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Kids of Appetite
They lived and they laughed…and they saw that it was good.
Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell. It begins with the death of Vic’s father. It ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle. The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it. But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.
This is a story about:
1. A coded mission to scatter ashes across New Jersey.
2. The momentous nature of the Palisades in winter.
3. One dormant submarine.
4. Two songs about flowers.
5. Being cool in the traditional sense.
6. Sunsets & ice cream & orchards & graveyards.
7. Simultaneous extreme opposites.
8. A narrow escape from a war-torn country.
9. A story collector.
10. How to listen to someone who does not talk.
11. Falling in love with a painting.
12. Falling in love with a song.
13. Falling in love.
Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell. It begins with the death of Vic’s father. It ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle. The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it. But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.
This is a story about:
1. A coded mission to scatter ashes across New Jersey.
2. The momentous nature of the Palisades in winter.
3. One dormant submarine.
4. Two songs about flowers.
5. Being cool in the traditional sense.
6. Sunsets & ice cream & orchards & graveyards.
7. Simultaneous extreme opposites.
8. A narrow escape from a war-torn country.
9. A story collector.
10. How to listen to someone who does not talk.
11. Falling in love with a painting.
12. Falling in love with a song.
13. Falling in love.
331 pages, Hardcover
First published September 20, 2016
299 people are currently reading
15263 people want to read
About the author
David Arnold
7 books1,685 followersDavid Arnold is the New York Times bestselling author of Mosquitoland, I Loved You in Another Life, The Electric Kingdom, Kids of Appetite, and The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik. He has won the Southern Book Prize and the Great Lakes Book Award, and was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start for his debut. His books have been translated into over a dozen languages. He lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with his wife and son. Learn more at davidarnoldbooks.com and follow him on Instagram @iamdavidarnold.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,255 reviews
October 17, 2016
This was a really interesting read for me. I didn't LOVE LOVE IT like I can't stop reading and all that jazz (it had a more somber tone to it and I always move more slowly through sadder plot lines), but I enjoyed how different it was and the diversity of its characters. Here's the link to my full review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFAcR...
September 27, 2016
As I was devouring (no pun intended) David Arnold's sensational new book,
Kids of Appetite
, I started pondering the existential question, "Why do I read?" As you'd probably imagine there isn't one easy answer to that question—at different times I may read for entertainment, escape, information, motivation, or to be moved, and quite often it's a combination of more than one of those.
While I didn't set out to read Kids of Appetite to be moved, this story of the bonds of friendship, preserving your own identity, overcoming tragedy, giving yourself (and others) a second chance, and the jumble of emotions which accompany first love absolutely moved and dazzled me. This is truly a special book, full of emotion, surprise, and beautiful storytelling, and it has found its way into my heart.
"We are all part of the same story, each of us different chapters. We may not have the power to choose setting or plot, but we can choose what kind of character we want to be."
Things haven't been the same since Victor Benucci's father died two years ago. Afflicted with Moebius syndrome, a neurological disorder that primarily causes facial paralysis, Vic is unable to blink or show much facial expression at all, which causes him to be ridiculed and treated as if he's stupid, which he most certainly isn't. He finds it difficult to make friends, and he misses his father tremendously, as he introduced Vic to the beauty of asymmetry in art. But as Vic's mother is trying to rebuild her life, he doesn't know how he fits in.
In the midst of an emotional crisis one night, Vic runs into Madeline Falco, a beautiful girl he's seen around a few times before. Mad has more than her own share of tragedy to overcome, but she recognizes in Vic a kindred spirit in need of help. She introduces him to her three companions, with whom she shares a unique family-like existence. They offer to help Vic with one major challenge he has undertaken—to solve the riddle his father left for his mother regarding where to scatter his ashes. But as Vic recognizes he can't hide forever, he is completely drawn to Mad, and he finds that she is as much in need of rescue as he is.
"I think Mad saw in books what I saw in art: the weightless beauty of the universe."
The book alternates between chapters narrated by Vic and Mad, and also shifts between the present, during which a police investigation is taking place, and eight days prior, when Vic meets Mad and her friends. While there are some twists in the plot that are given away in the book's synopsis, some are not, and part of this book's beauty is in letting the story unfold for you, so I'll stop with my plot summary.
I honestly cannot say enough great things about this book. While it's classified as YA, it definitely doesn't feel that way except for the fact that the main characters are teenagers. It's just so well-told, so moving, and anyone who has struggled with loss, feelings of powerlessness, and being ostracized for being different when inherently you're the same will identify with it. I haven't read Arnold's first book, Mosquitoland , yet, but you can bet I will.
It's amazing to think that there are still three months left in 2016 and I've already read so many incredible books which have left indelible impressions on me. Kids of Appetite is definitely one of those.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
While I didn't set out to read Kids of Appetite to be moved, this story of the bonds of friendship, preserving your own identity, overcoming tragedy, giving yourself (and others) a second chance, and the jumble of emotions which accompany first love absolutely moved and dazzled me. This is truly a special book, full of emotion, surprise, and beautiful storytelling, and it has found its way into my heart.
"We are all part of the same story, each of us different chapters. We may not have the power to choose setting or plot, but we can choose what kind of character we want to be."
Things haven't been the same since Victor Benucci's father died two years ago. Afflicted with Moebius syndrome, a neurological disorder that primarily causes facial paralysis, Vic is unable to blink or show much facial expression at all, which causes him to be ridiculed and treated as if he's stupid, which he most certainly isn't. He finds it difficult to make friends, and he misses his father tremendously, as he introduced Vic to the beauty of asymmetry in art. But as Vic's mother is trying to rebuild her life, he doesn't know how he fits in.
In the midst of an emotional crisis one night, Vic runs into Madeline Falco, a beautiful girl he's seen around a few times before. Mad has more than her own share of tragedy to overcome, but she recognizes in Vic a kindred spirit in need of help. She introduces him to her three companions, with whom she shares a unique family-like existence. They offer to help Vic with one major challenge he has undertaken—to solve the riddle his father left for his mother regarding where to scatter his ashes. But as Vic recognizes he can't hide forever, he is completely drawn to Mad, and he finds that she is as much in need of rescue as he is.
"I think Mad saw in books what I saw in art: the weightless beauty of the universe."
The book alternates between chapters narrated by Vic and Mad, and also shifts between the present, during which a police investigation is taking place, and eight days prior, when Vic meets Mad and her friends. While there are some twists in the plot that are given away in the book's synopsis, some are not, and part of this book's beauty is in letting the story unfold for you, so I'll stop with my plot summary.
I honestly cannot say enough great things about this book. While it's classified as YA, it definitely doesn't feel that way except for the fact that the main characters are teenagers. It's just so well-told, so moving, and anyone who has struggled with loss, feelings of powerlessness, and being ostracized for being different when inherently you're the same will identify with it. I haven't read Arnold's first book, Mosquitoland , yet, but you can bet I will.
It's amazing to think that there are still three months left in 2016 and I've already read so many incredible books which have left indelible impressions on me. Kids of Appetite is definitely one of those.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
September 23, 2017
Wow, wow, wow. Y'all really want to continue writing The Fault On Our Stars v2: mental illness instead of cancer. Ugh. Can't we move past this phase of YA? Can't we move past using mental illnesses as characters? Can't we stop with this manic pixie everything bullshit? Can't we actually write some damn books instead of covering our lacking plots and lacking everythings with purple prose? Can't we write stories with some fucking plot?
Are you ready for my controversial, maybe inaccurate theory? No one actually liked this. You all read this, were confused, and then gave it a five on the general principle because you thought you didn't get it. Look through the reviews and you will see a lot of "I didn't get it but I recognize that it was good :)" and no. no you do not.
You know why you didn't get it? Because there is nothing here.
Keep in mind, I genuinely enjoyed some of John Green's books. I've loved or at least tolerated a lot of books like this. But this one is trying to jump on the bandwagon and faking you all out. What kind of genuinely fucking pretentious bullshit was this.
I'm sorry, but this is just such an unreadable book. I don't see how anyone can even read this. How can anyone not find this incredibly obnoxious and pretentious? I genuinely do not understand that. I don't.
Let me talk a bit more about the characters, because this is maybe the most angering thing about this book. These are not characters. They are quirky traits. These characters are not based off actual personalities, they're based off idiosyncrasies. They're interesting because they're different, in some way, from “regular” teenagers. These. are. not. characters. They. are. props.
God damn it, this just personifies everything I hate about the YA contemporary genre. Characters don't have to be “unique” for me to care about them. Honest to god, this angers me so much. This is lazy. It's lazy writing meant to look deep. Develop your damn characters beyond their damn idiosyncrasies!! I do not care if your twelve-year-old-character curses in a weird way. I don't fucking care and neither does anyone else. I care about who she is as a person and why she is that way.
And what bothers me even more is the handling of trauma and mental illness. Because the Quirks that are being used in substitute of personality aren't even quirks - they're traumas or disabilities or physical differences or mental illnesses. That is so fucking tiring. Mental illness is not a character trait. It's not a character trait, it's not, it's not, and I am so fucking tired of authors pretending it is out of pure laziness.
Okay. Can I talk specifics for a little while. I mean, Maddie is a depressed abuse victim and she does not act like one. That's not to say that every depressed abuse victim acts the same; they don't. And that's what bothers me. Maddie reads like a manic pixie dream trauma survivor, which is a new character archetype I just invented. Okay, I'm articulating this terribly. The point is that she doesn't feel real. Mentally ill people are still people. God. Damn. It. We are people.
To be totally fair to this book, I did feel like there was some heart behind a few scenes. There was one moment of genuine emotion between two characters addressing genocide. There's use of found family, which is usually my favorite thing to read about. It fails, but it's there. I also wasn't as annoyed by the romance as I usually am in books like this. Maddy is a huge manic pixie dream girl, but I suppose she has a trait? I mean, she's a depressed abuse victim. That's... I have my own huge issues with the handling of her character, but at least it's a trait.
But unfortunately, all those genuine moments are so few and far between. After a while, all five of my good feelings got swept up in a wave of annoyance and anger at this stupid, stupid book.
Are you ready for my controversial, maybe inaccurate theory? No one actually liked this. You all read this, were confused, and then gave it a five on the general principle because you thought you didn't get it. Look through the reviews and you will see a lot of "I didn't get it but I recognize that it was good :)" and no. no you do not.
You know why you didn't get it? Because there is nothing here.
Keep in mind, I genuinely enjoyed some of John Green's books. I've loved or at least tolerated a lot of books like this. But this one is trying to jump on the bandwagon and faking you all out. What kind of genuinely fucking pretentious bullshit was this.
I'm sorry, but this is just such an unreadable book. I don't see how anyone can even read this. How can anyone not find this incredibly obnoxious and pretentious? I genuinely do not understand that. I don't.
Let me talk a bit more about the characters, because this is maybe the most angering thing about this book. These are not characters. They are quirky traits. These characters are not based off actual personalities, they're based off idiosyncrasies. They're interesting because they're different, in some way, from “regular” teenagers. These. are. not. characters. They. are. props.
God damn it, this just personifies everything I hate about the YA contemporary genre. Characters don't have to be “unique” for me to care about them. Honest to god, this angers me so much. This is lazy. It's lazy writing meant to look deep. Develop your damn characters beyond their damn idiosyncrasies!! I do not care if your twelve-year-old-character curses in a weird way. I don't fucking care and neither does anyone else. I care about who she is as a person and why she is that way.
And what bothers me even more is the handling of trauma and mental illness. Because the Quirks that are being used in substitute of personality aren't even quirks - they're traumas or disabilities or physical differences or mental illnesses. That is so fucking tiring. Mental illness is not a character trait. It's not a character trait, it's not, it's not, and I am so fucking tired of authors pretending it is out of pure laziness.
Okay. Can I talk specifics for a little while. I mean, Maddie is a depressed abuse victim and she does not act like one. That's not to say that every depressed abuse victim acts the same; they don't. And that's what bothers me. Maddie reads like a manic pixie dream trauma survivor, which is a new character archetype I just invented. Okay, I'm articulating this terribly. The point is that she doesn't feel real. Mentally ill people are still people. God. Damn. It. We are people.
“Oh, so okay, no one but god can see that things are good? I see that things are good all the freaking time, for your information. Sometimes I see that things are very good, in fact.”
To be totally fair to this book, I did feel like there was some heart behind a few scenes. There was one moment of genuine emotion between two characters addressing genocide. There's use of found family, which is usually my favorite thing to read about. It fails, but it's there. I also wasn't as annoyed by the romance as I usually am in books like this. Maddy is a huge manic pixie dream girl, but I suppose she has a trait? I mean, she's a depressed abuse victim. That's... I have my own huge issues with the handling of her character, but at least it's a trait.
But unfortunately, all those genuine moments are so few and far between. After a while, all five of my good feelings got swept up in a wave of annoyance and anger at this stupid, stupid book.
November 24, 2017
This book is presented as fiction for 14 – 18 year olds and though I’m (ahem) slightly outside this age bracket I’d read this brilliant review from Larry and I just had to take a look at it for myself. And what a joy it was.
It starts out as a murder mystery, as two people are being questioned by police over a murder. They are evasive – they are certainly hiding something. Then we slip back in time a week. Sixteen year old Vic has Mobius syndrome, a condition that means he can neither blink or smile. He is struggling to get over the death of his father and can’t come to terms with the relationship his mother has recently taken up with a new man. One day, after an incident at home, Vic grabs the funeral urn containing the ashes of his late dad and runs out of the house. He finds his way to a favoured spot where he discovers a letter in the urn, written by his dad. It appears to contain a series of riddles detailing how he wished his ashes to be scattered. Can he solve the clues and carry out his beloved father’s last wishes?
Along the way Vic meets up with a group of young people who welcome him into their group and even invite him to stay with them a while; they live in a greenhouse in the grounds of a large house. As Vic starts to bond with his fellow greenhouse dwellers, they offer to help him in his quest. We learn that there are some harrowing back stories here amongst the group, involving domestic violence and a distressing escape from the refugee crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There’s also a LOT of humour. The characters are, without exception, interesting and their interactions are brilliantly drawn.
It’s a book to make you smile and a book to make you think. It’s harrowing and heart rending in parts but it’s also uplifting in many other ways. Yes, it’s a book aimed at a YA audience, but it’s a story that can certainly be enjoyed by people of any age.
It starts out as a murder mystery, as two people are being questioned by police over a murder. They are evasive – they are certainly hiding something. Then we slip back in time a week. Sixteen year old Vic has Mobius syndrome, a condition that means he can neither blink or smile. He is struggling to get over the death of his father and can’t come to terms with the relationship his mother has recently taken up with a new man. One day, after an incident at home, Vic grabs the funeral urn containing the ashes of his late dad and runs out of the house. He finds his way to a favoured spot where he discovers a letter in the urn, written by his dad. It appears to contain a series of riddles detailing how he wished his ashes to be scattered. Can he solve the clues and carry out his beloved father’s last wishes?
Along the way Vic meets up with a group of young people who welcome him into their group and even invite him to stay with them a while; they live in a greenhouse in the grounds of a large house. As Vic starts to bond with his fellow greenhouse dwellers, they offer to help him in his quest. We learn that there are some harrowing back stories here amongst the group, involving domestic violence and a distressing escape from the refugee crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There’s also a LOT of humour. The characters are, without exception, interesting and their interactions are brilliantly drawn.
It’s a book to make you smile and a book to make you think. It’s harrowing and heart rending in parts but it’s also uplifting in many other ways. Yes, it’s a book aimed at a YA audience, but it’s a story that can certainly be enjoyed by people of any age.
February 10, 2017
buddy read #5 with Pragya let's hope this one doesn't disappoint :) :)
DNF @ 30%
Disclaimer: There’s nothing wrong with this book. In fact, I’m sure it’s probably a great, exceptional, heartwarming book, nonetheless, I didn’t feel any of those sentiments. . . so continue on with the review.
Reading Kids of Appetite, is like being that one friend in a group who doesn’t get the inside jokes. And it’s really not fun. .-.
There are so many unexplained phrases, puzzling memories, and weird classification names that left me feeling super left out. I know, I know, I just started the book and the understanding of these things would come with time, but seriously, tone that ish down please.
So, from what I gathered, the Kids of Appetite are a bunch of wayward children who banned together for some reason but someone (their leader I think) is being blamed for a crime (not a spoiler, calm down) and I’m sitting here like, ummmmm, tell me why I’m supposed to care, again?
So yes, the book and the characters did have their charming aspects. It’s funny, in a particular way, and it’s diverse, so definitely appreciate that, but honestly, the plot was just not doing it for me.
Everything just seemed very out of sorts and this girl wasn’t going to stick around while everything rearranged themselves in proper order.
Meh.
Also, my BR partner ditched me, so blame her, y’all.
I may revisit this book again one day, one day when I’m feeling more patient and forgiving, but for now it’s gonna be DNFed.
“We are all part of the same story, each of us different chapters. We may not have the power to choose setting or plot, but we can choose what kind of character we want to be.”
2 stars!!
DNF @ 30%
Disclaimer: There’s nothing wrong with this book. In fact, I’m sure it’s probably a great, exceptional, heartwarming book, nonetheless, I didn’t feel any of those sentiments. . . so continue on with the review.
Reading Kids of Appetite, is like being that one friend in a group who doesn’t get the inside jokes. And it’s really not fun. .-.
There are so many unexplained phrases, puzzling memories, and weird classification names that left me feeling super left out. I know, I know, I just started the book and the understanding of these things would come with time, but seriously, tone that ish down please.
So, from what I gathered, the Kids of Appetite are a bunch of wayward children who banned together for some reason but someone (their leader I think) is being blamed for a crime (not a spoiler, calm down) and I’m sitting here like, ummmmm, tell me why I’m supposed to care, again?
So yes, the book and the characters did have their charming aspects. It’s funny, in a particular way, and it’s diverse, so definitely appreciate that, but honestly, the plot was just not doing it for me.
Everything just seemed very out of sorts and this girl wasn’t going to stick around while everything rearranged themselves in proper order.
Meh.
Also, my BR partner ditched me, so blame her, y’all.
I may revisit this book again one day, one day when I’m feeling more patient and forgiving, but for now it’s gonna be DNFed.
“We are all part of the same story, each of us different chapters. We may not have the power to choose setting or plot, but we can choose what kind of character we want to be.”
2 stars!!
June 30, 2016
If anyone was silly enough to be worried that David Arnold's second book wouldn't live up to his wonderful debut, MOSQUITOLAND, they should rest assured that it does. KIDS OF APPETITE is brilliant, incredible, emotional, sensitive, not what I was expecting and better than I could hope for. David has a sensitivity in his writing that I haven't seen anywhere else and his characters have an intensity and passion for life that you can really feel in his writing and that will light your soul on fire. I only hope that I can be half as brave, half as great as his characters; I only hope that I can be a Super Racehorse too. David’s books make me hungry for more of his words, and I will keep eating them up as long as he keeps writing (i.e. hopefully forever and ever, amen). This is a Super Racehorse of a book, and I read the whole thing in one day. But, like MOSQUITOLAND, it’ll be one I read over and over.
dnf
February 10, 2017DNF @6%
If May's not doing it, I'm not doing it. (I have no willpower) (If I read one more page of everyone saying frak I will gouge my eyes out) (I have no idea what the hell happened I was so in love w Mosquitoland)
If May's not doing it, I'm not doing it. (I have no willpower) (If I read one more page of everyone saying frak I will gouge my eyes out) (I have no idea what the hell happened I was so in love w Mosquitoland)
dnf
September 5, 2016I was intrigued by this, but I think I can finally say that Arnold's writing and his precocious - to the point of being unbelievable - teens are not for me. Those who think John Green is one of the best YA writers ever will probably like this a lot more than I did.
September 5, 2016
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I decided to read this book partly because of the amazing cover. Seriously, the cover just screams "read me" to me. It wasn't just the cover that grabbed my interested though. I loved the synopsis and have had the author's debut novel on my TBR since it was released. I am glad that I made the decision to read this book. I actually read the whole book in a day which is unusual these days.
The characters really made this a very interesting story. Victor is at the center of the story and he was a very interesting character. He has a rare disease that limits his facial movements but his disease was more of a footnote to the story than anything else. He finds himself becoming a part of a mismatched group of kids. Each of the kids in the group had their own story that added a lot of interest to the book. Victor is especially close to Madeline who is trying to balance a very difficult situation.
I really enjoyed how the story was laid out. I think that the opening of them being interrogated worked well. We learn things about the characters bit by bit which really kept my interest high. Victor has a set of goals to accomplish and it was nice watching the group try to solve the clues and make it happen. I thought that as a team this group was incredible. I almost felt like this book was made up of a lot of different stories. Each of the character's backstory was so colorful that they really did tell their own story. It was impressive how everything did come together in the end.
I would recommend this book to others. I found it to be an evenly paced read filled with unique characters. This is the first book by David Arnold that I have had a chance to read but I am more eager than ever to pick up his debut novel.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Viking Books for Young Readers via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
Interesting characters with a nicely laid out story.
I decided to read this book partly because of the amazing cover. Seriously, the cover just screams "read me" to me. It wasn't just the cover that grabbed my interested though. I loved the synopsis and have had the author's debut novel on my TBR since it was released. I am glad that I made the decision to read this book. I actually read the whole book in a day which is unusual these days.
The characters really made this a very interesting story. Victor is at the center of the story and he was a very interesting character. He has a rare disease that limits his facial movements but his disease was more of a footnote to the story than anything else. He finds himself becoming a part of a mismatched group of kids. Each of the kids in the group had their own story that added a lot of interest to the book. Victor is especially close to Madeline who is trying to balance a very difficult situation.
I really enjoyed how the story was laid out. I think that the opening of them being interrogated worked well. We learn things about the characters bit by bit which really kept my interest high. Victor has a set of goals to accomplish and it was nice watching the group try to solve the clues and make it happen. I thought that as a team this group was incredible. I almost felt like this book was made up of a lot of different stories. Each of the character's backstory was so colorful that they really did tell their own story. It was impressive how everything did come together in the end.
I would recommend this book to others. I found it to be an evenly paced read filled with unique characters. This is the first book by David Arnold that I have had a chance to read but I am more eager than ever to pick up his debut novel.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Viking Books for Young Readers via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
Interesting characters with a nicely laid out story.
February 17, 2017
If you think this book is pretentious go see a doctor.
June 28, 2016
Big-hearted and sooooo beautiful!
September 10, 2016
Actual rating: 4.5
Holy crap, David Arnold has done himself with this sophomore novel!
All the love for:
- the book's unique format/nonlinear narrative
- Coco, who faux-cussed adorably and made me laugh too loud
- Baz and Zuz, two brothers with kind, sensitive souls
- Mad, whose love for reading was wonderful to read about
- Vic, whose thoughts were so smart and eloquent and whose grief was genuine
- the beautifully diverse and striking cast
- the light romance between the two protagonists and the wonderful relationship of Vic's parents
- the writing, which was witty and so so wonderful
- the dynamic between the Kids of Appetite
Holy crap, David Arnold has done himself with this sophomore novel!
All the love for:
- the book's unique format/nonlinear narrative
- Coco, who faux-cussed adorably and made me laugh too loud
- Baz and Zuz, two brothers with kind, sensitive souls
- Mad, whose love for reading was wonderful to read about
- Vic, whose thoughts were so smart and eloquent and whose grief was genuine
- the beautifully diverse and striking cast
- the light romance between the two protagonists and the wonderful relationship of Vic's parents
- the writing, which was witty and so so wonderful
- the dynamic between the Kids of Appetite
February 6, 2020
David Arnold’s second YA novel opens in a Hackensack, NJ Police Dept. interrogation room. Someone is dead, but we don’t learn who, why or how for quite a while. For now, the reader’s task is to figure out how the events of the past week have landed sixteen-year-old Vic Benucci and his new girlfriend, Mad Falco, here; and why they are trying to drag out their questioning for as long as possible. The first-person perspective shifts from Vic to Mad throughout, and flips between their respective interrogation rooms and the account of the preceding week. Arnold does a good job of giving each character a backstory and some defining quirks. The novel is romantic and heartwarming but edgy at the same time, and I think will go down well with its teen audience. However, I found the title club and its mottoes a bit gimmicky. I didn’t like this as much as Arnold’s previous book, Mosquitoland, but I’d recommend it to fans of Jesse Ball’s How to Set a Fire and Why, R.J. Palacio’s Wonder, and books by John Green.
December 6, 2016
Though pretentious at times, I enjoyed this book overall. Like I say all the time, and yet never act upon, review to come.
September 22, 2017
Mijn hemel wat een worsteling was het om dit boek uit te lezen.
Laat ik beginnen met dit: Rowie heeft de meest perfecte review geschreven over De Koa, en ik raad je aan om dat te lezen als je er meer wilt begrijpen.
Zelf heb ik een haat-liefde verhouding met dit verhaal. Ik vind het knap bedacht, het is een mix van poëzie en literatuur. David Arnold is briljant, zonder twijfel.
Maar: ik kan niet tegen verhalen die zo onrealistisch zijn. Niemand praat zo, niemand denkt zo. Ja, ik weet het, dit is literatuur, en zoals ik mijn dochter altijd leer: In boeken kan alles. Dat betekent nog niet dat ik er leesplezier aan beleef, of dat dit verhaal bij mij past.
Voor mij is dit boek de exacte tegenhanger van Het lot , dat ik juist geweldig vond doordat het zo écht is.
Laat ik beginnen met dit: Rowie heeft de meest perfecte review geschreven over De Koa, en ik raad je aan om dat te lezen als je er meer wilt begrijpen.
Zelf heb ik een haat-liefde verhouding met dit verhaal. Ik vind het knap bedacht, het is een mix van poëzie en literatuur. David Arnold is briljant, zonder twijfel.
Maar: ik kan niet tegen verhalen die zo onrealistisch zijn. Niemand praat zo, niemand denkt zo. Ja, ik weet het, dit is literatuur, en zoals ik mijn dochter altijd leer: In boeken kan alles. Dat betekent nog niet dat ik er leesplezier aan beleef, of dat dit verhaal bij mij past.
Voor mij is dit boek de exacte tegenhanger van Het lot , dat ik juist geweldig vond doordat het zo écht is.
July 1, 2017
Fantastic! Exactly the right mix of humor and humanity.
October 14, 2016
Another super great read! Kids of Appetite really is something special. The characters are diverse and their voices are so clear and witty. Similarly to Mosquitoland, KOA has a series of fast paced events but is mostly character focused. Uh, I just really liked it.
September 23, 2016
3.5 stars
I requested this because I had heard a lot of great things from friends {Cody, I'm looking at you} and it was all over IG as well. Even though I wasn't sure it sounded like my sort of thing, I gave it a try.
I loved the characters. Vic and Mad and the others are so vivid on the page. The back and forth of the past and present chapters was done in an interesting way. I definitely didn't expect the outcome happening the way it did.
And yet, I set it down for days at a time. I wasn't compelled to finish it. Don't get me wrong, it was interesting and I did want to know how it ended. I just didn't see it feel the spark that everyone else who has read it did.
**Huge thanks to Viking and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
I requested this because I had heard a lot of great things from friends {Cody, I'm looking at you} and it was all over IG as well. Even though I wasn't sure it sounded like my sort of thing, I gave it a try.
I loved the characters. Vic and Mad and the others are so vivid on the page. The back and forth of the past and present chapters was done in an interesting way. I definitely didn't expect the outcome happening the way it did.
And yet, I set it down for days at a time. I wasn't compelled to finish it. Don't get me wrong, it was interesting and I did want to know how it ended. I just didn't see it feel the spark that everyone else who has read it did.
**Huge thanks to Viking and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
August 16, 2016
I received a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review via FirstToRead. DNF @ about 10%. This just isn't for me. I don't know why, but I was bored. I've never read this author before and the writing wasn't bad. Just not for me I guess.
March 9, 2017
2,5 ster zo jammer.. ik had er meer van verwacht denk ik meer omdat ik mensen ook hoorden erover en die het fantastisch vonden!
June 12, 2017
David had ik al ontmoet op yalfest, door middel van een spelletje Cards against humanity. Deze man brengt zijn charismatische manier van doen echt ontzettend goed over op zijn personages. Wat een goed, verscheurend en hart brekend boek is dit.
April 23, 2017
Echt, dit boek is zo prachtig. Het boek scheurt je van binnen uit elkaar en lijmt je stukje bij beetje weer aan elkaar.
November 28, 2020
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
Vic Benucci and his friend Mads are in the Hackensack Police Department telling the story behind the murder of Mads Uncle.
I was initially very excited to read this, as I absolutely adored Mosquitoland. Unfortunately, this fell a bit short for me. I really enjoyed the found family in this, and the adventures that Vic and his friends went on to spread his father's ashes. The story is told in two POVs, Vic and Mads, which were cool enough, but I never truly connected with any of the characters on a deeper level. Vic was an interesting character who had a neurological disorder called Moebius syndrome, which caused partial facial paralysis. My favourite character was Coco, and wish there was more of her on page. She is funny and sassy and brings so much joy to a story about grief and loss. I wanted to know more about her, Baz and Zuz, as I feel like we never truly get to know them as people. The mystery behind the death of Mad's uncle was fun to try to figure out, and I didn't end up figuring it out in the end which was nice.
Overall, this is a fun and quick read, which I finished in one sitting.
Vic Benucci and his friend Mads are in the Hackensack Police Department telling the story behind the murder of Mads Uncle.
I was initially very excited to read this, as I absolutely adored Mosquitoland. Unfortunately, this fell a bit short for me. I really enjoyed the found family in this, and the adventures that Vic and his friends went on to spread his father's ashes. The story is told in two POVs, Vic and Mads, which were cool enough, but I never truly connected with any of the characters on a deeper level. Vic was an interesting character who had a neurological disorder called Moebius syndrome, which caused partial facial paralysis. My favourite character was Coco, and wish there was more of her on page. She is funny and sassy and brings so much joy to a story about grief and loss. I wanted to know more about her, Baz and Zuz, as I feel like we never truly get to know them as people. The mystery behind the death of Mad's uncle was fun to try to figure out, and I didn't end up figuring it out in the end which was nice.
Overall, this is a fun and quick read, which I finished in one sitting.
December 25, 2016
This is now my favorite book of all time ever. It's so so so so game changing! You should definetly read it when it comes out in September. I REALLY don't wanna give the arc back to my friens, but I have to
February 7, 2017
4 stars
Once in a while, I encounter a book with a unique and quirky plot. With Kids of Appetite, it was the title and premise that drew me in. But before I get to that, I want to say something first.
I'm going to be blunt with you all. This is just my personal opinion: I felt like I was reading a carbon copy of one of John Green's books. Now, that isn't to say that David Arnold is trying to emulate John Green. That isn't the case. It's just I've notice that several books have that whimsical, quirky element John Green's books has. John Green didn't invent a new genre of books since even before he wrote, there were other books out there that had that same uniqueness. With David Arnold, I had heard about his first book, Mosquitoland and was interested in it. But then I read somewhere the main character uses lipstick on her face to make war paint and the first thing that popped to mind was: "No." To me, it felt like Arnold was trying to create a quirky character and tried too hard.
But then Kids of Appetite was released and I thought that I would give Arnold a chance. Now that I'm done with it, I can say that while I enjoyed it, it did feel like a carbon copy of John Green. The book is good, don't get me wrong, but I could see how Arnold tried to make his characters stand out. Which isn't a bad thing since we are all individuals and have our own personalities, but they stood out too much to the point where the characters felt almost not believable. (Then again, when I visit Austin on occasions, the people there could feel like book characters sometimes.)
The more I got into the book, the more I started to understand the characters. The story is quirky, but at it's core it goes into so many issues such as losing a parent, abuse, suicide, etc.. Had it not been for those issues, I'd would've gave this book a lower rating. Luckily that wasn't the case because I actually enjoyed reading KOA.
So the story begins with Vic being interrogated by the police in regards to a murder that happened. And in another room, the other main character Madeline A.K.A Mad is also being interrogated. From there, we go a few days back to where Vic has runaway from his home after his mom was proposed to her boyfriend. Vic is angry and sad that this is happening because he's still having issues about his dad who died a few years ago. He took an urn containing his father's ashes with him. After a while he meets Mad and she then introduces Vic to the other characters: Baz, Zuz, and Coco. From there, they decide to spread the ashes of Vic's father in various locations that are on a list inside the urn.
I wasn't sure what to expect from KOA. I mean, we got a cast of social misfits going around town spreading the ashes of someone, what could possibly happen? A lot, apparently. There are lots of points where of the book where it's all fun and happy then sad. There is a deep story and while the plot is basic, it has a lot to offer.
What I liked about KOA was how honest Vic and Mad were. Vic is dealing with the death of his father; having trouble coping and Mad is trying to find her place in life after her parents were killed. Not to mention something bad happening behind closed doors. They each are facing troubles and are trying to overcome them. Even though Vic came off as a bit selfish at the beginning, I did understand why he was that way even though I don't agree with it. And Mad is just a wayward soul who is trying to cope as well as find a way to be free. They both just want to be better, and I liked it. Out of all the characters, they felt the most honest and believable.
Plot wise, I was entertained. There have been books where the character(s) have to complete a list of things in order to either find answers or have closure. While some parts of the plot was whimsical, there was also the sub plot of the murder.
Now let's get to the nitty gritty and talk about the negatives.
First off: Coco. Coco felt like a caricature of a loud mouth adult. She is eleven and curses, has a very colorful imagination, and is, like I said, a loud mouth. I did not believe she was a real character. Had she been older, I might've liked her or even tolerated her. That wasn't the case. Also, she didn't feel like an eleven year old to me. Granted, I'm 21 and it's been 10 years since I was eleven. I don't know how eleven year olds are acting nowadays. I can't even imagine how eleven year olds acted back then.
Second: The whimsical aspect of the story. I liked the story but parts of it did feel like a John Green book. With how the characters were acting, their quirky nicknames for some things, and the dialogue. There were parts where I was like "You guys are interesting," and other where I was like "Okay, calm down." There is a thing as being too quirky.
Verdict
Even though I did have trouble with the quirkiness of the story, I did enjoy Kids of Appetite. Though I may not read Mosquitoland, I am looking forward to see what David Arnold has in store for us in his next book.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
Once in a while, I encounter a book with a unique and quirky plot. With Kids of Appetite, it was the title and premise that drew me in. But before I get to that, I want to say something first.
I'm going to be blunt with you all. This is just my personal opinion: I felt like I was reading a carbon copy of one of John Green's books. Now, that isn't to say that David Arnold is trying to emulate John Green. That isn't the case. It's just I've notice that several books have that whimsical, quirky element John Green's books has. John Green didn't invent a new genre of books since even before he wrote, there were other books out there that had that same uniqueness. With David Arnold, I had heard about his first book, Mosquitoland and was interested in it. But then I read somewhere the main character uses lipstick on her face to make war paint and the first thing that popped to mind was: "No." To me, it felt like Arnold was trying to create a quirky character and tried too hard.
But then Kids of Appetite was released and I thought that I would give Arnold a chance. Now that I'm done with it, I can say that while I enjoyed it, it did feel like a carbon copy of John Green. The book is good, don't get me wrong, but I could see how Arnold tried to make his characters stand out. Which isn't a bad thing since we are all individuals and have our own personalities, but they stood out too much to the point where the characters felt almost not believable. (Then again, when I visit Austin on occasions, the people there could feel like book characters sometimes.)
The more I got into the book, the more I started to understand the characters. The story is quirky, but at it's core it goes into so many issues such as losing a parent, abuse, suicide, etc.. Had it not been for those issues, I'd would've gave this book a lower rating. Luckily that wasn't the case because I actually enjoyed reading KOA.
So the story begins with Vic being interrogated by the police in regards to a murder that happened. And in another room, the other main character Madeline A.K.A Mad is also being interrogated. From there, we go a few days back to where Vic has runaway from his home after his mom was proposed to her boyfriend. Vic is angry and sad that this is happening because he's still having issues about his dad who died a few years ago. He took an urn containing his father's ashes with him. After a while he meets Mad and she then introduces Vic to the other characters: Baz, Zuz, and Coco. From there, they decide to spread the ashes of Vic's father in various locations that are on a list inside the urn.
I wasn't sure what to expect from KOA. I mean, we got a cast of social misfits going around town spreading the ashes of someone, what could possibly happen? A lot, apparently. There are lots of points where of the book where it's all fun and happy then sad. There is a deep story and while the plot is basic, it has a lot to offer.
What I liked about KOA was how honest Vic and Mad were. Vic is dealing with the death of his father; having trouble coping and Mad is trying to find her place in life after her parents were killed. Not to mention something bad happening behind closed doors. They each are facing troubles and are trying to overcome them. Even though Vic came off as a bit selfish at the beginning, I did understand why he was that way even though I don't agree with it. And Mad is just a wayward soul who is trying to cope as well as find a way to be free. They both just want to be better, and I liked it. Out of all the characters, they felt the most honest and believable.
Plot wise, I was entertained. There have been books where the character(s) have to complete a list of things in order to either find answers or have closure. While some parts of the plot was whimsical, there was also the sub plot of the murder.
Now let's get to the nitty gritty and talk about the negatives.
First off: Coco. Coco felt like a caricature of a loud mouth adult. She is eleven and curses, has a very colorful imagination, and is, like I said, a loud mouth. I did not believe she was a real character. Had she been older, I might've liked her or even tolerated her. That wasn't the case. Also, she didn't feel like an eleven year old to me. Granted, I'm 21 and it's been 10 years since I was eleven. I don't know how eleven year olds are acting nowadays. I can't even imagine how eleven year olds acted back then.
Second: The whimsical aspect of the story. I liked the story but parts of it did feel like a John Green book. With how the characters were acting, their quirky nicknames for some things, and the dialogue. There were parts where I was like "You guys are interesting," and other where I was like "Okay, calm down." There is a thing as being too quirky.
Verdict
Even though I did have trouble with the quirkiness of the story, I did enjoy Kids of Appetite. Though I may not read Mosquitoland, I am looking forward to see what David Arnold has in store for us in his next book.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
March 9, 2017
Hmm. Not my kind of Appetite. Nee, wel leuk boek op zich en mooi gebracht, maar tis voor mij even wat te veel personages, ietwat overhyped en het verhaal trok me niet constant aan. De rap is overigens wel stoer, let us rap the lettuce rap.
September 23, 2016
Good book. Great concept. I loved both Vic and Mad and all the other characters. They were the kind of characters I want as my friends in real life because they're living proof that no matter how hard life gets... you don't give up.
The beginning was just so captivating, interestingly strange and wonderful.
Now you're probably wondering: "ah... did she accidentally rate this book 2 stars? Maybe she meant 4?"
Well, yes and no.
Thing is, I was so sure this was a 4 stars book for me. I loved the beginning and I was sure I would love the rest of it too.
And while I did enjoy the rest of the book as well, it was harder for me to read. Why? too many descriptions of memories, places, characters and sometimes even overall weirdness that didn't make much sense, to be honest. I felt like there were so many American inside jokes and references to places and food and other stuff in the U.S, that an international like me could never understand. I didn't even visit the U.S, let alone lived there. For me, those jokes and references were completely alien. Honestly? Sometimes it felt like I was reading this book in a language I didn't understand but knew exists.
The good news: for those of you who live\lived\are familiar with the U.S culture and don't mind many descriptions of philosophical ponderings, this book should be just for you (given that you enjoy a good - if strange - contemporary romance).
Because despite my rating (which, if we're being technical here, is 2.5 stars), this book is a great deal of wonderful. It's unique, it's interesting and it has great characters (one of which has a rare physical disability).
Wow, I don't think I ever talked so positively about a book I rated so low. This book is so not conventional that in a weird way it makes sense.
Huh.
The beginning was just so captivating, interestingly strange and wonderful.
Now you're probably wondering: "ah... did she accidentally rate this book 2 stars? Maybe she meant 4?"
Well, yes and no.
Thing is, I was so sure this was a 4 stars book for me. I loved the beginning and I was sure I would love the rest of it too.
And while I did enjoy the rest of the book as well, it was harder for me to read. Why? too many descriptions of memories, places, characters and sometimes even overall weirdness that didn't make much sense, to be honest. I felt like there were so many American inside jokes and references to places and food and other stuff in the U.S, that an international like me could never understand. I didn't even visit the U.S, let alone lived there. For me, those jokes and references were completely alien. Honestly? Sometimes it felt like I was reading this book in a language I didn't understand but knew exists.
The good news: for those of you who live\lived\are familiar with the U.S culture and don't mind many descriptions of philosophical ponderings, this book should be just for you (given that you enjoy a good - if strange - contemporary romance).
Because despite my rating (which, if we're being technical here, is 2.5 stars), this book is a great deal of wonderful. It's unique, it's interesting and it has great characters (one of which has a rare physical disability).
Wow, I don't think I ever talked so positively about a book I rated so low. This book is so not conventional that in a weird way it makes sense.
Huh.
April 18, 2017
ik heb in geen tijden zo hard om een boek gehuild.
En ze leefden, en ze lachten, en ze zagen dat het goed was.
En ze leefden, en ze lachten, en ze zagen dat het goed was.
March 31, 2022
I listened to the audiobook and I did not appreciate sitting through three solid minutes of Vic saying “I am a super racehorse” over and over again.
April 13, 2017
5 frakking stars!
I just frakking loved the character and story was so lively! I lived and laughed in this book and it was extremely great!
I just frakking loved the character and story was so lively! I lived and laughed in this book and it was extremely great!
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