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Midair
For four young women abroad in Paris, a game of Truth or Dare turns life-and-death.
“I had a secret: I wanted to leave the earth in a spectacular fashion. Specifically, by leaping from the Eiffel Tower.” So begins this provocative coming-of-age novel about a teenage girl bent on self-destruction and revenge, set in the City of Light.
It’s the summer of 1999, the end of a millennium. In the mind of Nessa Baxter, a girl from rural Illinois, Paris is the remedy for all of her woes. The death of her beloved brother and the betrayal by her classmate Kat has left Nessa bereft and doubtful about her future. She plans to exact revenge on Kat during their renegade French Club trip. Along with classmates Whitney and Kiran, the four girls embark on a series of misadventures in Paris. As part of her plan, Nessa starts a game of Truth or Dare that spirals out of control.
A suspenseful psychological drama, Midair is the story of a young girl’s descent into darkness and the secrets we keep, even from ourselves.
“I had a secret: I wanted to leave the earth in a spectacular fashion. Specifically, by leaping from the Eiffel Tower.” So begins this provocative coming-of-age novel about a teenage girl bent on self-destruction and revenge, set in the City of Light.
It’s the summer of 1999, the end of a millennium. In the mind of Nessa Baxter, a girl from rural Illinois, Paris is the remedy for all of her woes. The death of her beloved brother and the betrayal by her classmate Kat has left Nessa bereft and doubtful about her future. She plans to exact revenge on Kat during their renegade French Club trip. Along with classmates Whitney and Kiran, the four girls embark on a series of misadventures in Paris. As part of her plan, Nessa starts a game of Truth or Dare that spirals out of control.
A suspenseful psychological drama, Midair is the story of a young girl’s descent into darkness and the secrets we keep, even from ourselves.
211 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2016
381 people are currently reading
1988 people want to read
About the author
Kodi Scheer
7 books16 followersKodi Scheer teaches writing at the University of Michigan, where she earned her MFA. She was awarded the Dzanc Prize for Excellence in Literary Fiction and Community Service. As a recent fellow of the Sozopol Fiction Seminars, she traveled to Bulgaria to engage with an international community of writers, translators, and readers. Her stories have appeared or are forthcoming in The Chicago Tribune, The Iowa Review, The Florida Review, Quarterly West, and Bellevue Literary Review. She also serves as writer-in-residence for the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
July 6, 2016
Midair is my kindle-first pick for July. I hate to say it but I had a really hard time reading this book. I thought the blurb sounded great and the first lines of the book pulled me right in...
I had a secret: I wanted to leave the earth in a spectacular fashion. Specifically, by leaping from the Eiffel Tower. The end seemed ideal-high above the city, soaring through the air just as my heart stopped and my brain released a rush of endorphins, causing intense euphoria. A moth consumed by light.
*************There will be SPOILERS************
Nessa, Kat, Whitney and Kiran are in a French class together and decided to go on a trip to Paris.
Nessa is on a mission. She lost her brother Vincent, he died of a heart condition and she wants to commit suicide. Nessa also wants to destroy Kat who cheated off her exams and made Nessa lose out on getting into university. Kat still got into Yale because her father is a big wig sooooo....
Nessa is not friends per se with these girls before the trip. She does at some point consider them friends.
There are a lot of things that go on in this book. I was appalled at some of the things that happened.
1. Stupidity: When the girls first arrive they allow some boys they don't know to take them to where they are going to be staying. They also told the boys they would go to their party the next night. This is where one takes it for the team so the others don't get hurt.
2. Two girls are raped during this trip. One as I have stated to take one for the team so they won't get hurt. So, it was allowed for the said girl to be gang raped. But she allowed so it's okay right?
3. One girl feels bad about not trying to turn in said guys but goes back to let them take her virginity and rape her and get her pregnant so they might hold off on raping another girl. Really?
4. There is a death, but it's not the suicide we are thinking is going to happen. It's a tragic, stupid freaking thing that never should have happened.
I would say, during the first half of the book I couldn't relate or like these girls. They were kept talking about getting one of the girls cherry popped while there. They were constantly acting lewd and stupid. I felt for Ness with the things she went through but there was no other connection. Just when I wanted to stop the book, I continued on and I'm glad I did for this is where the 3 stars come in. Don't get me wrong, these girls do more stupid things, but you get to see some sides to them that show them as human beings. The story has a happy-ish ending for the girls. They do not remain friends into adulthood but they will always have Paris and that horrible time in their lives.
Another part that bothered me about the book is the change from reading about the girls to the mom. No one knows who's mom, it would just start with the mom talking and then move back to the girls. I wish there would have at least been a heading, even as simple as "MOM" so as not to get confused from time to time.
I read a lot of book dealing with mental issues and rape as I know something about those and I'm in no way saying this book is horrible. I just didn't like the way the girls themselves acted and the way things were put together in the book. I do like that the author put this book out there so that maybe some girls will read it and learn NOT to do those things and to be very, very careful. Also, realize there is always help. I know people say that, I get it all of the time. It's hard for people to understand the mind of someone in deep depression or wanting to commit suicide. Speaking from experience, don't try to analyze the person or tell them what to do, just be there for them, listen and try to understand and help in that way. It just might help.
I hope others can love this book more than me, opinions are just what they are: OPINIONS!
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
I had a secret: I wanted to leave the earth in a spectacular fashion. Specifically, by leaping from the Eiffel Tower. The end seemed ideal-high above the city, soaring through the air just as my heart stopped and my brain released a rush of endorphins, causing intense euphoria. A moth consumed by light.
*************There will be SPOILERS************
Nessa, Kat, Whitney and Kiran are in a French class together and decided to go on a trip to Paris.
Nessa is on a mission. She lost her brother Vincent, he died of a heart condition and she wants to commit suicide. Nessa also wants to destroy Kat who cheated off her exams and made Nessa lose out on getting into university. Kat still got into Yale because her father is a big wig sooooo....
Nessa is not friends per se with these girls before the trip. She does at some point consider them friends.
There are a lot of things that go on in this book. I was appalled at some of the things that happened.
1. Stupidity: When the girls first arrive they allow some boys they don't know to take them to where they are going to be staying. They also told the boys they would go to their party the next night. This is where one takes it for the team so the others don't get hurt.
2. Two girls are raped during this trip. One as I have stated to take one for the team so they won't get hurt. So, it was allowed for the said girl to be gang raped. But she allowed so it's okay right?
3. One girl feels bad about not trying to turn in said guys but goes back to let them take her virginity and rape her and get her pregnant so they might hold off on raping another girl. Really?
4. There is a death, but it's not the suicide we are thinking is going to happen. It's a tragic, stupid freaking thing that never should have happened.
I would say, during the first half of the book I couldn't relate or like these girls. They were kept talking about getting one of the girls cherry popped while there. They were constantly acting lewd and stupid. I felt for Ness with the things she went through but there was no other connection. Just when I wanted to stop the book, I continued on and I'm glad I did for this is where the 3 stars come in. Don't get me wrong, these girls do more stupid things, but you get to see some sides to them that show them as human beings. The story has a happy-ish ending for the girls. They do not remain friends into adulthood but they will always have Paris and that horrible time in their lives.
Another part that bothered me about the book is the change from reading about the girls to the mom. No one knows who's mom, it would just start with the mom talking and then move back to the girls. I wish there would have at least been a heading, even as simple as "MOM" so as not to get confused from time to time.
I read a lot of book dealing with mental issues and rape as I know something about those and I'm in no way saying this book is horrible. I just didn't like the way the girls themselves acted and the way things were put together in the book. I do like that the author put this book out there so that maybe some girls will read it and learn NOT to do those things and to be very, very careful. Also, realize there is always help. I know people say that, I get it all of the time. It's hard for people to understand the mind of someone in deep depression or wanting to commit suicide. Speaking from experience, don't try to analyze the person or tell them what to do, just be there for them, listen and try to understand and help in that way. It just might help.
I hope others can love this book more than me, opinions are just what they are: OPINIONS!
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
July 6, 2016
"I had a secret: I wanted to leave the earth in a spectacular fashion. Specifically, by leaping from the Eiffel Tower. The end seemed ideal—high above the city, soaring through the air just as my heart stopped and my brain released a rush of endorphins, causing intense euphoria."
Nessa Baxter, a high school graduate from Illinois, is at the end of her rope. The sudden death of her beloved brother, coupled with the negation of one of her greatest achievements because of the actions of a fellow classmate, have left her with nothing to live or hope for. She convinces three of her former French Club classmates, including the one who betrayed her, to accompany her on a trip to Paris. The other three girls are looking forward to seeing the sights, shopping, eating to their hearts' delights, and hopefully being romanced by some handsome French men, and they are totally oblivious to Nessa's plans or her ulterior motive.
As a way of covering her tracks, she encourages the girls to participate in an intense game of Truth or Dare. She has no idea how the game will spiral out of control as the girls attempt their dares, and uncover surprising truths that shock Nessa. She tries hard not to let her guard down because she doesn't believe any of her traveling companions care about her or will be sad when she dies—all she wants to do is end her pain, and make sure that Kat, her betrayer, knows that she is responsible for her death.
Midair is a sad story of just how helpless and hopeless a person can feel when everything in their life seems to be going wrong. But it's also the story of how the need for revenge can consume you as much as depression can, and be equally self-destructive. As Nessa gets to know her traveling companions a little better she realizes they're more than just the stereotypical "mean girls" she assumed they were, but when the only thing that's helped you get through each day is the thought that you're going to end your life and hurt someone else, how can you let your plans get derailed?
This is definitely a thought-provoking book about the pressure to achieve that is placed on teenagers, and the bullying that occurs—both subtly and openly—in high schools. Kodi Scheer captured the voices of these characters quite authentically, not falling into the trap common to YA novels of making her characters more erudite and sarcastic than most adults. The problem I had with this book is that while the core of the story resonated and made me feel, the resolution of the story—particularly given the way the book is narrated—didn't ring true for me. (I'm avoiding a bit of a spoiler here.)
I've never read anything by Scheer before, but this book was very compelling, and it made me think. She definitely has a style similar to Megan Abbott, and I look forward to seeing what comes next in her career. And of course, if you suffer from depression and feel as if you have nowhere else to turn, please ask for help. Suicide is a permanent solution to what can be a temporary problem, no matter how bleak it may seem.
Little A and Kindle First provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
Nessa Baxter, a high school graduate from Illinois, is at the end of her rope. The sudden death of her beloved brother, coupled with the negation of one of her greatest achievements because of the actions of a fellow classmate, have left her with nothing to live or hope for. She convinces three of her former French Club classmates, including the one who betrayed her, to accompany her on a trip to Paris. The other three girls are looking forward to seeing the sights, shopping, eating to their hearts' delights, and hopefully being romanced by some handsome French men, and they are totally oblivious to Nessa's plans or her ulterior motive.
As a way of covering her tracks, she encourages the girls to participate in an intense game of Truth or Dare. She has no idea how the game will spiral out of control as the girls attempt their dares, and uncover surprising truths that shock Nessa. She tries hard not to let her guard down because she doesn't believe any of her traveling companions care about her or will be sad when she dies—all she wants to do is end her pain, and make sure that Kat, her betrayer, knows that she is responsible for her death.
Midair is a sad story of just how helpless and hopeless a person can feel when everything in their life seems to be going wrong. But it's also the story of how the need for revenge can consume you as much as depression can, and be equally self-destructive. As Nessa gets to know her traveling companions a little better she realizes they're more than just the stereotypical "mean girls" she assumed they were, but when the only thing that's helped you get through each day is the thought that you're going to end your life and hurt someone else, how can you let your plans get derailed?
This is definitely a thought-provoking book about the pressure to achieve that is placed on teenagers, and the bullying that occurs—both subtly and openly—in high schools. Kodi Scheer captured the voices of these characters quite authentically, not falling into the trap common to YA novels of making her characters more erudite and sarcastic than most adults. The problem I had with this book is that while the core of the story resonated and made me feel, the resolution of the story—particularly given the way the book is narrated—didn't ring true for me. (I'm avoiding a bit of a spoiler here.)
I've never read anything by Scheer before, but this book was very compelling, and it made me think. She definitely has a style similar to Megan Abbott, and I look forward to seeing what comes next in her career. And of course, if you suffer from depression and feel as if you have nowhere else to turn, please ask for help. Suicide is a permanent solution to what can be a temporary problem, no matter how bleak it may seem.
Little A and Kindle First provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
September 3, 2016
Ten minutes into this book, I had to put it down and ask myself whether it was even worth continuing (I've concluded that it isn't). The subpar writing was so overwhelming that I couldn't wait for the narrator to hurry up and jump off the Eiffel Tower. But of course it wasn't going to happen with her random spurts of later-life reflections. Here are the 10 things off the top of my head that I can't stand (skip if you don't want the first ten minutes of the book spoiled):
1. The way everyone (with apparently vastly different personalities) just agrees on everything. Getting into a shady white van, getting drunk and running out on the bill, "giving" one of the French guys they just met to the "only" virgin of the group (wtf)
2. Endless negative portrayals of Paris - horrible customs lines, looks just like any other American suburban town, perverted shady French dudes, crappy hotel room, can't go to touristy sites because of strikes. Yes, Paris isn't all that glamorous, but do you really have to go that stereotypically off the other end to make a statement?
3. Author using characters' conversations and random observations to educate us about French and American politics from teenage girl perspectives. Very informative. Not.
4. Narrator/author complaining about characters' non-sequitors, while using them frequently in Nessa's internal dialogue. "Bonjour, Madame," said Whitney. She was technically the president of French Club, but only because no one else had bothered to run. Um, okay? Because saying "bonjour" is so advanced for a group of French Club girls that it warrants this explanation? Prepare for these in every third paragraph.
5. Lines like "Speaking of foreplay, I need to get my fuck on." What kind of recent high school grad talks like this??
6. Nessa reminding the reader on every other page that she (1) is going to kill herself, (2) fucking hates that bitch Kat, and (3) misses her dear brother Vince.
7. The girls calling a waiter a "dickweed" and "asshole" then forgoing the bill just because he corrected one girl's French. Charming.
Actually I can't bother finishing this list. This book is just not worth any more of my time. (Also I just found out the author is a lecturer at my alma mater. Which kind of explains why the main character is so obsessed with one of the girls wearing a Michigan shirt for no apparent reason. Thank goodness I didn't take any of her classes.)
1. The way everyone (with apparently vastly different personalities) just agrees on everything. Getting into a shady white van, getting drunk and running out on the bill, "giving" one of the French guys they just met to the "only" virgin of the group (wtf)
2. Endless negative portrayals of Paris - horrible customs lines, looks just like any other American suburban town, perverted shady French dudes, crappy hotel room, can't go to touristy sites because of strikes. Yes, Paris isn't all that glamorous, but do you really have to go that stereotypically off the other end to make a statement?
3. Author using characters' conversations and random observations to educate us about French and American politics from teenage girl perspectives. Very informative. Not.
4. Narrator/author complaining about characters' non-sequitors, while using them frequently in Nessa's internal dialogue. "Bonjour, Madame," said Whitney. She was technically the president of French Club, but only because no one else had bothered to run. Um, okay? Because saying "bonjour" is so advanced for a group of French Club girls that it warrants this explanation? Prepare for these in every third paragraph.
5. Lines like "Speaking of foreplay, I need to get my fuck on." What kind of recent high school grad talks like this??
6. Nessa reminding the reader on every other page that she (1) is going to kill herself, (2) fucking hates that bitch Kat, and (3) misses her dear brother Vince.
7. The girls calling a waiter a "dickweed" and "asshole" then forgoing the bill just because he corrected one girl's French. Charming.
Actually I can't bother finishing this list. This book is just not worth any more of my time. (Also I just found out the author is a lecturer at my alma mater. Which kind of explains why the main character is so obsessed with one of the girls wearing a Michigan shirt for no apparent reason. Thank goodness I didn't take any of her classes.)
July 28, 2016
I picked this book for my Kindle First because I wanted something that moved fast and was in a different genre than I normally read. The book moving fast is the only good thing I can say about Midair. So, let me start off by saying I was disappointed that the majority of this book is just 4 girls wandering around Paris playing truth or dare (the description, title, and cover make it seem like it's going to be on a plane. I pictured Non-Stop with teenage girls. The actual book is no where near as trashy-fun as that), and on top of that the narrator is a bitching asshole who is so filled with hate that she's going to kill herself in front of another girl just to "ruin her life" by "haunting her" for the rest of the other girl's life with this tragic thing she'll be forced to witness. Total dick thing to do, right? But this isn't just some one time fantasy, the narrator talks about this every other page, and she's constantly, I mean constantly, talking about how shitty everything is and about how smart she is. She also whines about her dead brother often, but gives us no description of him (I don't know if he was older or younger).
So, on top of the immature and hate filled to the point that it's unbelievable narrator, we also have bad prose and cheap writing mechanics. Let me explain what I mean. When I'm talking about bad prose I mean telling instead of showing (which happens a lot, especially in the final 2-4 chapters where more than an entire decade is told to us in highlight fashion), the author has no faith that we can infer anything. If Nessa (the narrator) doesn't like someone, she let's us know, over and over, and with lots and lots of words. If she notices someone's feelings or emotions, she lays that on us too, with lots and lots of words, instead of just telling us their actions, and letting us see how the person is feeling. We don't get to figure anything out, which sucks the fun out of reading (think about a movie where everyone states their motives before doing anything. That's this book). When I say bad prose I also mean changing basic writing conventions just to fuck with the reader. Writing "said Whitney" instead of "Whitney said" may come off as a pet peeve, but because literally every other book follows the standard convention of name followed by "said" it jumps out to readers and looks like it was written by someone in high school, which is how a lot of the writing style comes off. She also uses a lot of different identifiers other than "said" which is distracting, and also robs us of the chance of figuring out their emotions based on context and dialogue. I also had a problem with her lack of transporting me back to 1999 (or whenever this book is, apparently 6 months after The Hunchback of Notre Dame—which came out in '96— though the narrator mentions Y2K, and the year 1999 as well, so definitely some inconsistencies). Everyone uses the phrase "photo" instead of "picture." Prior to Facebook becoming imbedded in our culture, "picture" was the dominate way to describe a photograph in America. It's a writers job to know these things. Over all the kids just sound like millennials wandering around Paris, which defeats the purpose of having it be a period piece.
This brings me to item two: the cheap writing mechanics. The whole reason this book takes place in the past is so the narrator can whine every other chapter in the present that this day has haunted her forever, and she constantly reminds us that someone died, and that she named her daughter, who she calls "Cricket," after the girl who died. The narrator in the present is never revealed until like 70% percent in the book, so it looks like it could be any of the girls, but the narration sounds the same as the stuff in the past, only not as whiny. But the reason this mechanic is cheap is that it TELLS us someone is going to die, and that we need to be prepared to be SHOCKED, instead of us naturally finding out what happens through the course of the story.
So, overall, pretty big waste of time. I did appreciate that she was able to create 4 distinct characters, though a lot of their dialogue did not feel genuine, and neither did the way they thought or acted (everyone just immediately goes along with the truth or dare thing without any discussion or anyone saying, "Hey, guys, this seems like a really dumb idea). I also didn't buy that one of the girls (Kat) would need to sleep with three dudes to stop them from pressuring Kiran and Whitney from sleeping with them. Makes them all seem really dumb, since they never even bothered to say "no" or to try to leave. In what world does a girl not do those things when a guy gives her unwanted attention? There are three of them there, and they feel the only solution is for one of them to give into the guys' sexual advances. Total unbelievable bullshit. Also, since Kat just decides to sleep with them, it's not rape. They don't force themselves on her. She invites them to have sex with her "to save" the other two girls present at this party. The girls act like she took a bullet for them, and from this scene on all the characters refer to her having been "gang banged." Rape is of course a real problem, and traumatizes people for life, and deserves to be written about, but masquerading your characters stupid decisions off as rape is a disservice to those who have actually endured it.
So, on top of the immature and hate filled to the point that it's unbelievable narrator, we also have bad prose and cheap writing mechanics. Let me explain what I mean. When I'm talking about bad prose I mean telling instead of showing (which happens a lot, especially in the final 2-4 chapters where more than an entire decade is told to us in highlight fashion), the author has no faith that we can infer anything. If Nessa (the narrator) doesn't like someone, she let's us know, over and over, and with lots and lots of words. If she notices someone's feelings or emotions, she lays that on us too, with lots and lots of words, instead of just telling us their actions, and letting us see how the person is feeling. We don't get to figure anything out, which sucks the fun out of reading (think about a movie where everyone states their motives before doing anything. That's this book). When I say bad prose I also mean changing basic writing conventions just to fuck with the reader. Writing "said Whitney" instead of "Whitney said" may come off as a pet peeve, but because literally every other book follows the standard convention of name followed by "said" it jumps out to readers and looks like it was written by someone in high school, which is how a lot of the writing style comes off. She also uses a lot of different identifiers other than "said" which is distracting, and also robs us of the chance of figuring out their emotions based on context and dialogue. I also had a problem with her lack of transporting me back to 1999 (or whenever this book is, apparently 6 months after The Hunchback of Notre Dame—which came out in '96— though the narrator mentions Y2K, and the year 1999 as well, so definitely some inconsistencies). Everyone uses the phrase "photo" instead of "picture." Prior to Facebook becoming imbedded in our culture, "picture" was the dominate way to describe a photograph in America. It's a writers job to know these things. Over all the kids just sound like millennials wandering around Paris, which defeats the purpose of having it be a period piece.
This brings me to item two: the cheap writing mechanics. The whole reason this book takes place in the past is so the narrator can whine every other chapter in the present that this day has haunted her forever, and she constantly reminds us that someone died, and that she named her daughter, who she calls "Cricket," after the girl who died. The narrator in the present is never revealed until like 70% percent in the book, so it looks like it could be any of the girls, but the narration sounds the same as the stuff in the past, only not as whiny. But the reason this mechanic is cheap is that it TELLS us someone is going to die, and that we need to be prepared to be SHOCKED, instead of us naturally finding out what happens through the course of the story.
So, overall, pretty big waste of time. I did appreciate that she was able to create 4 distinct characters, though a lot of their dialogue did not feel genuine, and neither did the way they thought or acted (everyone just immediately goes along with the truth or dare thing without any discussion or anyone saying, "Hey, guys, this seems like a really dumb idea). I also didn't buy that one of the girls (Kat) would need to sleep with three dudes to stop them from pressuring Kiran and Whitney from sleeping with them. Makes them all seem really dumb, since they never even bothered to say "no" or to try to leave. In what world does a girl not do those things when a guy gives her unwanted attention? There are three of them there, and they feel the only solution is for one of them to give into the guys' sexual advances. Total unbelievable bullshit. Also, since Kat just decides to sleep with them, it's not rape. They don't force themselves on her. She invites them to have sex with her "to save" the other two girls present at this party. The girls act like she took a bullet for them, and from this scene on all the characters refer to her having been "gang banged." Rape is of course a real problem, and traumatizes people for life, and deserves to be written about, but masquerading your characters stupid decisions off as rape is a disservice to those who have actually endured it.
February 24, 2017
Hmm...
Firstly, I have (very recently, actually) been to Paris. Because of this, something about this books depictions of Paris really annoyed me. So there was that.
Secondly, it took a while to get into. I stopped and started with the beginning part for a while.
Also... For a lot of the book, the characters (including the MC) were just really not likeable and frankly quite 2 dimensional and somehow also a bit ridiculous. Or maybe just ridiculously stupid. They did grow, though, as the story went on.
The story it self luckily picked up as it went along, and I enjoyed the middle and the end (well, most of it... Not that one bit...) much more than the beginning. There was also decent character development.
It was short and enjoyable enough, 3 stars.
P.S.: WT actual F was up with that little boy though?! Seriously...
Firstly, I have (very recently, actually) been to Paris. Because of this, something about this books depictions of Paris really annoyed me. So there was that.
Secondly, it took a while to get into. I stopped and started with the beginning part for a while.
Also... For a lot of the book, the characters (including the MC) were just really not likeable and frankly quite 2 dimensional and somehow also a bit ridiculous. Or maybe just ridiculously stupid. They did grow, though, as the story went on.
The story it self luckily picked up as it went along, and I enjoyed the middle and the end (well, most of it... Not that one bit...) much more than the beginning. There was also decent character development.
It was short and enjoyable enough, 3 stars.
P.S.: WT actual F was up with that little boy though?! Seriously...
July 10, 2016
I got this book for my Kindle from the Amazon as part of the Kindle First scheme (you get to download one book, out of a choice of four, at a reduced price that isn't due to be released generally until the next month).
Anyway, the story focuses on four American teenage girls who are undertaking a trip to France to celebrate the end of their French course. The story is narrated by Nessa, who has had a modest upbringing compared to the other three girls, and has had a tragedy in her life that clouds her judgement during the trip. The story is a great depiction of just how self absorbed teenage girls can be, trying to ignoring the positives in life and focusing solely on the negatives.
I found the story gripping and addictive. The chapters were quite short, so it was easy to read, and the descriptions the author uses to give the reader a picture of France are sublime. I did not expect the ending. I thought I had it all figured out, but no, the ending throws a curveball that isn't expected and is out of the blue.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a short but fast paced read (you won't get bored), or for fans of coming of age stories. It's akin to Mean Girls, only set in Paris and quite significantly darker.
Anyway, the story focuses on four American teenage girls who are undertaking a trip to France to celebrate the end of their French course. The story is narrated by Nessa, who has had a modest upbringing compared to the other three girls, and has had a tragedy in her life that clouds her judgement during the trip. The story is a great depiction of just how self absorbed teenage girls can be, trying to ignoring the positives in life and focusing solely on the negatives.
I found the story gripping and addictive. The chapters were quite short, so it was easy to read, and the descriptions the author uses to give the reader a picture of France are sublime. I did not expect the ending. I thought I had it all figured out, but no, the ending throws a curveball that isn't expected and is out of the blue.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a short but fast paced read (you won't get bored), or for fans of coming of age stories. It's akin to Mean Girls, only set in Paris and quite significantly darker.
August 14, 2016
Ugh. I was excited about this, as I'd seen several advance reviews that said it was exciting and gripping. I thought it was really grim, with unlikable characters and an insufferable protagonist. By the time I reached the halfway point, I really didn't care who was going to end up dead, and by the end, I was hoping it might be all of them.
July 5, 2016
Amazing story
Wow. I read this book in one sitting, couldn't put it down. Starting with the first sentence, it sucked me in and didn't let me up for sir until the end. I highly recommend this book that forces you to realize every action has consequences, good or bad, and that perception can change everything. It is so well written and fast paced that you can't help but go down the rabbit hole.
Wow. I read this book in one sitting, couldn't put it down. Starting with the first sentence, it sucked me in and didn't let me up for sir until the end. I highly recommend this book that forces you to realize every action has consequences, good or bad, and that perception can change everything. It is so well written and fast paced that you can't help but go down the rabbit hole.
July 13, 2016
I found it extremely hard to connect to the main character so it was equally hard to empathize with her in any way. In fact, I ended up 'rooting' for her enemies, or whatever the other girls were to her. And I never understood why her entire life was ruined because of the original offending incident. It just seems there could have been many alternative choices. Ugh....
December 14, 2016
Finally a book I didn't hate! The last few books I read were terrible, so this one might get a slight edge just because of that.
I keep harping in my reviews that a great plot can't survive underdeveloped characters but that well-developed characters can cause me to forgive a subpar plot. It was refreshing to turn to page 1 and immediately find an introduction to and background on all of the characters, especially the main character.
Character development drew me in from the beginning. The plot was slow in parts but mostly kept me engaged. Writing was great. Not literary genius, but the writer and her editors at least had a firm grip on English grammar rules.
(It's a sad state of affairs in today's literature that sound grammar unfortunately is not a given and almost the exception. Maybe I just read the wrong books).
I wasn't really feeling the whole suicide thing. That's my one complaint - Nessa didn't have me 100% convinced throughout the story. On the other hand, it was more an intellectual decision for her than an emotional one (and that.'a addressed in the book), so I guess it works. I just would have liked for it to be a little more gripping in that regard.
At any rate, it kept me entertained and had me picking it up during the day, not just as my bedtime reading ritual. It's been awhile since a book has done that for me, so props.
I keep harping in my reviews that a great plot can't survive underdeveloped characters but that well-developed characters can cause me to forgive a subpar plot. It was refreshing to turn to page 1 and immediately find an introduction to and background on all of the characters, especially the main character.
Character development drew me in from the beginning. The plot was slow in parts but mostly kept me engaged. Writing was great. Not literary genius, but the writer and her editors at least had a firm grip on English grammar rules.
(It's a sad state of affairs in today's literature that sound grammar unfortunately is not a given and almost the exception. Maybe I just read the wrong books).
I wasn't really feeling the whole suicide thing. That's my one complaint - Nessa didn't have me 100% convinced throughout the story. On the other hand, it was more an intellectual decision for her than an emotional one (and that.'a addressed in the book), so I guess it works. I just would have liked for it to be a little more gripping in that regard.
At any rate, it kept me entertained and had me picking it up during the day, not just as my bedtime reading ritual. It's been awhile since a book has done that for me, so props.
July 17, 2016
Gripping and beautiful.
If you think this is a traditional coming of age tale, don't be fooled. It is a beautifully woven story of the naivete of youth and the terrible pain of paying for our actions. I highly recommend this to any reader.
If you think this is a traditional coming of age tale, don't be fooled. It is a beautifully woven story of the naivete of youth and the terrible pain of paying for our actions. I highly recommend this to any reader.
July 24, 2016
Disappointing! This was a Kindle pick for July Prime members. The narrator is not likable, the novel seems unrealistic and melodramatic, and simply too superficial. It is hard to believe that the author teaches writing.
July 12, 2016
It held my interest, but to be honest, I found the main characters to be so obnoxious that I wanted them all to jump off the Eiffel Tower.
July 19, 2016
These kindle monthly picks have been getting worse and worse. This book was really really bad.
July 15, 2016
This was my first experience with the first choice Kindle thing where Prime users can choose a book each month to read from a list, and it was pretty disappointing. The synopsis sounds much more exciting than it is, especially regarding the narrator. For the majority of the book the narrator in 1999 is unbearable and all I was reminded of was a female Holden Caulfield. She's the typical "I'm not like other girls, I'm smart" trope, but given her age it's understable.
I have never really wanted to see Paris and this book just reinforces that, Paris seems like a real hell-hole based on this book and I don't know if that was the author trying to say that things aren't always how you'll think they be or what. Moving on there are two big plot twists (maybe three depending if you're bad at spotting foreshadowing) and only one them I didn't see coming.
Overall, I would recommend something else. This book is pretty depressing and the characters are pretty flat and nothing new. The narrator just grates on the nerves, and she's only tolerable when she's talking as an adult. If you want a book that focuses on young girls and their relationships I recommend Dare Me, it's pretty much similar to this book but I think the writing is better and it's a more enaging story.
July 10, 2016
This was my July kindle first book. If you're looking for something quick and not too thought-provoking, and you're ok with it being unrealistic and oversimplified, you might like this book.
The dialogue was unbelievable, the characters were unrelatable, and the "twist" was obvious from VERY early on. Also there were several plot elements that took it over the top for me: (1) NONE of the girls even paused to consider the wisdom of initially getting in the van with Luc and Anton? Or running out on their bill the first night? Really? (2) Kat's sacrifice seemed bizarrely unnecessary. Did they try anything else first? Fighting back or trying to leave or anything? It wasn't clear to me that it was necessary to "save" the others in this manner. (3) The whole scene with rabbit boy didn't make sense. I get the chasing-the-rabbit-down-the-hole symbolism but it didn't work for me. (4) the aftermath of the accident was wrapped up too quickly. Considering Kiran's family thought she was in Haiti, it seems like there would have been more questions than the single phrase "her family was silent" suggests. (5) Why would Nessa go back to Luc and Anton?? She's too intelligent to fall for the logic she applied to that decision.
The good points were that it was quick to read and I learned a lot of facts about the Eiffel Tower.
The dialogue was unbelievable, the characters were unrelatable, and the "twist" was obvious from VERY early on. Also there were several plot elements that took it over the top for me: (1) NONE of the girls even paused to consider the wisdom of initially getting in the van with Luc and Anton? Or running out on their bill the first night? Really? (2) Kat's sacrifice seemed bizarrely unnecessary. Did they try anything else first? Fighting back or trying to leave or anything? It wasn't clear to me that it was necessary to "save" the others in this manner. (3) The whole scene with rabbit boy didn't make sense. I get the chasing-the-rabbit-down-the-hole symbolism but it didn't work for me. (4) the aftermath of the accident was wrapped up too quickly. Considering Kiran's family thought she was in Haiti, it seems like there would have been more questions than the single phrase "her family was silent" suggests. (5) Why would Nessa go back to Luc and Anton?? She's too intelligent to fall for the logic she applied to that decision.
The good points were that it was quick to read and I learned a lot of facts about the Eiffel Tower.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2016
Received from July's Kindle First. A very quick read but not a huge fan of it.
My main problems
So 3 huge plot points I just couldn't accept so it was difficult to enjoy the book.
My main problems
So 3 huge plot points I just couldn't accept so it was difficult to enjoy the book.
July 4, 2016
After reading the last word, I put my phone down and sat in silence for a moment. Wow, was all I could think.
Though there are a few bumps along the way (mainly the first time the author changes perspectives from past Vanessa to future Vanessa) the story starts with a very melodramatic "whoa is me, I must end my life, etc" kind of vibe, but as the story progresses, you start to learn the real demons within each of the girls and why they do or did certain things.
Just like a roller coaster, the moment after that climactic peak, the story speeds up exponentially while it takes its last twists and turns until you're jolted to a stop.
This was an amazing read and I highly recommend it to everyone. It's a great beach read too. This is one that you can stop and put the book down for a bit and when you come back to it, it's as if you didn't miss a thing.
Though there are a few bumps along the way (mainly the first time the author changes perspectives from past Vanessa to future Vanessa) the story starts with a very melodramatic "whoa is me, I must end my life, etc" kind of vibe, but as the story progresses, you start to learn the real demons within each of the girls and why they do or did certain things.
Just like a roller coaster, the moment after that climactic peak, the story speeds up exponentially while it takes its last twists and turns until you're jolted to a stop.
This was an amazing read and I highly recommend it to everyone. It's a great beach read too. This is one that you can stop and put the book down for a bit and when you come back to it, it's as if you didn't miss a thing.
August 16, 2016
"Ah, yes, the best-laid plans o' mice and men. But what of young girls?"
I devoured Kodi Scheer's story collection, Incendiary Girls, so I was really excited to read her debut novel, and it didn't disappoint. When four eighteen-year-old girls travel to Paris, they all have their own plans and expectations for how the trip will go, but the narrator, Nessa, has a secret plot for revenge and an end goal of suicide. However, things go wildly off course over the course of the novel, and though a tragedy occurs, it is not how we expect it to occur at all.
There's so much to admire here--from the page-turning plot to the descriptions of Paris to the poignant description of how heart-rending it can be to be a teenage girl. I loved it and highly recommend it!
I devoured Kodi Scheer's story collection, Incendiary Girls, so I was really excited to read her debut novel, and it didn't disappoint. When four eighteen-year-old girls travel to Paris, they all have their own plans and expectations for how the trip will go, but the narrator, Nessa, has a secret plot for revenge and an end goal of suicide. However, things go wildly off course over the course of the novel, and though a tragedy occurs, it is not how we expect it to occur at all.
There's so much to admire here--from the page-turning plot to the descriptions of Paris to the poignant description of how heart-rending it can be to be a teenage girl. I loved it and highly recommend it!
September 12, 2016
Just terrible. A quick read, but goes nowhere and doesn't really develop the characters at all. So much of what happens in this story makes zero sense - especially the girls taking in the small child. Have to give the writer some props for doing a bit of research into Paris tourism, but that's about it.
July 16, 2016
I knew there would be a twist, but
But it still was surprising and heartbreaking. The strength of the characters to learn and move on was also comforting.
But it still was surprising and heartbreaking. The strength of the characters to learn and move on was also comforting.
July 26, 2016
The best parts of the book are the small accurate details of Paris. The actual characters and plot are mediocre.
September 1, 2016
I though it would be better...
I chose this book because it sounded exciting.
I was mistaken. Yes, there's a mild plot twist at the end but a good deal of this book is just a bitter girl running around Paris - even though she can't afford it, she magically is able to go-to with three classmates. Her plan is to dive off the Eiffel Tower in front of the girl that "ruined her life."
The ending was abrupt too. Like, I was shocked that it ended at such a weird point.
*** small spoilers******
Some weird bits - like the way the poor girl is singled out when suspected of cheating on the ACTs. Really? Any person who has sat for those knows the projectors must be super rigid. If one person is accused of cheating, the whole room must retake. Also with her drive for perfection why didn't she take the SATs as well. Or actually research and find a way to get around it like taking a year off to work and try again, or demand aretest as there was no proof. The only reason cheating was suspected was that two kids got perfect scores.
The girls meander around Paris causing light mayhem and being pretty typical. The author caught that well. But she didn't make me care about any of the characters. They lacked depth. There was painfully minuscule amounts of backstory on the other girls. The main character's grief over her brothers death was also unnecessary since it was barely utilized as a point.
Overall, I'd give it a C. It was properly edited and fluid, just not very interesting.
I chose this book because it sounded exciting.
I was mistaken. Yes, there's a mild plot twist at the end but a good deal of this book is just a bitter girl running around Paris - even though she can't afford it, she magically is able to go-to with three classmates. Her plan is to dive off the Eiffel Tower in front of the girl that "ruined her life."
The ending was abrupt too. Like, I was shocked that it ended at such a weird point.
*** small spoilers******
Some weird bits - like the way the poor girl is singled out when suspected of cheating on the ACTs. Really? Any person who has sat for those knows the projectors must be super rigid. If one person is accused of cheating, the whole room must retake. Also with her drive for perfection why didn't she take the SATs as well. Or actually research and find a way to get around it like taking a year off to work and try again, or demand aretest as there was no proof. The only reason cheating was suspected was that two kids got perfect scores.
The girls meander around Paris causing light mayhem and being pretty typical. The author caught that well. But she didn't make me care about any of the characters. They lacked depth. There was painfully minuscule amounts of backstory on the other girls. The main character's grief over her brothers death was also unnecessary since it was barely utilized as a point.
Overall, I'd give it a C. It was properly edited and fluid, just not very interesting.
July 23, 2016
I read two-three books at a time, especially if i find them boring, and this book was part of a trio that I finished last weekend. I very rarely do not finish a book, even though I have to suffer through it.
As other reviewers have said, the protagonist wasn't very likable, and her motive for wanting to kill one of her friends was pathetic. If you're that smart, just take the test again. If the girl who cheated off you could get into university, so could you. Toward the end of the book, the protagonist realizes she's not only as beautiful as a model, but the friends she's traveling with actually like her! Come on, no one is that dumb or insecure.
I could have forgiven the silliness of the plot, if it weren't for the terrible writing. This author, Kodi Scheer, teaches writing, but makes beginners' mistakes throughout the book. "Show don't tell" is a basic principle in fiction, but Midair is "told" all the way through. Instead of using the senses to describe places, Ms. Scheer provides a list of all material things present in the room, all the chairs, bookshelves, carpets, lamps, etc. It gets very boring very fast.
However, having said all this, the book gets more interesting toward the end, and I'm sure Ms. Scheer will write better books in the future.
As other reviewers have said, the protagonist wasn't very likable, and her motive for wanting to kill one of her friends was pathetic. If you're that smart, just take the test again. If the girl who cheated off you could get into university, so could you. Toward the end of the book, the protagonist realizes she's not only as beautiful as a model, but the friends she's traveling with actually like her! Come on, no one is that dumb or insecure.
I could have forgiven the silliness of the plot, if it weren't for the terrible writing. This author, Kodi Scheer, teaches writing, but makes beginners' mistakes throughout the book. "Show don't tell" is a basic principle in fiction, but Midair is "told" all the way through. Instead of using the senses to describe places, Ms. Scheer provides a list of all material things present in the room, all the chairs, bookshelves, carpets, lamps, etc. It gets very boring very fast.
However, having said all this, the book gets more interesting toward the end, and I'm sure Ms. Scheer will write better books in the future.
February 8, 2020
The first half of the book was really interesting. I was, of course, sucked in by the line: “I had a secret: I wanted to leave the earth in a spectacular fashion. Specifically, by leaping from the Eiffel Tower.”
The dynamic between Nessa and the other girls and how and why she would implement her plan really sucked me in. Due to some time jumps throughout the book, I already knew that everything did not go as she originally plotted, but what would actually happen was still up in the air.
Once the second half started (or perhaps it was the last quarter of the book), the actions of all the characters stopped making sense. They seemed to do things that were out of character for the most part, and ended up pulling me out of the story and made me scratch my head.
All in all, I guess I could say that I enjoyed it, but there are few people that I think would like it well enough for me to recommend it to them.
The dynamic between Nessa and the other girls and how and why she would implement her plan really sucked me in. Due to some time jumps throughout the book, I already knew that everything did not go as she originally plotted, but what would actually happen was still up in the air.
Once the second half started (or perhaps it was the last quarter of the book), the actions of all the characters stopped making sense. They seemed to do things that were out of character for the most part, and ended up pulling me out of the story and made me scratch my head.
All in all, I guess I could say that I enjoyed it, but there are few people that I think would like it well enough for me to recommend it to them.
August 6, 2016
yikes. okay:
the good: passes the bechdel test, main character is more concerned with going to college than with boys, sex is treated in a way that is not precious which is unique in this genre
the bad: everything else. unrealistic premise (does she know you can apply to college next year??? why weren't kat's scores cancelled???), the Big Twist is cheap and predictable, really weird handling of (spoiler) sexual assault, unnecessary dead brother subplot, bad writing, terrible ending
i hated it
the good: passes the bechdel test, main character is more concerned with going to college than with boys, sex is treated in a way that is not precious which is unique in this genre
the bad: everything else. unrealistic premise (does she know you can apply to college next year??? why weren't kat's scores cancelled???), the Big Twist is cheap and predictable, really weird handling of (spoiler) sexual assault, unnecessary dead brother subplot, bad writing, terrible ending
i hated it
July 12, 2016
I received this book as part of the Amazon First Reads Program and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a quick read with a well written plot that captured me from the first chapter. I would recommend.
July 6, 2016
It was a bit slow at times, but otherwise excellent! I never read a preview so I never know what to expect. I highly recommend not reading any spoilers for this book!
August 6, 2016
God this book was lousy.
October 16, 2016
Predictable and with a unlikable main character who makes fun of everything. Not worth the time it took me to read the first 60 pages. Thank God it was free thru prime. Lame.
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