ha una cotta da una vita, è proprio così. Non che sia un cattivo ragazzo, a modo suo sa anche essere simpatico, ma non mi ha mai convinto dall'inizio alla fine.
In tutta questa storia l'unico personaggio che mi è piaciuto è Levi, il figlio dello sceriffo locale, un bravo ed impegnato ragazzo etichettato dai coetanei come un tipo troppo rigido e incapace di divertirsi, ma che è l'unico in mezzo a quel marasma di adolescenti superficiali a dimostrare di avere un cervello.
Fortunatamente, anche Keeley ad un certo punto si renderà conto di essere stata troppo avventata e naif in certe sue decisioni, ma questo avverrà solo alla fine e dopo aver commesso diversi e grossi errori.
Forse, se la situazione avesse preso una certa piega prima del 90% del romanzo e la protagonista si fosse svegliata prima, la mia opinione complessiva sarebbe stata diversa, ma, stando così le cose, per me questo libro è stato proprio una delusione.
La lettura tutto sommato è piuttosto scorrevole, non è il ritmo il problema di questa storia, lo sono proprio i personaggi coinvolti.
La trama aveva un suo potenziale però, peccato!
Punto di vista: prima persona della protagonista Keeley
Sensualità: solo qualche bacio
Caratteristiche: superficiale, snervante
Stile narrativo: scorrevole
Tipo di finale: chiuso, ma non soddisfacente
Noi, gli unici al mondo è un romanzo young adult autoconclusivo dalla trama particolare, ma che a fine lettura mi ha proprio lasciata insoddisfatta.
La situazione critica in cui sono coinvolti i cittadini di Aberdeen, ben spiegata all'interno del romanzo e che riserverà anche una serie di retroscena, fa da scenario alla storia di un gruppo di liceali che ho trovato particolarmente superficiali e insulsi.
La stessa protagonista principale Keeley non è il massimo della simpatia: oltre ad essere totalmente ingenua si comporta in più occasioni in maniera sempliciotta.
La prima “storia d'amore” (con tanto di virgolette perché non sono sicura di poterla definire tale) di Keeley nascerà proprio in occasione di questa strana situazione. Con chi? Avete presente il classico buffone di classe? Quello che deve sempre combinare qualche casino e far ridere tutti altrimenti non è contento? Ecco, Jesse, il ragazzo per cui Keeley ha una cotta da una vita, è proprio così. Non che sia un cattivo ragazzo, a modo suo sa anche essere simpatico, ma non mi ha mai convinto dall'inizio alla fine.
In tutta questa storia l'unico personaggio che mi è piaciuto è Levi, il figlio dello sceriffo locale, un bravo ed impegnato ragazzo etichettato dai coetanei come un tipo troppo rigido e incapace di divertirsi, ma che è l'unico in mezzo a quel marasma di adolescenti superficiali a dimostrare di avere un cervello.
Fortunatamente, anche Keeley ad un certo punto si renderà conto di essere stata troppo avventata e naif in certe sue decisioni, ma questo avverrà solo alla fine e dopo aver commesso diversi e grossi errori.
Forse, se la situazione avesse preso una certa piega prima del 90% del romanzo e la protagonista si fosse svegliata prima, la mia opinione complessiva sarebbe stata diversa, ma, stando così le cose, per me questo libro è stato proprio una delusione.
La lettura tutto sommato è piuttosto scorrevole, non è il ritmo il problema di questa storia, lo sono proprio i personaggi coinvolti.
La trama aveva un suo potenziale però, peccato!
Punto di vista: prima persona della protagonista Keeley
Sensualità: solo qualche bacio
Caratteristiche: superficiale, snervante
Stile narrativo: scorrevole
Tipo di finale: chiuso, ma non soddisfacente
March 15, 2016
A story about growing up and letting go. I would have wished for less of a slower middle - the plot really dragged here but the overall message and heart ultimately shone through!
April 14, 2025
I actually loved this book…Then in it got boring to me after the halfway point and I fell back into my reading slump (this was my attempt to get out of it.)
I may give this book another try someday.
I may give this book another try someday.
July 6, 2022
keeley was annoying and jesse also sucked. i didn't care much for morgan, elise, or levi either. basically i didn't really like or connect with any of the characters lol. still, i thought this book was cute, fun, realistic, and decently enjoyable. so 3 stars from me
August 24, 2016
this book invented character development and solid endings. also I'm crying very hard.
March 2, 2018
I would give this 3.5 stars, but since you can’t I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. Overall, I really liked both the plot and time line of this book. However, the characters were very hypocritical, which was really annoying. They would all do one thing and when someone else did something just as bad they got mad. Honestly, I wish the ending situation lasted more than a few pages. Although, I did think this was really predictable, which was a little disappointing. Also, it took me a long time to read this, which I wasn’t too happy about. I would reccommend this to a friend, however, because I did like it. The storyline was very original and I personally think the main character was very likeable.
June 8, 2016
"You and I can be the silver lining of this super-shitty cloud."
Found my scuba gear and we are now on our way back to Aberdeen....
With a population of 17,00 and the home of Kurt Cobain, we have a look back at what was known as Aberdeen.
Keeley and Morgan are best friends all throughout life, their moms are the same exact way.
Morgan's dad left not that long ago and now it's just her and mom.
Keeley's parents are still together, but dad is not what he used to be, after an accident that made one of his legs stiff and not bend. He wastes his days away searching online forums and reading the latest news.
Which means all of the bills fall on the shoulders of mom.
Morgan befriends Elise who she met at a church function and now the duo turns into a trio.
Keeley feels like Elise is wedging her way between her and Morgan. Like they say, misery loves company.....
For the longest time Keeley is in love with Jesse, but she never actually does anything about it... until storms are continuing to hit Aberdeen and floods sections of the area. Making Aberdeen a disaster area. Stacking sandbags will forever change Keeley's life, for what we all believe to be the better.
While stacking sandbags, Keeley makes an inappropriate joke to Jesse about Levi. Levi... The kid who's going places and cranks it to the school policy manual. (squirt squirt)
That brings this terrible situation to a way to make everyone's life funnier.
Keeley and Jesse fall head over heels and are the talk of everyone's life in town.
With impending dangerous flooding storms heading their way, the state decides to buy out all of the citizens houses and have them relocate.
That won't happen when big bad dad steps in and sticks his nose in the business of the town. His family has deep history in town and won't let it be destroyed.
Little by little the towns people start to relocate and dad spends his days starting a rebellion and repairing peoples houses free of cost.
With more storms comes dangerous flooding.....
What will happen to the town of Aberdeen? Will a friendship survive devastation? Will the Jesse/Keeley love story continue? Will Levi go places?
I won't say, you'll have to read it (Sticks out tongue)
Hahaha, I know I'm an asshole.... deal with it.
I really loved this book, it touches on a very serious subject without it destroying your soul.
When you read a book like this you want it to end a certain way and it didn't end with what I imagined, but it ended in a way that I didn't see coming. Bravo! You stumped this book crazy nerd. (Ask Trent, he'll fill you in on how much I read)
This really makes you think about what would you do in a situation like this. In times of need, you must be a friend and help out when you can and that's really not what Keeley did.
In a world full of Keeley's, be yourself!
Found my scuba gear and we are now on our way back to Aberdeen....
With a population of 17,00 and the home of Kurt Cobain, we have a look back at what was known as Aberdeen.
Keeley and Morgan are best friends all throughout life, their moms are the same exact way.
Morgan's dad left not that long ago and now it's just her and mom.
Keeley's parents are still together, but dad is not what he used to be, after an accident that made one of his legs stiff and not bend. He wastes his days away searching online forums and reading the latest news.
Which means all of the bills fall on the shoulders of mom.
Morgan befriends Elise who she met at a church function and now the duo turns into a trio.
Keeley feels like Elise is wedging her way between her and Morgan. Like they say, misery loves company.....
For the longest time Keeley is in love with Jesse, but she never actually does anything about it... until storms are continuing to hit Aberdeen and floods sections of the area. Making Aberdeen a disaster area. Stacking sandbags will forever change Keeley's life, for what we all believe to be the better.
While stacking sandbags, Keeley makes an inappropriate joke to Jesse about Levi. Levi... The kid who's going places and cranks it to the school policy manual. (squirt squirt)
That brings this terrible situation to a way to make everyone's life funnier.
Keeley and Jesse fall head over heels and are the talk of everyone's life in town.
With impending dangerous flooding storms heading their way, the state decides to buy out all of the citizens houses and have them relocate.
That won't happen when big bad dad steps in and sticks his nose in the business of the town. His family has deep history in town and won't let it be destroyed.
Little by little the towns people start to relocate and dad spends his days starting a rebellion and repairing peoples houses free of cost.
With more storms comes dangerous flooding.....
What will happen to the town of Aberdeen? Will a friendship survive devastation? Will the Jesse/Keeley love story continue? Will Levi go places?
I won't say, you'll have to read it (Sticks out tongue)
Hahaha, I know I'm an asshole.... deal with it.
I really loved this book, it touches on a very serious subject without it destroying your soul.
When you read a book like this you want it to end a certain way and it didn't end with what I imagined, but it ended in a way that I didn't see coming. Bravo! You stumped this book crazy nerd. (Ask Trent, he'll fill you in on how much I read)
This really makes you think about what would you do in a situation like this. In times of need, you must be a friend and help out when you can and that's really not what Keeley did.
In a world full of Keeley's, be yourself!
October 24, 2016
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Like, top five. I just read this description back in December and knew I had to have it. I became desperate to read it; to dive into its pages and fawn over its GORGEOUS cover.
So it goes without saying that expectations were high. And while I liked this novel, I was disappointed overall. I didn't love it.
Keeley was my favorite thing about this novel. I loved being her, and being inside her head. I feel like I say that in a lot of my reviews, but it's true. That's why I read stories: To live someone else's life and share their experiences. And Keeley had an incredibly strong and original voice. I can honestly say I have never read a character with her personality. So many novels have a goofball, happy character that tries to make everything light and make the best out of every situation. But in all of those stories that pop into my mind, that character is always male and always a supporting character. So to have this weird, inappropriate, laughable character be the main character, and female, was spectacular. She used her personality as a shield; to protect herself from the difficult and confusing parts of life. She was so similar to myself and so many others, and yet so different, and I loved that dichotomy.
The relationships in this novel were both captivating and confusing. Towards the end of the novel, I felt like I was being jerked back in forth between what was happening in the story, and what I thought made sense with the characters--and that's never a good thing. No one turned out to be who they were depicted as, which is both good and bad. Because some of it was shocking in a good way, like her father, but some of it was shocking in a bad way, like Levi and Morgan. The pacing of the relationships could have been done a lot better, and I think it was the part of the novel that I liked the least. It was a bit of a love triangle, but not one that was done well--again, because of the pacing of the relationship arcs.
I really enjoyed the writing. It's simple and written well. The writing of the voice and the characters are the best part of the novel.
So it goes without saying that expectations were high. And while I liked this novel, I was disappointed overall. I didn't love it.
Keeley was my favorite thing about this novel. I loved being her, and being inside her head. I feel like I say that in a lot of my reviews, but it's true. That's why I read stories: To live someone else's life and share their experiences. And Keeley had an incredibly strong and original voice. I can honestly say I have never read a character with her personality. So many novels have a goofball, happy character that tries to make everything light and make the best out of every situation. But in all of those stories that pop into my mind, that character is always male and always a supporting character. So to have this weird, inappropriate, laughable character be the main character, and female, was spectacular. She used her personality as a shield; to protect herself from the difficult and confusing parts of life. She was so similar to myself and so many others, and yet so different, and I loved that dichotomy.
The relationships in this novel were both captivating and confusing. Towards the end of the novel, I felt like I was being jerked back in forth between what was happening in the story, and what I thought made sense with the characters--and that's never a good thing. No one turned out to be who they were depicted as, which is both good and bad. Because some of it was shocking in a good way, like her father, but some of it was shocking in a bad way, like Levi and Morgan. The pacing of the relationships could have been done a lot better, and I think it was the part of the novel that I liked the least. It was a bit of a love triangle, but not one that was done well--again, because of the pacing of the relationship arcs.
I really enjoyed the writing. It's simple and written well. The writing of the voice and the characters are the best part of the novel.
June 3, 2016
This is honestly one of the worst books I have ever read. The story was so pointless and questions that should have been answered, weren't. Siobhan Vivian takes an incredibly long time to really tell you nothing. Rain fell, the town flooded, it was decided they wanted to turn it into a lake, everybody is a brat, and that's it. In the beginning of the story, the rain was such a big deal, and then suddenly it wasn't. It kept raining, but nobody really paid any attention to it. It was like they didn't care anymore, but I don't know why they stopped caring.
In addition to an awful story, the characters were simply atrocious. Each and every one of them was rude, obnoxious, selfish, entitled, and whiney. I kept waiting for somebody to get their life together and hit a turning point, but nobody ever did. The book ended with the characters still being horrible. Characters that seemed important in the beginning simply disappeared halfway through the book, and it was like the remaining characters forgot about them too. Ummm, I'm sorry, but if somebody I was that good of friends with moved all the way to Florida, I would be wondering how they were doing.
I found myself constantly frustrated and angry about things the characters would say/do or the way the story was going. The ending was incredibly disappointing and a little too perfect. After everything that Keeley did and the way she treated everyone, there is no way things would have worked out that well. Maybe this is how real life works and I just don't know it? I certainly hope not. If so, we are all doomed.
In addition to an awful story, the characters were simply atrocious. Each and every one of them was rude, obnoxious, selfish, entitled, and whiney. I kept waiting for somebody to get their life together and hit a turning point, but nobody ever did. The book ended with the characters still being horrible. Characters that seemed important in the beginning simply disappeared halfway through the book, and it was like the remaining characters forgot about them too. Ummm, I'm sorry, but if somebody I was that good of friends with moved all the way to Florida, I would be wondering how they were doing.
I found myself constantly frustrated and angry about things the characters would say/do or the way the story was going. The ending was incredibly disappointing and a little too perfect. After everything that Keeley did and the way she treated everyone, there is no way things would have worked out that well. Maybe this is how real life works and I just don't know it? I certainly hope not. If so, we are all doomed.
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