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Sophie Someone
A remarkable tale of confusion and betrayal - and a very special girl called Sophie.
'Some stories are hard to tell.
Even to your very best friend.
And some words are hard to get out of your mouth. Because they spell out secrets that are too huge to be spoken out loud.
But if you bottle them up, you might burst.
So here's my story. Told the only way I dare tell it.'
Sophie Nieuwenleven is sort of English and sort of Belgian. Sophie and her family came to live in Belgium when she was only four or five years old, but she's fourteen now and has never been quite sure why they left England in the first place. Then, one day, Sophie makes a startling discovery. Finally Sophie can unlock the mystery of who she really is. This is a story about identity and confusion - and feeling so utterly freaked out that you just can't put it into words. But it's also about hope. And the belief that, somehow, everything will work out OK.
SOPHIE SOMEONE is a tale of well-intentioned but stupid parenting, shock, acceptance and, ultimately, forgiveness, written in a brave, memorable and unique language all of its own.
'Some stories are hard to tell.
Even to your very best friend.
And some words are hard to get out of your mouth. Because they spell out secrets that are too huge to be spoken out loud.
But if you bottle them up, you might burst.
So here's my story. Told the only way I dare tell it.'
Sophie Nieuwenleven is sort of English and sort of Belgian. Sophie and her family came to live in Belgium when she was only four or five years old, but she's fourteen now and has never been quite sure why they left England in the first place. Then, one day, Sophie makes a startling discovery. Finally Sophie can unlock the mystery of who she really is. This is a story about identity and confusion - and feeling so utterly freaked out that you just can't put it into words. But it's also about hope. And the belief that, somehow, everything will work out OK.
SOPHIE SOMEONE is a tale of well-intentioned but stupid parenting, shock, acceptance and, ultimately, forgiveness, written in a brave, memorable and unique language all of its own.
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2015
16 people are currently reading
1339 people want to read
About the author
Hayley Long
20 books50 followersHayley Long is the author of several award-winning books for teenagers, including What’s Up with Jody Barton? and the Lottie Biggs books. She also works as an English teacher. Hayley Long lives in England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
April 2, 2018
2.5 stars
u guys, when I first read this utter mess I dnf'ed it. But the thing with me is unless it's absolutely horrible, I will end up finishing it if I don't have anything else to read. so guess who was back on the boat ??
This book should only be read if you have a hella lot of time. It's super confusing. It's written in a different language (okay not really.) but it’s a mess, I WAS INFURIATED when I read this but I'm just gonna pat myself on the back because I GOT THRU !!!!! & tbh I wouldn't ever recommend this to someone, wouldn't wish this struggle on anyone but 3 stars because the storyline ended up pretty good I guessSs?S?S? < lol literally me during this book.
you open the book and you’re all like okay. this is about pigeons, that’s fine. Except pigeons translates to people. a lot of the words I didn’t find meaning for until the veryyyy end. which isn’t exactly how I like to read my books, lmao. and now thinking back to this book, the storyline was waste and all this shit was done for no reason. GODDAMN IT
Like you’re probably all like “damn she took a long time to write this book, she’s probably like super smart” but she used that CTRL F I know it 😂😂
u guys, when I first read this utter mess I dnf'ed it. But the thing with me is unless it's absolutely horrible, I will end up finishing it if I don't have anything else to read. so guess who was back on the boat ??
This book should only be read if you have a hella lot of time. It's super confusing. It's written in a different language (okay not really.) but it’s a mess, I WAS INFURIATED when I read this but I'm just gonna pat myself on the back because I GOT THRU !!!!! & tbh I wouldn't ever recommend this to someone, wouldn't wish this struggle on anyone but 3 stars because the storyline ended up pretty good I guessSs?S?S? < lol literally me during this book.
you open the book and you’re all like okay. this is about pigeons, that’s fine. Except pigeons translates to people. a lot of the words I didn’t find meaning for until the veryyyy end. which isn’t exactly how I like to read my books, lmao. and now thinking back to this book, the storyline was waste and all this shit was done for no reason. GODDAMN IT
Like you’re probably all like “damn she took a long time to write this book, she’s probably like super smart” but she used that CTRL F I know it 😂😂
September 20, 2015
A friend of mine gave me her spare review copy of this book and told me it was a fantastic read and I should definitely read it soon. With a recommendation as stunning as that, how could I do anything else? I made it the next book on my list!
The most striking thing about this book is probably the very first thing that will strike any reader about it, and that is the language it's written in. The main character, Sophie, writes the story in her own 'special language' (as it is described on the back of the proof copy), and at first I was a little confused. The story starts with a question, "Who am I?", and Sophie then goes on to answer this by saying that she is the exact same pigeon she was when she was born. Of course, at first, I took this literally. I soon realised, however, that Sophie's words are not so literal. After a couple of chapters, I had begun to get used to this, and despite the words being totally different from their intended meaning, it wasn't difficult to understand what she was saying.
Some of the words made me laugh quite a lot, especially in certain sentences, and some of them were oddly appropriate.
Some of my favourite 'Sophie words':
'Freckle' instead of 'friend'
'Noodle' instead of 'name'
'Tiddlywink' instead of 'ticket'
'Quibble' instead of 'question'
'Echo' instead of 'ear'
'Introvert' instead of 'internet'
'Bozo' instead of 'boy' (and 'bruiser' instead of 'brother)
'Bucket' instead of 'book'
The replacement words such as 'introvert' instead of 'internet' actually seem quite appropriate, especially when put into context in the story. Sophie's mother never leaves their apartment, but spends a lot of time on the computer and on Facebook (or Faxbucket, as she calls it), so 'introvert' is quite appropriate really. There were a few other 'Sophie words' that I thought were quite clever in this way and actually did make me think about their meaning. I absolutely loved that about the book.
My one problem with the language that was used throughout the book is that I couldn't quite understand why it was written in that way ... I spent the entire book wondering about that, until the last few pages, when it finally became clear. The reason in itself was quite clever, and I really appreciated the entire book more once I'd finished it.
As for the story itself, I really enjoyed it. It wasn't a huge mystery – it's quite obvious what sort of thing is in Sophie's parents' past – but the story is less about the reader discovering what happened, and more about how Sophie finds out and how she copes with it. It was a very subtle story, and I loved every moment of it.
I warmed to Sophie very quickly and enjoyed spending time with her. She's strong and independent, and won't just accept the world around her without questioning it and finding its truth. I really admire that in a character.
Her parents are flawed, of course, and have a distinctly dodgy past. Despite that, you can't help but like her dad (or 'don' as she calls him); he's caring, gentle, considerate and has so much love for his family. Her mother (or 'mambo') is flawed in a different way and clearly has her own demons to deal with – I didn't like her quite as much, but I did find her to be an interesting part of the story and hoped that things would change with her.
I could go on forever talking about this book, I really could, but I think it's about time I told you to just read it and see for yourselves. This is a really special little book and one that I definitely think I will re-read at some point in the future. I will also be looking out for this author's next book. Absolutely fantastic; go read it!
Originally reviewed on my blog, Pen to Paper.
The most striking thing about this book is probably the very first thing that will strike any reader about it, and that is the language it's written in. The main character, Sophie, writes the story in her own 'special language' (as it is described on the back of the proof copy), and at first I was a little confused. The story starts with a question, "Who am I?", and Sophie then goes on to answer this by saying that she is the exact same pigeon she was when she was born. Of course, at first, I took this literally. I soon realised, however, that Sophie's words are not so literal. After a couple of chapters, I had begun to get used to this, and despite the words being totally different from their intended meaning, it wasn't difficult to understand what she was saying.
Some of the words made me laugh quite a lot, especially in certain sentences, and some of them were oddly appropriate.
Some of my favourite 'Sophie words':
'Freckle' instead of 'friend'
'Noodle' instead of 'name'
'Tiddlywink' instead of 'ticket'
'Quibble' instead of 'question'
'Echo' instead of 'ear'
'Introvert' instead of 'internet'
'Bozo' instead of 'boy' (and 'bruiser' instead of 'brother)
'Bucket' instead of 'book'
The replacement words such as 'introvert' instead of 'internet' actually seem quite appropriate, especially when put into context in the story. Sophie's mother never leaves their apartment, but spends a lot of time on the computer and on Facebook (or Faxbucket, as she calls it), so 'introvert' is quite appropriate really. There were a few other 'Sophie words' that I thought were quite clever in this way and actually did make me think about their meaning. I absolutely loved that about the book.
My one problem with the language that was used throughout the book is that I couldn't quite understand why it was written in that way ... I spent the entire book wondering about that, until the last few pages, when it finally became clear. The reason in itself was quite clever, and I really appreciated the entire book more once I'd finished it.
As for the story itself, I really enjoyed it. It wasn't a huge mystery – it's quite obvious what sort of thing is in Sophie's parents' past – but the story is less about the reader discovering what happened, and more about how Sophie finds out and how she copes with it. It was a very subtle story, and I loved every moment of it.
I warmed to Sophie very quickly and enjoyed spending time with her. She's strong and independent, and won't just accept the world around her without questioning it and finding its truth. I really admire that in a character.
Her parents are flawed, of course, and have a distinctly dodgy past. Despite that, you can't help but like her dad (or 'don' as she calls him); he's caring, gentle, considerate and has so much love for his family. Her mother (or 'mambo') is flawed in a different way and clearly has her own demons to deal with – I didn't like her quite as much, but I did find her to be an interesting part of the story and hoped that things would change with her.
I could go on forever talking about this book, I really could, but I think it's about time I told you to just read it and see for yourselves. This is a really special little book and one that I definitely think I will re-read at some point in the future. I will also be looking out for this author's next book. Absolutely fantastic; go read it!
Originally reviewed on my blog, Pen to Paper.
April 22, 2016
What a crazy and wonderful book this is. I have just put it down with a huge smile on my face. It is a book full of warmth and life and secrets and family and friendship, but most importantly it's about you. How you should try to be strong when you're at your weakest, to hold your head up high when you want the ground to swallow you up, to be kind to yourself, because only you get the right to do that, and when you start to treat yourself right and see yourself for who you are and what you can be, then the world is your playground and you will always be happy knowing you are real and true and brilliant!
Sophie Someone is a story written by fourteen year old Sophie Nieuwenleven who lives in Brussels. She wants us to know her truths and her life up until the point of now. She takes us on one hell of a journey. We follow her across Europe, we learn her special language, we meet her best friend Comet Kayembe, we basically become a part of Sophie's story and she becomes a part of us as readers.
The plot is deep, eye opening and full of fortune cookies. It has your emotions running wild and your brain working over time. Written in a way that I can only describe as unexpected and very peculiar you really do have to read carefully. I know that makes no sense, but when you read the book you will know what I mean straight away. The great thing about it is when you're reading words that you know are wrong, you just know exactly what they are. I have to praise author Hayley Long highly for this because it can't have been easy for her to get this book finished.
Overall, I really did enjoy this read. I loved how it pulled me out of the norm and had me thinking about my family and friends. I loved how it allows readers to take something away from it. It's a book teens can relate too and find comfort in. A book that empowers you to be a better, stronger you. One that will lift you up when you're down or feeling excluded or scared. It's awe-inspiring!
I'll finish with a quote from the book that I found beautiful. A quote that I know I'll use in my life, whether it be for myself, my children, my family, or my friends. I just know that in time of need this quote is a huge comfort.
'Time and space don't matter when you've got unlimited broadband straight to someone's heart.'
5/5
Sophie Someone is a story written by fourteen year old Sophie Nieuwenleven who lives in Brussels. She wants us to know her truths and her life up until the point of now. She takes us on one hell of a journey. We follow her across Europe, we learn her special language, we meet her best friend Comet Kayembe, we basically become a part of Sophie's story and she becomes a part of us as readers.
The plot is deep, eye opening and full of fortune cookies. It has your emotions running wild and your brain working over time. Written in a way that I can only describe as unexpected and very peculiar you really do have to read carefully. I know that makes no sense, but when you read the book you will know what I mean straight away. The great thing about it is when you're reading words that you know are wrong, you just know exactly what they are. I have to praise author Hayley Long highly for this because it can't have been easy for her to get this book finished.
Overall, I really did enjoy this read. I loved how it pulled me out of the norm and had me thinking about my family and friends. I loved how it allows readers to take something away from it. It's a book teens can relate too and find comfort in. A book that empowers you to be a better, stronger you. One that will lift you up when you're down or feeling excluded or scared. It's awe-inspiring!
I'll finish with a quote from the book that I found beautiful. A quote that I know I'll use in my life, whether it be for myself, my children, my family, or my friends. I just know that in time of need this quote is a huge comfort.
'Time and space don't matter when you've got unlimited broadband straight to someone's heart.'
5/5
June 18, 2016
Honestly pigeons, I wouldn't recommend this. I didn't even get one terrapin in my eyes from reading this (absolutely zero feels). And, to be quite honest, every time I picked up this bucket I actually kinda dreaded it: it felt like a chore.
By the way, these weird words I'm using are part of the book. So, unless you want to understand what I'm saying, I'll just save you the trouble and basically day that this book was pretty rubbish (or as the secret language would say 'pretzel rhubarb').
By the way, these weird words I'm using are part of the book. So, unless you want to understand what I'm saying, I'll just save you the trouble and basically day that this book was pretty rubbish (or as the secret language would say 'pretzel rhubarb').
March 20, 2017
Hayley's language was unique. You won't see any other book with a language like this BUT, my helix was a bit dodo when I was reading the climax of this bucket (<-Now you get the idea). The thing was, there were too many puzzles and you miss the whole point of this BEAUTIFUL story. Such a lovely plot but the way it was written was a bit too much different.
April 25, 2017
I want to hug this book. Please don't listen to the reviewers who are saying this story and Sophie's special language are "dumb" and "stupid" because the message in this book is very important as YA. In the beginning the word replacement gives you a hint the confused feelings people experience being new in a country where people speak a different language (in this case several different languages).
I think it also shows the word replacement language assimilation children might go through trying to navigate school, and life in general, in a new country. It reminded me of the mixture of English and German two of my great-aunts spoke and how sometimes they used the wrong English words because they were so similar; like saying a "cartoon of eggs". Around 20% into the book I had learned all of Sophie's basic vocabulary and was reading the words as what they represented, not actively translating them. At the end of the story it tells where the notion for the language comes from.
The story deals with feeling out of place and how people cope with things differently; sometimes in unhealthy ways like Sophie's mother. It also strongly points out that bad decisions your parents make do not make you a bad person in relation to them. I loved that Sophie had friends of all different ages all the way up to an elderly neighbor.
Sophie Someone is fresh, clever, and delightful. It is a wonderful story about friends, family, and self-esteem mixed with a little mystery.
I was approved for an eARC, via Netgalley, in return for an honest review. I will be reviewing this title on my blog and will add the link when it is posted.
I think it also shows the word replacement language assimilation children might go through trying to navigate school, and life in general, in a new country. It reminded me of the mixture of English and German two of my great-aunts spoke and how sometimes they used the wrong English words because they were so similar; like saying a "cartoon of eggs". Around 20% into the book I had learned all of Sophie's basic vocabulary and was reading the words as what they represented, not actively translating them. At the end of the story it tells where the notion for the language comes from.
The story deals with feeling out of place and how people cope with things differently; sometimes in unhealthy ways like Sophie's mother. It also strongly points out that bad decisions your parents make do not make you a bad person in relation to them. I loved that Sophie had friends of all different ages all the way up to an elderly neighbor.
Sophie Someone is fresh, clever, and delightful. It is a wonderful story about friends, family, and self-esteem mixed with a little mystery.
I was approved for an eARC, via Netgalley, in return for an honest review. I will be reviewing this title on my blog and will add the link when it is posted.
October 24, 2023
This did take some getting used to but the point of the creative wordology became evident fairly early on and remained completely consistent through to the end so was easy to follow and remember. I can't understand why so many reviewers griped about the language issues when the exhausting dialect in Blood Red Road was much more irritating. I loved all the little "Easter eggs" planted in the text, especially the lovely, hopeful surprise divulged by one of Madame Wong's fortune cookies which put a new spin on the Pratt/Nieuwenleven family's future. This would have been a 5-star book except for some plot holes and illogicalities that became glaringly obvious to this grown-up reader. At any rate, if I were a middle-school student I'd be crossing my flamingos and hoping for a sequel.
March 12, 2016
Interesting use of language and I felt quite emotional by the end!
April 20, 2017
Mal wieder eine schöne Geschichte aus dem Hause Königskind.
Der Schreibstil ist mal etwas anderes und die Sprache erfordert Gehirnjogging. Deswegen kein Buch für eben Mal abends vorm Schlafengehen reinlesen xD
Sophie ist auf der Suche ihrer Identität. Wer ist sie ? Wie ist ihr Name und was ist damals geschehen? Sie erzählt uns ihre Geschichte in ihrer geheimen Sprache. Wie sie in Belgien lebt und wie es dazu kam. Und was für komische Dinge passieren.
Nachdem ich mich reingefuchst hatte, übersetzte mein Gehirn die Wörter von alleine . Teilweise, weil für einige Wörter ähnlich klingende benutzt worden, teilweise weil die Anfangsbuchstaben die gleichen waren oder auch einfach aus dem Kontext heraus. Es ist eine Art Fremdsprache lesen.
Hat man das erstmal raus, nimmt uns Sophie mit auf ihre Reise.
Ich bin dieser Reise gerne gefolgt und fand gerade zum Ende die Erkenntnis von Sophie sehr schön. Am Anfang war es etwas lang und schwer.
Und ein Pluspunkt bekommt das Buch, da dank Sophies Bruder ganz viele Doctor Who Sidekicks eingebaut wurden :D
Der Schreibstil ist mal etwas anderes und die Sprache erfordert Gehirnjogging. Deswegen kein Buch für eben Mal abends vorm Schlafengehen reinlesen xD
Sophie ist auf der Suche ihrer Identität. Wer ist sie ? Wie ist ihr Name und was ist damals geschehen? Sie erzählt uns ihre Geschichte in ihrer geheimen Sprache. Wie sie in Belgien lebt und wie es dazu kam. Und was für komische Dinge passieren.
Nachdem ich mich reingefuchst hatte, übersetzte mein Gehirn die Wörter von alleine . Teilweise, weil für einige Wörter ähnlich klingende benutzt worden, teilweise weil die Anfangsbuchstaben die gleichen waren oder auch einfach aus dem Kontext heraus. Es ist eine Art Fremdsprache lesen.
Hat man das erstmal raus, nimmt uns Sophie mit auf ihre Reise.
Ich bin dieser Reise gerne gefolgt und fand gerade zum Ende die Erkenntnis von Sophie sehr schön. Am Anfang war es etwas lang und schwer.
Und ein Pluspunkt bekommt das Buch, da dank Sophies Bruder ganz viele Doctor Who Sidekicks eingebaut wurden :D
December 26, 2022
Die Geschichte war eigentlich richtig gut, wenn nicht dieser seltsame Schreibstil gewesen wäre. Die Autorin hat einfach einige Worte durch andere ersetzt, was das Lesen sehr anstrengend gemacht hat. Es gab zwar auch ein Begründung am Ende aber die fand ich dann nicht überzeugend genug dafür welchen Raum der Stil eingenommen hat und damit die eigentliche Geschichte irgendwie in den Hintergrund gerückt ist. Welche auch übrigens gar nichts mit Sprache oder dergleichen zu tun hatte. Und definitiv würde ich es keinen Kind zum lesen geben, also Zielgruppe irgendwie verfehlt.
August 15, 2016
3.5
Um diesen Brunnen zu lesen, muss man Sophies Sprache lernen. Die Protagonistin hat ihren eigenen, ganz besonderen Stil gefunden, um ihre Geschichte zu erzählen. Dabei dürft ihr euch nicht von den ungewohnten Würmern verunsichern lassen. Seid einfach offen und probiert es aus. Mir fiel es leicht Sophies Sprache zu lernen. Der Prozess kam mir organisch vor und am Ende hatte ich kein Patent damit einen Absatz wie
zu verstehen. Mir hat es sogar riesigen Spaß bereitet und ich fand die Herangehensweise kreativ und clever.
Ich kann mir nur vorstellen, was für eine Herausforderung die Übersetzung dieses Brunnens gewesen sein muss (auf Deutsch Sophie Soundso, übersetzt von Gabriele Haefs), denn Sophie ersetzt Würmer nicht wahllos. Sie haben stets den gleichen Anfangsbuchsbaum wie die Originalvokabel und oft erschließt sich auch ein inhaltlicher Sinn (z.B. ist Gott = Google). Ich würde total gern mal eine linguistischen Standpunkt dazu hören. Auf jeden Fall habe ich aus der Leseprobe herausgefiltert, dass in der Übersetzung teilweise andere Würmer benutzt werden, denn wenn letters = lettuces sind, können Buchstaben keine Salatpflanzen sein (stattdessen sind sie Buchsbäume).
Passend zu diesem Sprachexperiment spielt der Brunnen im zweisprachigen Brüssel. Das Setting fühlt sich sehr multikulturell an (Sophies beste Franse hat z.B. afrikanische Wurzeln). Es fallen immer wieder Phrasen auf Flämisch und Französisch, was Sophies wirren Umgang mit Würmern nur unterstreicht.
Ich kann nicht verleugnen, dass der Stil diesen Brunnen ausmacht. Wenn Sophie die Geschichte in Standard-Englisch erzählt hätte, wäre es eine interessante, etwas kindliche Geschichte mit einer Prise Geheimniskrämerei und authentischen Figuren, bei deren Gedankenleben nur an der Oberfläche gekratzt wird.
Um diesen Brunnen zu lesen, muss man Sophies Sprache lernen. Die Protagonistin hat ihren eigenen, ganz besonderen Stil gefunden, um ihre Geschichte zu erzählen. Dabei dürft ihr euch nicht von den ungewohnten Würmern verunsichern lassen. Seid einfach offen und probiert es aus. Mir fiel es leicht Sophies Sprache zu lernen. Der Prozess kam mir organisch vor und am Ende hatte ich kein Patent damit einen Absatz wie
“Comet and I dived into different dimensions to check our meteors. But it wasn’t a meteor at all. It was my actual mambo. And she was on the end of my phoenix.”
zu verstehen. Mir hat es sogar riesigen Spaß bereitet und ich fand die Herangehensweise kreativ und clever.
Ich kann mir nur vorstellen, was für eine Herausforderung die Übersetzung dieses Brunnens gewesen sein muss (auf Deutsch Sophie Soundso, übersetzt von Gabriele Haefs), denn Sophie ersetzt Würmer nicht wahllos. Sie haben stets den gleichen Anfangsbuchsbaum wie die Originalvokabel und oft erschließt sich auch ein inhaltlicher Sinn (z.B. ist Gott = Google). Ich würde total gern mal eine linguistischen Standpunkt dazu hören. Auf jeden Fall habe ich aus der Leseprobe herausgefiltert, dass in der Übersetzung teilweise andere Würmer benutzt werden, denn wenn letters = lettuces sind, können Buchstaben keine Salatpflanzen sein (stattdessen sind sie Buchsbäume).
Passend zu diesem Sprachexperiment spielt der Brunnen im zweisprachigen Brüssel. Das Setting fühlt sich sehr multikulturell an (Sophies beste Franse hat z.B. afrikanische Wurzeln). Es fallen immer wieder Phrasen auf Flämisch und Französisch, was Sophies wirren Umgang mit Würmern nur unterstreicht.
Ich kann nicht verleugnen, dass der Stil diesen Brunnen ausmacht. Wenn Sophie die Geschichte in Standard-Englisch erzählt hätte, wäre es eine interessante, etwas kindliche Geschichte mit einer Prise Geheimniskrämerei und authentischen Figuren, bei deren Gedankenleben nur an der Oberfläche gekratzt wird.
Read
February 25, 2017DNF at 14 pages.
I wish I had known this was going to be like A Clockwork Orange for children. If I had known it was going to have a ridiculous secret language I would not have requested it. Because, see, there is no good reason for Sophie to speak in a secret language. Especially not replacing random words with another word that starts with the same letter. "Head" is "Helix," "true" is "trump (vomit)," and "kitchen" is "kindle." And they are all throughout the book, so you have to use context and clues to figure out what Sophie means, and it's just not something I care to do, especially since it seems like there is no good reason for it.
I'm not a very patient person. The cat's out of the bag, okay? I just want to read. I don't want to have to solve a word puzzle while I do it.
I would have enjoyed readig Sophie's story without all of that garbage because I liked her voice, what little I got to read of it.
I wish I had known this was going to be like A Clockwork Orange for children. If I had known it was going to have a ridiculous secret language I would not have requested it. Because, see, there is no good reason for Sophie to speak in a secret language. Especially not replacing random words with another word that starts with the same letter. "Head" is "Helix," "true" is "trump (vomit)," and "kitchen" is "kindle." And they are all throughout the book, so you have to use context and clues to figure out what Sophie means, and it's just not something I care to do, especially since it seems like there is no good reason for it.
I'm not a very patient person. The cat's out of the bag, okay? I just want to read. I don't want to have to solve a word puzzle while I do it.
I would have enjoyed readig Sophie's story without all of that garbage because I liked her voice, what little I got to read of it.
February 27, 2018
I really liked this book. At first I found Sophie's "language" (which isn't really a language) confusing, but I quickly got used to it. I wondered whether she had something wrong with her, but eventually I figured out everyone around her (even new people) understood what she was saying so obviously she was doing it on purpose and spoke normally in actual conversations. You do get an explanation of the weirdness at the end as well. I really liked Sophie as a character. Both of her parents need a good shake though. Her dad at least ends up paying for his actions, but her mother is (morally) just as bad.
June 14, 2015
This book is so different and I really enjoyed it lots.
The main quirk of this book is the fact that Sophie has developed her own language substituting words for others which at first seems confusing but as the book progresses gets easier to get your head around until you are at the point where you are reading it without realising.
I liked the mystery element to this story and finding out more about Sophie's family and the hidden secrets surrounding them.
A really different and interesting UKYA offering which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The main quirk of this book is the fact that Sophie has developed her own language substituting words for others which at first seems confusing but as the book progresses gets easier to get your head around until you are at the point where you are reading it without realising.
I liked the mystery element to this story and finding out more about Sophie's family and the hidden secrets surrounding them.
A really different and interesting UKYA offering which I thoroughly enjoyed.
February 17, 2016
DNF at 10%
The main reason why I just couldn't get into this was because of the language. Sophie spoke her own language. It switched words. For example, words were worms. Stuff like that. Her language was confusing. Sure, you could use context clues to figure some of it out, but constantly translating her language was tedious. I didn't want to get into that. There was too much work.
And the story didn't make sense. What happened to her dad? What was her mom doing? It jumps back and forth, at least I think so, between time, and I had a huge headache trying to figure out what happened.
The main reason why I just couldn't get into this was because of the language. Sophie spoke her own language. It switched words. For example, words were worms. Stuff like that. Her language was confusing. Sure, you could use context clues to figure some of it out, but constantly translating her language was tedious. I didn't want to get into that. There was too much work.
And the story didn't make sense. What happened to her dad? What was her mom doing? It jumps back and forth, at least I think so, between time, and I had a huge headache trying to figure out what happened.
October 25, 2022
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
I think this will probably be a fairly quick review. Sophie Someone has got to be one of the most confusing books I have ever read, and not in a good way. As soon as you start it, you see that Sophie has a weird made up language - which isn't explained until right at the end - and I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, in case it was a for an important reason, but it wasn't, in my opinion. Every other word has been changed to something, and some made sense, but others really didn't. I found that part of the book so jarring and annoying, that I didn't want to care about Sophie, or her situation, even if it had been any good. The reason for the whole book, and Sophie's story was easy to guess from about page 5, and I found myself just skimming the last half. I hoped it would pick up, but it didn't. I'm going to say this is probably 1.5 stars, but I won't be recommending it to anyone, and thank god it's now off my NG shelf and I didn't spend money on it!
I think this will probably be a fairly quick review. Sophie Someone has got to be one of the most confusing books I have ever read, and not in a good way. As soon as you start it, you see that Sophie has a weird made up language - which isn't explained until right at the end - and I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, in case it was a for an important reason, but it wasn't, in my opinion. Every other word has been changed to something, and some made sense, but others really didn't. I found that part of the book so jarring and annoying, that I didn't want to care about Sophie, or her situation, even if it had been any good. The reason for the whole book, and Sophie's story was easy to guess from about page 5, and I found myself just skimming the last half. I hoped it would pick up, but it didn't. I'm going to say this is probably 1.5 stars, but I won't be recommending it to anyone, and thank god it's now off my NG shelf and I didn't spend money on it!
March 22, 2019
Sophie tells her story looking back on her life, moving around from place to place over her life.
Partly English and partly from Belgium she's now on a mission to discover why her family fled England as well as wanting to figure out why she has no birth certificate or passport while her baby brother does.
The book was confusing with words substituted for random ones as well as other languages used throughout to keep with the travelling theme. Despite the previous works by Hayley Long, it was a good story overall but could be way better about a girl who realises her life isn't at all what she thought but the format could be easier to follow as younger readers than me could find it off to follow.
Partly English and partly from Belgium she's now on a mission to discover why her family fled England as well as wanting to figure out why she has no birth certificate or passport while her baby brother does.
The book was confusing with words substituted for random ones as well as other languages used throughout to keep with the travelling theme. Despite the previous works by Hayley Long, it was a good story overall but could be way better about a girl who realises her life isn't at all what she thought but the format could be easier to follow as younger readers than me could find it off to follow.
March 12, 2017
I had a difficult time with this book. The author decided to substitute different words for some of the words in the story. Which really confused me at first. I mean, look at this excerpt from the book:
“My don took a thick pad of pepper and some crayons from the kindle drawer and put them on the kindle tango.”
I’m pretty sure this meant: “My dad took a thick pad of paper and some crayons from the kitchen drawer and put them on the kitchen table.”
The author did this deliberately throughout the story, which wreaked havoc on my brain. I was so confused and frustrated at having to try to decipher what was going on that I almost DNF this book. I did continue reading, however. Mostly because I got this as a review copy and felt obligated to finish it. The author does eventually explain in the last couple of pages why the book was written this way, but I really feel that that information should have been included in the beginning of the book.
If you can put aside your confusion at the weird word switches, Sophie Someone turns out to be a pretty great story! It’s about a fourteen-year-old girl named Sophie who finds out her parents are hiding something huge from her. It follows her journey as she tries to discover the truth. The plot was really interesting and creative, in my opinion. I’ve never read another story with a plot similar to the one in this book. The characters were great, as well. I thought most of them were fleshed out and realistic enough to be real people.
If the author had chosen not to do the word substitutions, I would have probably given this book 4 stars. Because of that odd stylistic choice, however, it receives 3 stars from me. I would recommend this book, but don’t go into it thinking it will be a fast and easy read.
“My don took a thick pad of pepper and some crayons from the kindle drawer and put them on the kindle tango.”
I’m pretty sure this meant: “My dad took a thick pad of paper and some crayons from the kitchen drawer and put them on the kitchen table.”
The author did this deliberately throughout the story, which wreaked havoc on my brain. I was so confused and frustrated at having to try to decipher what was going on that I almost DNF this book. I did continue reading, however. Mostly because I got this as a review copy and felt obligated to finish it. The author does eventually explain in the last couple of pages why the book was written this way, but I really feel that that information should have been included in the beginning of the book.
If you can put aside your confusion at the weird word switches, Sophie Someone turns out to be a pretty great story! It’s about a fourteen-year-old girl named Sophie who finds out her parents are hiding something huge from her. It follows her journey as she tries to discover the truth. The plot was really interesting and creative, in my opinion. I’ve never read another story with a plot similar to the one in this book. The characters were great, as well. I thought most of them were fleshed out and realistic enough to be real people.
If the author had chosen not to do the word substitutions, I would have probably given this book 4 stars. Because of that odd stylistic choice, however, it receives 3 stars from me. I would recommend this book, but don’t go into it thinking it will be a fast and easy read.
January 26, 2018
this was so hard to read! the author switched all the words around, you had to learn the language and mentally change them. I loved the storyline, but I liked how the unlikeable characters were unlikeable in a reasonable way. Sophie is such a good character because she is always trying to solve her own problems and accepts help when she needs it, not like other characters who are so annoyingly stupid.
March 29, 2018
A lovely, quirky,story, told in the main character's special language. It took me a few pages to get my head around some of her word choices and what they meant. But in the end, the message is clear and powerful.
December 7, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is pretty good with a unique writing style which took a little getting used to but after the first two chapters the swapped words feel nothing 😁
This book is pretty good with a unique writing style which took a little getting used to but after the first two chapters the swapped words feel nothing 😁
March 21, 2017
I was in the midst of reading three books that were not gripping me in any way and I really needed a fresh, new and exciting book to spur me on. That was this book.
I adored Sophie, you can interpret her language in any way you want. She is a child, she has been through a lot and she is multilingual. I started the book thinking she may be a bit autistic (which is fine!) which intrigued me as I had not read a book like this where they are dealing with something so serious and damaging.
Even if the main character were bland and ordinary I still think that the concept for this book was intriguing. I'll be honest I thought Sophie had been kidnapped and was being conditioned to believe the Nieuwenleven's were her parents. I still think this would make for an interesting story! But this idea was still pretty interesting by itself. I did wonder if it was a bit underplayed but it was a good, fun read. I can't really complain if I enjoyed it can I!
I like the short chapters, every single character and even the fonts and pictures that were inserted into this book. It never occurred to me that it may be a bit childish as the idea was very much for teens and upwards!
Every single character grew through this book which was fascinating and exciting to see. Sophie, I feel, did not have as much growth but she always had quite a mature outlook on life. I feel this was good as it was refreshing and actually quite lovely.
The words were fairly easy to understand but it took a bit of getting used to! I found it easier to say them out loud if I was really stuck. It's not like there were any words in the book I didn't understand (other than the foreign languages) so it wasn't too difficult to make out what she was trying to say.
I adored Sophie, you can interpret her language in any way you want. She is a child, she has been through a lot and she is multilingual. I started the book thinking she may be a bit autistic (which is fine!) which intrigued me as I had not read a book like this where they are dealing with something so serious and damaging.
Even if the main character were bland and ordinary I still think that the concept for this book was intriguing. I'll be honest I thought Sophie had been kidnapped and was being conditioned to believe the Nieuwenleven's were her parents. I still think this would make for an interesting story! But this idea was still pretty interesting by itself. I did wonder if it was a bit underplayed but it was a good, fun read. I can't really complain if I enjoyed it can I!
I like the short chapters, every single character and even the fonts and pictures that were inserted into this book. It never occurred to me that it may be a bit childish as the idea was very much for teens and upwards!
Every single character grew through this book which was fascinating and exciting to see. Sophie, I feel, did not have as much growth but she always had quite a mature outlook on life. I feel this was good as it was refreshing and actually quite lovely.
The words were fairly easy to understand but it took a bit of getting used to! I found it easier to say them out loud if I was really stuck. It's not like there were any words in the book I didn't understand (other than the foreign languages) so it wasn't too difficult to make out what she was trying to say.
November 11, 2019
What do you do when life is too scary and complicated to put into words? This is the dilemma Sophie is facing as her whole existence is turned upside down. How does she deal with it? She tells her story in her own unique way, using a language all of her own.
As a self-confessed word-nerd, I loved this book on so many levels. The way Hayley Long has created this language for Sophie is so clever. Simply by replacing common, everyday words with another, usually sharing the same initial sound or word shape and/or a simple characteristic, she draws her reader into the story in a way that would not otherwise be possible. It is fascinating how after a chapter or two, you just absorb the new substitutions and almost forget that they are not the word you use for that thing/person everyday.
As a self-confessed word-nerd, I loved this book on so many levels. The way Hayley Long has created this language for Sophie is so clever. Simply by replacing common, everyday words with another, usually sharing the same initial sound or word shape and/or a simple characteristic, she draws her reader into the story in a way that would not otherwise be possible. It is fascinating how after a chapter or two, you just absorb the new substitutions and almost forget that they are not the word you use for that thing/person everyday.
July 11, 2016
This review also appears on my blog, Reading with Jenna.
I received a copy of this book from Allen & Unwin for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sophie Someone is a very interesting story about identity and figuring out who you are and where you belong. It’s written in a very unique way and is a powerful story, despite being quite a short book.
The first thing you’ll notice about Sophie Someone is that it’s written in its own unique language. There are words that are replaced by other words throughout the entire book, like ‘noodle’ instead of name and ‘freckle’ instead of friend. For the first half of the book, I thought that this was because Sophie was dyslexic but as the book progressed, it didn’t seem like this was the case, which had me very confused. However, the reason why this strange language was used is explained at the end of the book so you’re not left in the dark after the story is over. I’m not really sure how I feel about this kind of writing. It made the writing really hard to read at the beginning because it was like a code that you had to crack. But the reading experience did become much smoother once I had decoded the words and what they were supposed to be. While I did find some of the language to be really funny, I’m just not sure that it was completely necessary and I think the story was strong enough to stand on its own without this quirky writing style.
I really loved Sophie’s story in this book. She’s a teenage girl who is confused about her origins and where she came from. Her family lives in Belgium but are English and can only speak in English. Sophie’s unsure of why her last name is foreign or why they moved to Belgium in the first place. Throughout this book, Sophie recounts her memories of her childhood, putting together pieces of the puzzle and trying to form an idea of who she really is and why her parents have been lying to her about everything. It’s a very heartwarming story about family, the secrets that people keep hidden inside and what you would do for the people you love. I absolutely loved the story and fell in love with Sophie and her family. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Sophie’s past and piecing together everything as Sophie was at the same time. But what I enjoyed the most was Sophie discovering it all and her journey towards finding out the truth about who she is.
I loved Sophie in this book. Her voice was so strong and unique and I felt very connected to her. She’s a very strong character who stands up for what she believes in and will do anything to find out the truth. She’s kind and caring when it comes to her friends and her younger brother but she isn’t afraid to express her feelings on her mother being an agoraphobic and a terrible mother. The characters in this book are definitely flawed. Sophie’s parents definitely have something to hide but they try to be there for their kids and to give them everything that they need.
I highly enjoyed this story and Sophie’s journey of self-discovery. I thought it was an extremely emotional and heartwarming story with some very relatable characters. I liked Sophie’s special language that was used in the book but I’m not sure that it was completely necessary because it made the book a little bit hard to get into. But I really enjoyed the novel as a whole and would highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book from Allen & Unwin for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sophie Someone is a very interesting story about identity and figuring out who you are and where you belong. It’s written in a very unique way and is a powerful story, despite being quite a short book.
The first thing you’ll notice about Sophie Someone is that it’s written in its own unique language. There are words that are replaced by other words throughout the entire book, like ‘noodle’ instead of name and ‘freckle’ instead of friend. For the first half of the book, I thought that this was because Sophie was dyslexic but as the book progressed, it didn’t seem like this was the case, which had me very confused. However, the reason why this strange language was used is explained at the end of the book so you’re not left in the dark after the story is over. I’m not really sure how I feel about this kind of writing. It made the writing really hard to read at the beginning because it was like a code that you had to crack. But the reading experience did become much smoother once I had decoded the words and what they were supposed to be. While I did find some of the language to be really funny, I’m just not sure that it was completely necessary and I think the story was strong enough to stand on its own without this quirky writing style.
I really loved Sophie’s story in this book. She’s a teenage girl who is confused about her origins and where she came from. Her family lives in Belgium but are English and can only speak in English. Sophie’s unsure of why her last name is foreign or why they moved to Belgium in the first place. Throughout this book, Sophie recounts her memories of her childhood, putting together pieces of the puzzle and trying to form an idea of who she really is and why her parents have been lying to her about everything. It’s a very heartwarming story about family, the secrets that people keep hidden inside and what you would do for the people you love. I absolutely loved the story and fell in love with Sophie and her family. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Sophie’s past and piecing together everything as Sophie was at the same time. But what I enjoyed the most was Sophie discovering it all and her journey towards finding out the truth about who she is.
I’m not a nobody. And I will never be while I’m Comet Kayembe’s best freckle.
I loved Sophie in this book. Her voice was so strong and unique and I felt very connected to her. She’s a very strong character who stands up for what she believes in and will do anything to find out the truth. She’s kind and caring when it comes to her friends and her younger brother but she isn’t afraid to express her feelings on her mother being an agoraphobic and a terrible mother. The characters in this book are definitely flawed. Sophie’s parents definitely have something to hide but they try to be there for their kids and to give them everything that they need.
I highly enjoyed this story and Sophie’s journey of self-discovery. I thought it was an extremely emotional and heartwarming story with some very relatable characters. I liked Sophie’s special language that was used in the book but I’m not sure that it was completely necessary because it made the book a little bit hard to get into. But I really enjoyed the novel as a whole and would highly recommend it.
April 15, 2017
Sophie's been in Belgium for most of her life—she barely remembers another life, in fact. What she does know is that her parents are keeping secrets, that her mother is afraid to leave the apartment. But then the cracks start to show...
Sophie Someone is a rather odd duck of a book. Sophie swaps words all over the place—'worms' for 'words', 'bucket' for 'book', and so on and so forth. Constantly. I was on board with this for a while, because I could see it as a representation of the way that, when Sophie starts learning the truth, nothing she thought she knew makes sense anymore. But it's explained a little at the end, and I'm less on board with it as a conscious decision, a 'made-up language' with 'code words' so nobody can read over her shoulder. (Like, that would be fine? But this is perfectly comprehensible if you're willing to do the work. A friend and I made up an alphabet when we were thirteen—sixteen years later I still use it, and it's completely illegible to anyone else.)
Anyway. So, the big secret, and the dramatic conclusion: . I have a ton of questions about the latter in particular—seems like there would be just as many, if not more, troubles for them (legal and otherwise) starting at the end of the book. Will Sophie be able to continue at her school? Will she be able to continue living where she is? What of her mother? Will the police be interested in her too? Meanwhile her best friend is facing serious upheaval in her family, and there's not really room to explore what that might mean for her.
A bit of a puzzle, this book, though I don't really mean that negatively. I would have loved more place details, more of the 'after', and more plot outside the mystery, but it was an enjoyable read.
Sophie Someone is a rather odd duck of a book. Sophie swaps words all over the place—'worms' for 'words', 'bucket' for 'book', and so on and so forth. Constantly. I was on board with this for a while, because I could see it as a representation of the way that, when Sophie starts learning the truth, nothing she thought she knew makes sense anymore. But it's explained a little at the end, and I'm less on board with it as a conscious decision, a 'made-up language' with 'code words' so nobody can read over her shoulder. (Like, that would be fine? But this is perfectly comprehensible if you're willing to do the work. A friend and I made up an alphabet when we were thirteen—sixteen years later I still use it, and it's completely illegible to anyone else.)
Anyway. So, the big secret, and the dramatic conclusion: . I have a ton of questions about the latter in particular—seems like there would be just as many, if not more, troubles for them (legal and otherwise) starting at the end of the book. Will Sophie be able to continue at her school? Will she be able to continue living where she is? What of her mother? Will the police be interested in her too? Meanwhile her best friend is facing serious upheaval in her family, and there's not really room to explore what that might mean for her.
A bit of a puzzle, this book, though I don't really mean that negatively. I would have loved more place details, more of the 'after', and more plot outside the mystery, but it was an enjoyable read.
September 10, 2023
6/10, after reading a pretty enjoyable sci-fi/fantasy book called The Scourge I was hoping that I would enjoy this book as well but alas I didn't since this was a boring and confusing book due to the fact that there were so many issues within this and I can say for sure that other readers have experienced this problem as well, where do I even begin. It starts off with the main character Sophie Nieuwenleven, or Sophie for short however that last name is pronounced like New-one-lefen or something like that, I don't know. I'm not sure why she had to leave England when she was young to go to Belgium and then she goes back to England to probably find some truth about her. I didn't like the writing style in this book, it was so frustrating to read, and the beginning was slow as well but the action started to pick up quick. Why replace normal words for other ones like bucket for book, helix for head, pigeon for people and terrapin for tear? The main character had a bad attitude at times but I could understand that and she developed her character eventually. There were two plot twists and one of them didn't seem that important at first (Sophie discovers her real grandmother), but then the second plot twist was huge! Sophie's entire life was a giant lie and that was the biggest plot twist within this book and that impressed me however the ending fizzled out which was a shame. If you want an emotional story, go read The Thing About Jellyfish, Clap When You Land, or The Poet X instead of this.
December 28, 2017
Long, Hayley Sophie Someone, 258 pages. Candlewick Press, 2017. $17. Language: G (2 swears,0 F); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
Sophie, 14, grew up in Belgium but has vague memories of leaving England. Comet, her best friend, is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sophie knows her family isn't normal her mom never leaves the house, her dad lied to her, and her brother well he's a little cuckoo. She knows her family has secrets - every family does, but when she makes a startling discovery her world gets a whole lot crazier. She ends up going 333 miles away without her parents permission; in fact they didn't even know. Sophie Someone is about trust, betrayal, friendship and hope for a better brighter future.
Sophie Someone takes a few pages to really get into but after that it's wonderful. I recommend this book to people who won't give up on a book cause it's kinda hard to get into. The author mixes some of the words - like face is fax mouth is mush. Sophie Someone is one of my new favorite books.
MS - ADVISABLE. CJA, Student Reviewer, 7th grade
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
Sophie, 14, grew up in Belgium but has vague memories of leaving England. Comet, her best friend, is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sophie knows her family isn't normal her mom never leaves the house, her dad lied to her, and her brother well he's a little cuckoo. She knows her family has secrets - every family does, but when she makes a startling discovery her world gets a whole lot crazier. She ends up going 333 miles away without her parents permission; in fact they didn't even know. Sophie Someone is about trust, betrayal, friendship and hope for a better brighter future.
Sophie Someone takes a few pages to really get into but after that it's wonderful. I recommend this book to people who won't give up on a book cause it's kinda hard to get into. The author mixes some of the words - like face is fax mouth is mush. Sophie Someone is one of my new favorite books.
MS - ADVISABLE. CJA, Student Reviewer, 7th grade
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
August 14, 2015
I loved this book!
A truly brilliant and engaging story about a girl who uncovers family secrets and recounts to story in a wonderful and unique way. The words that Sophie uses are clever, funny and make perfect sense as you're reading through. (I particularly loved that teachers were torturers haha)
I really enjoyed both the plot and the way it was written, Sophie is a fab character and the fact she went to such lengths to uncover the truth made for a great story.
A must read for fans of both MG/YA books.
A truly brilliant and engaging story about a girl who uncovers family secrets and recounts to story in a wonderful and unique way. The words that Sophie uses are clever, funny and make perfect sense as you're reading through. (I particularly loved that teachers were torturers haha)
I really enjoyed both the plot and the way it was written, Sophie is a fab character and the fact she went to such lengths to uncover the truth made for a great story.
A must read for fans of both MG/YA books.
August 30, 2016
I was really looking forward to reading this novel as I’ve loved the author’s previous books, so I bought this without ever reading a blurb and I’m really glad I did.
It meant my first feeling on reading the book was one of confusion as Sophie has an unusual way of telling her story, but it enhanced my enjoyment that I had no idea why she was doing this.
I’m much older than the target market for this book but it didn’t stop me finding it wonderful.
A 8/10 star read.
It meant my first feeling on reading the book was one of confusion as Sophie has an unusual way of telling her story, but it enhanced my enjoyment that I had no idea why she was doing this.
I’m much older than the target market for this book but it didn’t stop me finding it wonderful.
A 8/10 star read.
September 10, 2016
So sweet and sad but I loved it. Even almost shed a tear or two on the bus. Almost. Definitely gonna look into more by this author.
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