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Boy Proof
What happens when an antisocial cinephile meets up with the worldly new guy at school — a quick-witted artist who's savvy enough to see through her sci-fi disguise?
Meet Egg. Her real name is Victoria Jurgen, but she's renamed herself after the kick-ass heroine of her favorite sci-fi movie, Terminal Earth. Like her namesake, Egg dresses all in white, colors her eyebrows, and shaves her head. She always knows the right answers, she's always in control, and she's far too busy — taking photos for the school paper, meeting with the Science Fiction and Fantasy Club, and hanging out at the creature shop with her dad, the special-effects makeup wizard — to be bothered with friends, much less members of the opposite sex. As far as Egg is concerned, she's boy proof, and she likes it that way. But then Egg meets a boy named Max, a boy who's smart and funny and creative and cool...and happens to like Egg. Could this be the end of the world — at least as Egg knows it?
Meet Egg. Her real name is Victoria Jurgen, but she's renamed herself after the kick-ass heroine of her favorite sci-fi movie, Terminal Earth. Like her namesake, Egg dresses all in white, colors her eyebrows, and shaves her head. She always knows the right answers, she's always in control, and she's far too busy — taking photos for the school paper, meeting with the Science Fiction and Fantasy Club, and hanging out at the creature shop with her dad, the special-effects makeup wizard — to be bothered with friends, much less members of the opposite sex. As far as Egg is concerned, she's boy proof, and she likes it that way. But then Egg meets a boy named Max, a boy who's smart and funny and creative and cool...and happens to like Egg. Could this be the end of the world — at least as Egg knows it?
208 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2005
29 people are currently reading
6133 people want to read
About the author
Cecil Castellucci
220 books723 followersCecil Castellucci is an author of young adult novels and comic books. Titles include Boy Proof, The Year of the Beasts (illustrated by Nate Powell), First Day on Earth, Rose Sees Red, Beige, The Queen of Cool The Plain Janes and Janes in Love (illustrated by Jim Rugg), Tin Star Stone in the Sky, Odd Duck (illustrated by Sara Varon) and Star Wars: Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure.
Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic.
She is the recipient of the California Book Award Gold Medal for her picture book Grandma's Gloves, illustrated by Julia Denos, the Shuster Award for Best Canadian Comic Book Writer for The Plain Janes and the Sunburst Award for Tin Star. The Year of the Beasts was a finalist for the PEN USA literary award and Odd Duck was Eisner nominated.
She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.
Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic.
She is the recipient of the California Book Award Gold Medal for her picture book Grandma's Gloves, illustrated by Julia Denos, the Shuster Award for Best Canadian Comic Book Writer for The Plain Janes and the Sunburst Award for Tin Star. The Year of the Beasts was a finalist for the PEN USA literary award and Odd Duck was Eisner nominated.
She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
May 11, 2009
Looking back, I ask myself why I even bothered to actually read this book all the way through. I must have grown weak in my semester long absence from young adult fiction to think that I actually had to finish a novel that I started. And alas, I did not remember the joy of skimming until I was almost done with this book! Woe, is me, for all my precious time wasted.
Victoria, going by the name ‘Egg’ after her favorite movies heroine, lives an awful, hard life. She shaved her head, waxed off her eyebrows and colors them in different colors, wears a trench coat to school, and then complains about how no one at school “gets” her. She is so strange, in fact, that she is boy proof. That is, until newcomer Max moves in (on page 4.) It is obvious from this point on that Egg is not, in fact, boy proof; she is just another whiny, complaining, annoying person that likes to make her life more difficult then it needs to be.
Her mother is a movie star, and her father is a special make up artist (they live in Hollywood). They are divorced, and Egg hates her mother because, well, she can. In fact, she hates everyone because she can. And yet, for some strange reason, people still try to be nice to her until the climax, where she pisses them off enough to make them stop. (This involves assuming that Max is in love with her and then confronting him when he starts dating another girl—but don’t worry, that doesn’t last long—blowing off the girl who was supposed to tutor her in trig, and not telling the ScFi club that her mother was cast as a lead role in one of the movies that they were all looking forward to seeing.)
This novel was predictable. It’s obvious from the beginning that Egg is a bitter individual just searching for the right person who will love her, and who better to do this than the new kid? The attempts to create a sub plot were weak (Egg’s grades and her mothers career), and are over shadowed by all the negativity and hatred that consumes Egg. The climax was, well, anticlimactic, and the resolution was far too unrealistic. Too quick and easy. Egg just comes to her senses and realizes that she needs to stop being angry at the world. And once she decides to become a normal contributor to society, Max decides that he does like her after all. What a great message!
However, I did enjoy one quote from the book. “Non est ad astra mollis e terries via.” which means “There is no easy way from the Earth to the stars.” (66)
Victoria, going by the name ‘Egg’ after her favorite movies heroine, lives an awful, hard life. She shaved her head, waxed off her eyebrows and colors them in different colors, wears a trench coat to school, and then complains about how no one at school “gets” her. She is so strange, in fact, that she is boy proof. That is, until newcomer Max moves in (on page 4.) It is obvious from this point on that Egg is not, in fact, boy proof; she is just another whiny, complaining, annoying person that likes to make her life more difficult then it needs to be.
Her mother is a movie star, and her father is a special make up artist (they live in Hollywood). They are divorced, and Egg hates her mother because, well, she can. In fact, she hates everyone because she can. And yet, for some strange reason, people still try to be nice to her until the climax, where she pisses them off enough to make them stop. (This involves assuming that Max is in love with her and then confronting him when he starts dating another girl—but don’t worry, that doesn’t last long—blowing off the girl who was supposed to tutor her in trig, and not telling the ScFi club that her mother was cast as a lead role in one of the movies that they were all looking forward to seeing.)
This novel was predictable. It’s obvious from the beginning that Egg is a bitter individual just searching for the right person who will love her, and who better to do this than the new kid? The attempts to create a sub plot were weak (Egg’s grades and her mothers career), and are over shadowed by all the negativity and hatred that consumes Egg. The climax was, well, anticlimactic, and the resolution was far too unrealistic. Too quick and easy. Egg just comes to her senses and realizes that she needs to stop being angry at the world. And once she decides to become a normal contributor to society, Max decides that he does like her after all. What a great message!
However, I did enjoy one quote from the book. “Non est ad astra mollis e terries via.” which means “There is no easy way from the Earth to the stars.” (66)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 2, 2014Inspire by John Green's 18 Books You Probably Haven't Read, I found my copy of BOY PROOF by Cecil Castellucci. It has been on my classroom shelf for some time, but for some reason I've never read it. Thanks for the suggestion, John.
With a mother who is an actress and a father who is a respected makeup and special effects artist, one would think that Victoria's life would include one amazing event after another. The reality is Victoria, who prefers to be called Egg, goes out of her way to be a loner. Believing herself less attractive than her beautiful mother and not as interesting as her talented father, she works hard to avoid friendships and as her mother calls it, makes herself "boy proof."
Her fascination with the sci-fi movie Terminal Earth inspires most of Egg's actions including the name, her appearance, and her oddly-designed fashion choices. Her goal is to be valedictorian and have the choice of the best colleges, but trigonometry is killing her butt. Although, she has acquaintances in life, Egg avoids close friendships as a rule. That is the case until she meets Max. The two have a lot in common and sharing their thoughts about those common interests has Egg becoming strangely attracted to Max. The resulting confusion has her rethinking most of her life choices.
Author Cecil Castellucci takes readers on a wonderful journey through Egg's transformation. Anyone feeling lonely or left out will be inspired by Egg's courage as she confronts her preconceived notions about how she fits into the world around her.
With a mother who is an actress and a father who is a respected makeup and special effects artist, one would think that Victoria's life would include one amazing event after another. The reality is Victoria, who prefers to be called Egg, goes out of her way to be a loner. Believing herself less attractive than her beautiful mother and not as interesting as her talented father, she works hard to avoid friendships and as her mother calls it, makes herself "boy proof."
Her fascination with the sci-fi movie Terminal Earth inspires most of Egg's actions including the name, her appearance, and her oddly-designed fashion choices. Her goal is to be valedictorian and have the choice of the best colleges, but trigonometry is killing her butt. Although, she has acquaintances in life, Egg avoids close friendships as a rule. That is the case until she meets Max. The two have a lot in common and sharing their thoughts about those common interests has Egg becoming strangely attracted to Max. The resulting confusion has her rethinking most of her life choices.
Author Cecil Castellucci takes readers on a wonderful journey through Egg's transformation. Anyone feeling lonely or left out will be inspired by Egg's courage as she confronts her preconceived notions about how she fits into the world around her.
September 23, 2011
I read "Boy Proof" in one afternoon and for a quick read, this was actually a rather well-told tale, even if the protagonist isn't necessarily the kind of character you would align with at the very beginning. Egg, who's real name is Victoria, idolizes a character from her favorite movie, Terminal Earth. She's a sci-fi geek (and there are numerous references to sci-fi works in this novel) who self-loathes about her life despite vying to become the valedictorian of her school, having famous parents (father's an Oscar winning director, mother's an actress), and generally having a bunch of people surrounding her, though she sees herself as lonely.
Enter Max, the new kid in town, to upend her world from what she knows it to be. He's smart, confident, and Egg isn't exactly happy with the challenge, especially since he vies for her spot as valedictorian, among other aspects of her life. Pretty soon, in her relationship with Max along with her peers, she realizes that not everything in her life was as miserable as she believes it was, especially when she's in trouble of losing them and questioning things she thought she knew. Victoria/Egg's voice is full of point-blank humor and snark, though she's the kind of character that pushes people away, and it may not necessarily work for readers who dislike characters of that nature. I thought it was worthwhile seeing how she changes from someone who is predominantly self-loathing to someone who realizes what it means to value their relationships and that what one may see on a screen doesn't translate to real life. It's about as much a book about identity as it is about relationships, and I think it suits its audience well on that front.
Only problem I had was that there were certain references to Terminal Earth (Egg's favorite movie) that might've bogged down the pacing slightly, though I understood that communicates her enthusiasm over the movie along with the geek culture she's a part of. It feels authentic, though it does bog down the first part of the book a little more than I expected it would. Nonetheless, this was a quick read, and I enjoyed it for what it offered.
Overall score: 3/5
Enter Max, the new kid in town, to upend her world from what she knows it to be. He's smart, confident, and Egg isn't exactly happy with the challenge, especially since he vies for her spot as valedictorian, among other aspects of her life. Pretty soon, in her relationship with Max along with her peers, she realizes that not everything in her life was as miserable as she believes it was, especially when she's in trouble of losing them and questioning things she thought she knew. Victoria/Egg's voice is full of point-blank humor and snark, though she's the kind of character that pushes people away, and it may not necessarily work for readers who dislike characters of that nature. I thought it was worthwhile seeing how she changes from someone who is predominantly self-loathing to someone who realizes what it means to value their relationships and that what one may see on a screen doesn't translate to real life. It's about as much a book about identity as it is about relationships, and I think it suits its audience well on that front.
Only problem I had was that there were certain references to Terminal Earth (Egg's favorite movie) that might've bogged down the pacing slightly, though I understood that communicates her enthusiasm over the movie along with the geek culture she's a part of. It feels authentic, though it does bog down the first part of the book a little more than I expected it would. Nonetheless, this was a quick read, and I enjoyed it for what it offered.
Overall score: 3/5
October 30, 2012
Last month I attended a reading by Jonathan Evison (The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving) at Skylight Books in Hollywood. Introducing Jonathan was Cecil Castellucci. "I know that name," I thought. Sure enough she is one of the more truly hip YA authors writing these days. I had seen her books all the time when I worked at Once Upon A Time Bookstore, but somehow never read any.
In my usual fashion I started with her first novel. Cecil Castellucci, in my opinion, is a direct literary descendant of Francesca Lia Block. For contemporary teens she take the place of Beverly Cleary.
Egg is the all time, essential high school geek heroine. She is brilliantly intelligent, has the highest grades in her school, knows all about science fiction books and movies. Her mom, with whom Egg lives in a teen vs mother detente, strives daily to recover her life as an actress. Egg's dad, divorced from the mom naturally, is a successful special effects dude who travels most of the time.
So yeah, broken home, deeply sad and alienated, dressing and acting as weird as possible, Egg is "boy proof." But to have a novel, that has to change. Enter Max Carter. He shows up first in AP English. He is as smart as Egg, possibly smarter, but he is a chick magnet. You know the rest.
Of course, I loved it. Just the right tone all the way through, especially for teens living in Los Angeles or wishing they did. The happy ending is not what you think it is going to be. It is so much cooler than that.
October 4, 2011
I saw Cecil Castellucci at the West Hollywood Book Fair, and went over to say hi, because we're both supporters of WriteGirl (an awesome creative writing mentoring nonprofit in Los Angeles). I decided to buy one of her books, and after we talked for a few minutes, she recommended Boy Proof.
I don't know if she's reader-psychic or what, but I have a weakness for books with dorky, socially awkward main characters, and I absolutely loved this one. Reading Cecil Castellucci's writing makes me want to get back to work on my own novel, and I am grateful for the creative push. Thanks, Cecil!!
I don't know if she's reader-psychic or what, but I have a weakness for books with dorky, socially awkward main characters, and I absolutely loved this one. Reading Cecil Castellucci's writing makes me want to get back to work on my own novel, and I am grateful for the creative push. Thanks, Cecil!!
September 5, 2015
La construcción y evolución del personaje Egg es tan buena que te atrapa al momento, y la trama es demasiado adictiva. Muy recomendado para cualquier tipo de lector.
"You're just another shallow person pretending to be deep."
"You're just another shallow person pretending to be deep."
August 27, 2014
This book was a lot shorter than I was expecting but I didn't know this when buying it as it was bought for kindle. I finished it within a few hours which I didn't enjoy.
This book was recommended by John Green John Green, therefore I thought it would be worth the read but it really just made me angry. In my opinion this is just another book about a girl who likes to be a little different conforming to societies' idea of "normal" to please others.
This book was recommended by John Green John Green, therefore I thought it would be worth the read but it really just made me angry. In my opinion this is just another book about a girl who likes to be a little different conforming to societies' idea of "normal" to please others.
June 6, 2018
Nach "Memoires of a Teenage Amnesiac" von Gabrielle Zevin (aka das schlechteste Buch, das ich je gelesen habe), hätte ich lernen müssen, lieber keine Empfehlungen der kanadischen Booktuberin Ariel Bissett mehr zu lesen, das hier war nämlich wieder ein ziemlicher Reinfall.
Zum Glück ging es schnell vorbei.
Die Protagonistin Victoria "Egg" war furchtbar. Selten musste ich einen solch arroganten, ätzenden, unsympathischen Charakter erleben. Sie hält sich für besser, klüger und cooler als alle anderen. Zum Ende hin lernt sie zwar aus ihrem Verhalten (deshalb gerade noch 2 Sterne), trotzdem hatte diese Geschichte für mich keinerlei Mehrwert.
Zum Glück ging es schnell vorbei.
Die Protagonistin Victoria "Egg" war furchtbar. Selten musste ich einen solch arroganten, ätzenden, unsympathischen Charakter erleben. Sie hält sich für besser, klüger und cooler als alle anderen. Zum Ende hin lernt sie zwar aus ihrem Verhalten (deshalb gerade noch 2 Sterne), trotzdem hatte diese Geschichte für mich keinerlei Mehrwert.
January 4, 2012
Victoria "Egg" Jurgen is a loner and she likes it that way. Dressed in her long white cloak, with a shaved head and drawn-in eyebrows, she doesn't talk to people and doesn't want people to talk to her. Her look and attitude cause her to be "boy proof," according to her mother. Egg's unique style is fashioned after her favorite character from the movie Terminal Earth, which she has seen multiple times and as many as four times in one day. Egg refers to herself as a cinephile. She loves the film industry, especially the Sci-Fi world.
Egg considers herself the smartest person at her school and feels Valedictorian is pretty much in the bag. That is until Max shows up in her AP classes. Egg's first impression of Max is that he stinks, literally. The only thing she likes about him at all is his t-shirt that has the name of one of her favorite comic books on it. Max seems to be everywhere. He is a wonderful artist and joins the school's newspaper where Egg acts as a photo journalist. Getting to know Max turns out to be a life-changing experience for Egg.
As senior year progresses, Egg becomes more involved in activities that put her in contact with people. She learns what it means to be a friend and how important it is to have them in your life. She realizes that people aren't always as they seem and that being perfect isn't necessary for happiness. Egg learns a lot in one year's time; even how to leave Egg behind and become simply Victoria.
Cecil Castellucci has written a thoughtful story about the sensitive time in every young adult's life - self-discovery. Written in first person, this novel launches you into Egg's world and leaves you feeling as though you are experiencing life through her eyes. The reader will sympathize with the ups and downs of the typical teenage angst that Victoria goes through in order to, once and for all, decide what it really takes for her to be happy.
Egg considers herself the smartest person at her school and feels Valedictorian is pretty much in the bag. That is until Max shows up in her AP classes. Egg's first impression of Max is that he stinks, literally. The only thing she likes about him at all is his t-shirt that has the name of one of her favorite comic books on it. Max seems to be everywhere. He is a wonderful artist and joins the school's newspaper where Egg acts as a photo journalist. Getting to know Max turns out to be a life-changing experience for Egg.
As senior year progresses, Egg becomes more involved in activities that put her in contact with people. She learns what it means to be a friend and how important it is to have them in your life. She realizes that people aren't always as they seem and that being perfect isn't necessary for happiness. Egg learns a lot in one year's time; even how to leave Egg behind and become simply Victoria.
Cecil Castellucci has written a thoughtful story about the sensitive time in every young adult's life - self-discovery. Written in first person, this novel launches you into Egg's world and leaves you feeling as though you are experiencing life through her eyes. The reader will sympathize with the ups and downs of the typical teenage angst that Victoria goes through in order to, once and for all, decide what it really takes for her to be happy.
December 13, 2021
A quick, worthwhile read. Don't judge the book by its cover -- awful cover, good story. Victoria, or Egg, is a difficult character, but that's largely what it centers on. It was interesting to see the effects of her loneliness, anger, and self-isolation, and to watch her sort of break out of herself a little bit and find connection. I read this one because of Ariel Bissett and John Green recommendations. It's not a new favorite, but I enjoyed this take on a coming-of-age story -- lots of exploration into fandom, identity, and misfithood.
October 3, 2015
I never thought I'd give up on such a short book but I can't possibly read another page of this nonsense. This Victoria/Egg person needs a chill pill, a psychiatrist and some God damn sense into her mind.
July 31, 2008
i couldn't get into the boook so i just quit reading it. i wouldn't recomend this to enyone.
November 22, 2017
Short, unique, and very compelling to read.
December 15, 2020
Overall, I thought that Boy Proof was a refreshingly unique read for me at this point in the year. I typically love books about fandom but I don't read them as often as I should. Boy Proof provided a unique perspective on fandom, and more importantly how it can impact someone's life. The main character, Victoria, had changed everything about herself and her appearance to fit "Egg", a character on her favorite show. Victoria embodies Egg so much, she even starts to go by the name herself.
I will admit, about halfway through the novel I fell a bit out of touch with the characters. However, I enjoyed seeing Victoria grow and change over the course of the story. I also really liked that her father was a special effects artist and Victoria working with him were some of my favorite passages of the book. Ultimately, I think Boy Proof carried a strong message about idolatry and how not everyone is perfect or what we expect them to be. I was also a bit apprehensive of the age of this book at first, but I think it withstands the test of time wonderfully.
I will admit, about halfway through the novel I fell a bit out of touch with the characters. However, I enjoyed seeing Victoria grow and change over the course of the story. I also really liked that her father was a special effects artist and Victoria working with him were some of my favorite passages of the book. Ultimately, I think Boy Proof carried a strong message about idolatry and how not everyone is perfect or what we expect them to be. I was also a bit apprehensive of the age of this book at first, but I think it withstands the test of time wonderfully.
December 19, 2019
3.5.
I think Boy Proof would have been great for me as a twelve-year-old. For me as an adult person, I was a little underwhelmed. I find myself agreeing with some of the messages (being yourself and not hiding behind characters no matter how much you might love them, being open to vulnerability and approachability, everything is not all bad), there were some messages that I didn't necessarily agree with. The novel in general feels very surface-level, which means that it can only delve so deeply into both its messaging and its characters. I think the story is sweet, the romance totally irrelevant, and the characters distinctive. Good for the misunderstood tween or teen in your life, but probably no one else.
Victoria goes by Egg, the name of her favorite character from her favorite sci-fi movie, and she knows that everything in the world is bad and she is boyproof. Except, she meets the new kid Max, and maybe she likes him.
Spoilers Discussion
I think part of what I don't agree with in here is the idea that an uneducated interest in political action and the real world is better than an interest in stories. Victoria doesn't think about any of the political actions she's taking in any substantial way (GMOs, for example, are a complex topic that the scientific community remains divided on, if not mostly in favor of.) She just sort of throws herself in without abandon and doesn't critically think about these new things she's attaching her self-worth and identity to. I think the exploration of the relationship between fandom and self is really interesting, and maybe there was some pressure to come up with a neat clean ending where she finds something else to sustain her, but I didn't find that particular ending meaningful.
And I really didn't care about the romance. I cared a lot about Victoria coming into herself as a person who wanted romance and sex, but I think that idea would have been communicated a lot more effortlessly if the end wasn't so "and then Victoria and Max live happily ever after." I think the point is that she's now ready and available to explore those parts of herself in ways she had not previously been able to, and not so much that she, like, found the love of her life who is the only person who understands her etc etc. I think if Castellucci could have communicated more of that idea instead it would've been a better choice.
But I obviously still don't hate this! I like how Egg comes into herself socially. If someone doesn't want to socialize, that's one thing, but if someone wants to socialize and is just feeling too scared to, I think it can be really empowering to become social, and avoid loneliness. I feel the same way about really popular characters who feel lonely because they lack real connection. It is so powerful to find people with whom you connect, and with whom you allow yourself to connect, and I loved seeing Egg --> Victoria on that journey. (And with respect to the name. I think the problem with being called Egg is that that's someone else's name. If she reinvented a different name for herself that was about HER and not about a movie character, that would be fine. But defining oneself in terms of a character is not very healthy.)
I think it's compassionate and helpful and I think the Victoria/Egg is a really interesting character. Again, I think it's better suited for people younger than I am, but that's not a bad thing and I tried to rate this book a little more generously than I might have otherwise with that in mind.
Fin!
Good for younger, angsty readers: 82%
I think Boy Proof would have been great for me as a twelve-year-old. For me as an adult person, I was a little underwhelmed. I find myself agreeing with some of the messages (being yourself and not hiding behind characters no matter how much you might love them, being open to vulnerability and approachability, everything is not all bad), there were some messages that I didn't necessarily agree with. The novel in general feels very surface-level, which means that it can only delve so deeply into both its messaging and its characters. I think the story is sweet, the romance totally irrelevant, and the characters distinctive. Good for the misunderstood tween or teen in your life, but probably no one else.
Victoria goes by Egg, the name of her favorite character from her favorite sci-fi movie, and she knows that everything in the world is bad and she is boyproof. Except, she meets the new kid Max, and maybe she likes him.
Spoilers Discussion
I think part of what I don't agree with in here is the idea that an uneducated interest in political action and the real world is better than an interest in stories. Victoria doesn't think about any of the political actions she's taking in any substantial way (GMOs, for example, are a complex topic that the scientific community remains divided on, if not mostly in favor of.) She just sort of throws herself in without abandon and doesn't critically think about these new things she's attaching her self-worth and identity to. I think the exploration of the relationship between fandom and self is really interesting, and maybe there was some pressure to come up with a neat clean ending where she finds something else to sustain her, but I didn't find that particular ending meaningful.
And I really didn't care about the romance. I cared a lot about Victoria coming into herself as a person who wanted romance and sex, but I think that idea would have been communicated a lot more effortlessly if the end wasn't so "and then Victoria and Max live happily ever after." I think the point is that she's now ready and available to explore those parts of herself in ways she had not previously been able to, and not so much that she, like, found the love of her life who is the only person who understands her etc etc. I think if Castellucci could have communicated more of that idea instead it would've been a better choice.
But I obviously still don't hate this! I like how Egg comes into herself socially. If someone doesn't want to socialize, that's one thing, but if someone wants to socialize and is just feeling too scared to, I think it can be really empowering to become social, and avoid loneliness. I feel the same way about really popular characters who feel lonely because they lack real connection. It is so powerful to find people with whom you connect, and with whom you allow yourself to connect, and I loved seeing Egg --> Victoria on that journey. (And with respect to the name. I think the problem with being called Egg is that that's someone else's name. If she reinvented a different name for herself that was about HER and not about a movie character, that would be fine. But defining oneself in terms of a character is not very healthy.)
I think it's compassionate and helpful and I think the Victoria/Egg is a really interesting character. Again, I think it's better suited for people younger than I am, but that's not a bad thing and I tried to rate this book a little more generously than I might have otherwise with that in mind.
Fin!
Good for younger, angsty readers: 82%
December 28, 2009
Boy Proof is a solid. Short, contained and good, hitting a lot of the right themes. I smiled when I finished the last page.
Victoria, alias Egg, is pretty much the quirky of the quirky. She was quirky before it was cool to be quirky, and wants you to know it. She doesn't care for makeup or appearances, she's a smartass, perfectionist and a bit of a snob about it too. She wears a cloak, and is a self-professed cinephile and a sci-fi/fantasy geek. She also strikes me as borderline autistic (or has Asperger's)--precocious but sometimes excruciatingly immature. The 'immature' complaint is both resolved and given credence when I learned that she's skipped a grade, possibly two, making her sixteen in her senior year of high school. And explains why she finds it so difficult to relate to other people. I like Victoria's voice. It's fresh and sardonic, even though it sometimes falls into the trap that many YA first-person narration books do--she whines. But I understand her wish, and need, to be different, even if that means closing herself up.
Max, the new kid in town, serves as Victoria's foil and love interest. He's passionate about people, calling himself an ethnographer. Like Victoria, he lives on the margins of his society, pondering life and humanity and creation. I enjoyed his line about science fiction and fantasy illuminating real life issues, and how he liked thinking about both. Hell, he's the type I'd go for myself, if he weren't such an idealist. I do have a minor quibble, though: I think there's somewhat of a trend in YA with female protagonists. Their male counterparts are either in need of being reformed (the bad boy) or the reformer (the saviour). What happened to both characters evolving? Max is the only character who stays the same throughout the book--both in terms of development and Victoria's perception.
My main problem with the book was that, well, it was too short. I thought Boy Proof needed more showing instead of telling. Victoria's character evolves fabulously in the novel, especially against the backdrop of Hollywood, where we're always wondering what's genuine and what's an act, but her evolution kind of just comes out in exposition. She has a heart to heart with Max on p. 140 (more like a confrontation) where the dialogue is so unrealistic it could come straight out of a psychoanalytic reference book. It would be much more powerful if the readers could gather it themselves, instead of having the revelations spoonfed.
I especially liked what Castelluci did with Victoria's parents. Boy Proof is an ever-so-sarcastic, larger-than-life depiction of the teenage experience (what else can you expect about a novel set in Hollywood where the characters are schmoozing with A-list actors?), but still a good read.
Victoria, alias Egg, is pretty much the quirky of the quirky. She was quirky before it was cool to be quirky, and wants you to know it. She doesn't care for makeup or appearances, she's a smartass, perfectionist and a bit of a snob about it too. She wears a cloak, and is a self-professed cinephile and a sci-fi/fantasy geek. She also strikes me as borderline autistic (or has Asperger's)--precocious but sometimes excruciatingly immature. The 'immature' complaint is both resolved and given credence when I learned that she's skipped a grade, possibly two, making her sixteen in her senior year of high school. And explains why she finds it so difficult to relate to other people. I like Victoria's voice. It's fresh and sardonic, even though it sometimes falls into the trap that many YA first-person narration books do--she whines. But I understand her wish, and need, to be different, even if that means closing herself up.
Max, the new kid in town, serves as Victoria's foil and love interest. He's passionate about people, calling himself an ethnographer. Like Victoria, he lives on the margins of his society, pondering life and humanity and creation. I enjoyed his line about science fiction and fantasy illuminating real life issues, and how he liked thinking about both. Hell, he's the type I'd go for myself, if he weren't such an idealist. I do have a minor quibble, though: I think there's somewhat of a trend in YA with female protagonists. Their male counterparts are either in need of being reformed (the bad boy) or the reformer (the saviour). What happened to both characters evolving? Max is the only character who stays the same throughout the book--both in terms of development and Victoria's perception.
My main problem with the book was that, well, it was too short. I thought Boy Proof needed more showing instead of telling. Victoria's character evolves fabulously in the novel, especially against the backdrop of Hollywood, where we're always wondering what's genuine and what's an act, but her evolution kind of just comes out in exposition. She has a heart to heart with Max on p. 140 (more like a confrontation) where the dialogue is so unrealistic it could come straight out of a psychoanalytic reference book. It would be much more powerful if the readers could gather it themselves, instead of having the revelations spoonfed.
I especially liked what Castelluci did with Victoria's parents. Boy Proof is an ever-so-sarcastic, larger-than-life depiction of the teenage experience (what else can you expect about a novel set in Hollywood where the characters are schmoozing with A-list actors?), but still a good read.
February 5, 2017
Here's the thing about this book: it was basically pretty dumb, but it tapped into a part of my high school experience that I had forgotten about.
The mc is a 16 year old senior because she skipped a grade and part of what makes her life miserable is that she's immature. Not necessarily immature in the derogatory sense, but developmentally and emotionally. Especially compared to the 19 year old classmate who missed a year.
There's a handful of issues surrounding this, but she doesn't handle it well, alienates all of her friends, and does, in fact, act incredibly immature.
And holy cow, did that bring back memories-- the cringe-worthy kind.
I didn't skip a grade, but my birthday is the end of September and back in the old days, October 1st was the cut off date where I lived. We moved to an area where the cut was September 1st, which you really wouldn't think would make much difference, but it does. I was a 13 year old freshman for the first month of high school. And I was a 16 year old senior for the first part of that school year.
Meanwhile, a couple of friends in my grade had birthdays even later in the year than mine, and did miss the cut off date. We were almost a year apart, but in the same grade. They turned 16 at the beginning of our sophomore year and I had to wait till partway into our junior year. These were some huge milestones and I always felt like an infant around them. It didn't help that they had almost a whole extra year of life to figure things out and I was always woefully behind in terms of friendships, relationships, handling stress, etc. I made some of the very same mistakes that Victoria makes in the book: pettiness, pride, sulking, fighting with friends and driving them away, and generally making a huge mess of everything without even realizing I was the problem.
So while it wasn't enjoyable to rehash my own personal misery by reading this book, it did make me realize that this sort of stuff is almost NEVER really present in YA fic. There may be some cattiness and bullying and whatever, but most teens are portrayed with the social and cognitive skills of a twenty-something, not someone who is still in their childhood.
Aside from that, the book also captures the ridiculous idealism of teens who are suddenly disenchanted with the world the adults are about to hand over and want to overhaul everything. It's that lovely age when you're old enough to start getting real-life concepts, but because you're living the lifestyle of your 45 year old parents without actually having to go to college and work 20 years to deserve it, let alone have any real responsibilities or dependents, you have the luxury to be scornful and opinionated.
I don't miss it, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded of it occasionally.
The mc is a 16 year old senior because she skipped a grade and part of what makes her life miserable is that she's immature. Not necessarily immature in the derogatory sense, but developmentally and emotionally. Especially compared to the 19 year old classmate who missed a year.
There's a handful of issues surrounding this, but she doesn't handle it well, alienates all of her friends, and does, in fact, act incredibly immature.
And holy cow, did that bring back memories-- the cringe-worthy kind.
I didn't skip a grade, but my birthday is the end of September and back in the old days, October 1st was the cut off date where I lived. We moved to an area where the cut was September 1st, which you really wouldn't think would make much difference, but it does. I was a 13 year old freshman for the first month of high school. And I was a 16 year old senior for the first part of that school year.
Meanwhile, a couple of friends in my grade had birthdays even later in the year than mine, and did miss the cut off date. We were almost a year apart, but in the same grade. They turned 16 at the beginning of our sophomore year and I had to wait till partway into our junior year. These were some huge milestones and I always felt like an infant around them. It didn't help that they had almost a whole extra year of life to figure things out and I was always woefully behind in terms of friendships, relationships, handling stress, etc. I made some of the very same mistakes that Victoria makes in the book: pettiness, pride, sulking, fighting with friends and driving them away, and generally making a huge mess of everything without even realizing I was the problem.
So while it wasn't enjoyable to rehash my own personal misery by reading this book, it did make me realize that this sort of stuff is almost NEVER really present in YA fic. There may be some cattiness and bullying and whatever, but most teens are portrayed with the social and cognitive skills of a twenty-something, not someone who is still in their childhood.
Aside from that, the book also captures the ridiculous idealism of teens who are suddenly disenchanted with the world the adults are about to hand over and want to overhaul everything. It's that lovely age when you're old enough to start getting real-life concepts, but because you're living the lifestyle of your 45 year old parents without actually having to go to college and work 20 years to deserve it, let alone have any real responsibilities or dependents, you have the luxury to be scornful and opinionated.
I don't miss it, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded of it occasionally.
December 19, 2007
Such a lovely read and totally worth a night without sleep. I liked the spare writing, which was necessary as an internal monologue is how the story gets told. The main character is a girl, Egg, who is "boy proof." She dresses and acts in such a manner to repel the opposite sex, but she's equal opportunity in closing herself off from anybody...so a more accurate title would be "People Proof." (Betcha that was an interesting meeting with the marketing team--"Boy Proof" catches the eye faster, but "People Proof" is alliterative.)
Set in L.A., and lots of shop talk about the main industry of that town. Egg's shell begins to crack (oy! that hurt.)when a new boy slides into school. He's older, well-traveled, and "different." The concept is tried and true in the young adult novel. I forgave the device because Castellucci captured those intense emotional moments that frequented my teen years. Those moments when you're doing something that is ultimately hurting you, but you obstinately refuse to stop. The suffering is too exquisite. And, you think this "painful" realization of how the world works makes you interesting. Castellucci conveys that odd shuddering of emotion very well without demeaning the experience.
My one beef with the story is the lack of description of the surroundings. Especially as Egg is a photographer. Egg's photos are very much like the writing...lots of people, and not too much focus on the background or atmosphere. Considering how both Egg and the new boy are both visual artists, the lack of visual notation is odd. She does manage to laser in on new boy's hot bod, though.
Overall, it's a good book and I would recommend it for young readers who choose not to force themselves into conventional roles.
Set in L.A., and lots of shop talk about the main industry of that town. Egg's shell begins to crack (oy! that hurt.)when a new boy slides into school. He's older, well-traveled, and "different." The concept is tried and true in the young adult novel. I forgave the device because Castellucci captured those intense emotional moments that frequented my teen years. Those moments when you're doing something that is ultimately hurting you, but you obstinately refuse to stop. The suffering is too exquisite. And, you think this "painful" realization of how the world works makes you interesting. Castellucci conveys that odd shuddering of emotion very well without demeaning the experience.
My one beef with the story is the lack of description of the surroundings. Especially as Egg is a photographer. Egg's photos are very much like the writing...lots of people, and not too much focus on the background or atmosphere. Considering how both Egg and the new boy are both visual artists, the lack of visual notation is odd. She does manage to laser in on new boy's hot bod, though.
Overall, it's a good book and I would recommend it for young readers who choose not to force themselves into conventional roles.
February 28, 2015
This book is funny, geeky, witty, weird and smart. Cecil Castelluci have written a novel that easily explore some of the lives of introverted people and how they just keep silent not just because they don't know how to socialize but because if they keep on talking on what is in their great minds, other people will surely not understand. That is their loneliness. Yeah.
The book started with the life of Victoria or Egg (which she would like to be called, name's after her idol in the movie Terminal Earth) and she is strictly boy proof. She lives comfortably alone and insists on not being lonely for being alone (though she have a group called Science Fiction and Fantasy Club). And everything changes when she met her nemesis Max Carter, the artistic, far more greater in literature and history and the son of the genius man when it comes in documentary. They both have the same weirdness and that weirdness makes them connected than anyone else. When she started to appreciate Max in his artistry and talent and weirdness, she started questioning herself with her being alone. Max helped Victoria to be open with other people. She started to feel happy with her mom and to decide clearly with her future. While Max learned to be comfortable with himself like Egg. I can say that Victoria's life was a bit great, and she is fun to be with. Same with Max who is really intelligent and sociable. I think they both have a privileged lives.
All in all, the book is a simple yet a smart read. I like the characters and how they compliment each other. Really really good book.
The book started with the life of Victoria or Egg (which she would like to be called, name's after her idol in the movie Terminal Earth) and she is strictly boy proof. She lives comfortably alone and insists on not being lonely for being alone (though she have a group called Science Fiction and Fantasy Club). And everything changes when she met her nemesis Max Carter, the artistic, far more greater in literature and history and the son of the genius man when it comes in documentary. They both have the same weirdness and that weirdness makes them connected than anyone else. When she started to appreciate Max in his artistry and talent and weirdness, she started questioning herself with her being alone. Max helped Victoria to be open with other people. She started to feel happy with her mom and to decide clearly with her future. While Max learned to be comfortable with himself like Egg. I can say that Victoria's life was a bit great, and she is fun to be with. Same with Max who is really intelligent and sociable. I think they both have a privileged lives.
All in all, the book is a simple yet a smart read. I like the characters and how they compliment each other. Really really good book.
December 12, 2017
Victoria Jurgen is an antisocial cinephile who has adopted the name and appearance of her favorite sci-fi heroine, Egg. This misunderstood genius finds conflict when the new boy in school shows interest in her, but will this self-proclaimed "boy proof" young lady be accepted for who she truly is? Yes, the answer is, of course, yes. However, this typical romantic plot feels completely forced with the protagonist being self-obsessed and rude to everyone who grants her any attention. The loner mentality is never justified, and in fact, everyone is nice to Victoria offering her way more attention than she deserves, until she finally burns all bridges with her thoughtlessness.
Such a teenage drama, trope slog has been done better or at least offered good writing and insightful dialogue, but Cecil Castellucci simply offers a paint-by-numbers plot with an overly predictable plot-line. She writes her main character into a corner that can only be solved by some help from an actor like some douche ex machina. Prose is entirely expository with no depth of language and only a vain attempt at subtext. What's worse is Castellucci offers enough to show what she was intending, and a novel that speaks against our societies incessant need for entertainment and submission to a sad reality rather than progressive action for a better future is apt for our times. If only this book had spent less time trying to glean sympathy for a petty character and more pages actually making that character worth being followed.
Such a teenage drama, trope slog has been done better or at least offered good writing and insightful dialogue, but Cecil Castellucci simply offers a paint-by-numbers plot with an overly predictable plot-line. She writes her main character into a corner that can only be solved by some help from an actor like some douche ex machina. Prose is entirely expository with no depth of language and only a vain attempt at subtext. What's worse is Castellucci offers enough to show what she was intending, and a novel that speaks against our societies incessant need for entertainment and submission to a sad reality rather than progressive action for a better future is apt for our times. If only this book had spent less time trying to glean sympathy for a petty character and more pages actually making that character worth being followed.
June 10, 2011
Boy Proof was a very easy, quick read. I purchased it thanks to the Amazon deals for new summer reads on my kindle. I hadn't heard anything about it, but decided it sounded like a fun read. I was interested in the premise of a girl making herself "boy proof" - as in not available, invisible to them.
I didn't ever really understand why Egg felt like she had to push herself away from everyone, why she didn't think she was pretty, or why she wanted to be boy proof. I got that she was different by being into Sci-fi and a bit nerdy and book smart. She was definitely a loner and very blunt about things. I enjoyed her character very much. Her voice was humorous and I enjoyed her point of view.
The book was paced well and flowed easily. There was great character development overall and I understood how the dynamics of all the characters worked. If you enjoy books by Laurie Halse Anderson, this would be a book for you. Typically Anderson's books can feel a little heavy to me, but this book had a similar writing style and approach to growth, development, and the story unfolding. The journey is seeing this 16 year old girl discover her identity and figure out her plans post-graduation (she's brilliant and has skipped a year in school).
It probably won't be a re-read kind of book for me, but I am certainly glad I bought and read it. I'm happy to give it a good review. :)
I didn't ever really understand why Egg felt like she had to push herself away from everyone, why she didn't think she was pretty, or why she wanted to be boy proof. I got that she was different by being into Sci-fi and a bit nerdy and book smart. She was definitely a loner and very blunt about things. I enjoyed her character very much. Her voice was humorous and I enjoyed her point of view.
The book was paced well and flowed easily. There was great character development overall and I understood how the dynamics of all the characters worked. If you enjoy books by Laurie Halse Anderson, this would be a book for you. Typically Anderson's books can feel a little heavy to me, but this book had a similar writing style and approach to growth, development, and the story unfolding. The journey is seeing this 16 year old girl discover her identity and figure out her plans post-graduation (she's brilliant and has skipped a year in school).
It probably won't be a re-read kind of book for me, but I am certainly glad I bought and read it. I'm happy to give it a good review. :)
December 27, 2020
UGH... *squints angrily at random girl wearing dress talking to boy* she's so... SHALLOW and BOY-CRAZY... I obviously know this because she's WEARING A DRESS and TALKING TO BOYS whereas I... *dramatic sigh* am BOY PROOF. I am UNLOVEABLE, and I do this on PURPOSE because I'm NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS.
My reaction to seeing this book: Great, we need more books with aroace characters (although the title "Boy Proof" is a tad heteronormative for my taste)!
Guess what-
Victoria/Egg, the main character, is neither aroace nor a solid character- she's an obnoxious, egotistical bitch and the Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way of geeks. Of course, unlikeable characters can be written well, but Victoria was NOT. She's horrible to everyone she meets, including the Vague Hot Guy love interest. Her characterization was impossible to connect to, and while I could see where the author was going with this, saying she didn't get there is an understatement.
Have you ever played an AI dungeon? That's what this book sounds like. The grammar? Sad. The dialogue? Ridiculous. I had no emotional connection with the book and, frankly, could not wait for it to end. DO yourself a favor and do NOT read Boy Proof for aroace rep. Or anything, for that matter.
My reaction to seeing this book: Great, we need more books with aroace characters (although the title "Boy Proof" is a tad heteronormative for my taste)!
Guess what-
Victoria/Egg, the main character, is neither aroace nor a solid character- she's an obnoxious, egotistical bitch and the Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way of geeks. Of course, unlikeable characters can be written well, but Victoria was NOT. She's horrible to everyone she meets, including the Vague Hot Guy love interest. Her characterization was impossible to connect to, and while I could see where the author was going with this, saying she didn't get there is an understatement.
Have you ever played an AI dungeon? That's what this book sounds like. The grammar? Sad. The dialogue? Ridiculous. I had no emotional connection with the book and, frankly, could not wait for it to end. DO yourself a favor and do NOT read Boy Proof for aroace rep. Or anything, for that matter.
December 29, 2008
Having re-sprained my ankle (yes, again), I settled into my miserable days of RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate, for those of you outside the soft tissue injury scene) with a pile of library books, including this quick jaunt into YAF. I picked it up because the author was also involved in the P.L.A.I.N JANES book, a graphic novel that I adored.
Yes, there was too much of myself here (skipping a grade, graduating early, the loneliness of high school, the excruciating torture of first crushes, an obsession with worthy heroines of science-fiction). It also felt a little bit like a watered-down FLB - turn down the magical realism and play up the torment of being a teen girl in Hollywood with "industry" parents and a crush on a boy who's too good to be true... maybe it's my fault for not being able to read teen girls in LA as anything but FLB.
Anyway, it took my mind off my swollen ankle for a while, and it was also the 80th book I finished in 2008, and also the first book I finished with my brand-new book-clampin' LED nighttime reading light -- Thanks, Mom! Now I can bookworm all night while my wife gets her sleep.
Yes, there was too much of myself here (skipping a grade, graduating early, the loneliness of high school, the excruciating torture of first crushes, an obsession with worthy heroines of science-fiction). It also felt a little bit like a watered-down FLB - turn down the magical realism and play up the torment of being a teen girl in Hollywood with "industry" parents and a crush on a boy who's too good to be true... maybe it's my fault for not being able to read teen girls in LA as anything but FLB.
Anyway, it took my mind off my swollen ankle for a while, and it was also the 80th book I finished in 2008, and also the first book I finished with my brand-new book-clampin' LED nighttime reading light -- Thanks, Mom! Now I can bookworm all night while my wife gets her sleep.
September 29, 2023
Meh.
The book started out great. I liked Egg despite her gloomy, angry and I-hate-everyone attitude. I was hooked and I was eagerly looking forward to see her transform into a better person. And I guess she does but I didn't really see it. That's the main problem with this book. The transformation just happens out of nowhere. Suddenly, she ditches her bad attitude and is a little bit kind towards others and that is it. Also, the book never really explains Egg's unpleasant attitude. She was just a mean girl, I guess.
The second half of the book was the worst. Everything was rushed. It felt fake and the dialogue was cringey. There was this argument that happened between Max and Egg and it was so weird and stupid.
There are also many failed attempts at deep conversations in this book. Towards the end of the book, Max asks Egg if she is okay and she says, "I'm a fighter". That just frustrated me because I never really saw her fighting anything.
Very disappointing book.
The book started out great. I liked Egg despite her gloomy, angry and I-hate-everyone attitude. I was hooked and I was eagerly looking forward to see her transform into a better person. And I guess she does but I didn't really see it. That's the main problem with this book. The transformation just happens out of nowhere. Suddenly, she ditches her bad attitude and is a little bit kind towards others and that is it. Also, the book never really explains Egg's unpleasant attitude. She was just a mean girl, I guess.
The second half of the book was the worst. Everything was rushed. It felt fake and the dialogue was cringey. There was this argument that happened between Max and Egg and it was so weird and stupid.
There are also many failed attempts at deep conversations in this book. Towards the end of the book, Max asks Egg if she is okay and she says, "I'm a fighter". That just frustrated me because I never really saw her fighting anything.
Very disappointing book.
April 24, 2009
I pretty much ate this book whole it was so fun and readable. I'd never read a young adult novel before, or, I should say I'd never before read a contemporary young adult novel as an adult reader. I found the narrator really lovable and flawed, and complicated--I mean, she wears a cape for most of the book! It was so interesting to think of how this book differed from an book for adults about a teenager. For one thing, the prose is really spare and straightforward. Also, there's more telling--some things are shown, and then further explained. And, the narrator (and Cecil herself has talked to me about this) tells the story in the moment, without a real understanding for what's happening around her and to her.
I'm glad my YA cherry was popped by Boy Proof. Fuck Twilight.
I'm glad my YA cherry was popped by Boy Proof. Fuck Twilight.
May 9, 2015
Excellent Young Adult novel about a girl who is a senior at Melrose High. Her father is a make-up artist and her mother is a famous actress. A nerd who shaves her head, Victoria prefers to be called Egg, after her favorite character is the sci-fi movie Terminal Earth. When new kid Sam, the son of a famous documentary director, arrives at school, Egg must re-assess the aloneness that is the hallmark of her brilliant high school career.
The book is very fast-paced and the characters are all believable and fun. The theme is very well honed and plays out throughout this book about changing your life. Excellent novel. I highly recommend it.
The book is very fast-paced and the characters are all believable and fun. The theme is very well honed and plays out throughout this book about changing your life. Excellent novel. I highly recommend it.
April 15, 2009
I've heard from a lot of people that this book is pretty so-so, but honestly I enjoyed it a lot and flew through it. Basically what I loved is that none of the geek stuff is sugar-coated. Meg had mentioned to me that the great thing about this book is it doesn't pretend geeks are just cool kids who need a second look or to take off their glasses or whatever, and I fully agree. So, you know. I'd give three stars, but I'm doing four because I think props for that should be huge.
May 11, 2008
i fell in love with this book! i couldn't believe how much i can relate to egg's problems. she feels the same feelings and hopes and wants of teenage girls that age. the want to be your own person and odd and out there but liked at the same time. she wants to believe that she is boy proof because she doesn't want to get hurt.i don't want to spoil the book but i love the way that it ends!
March 23, 2014
This book could be important to lonely teen girls who feel like they don't fit in. But it just does the typical Geek Girl Meets Boy: Life Changes route. It's implied that she has serious problems, but it just gets brushed off at the end.
I didn't expect much, I picked it up to mock because I think I'm cool. But then I got interested. And I got disappointed :(
I didn't expect much, I picked it up to mock because I think I'm cool. But then I got interested. And I got disappointed :(
May 15, 2011
Garden variety plot about a disenfranchised lonely girl who doesn't like anyone or much of anything until she wakes up and makes herself happy. Pretty spare writing, but I got into it pretty fast and ended up really liking Victoria a lot.
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