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Jinx
When her first boyfriend dies, Jen thinks she's just unlucky. But when her second boyfriend dies, she is Jinx--a curse, a promise of bad luck, and girl who is angry and alone, and can't get close to people anymore. Original.
215 pages, Paperback
First published February 5, 2003
About the author
Margaret Wild
136 books114 followersMargaret Wild is one of Australia's most highly respected picture-book creators whose award-winning children's books are loved by children all over the world. Margaret has published over seventy picture books for young children and she has been the recipient of the Nan Chauncy Award and the Lady Cutler Award for her contributions to Australian children's literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
June 1, 2008
I absolutely loved this book. I first read it with my sister and a dear friend reading over my shoulder. I then have lovely memories of reading it to my best friend when we were about the age of 'Jinx's' character, and I then read it to my mother, who was so moved by the end of it that she was close to tears. It's that good.
The plain verse structure of this book is so easy to read, and adds a real artistic quality to the story. It also really allows the reader to get into the heads of the different characters, and understand their stories and problems. I was an angsty teen when I first read Wild's novel, and could relate to many of the characters. But I was surprised when I found I could sympathize with Jinx's mother. It really opened my eyes, and showed me that parents are humans too, and that you never get better with relationships or better at life as the years go on. The 'what we hate about our mums' poem made me laugh. The 'what we love about our mums' poem made me cry. I could relate so wholly with both, and it scared me.
Jinx's friends: the suppressed lesbian, the internet junky, and the girl with the collection of rocks all were so real. I saw myself and my friends in all of them. The book was much like a mirror, and every poem revealed a new blemish or beauty-spot on my face.yeh, that is a dodgy metaphor...
Lines from this novel hit me every once in a while; unexpectedly making me laugh, or stabbing at me as the years go on since my first reading. Moments like Charlie and Jinx sitting in the bath, with the faucet digging into her back... or driving in Charlie's car, and being 'so cool'... or Jinx telling her mum that she should 'get a life'... or hating 'the rat'... Wild perfectly captured what it is like to be a teenager - something I thought was impossible for an "alien" adult to do.
The plain verse structure of this book is so easy to read, and adds a real artistic quality to the story. It also really allows the reader to get into the heads of the different characters, and understand their stories and problems. I was an angsty teen when I first read Wild's novel, and could relate to many of the characters. But I was surprised when I found I could sympathize with Jinx's mother. It really opened my eyes, and showed me that parents are humans too, and that you never get better with relationships or better at life as the years go on. The 'what we hate about our mums' poem made me laugh. The 'what we love about our mums' poem made me cry. I could relate so wholly with both, and it scared me.
Jinx's friends: the suppressed lesbian, the internet junky, and the girl with the collection of rocks all were so real. I saw myself and my friends in all of them. The book was much like a mirror, and every poem revealed a new blemish or beauty-spot on my face.
Lines from this novel hit me every once in a while; unexpectedly making me laugh, or stabbing at me as the years go on since my first reading. Moments like Charlie and Jinx sitting in the bath, with the faucet digging into her back... or driving in Charlie's car, and being 'so cool'... or Jinx telling her mum that she should 'get a life'... or hating 'the rat'... Wild perfectly captured what it is like to be a teenager - something I thought was impossible for an "alien" adult to do.
May 6, 2008
Reviewed by Taylor Rector for TeensReadToo.com
Jinx (formerly Jen) has really bad luck with relationships - to say the least!
Her first boyfriend dies and she gets upset but eventually gets over it. Then her second boyfriend dies and now she is Jinx, not Jen. Her teachers, friends, and her parents all call her Jinx. She says that if you go out with her you will die.
Before she started dating, she was boring old Jen who never stayed out late and always turned her homework in on time. Now she is all alone, boyfriend-less and depressed.
Towards the end of the book we find her trying to find her way back to being Jen, and no longer Jinx.
Written in poetry style, JINX is kind of depressing, even the end of the book. You feel sorry for Jen/Jinx, but at the same time I felt that I couldn't get to know her enough as a character to really care about her. This is a super-fast read, at times interesting, but I wish there had been more to the story.
Jinx (formerly Jen) has really bad luck with relationships - to say the least!
Her first boyfriend dies and she gets upset but eventually gets over it. Then her second boyfriend dies and now she is Jinx, not Jen. Her teachers, friends, and her parents all call her Jinx. She says that if you go out with her you will die.
Before she started dating, she was boring old Jen who never stayed out late and always turned her homework in on time. Now she is all alone, boyfriend-less and depressed.
Towards the end of the book we find her trying to find her way back to being Jen, and no longer Jinx.
Written in poetry style, JINX is kind of depressing, even the end of the book. You feel sorry for Jen/Jinx, but at the same time I felt that I couldn't get to know her enough as a character to really care about her. This is a super-fast read, at times interesting, but I wish there had been more to the story.
February 2, 2018
Quite some months ago I started writing poetry. It's something that started out as an experiment but has turned to a passionate hobby by now. I tell a story of my life in my poems. It helps me to deal with something so very personal of my past. This also boosted my interest in poetry of all kinds. I like classy Shakespeare as well as modern poetry style like Amanda Lovelace.
Recently, I was at my best friend's place and she handed me over Jinx. "Since you're so interested in poetry lately and write so much, you need to read this. I've read it countless times when I was younger. You'll love it, I'm sure." And my best friend wouldn't be my best friend if she wouldn't know my taste, right? She was right, I utterly loved it.
Jinx is actually a short novel written in poems. I didn't even know a book like that exists. The story follows the girl Jen aka Jinx and her love stories with boys - which don't end well at all. Her boyfriends die. This causes problems for not only herself but the people around her.
The plot didn't solely focus on Jen but also on her friends as well as her mother and the families of her former boyfriends. This is something that I enjoyed a lot because everyone seemed to have different problems. It was so nice to explore the other characters depths, too.
Most astonishing thing was the writing though. I'd never thought I could learn so much about a character by simple verses without many words. I guess that's what this book showed very well: you don't necessarily need pretty descriptions to show someone's true nature. Sometimes, simple words are enough. You know, less is more.
All in all, Jinx told wonderful stories and it inspired me a lot for my own poetry. I could write my story like that. It's a very inspiring and creative way to tell a stoy through verses only. I'm still amazed this concept exists.
After finishing the book, I instantly wanted to reread it again. It is a very quick read after all. So I did. I read it three times in a row. And every time I did, it was still just as good as it was the first time.
If you're as fascinated my poetry as me or if you like writing poems, you should definitely read this. Even if you just want to try a different kind of novel. You'll love it, I'm sure.
Recently, I was at my best friend's place and she handed me over Jinx. "Since you're so interested in poetry lately and write so much, you need to read this. I've read it countless times when I was younger. You'll love it, I'm sure." And my best friend wouldn't be my best friend if she wouldn't know my taste, right? She was right, I utterly loved it.
Jinx is actually a short novel written in poems. I didn't even know a book like that exists. The story follows the girl Jen aka Jinx and her love stories with boys - which don't end well at all. Her boyfriends die. This causes problems for not only herself but the people around her.
The plot didn't solely focus on Jen but also on her friends as well as her mother and the families of her former boyfriends. This is something that I enjoyed a lot because everyone seemed to have different problems. It was so nice to explore the other characters depths, too.
Most astonishing thing was the writing though. I'd never thought I could learn so much about a character by simple verses without many words. I guess that's what this book showed very well: you don't necessarily need pretty descriptions to show someone's true nature. Sometimes, simple words are enough. You know, less is more.
All in all, Jinx told wonderful stories and it inspired me a lot for my own poetry. I could write my story like that. It's a very inspiring and creative way to tell a stoy through verses only. I'm still amazed this concept exists.
After finishing the book, I instantly wanted to reread it again. It is a very quick read after all. So I did. I read it three times in a row. And every time I did, it was still just as good as it was the first time.
If you're as fascinated my poetry as me or if you like writing poems, you should definitely read this. Even if you just want to try a different kind of novel. You'll love it, I'm sure.
July 25, 2015
Jen is good girl who becomes a troubled teen. All she wants is to be loved. But when her boyfriend Charlie dies in tragic circumstances, she starts drinking in order to escape. After a series of unfortunate accidents, Jen is nicknamed Jinx - "Jinx, they say, but she likes it and takes it as her new name." Will Jinx ever find happiness and find her way back to Jen?
This novel-in-verse is written in a simple, yet lyrical manner, and is full of interesting characters: Jen's father (the Rat) who abandoned her when her sister was born, Jen's mother who is in love with a man who doesn't know she exists, Jen's friend Ruth who is known as Ruthless for being ruthlessly honest, Connie who hides from her Greek parents the fact that she is a lesbian, Serena who craves the attention of her parents, Jen's first love Charlie, Jen's sister Grace who has Down's Syndrome, the Rat's new wife Stella who is admitted to a psychiatric clinic for depression, Ben who has a chip on his shoulder about being short, and Hal who blames himself for an accident that wasn't his fault.
The subject matter is heartbreaking and deals with many kinds of loss, but especially the loss of a child by their mother. As a mother of two teenage daughters, and having once been a teenage girl myself, I related to this book on many levels. I especially loved "what we don't like about our mums" and the later "what we like about our mums".
Best read in one sitting, this book is sure to be a hit with teenage girls - and their mums.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
This novel-in-verse is written in a simple, yet lyrical manner, and is full of interesting characters: Jen's father (the Rat) who abandoned her when her sister was born, Jen's mother who is in love with a man who doesn't know she exists, Jen's friend Ruth who is known as Ruthless for being ruthlessly honest, Connie who hides from her Greek parents the fact that she is a lesbian, Serena who craves the attention of her parents, Jen's first love Charlie, Jen's sister Grace who has Down's Syndrome, the Rat's new wife Stella who is admitted to a psychiatric clinic for depression, Ben who has a chip on his shoulder about being short, and Hal who blames himself for an accident that wasn't his fault.
The subject matter is heartbreaking and deals with many kinds of loss, but especially the loss of a child by their mother. As a mother of two teenage daughters, and having once been a teenage girl myself, I related to this book on many levels. I especially loved "what we don't like about our mums" and the later "what we like about our mums".
Best read in one sitting, this book is sure to be a hit with teenage girls - and their mums.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
May 16, 2013
Jinx
by: Margaret Wild
This book was different compared to what I typically read. The story was written in verses, similar to a poem. It is about a girl named Jen who has 'two sides'. Her good side is Jen and her changed side is Jinx. She thought of the name 'Jinx' because she thought that every boy she dated had died because of her. Ever since her first boyfriend, Charlie, died she was in grief and was depressed. Charlie died by committing suicide. He felt as if no one liked him. However, along the road of hope she met another guy named Ben. Ben was a nice guy and all, but was also dead a while after. Jinx found out that the guy who basically killed Ben is someone named, Hal. Once again, she falls quickly in love with him. Her best friend Conner is a homosexual. What I liked about this book was that it simply describes an average teen life. Anybody who has these problems or has noticed these occurrences can easily relate to them in this novel.
However, despite all the good things. I did not like the poem's itself. They were easy to understand and were badly written in some parts.
by: Margaret Wild
This book was different compared to what I typically read. The story was written in verses, similar to a poem. It is about a girl named Jen who has 'two sides'. Her good side is Jen and her changed side is Jinx. She thought of the name 'Jinx' because she thought that every boy she dated had died because of her. Ever since her first boyfriend, Charlie, died she was in grief and was depressed. Charlie died by committing suicide. He felt as if no one liked him. However, along the road of hope she met another guy named Ben. Ben was a nice guy and all, but was also dead a while after. Jinx found out that the guy who basically killed Ben is someone named, Hal. Once again, she falls quickly in love with him. Her best friend Conner is a homosexual. What I liked about this book was that it simply describes an average teen life. Anybody who has these problems or has noticed these occurrences can easily relate to them in this novel.
However, despite all the good things. I did not like the poem's itself. They were easy to understand and were badly written in some parts.
March 30, 2026
I haven't read this since I was a teen (probably somewhere around fifteen or sixteen) so I remembered absolutely nothing about it other than I had liked it at the time. Rereading has definitely reminded me why I liked it.
Told in a series of poems, this is a story about Jen, a teen living with her mum and her sister Gemma. As well as her friends, Serena, Connie and Ruth. Who all have their own teen angst. What I really liked about this book was the heavy topics that were dealt with in a considerate way without the melodrama some YA wallows in. There's a lot of grief within these pages. Love, requited and unrequited. Sexuality. Neglect. Mental health struggles and disability. The adults aren't completely divorced from the narrative either, humanising them in a story where they would often be dismissed.
It's very YA. Don't get me wrong. But the style made it easy to read and engage with. The themes were good. If I read this exclusively as an adult it might only be a three star but nostalgia definitely elevated it to a four.
Told in a series of poems, this is a story about Jen, a teen living with her mum and her sister Gemma. As well as her friends, Serena, Connie and Ruth. Who all have their own teen angst. What I really liked about this book was the heavy topics that were dealt with in a considerate way without the melodrama some YA wallows in. There's a lot of grief within these pages. Love, requited and unrequited. Sexuality. Neglect. Mental health struggles and disability. The adults aren't completely divorced from the narrative either, humanising them in a story where they would often be dismissed.
It's very YA. Don't get me wrong. But the style made it easy to read and engage with. The themes were good. If I read this exclusively as an adult it might only be a three star but nostalgia definitely elevated it to a four.
April 6, 2013
Jinx is poetry book. It had great themes such as death and guilt. The main character has a couple of boyfriends though out the book. Her first one commits suicide, and she blames herself because she never had a clue. She thinks it was her fault because she should have known what was going on with him. The second one isn't really her boyfriend because she doesn't really like him,but when he ends up dying she feels like it is all her fault again ,and that she is a bad person, so she starts calling herself a jinx. She starts doing all this stuff and calling the guy that was bullying the second guy. Another theme is forgiveness. The girl ends up finally forgiving herself and letting go. The person who helps her get through it is her last boyfriend. Then one that actually bullied the second guy that died. The author is saying that life gets tough and you shouldn't blame stuff on yourself and let yourself go.
January 11, 2011
This is such a beautiful example of the craft of the verse novel for young adults; Wild - who is one of Australia's most diverse and gifted writers for both children and adults - draws us so completely into the world of her embattled protagonist, and uses the form and function of the verse novel to its fullest effect here; the switches in style, form and point-of-view all combine to reveal the layers of a life, rather than a straight out linear narrative. Her central characters are beautifully realised and the realism of their lives and emotions oozes from the pages.
If you haven't read a verse novel before, then this (often confronting, but beautifully crafted) piece of writing is a good place to start.
If you haven't read a verse novel before, then this (often confronting, but beautifully crafted) piece of writing is a good place to start.
March 23, 2008
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEMOOOOOOOOOOOOOO but interesting.
May 30, 2012
The worst book I've ever read
December 13, 2017
Summary
Jinx by Margaret Wild is a young adult novel written in verse about a teenage girl who believes she's jinxed.
Jen has always been the good girl, who was well behaved, did her homework and studied hard. When Charlie, Jen's boyfriend, dies, Jen starts rebelling. When Ben, her second boyfriend, dies, Jen thinks she's cursed and gives herself the nickname 'Jinx.'
Jinx wonders if she can ever go back to being Jen, or if she's cursed forever. Her friends and family are also dealing with problems of their own.
The novel is told in different points of view, and switches between third and first person.
A bittersweet novel about love, loss, and forgiveness.
Review
I liked how the novel was written in verse, it was easy to read. The format of the verse novel suited the range of important topics the book focused on.
I thought the characters were well developed for a verse novel, and I liked their diversity. I thought the characters were flawed and realistic, and liked how they were going through realistic problems.
Jen goes through significant character development for such a short book.
I found the switching between first person and third person point of view worked much better in this book than it did in Wild's One Night.
The novel was quite sad, but the humour balanced it out a little.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 14 years and older, and wants to read a bittersweet novel in verse about a cast of flawed and realistic characters.
Jinx by Margaret Wild is a young adult novel written in verse about a teenage girl who believes she's jinxed.
Jen has always been the good girl, who was well behaved, did her homework and studied hard. When Charlie, Jen's boyfriend, dies, Jen starts rebelling. When Ben, her second boyfriend, dies, Jen thinks she's cursed and gives herself the nickname 'Jinx.'
Jinx wonders if she can ever go back to being Jen, or if she's cursed forever. Her friends and family are also dealing with problems of their own.
The novel is told in different points of view, and switches between third and first person.
A bittersweet novel about love, loss, and forgiveness.
Review
I liked how the novel was written in verse, it was easy to read. The format of the verse novel suited the range of important topics the book focused on.
I thought the characters were well developed for a verse novel, and I liked their diversity. I thought the characters were flawed and realistic, and liked how they were going through realistic problems.
Jen goes through significant character development for such a short book.
I found the switching between first person and third person point of view worked much better in this book than it did in Wild's One Night.
The novel was quite sad, but the humour balanced it out a little.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 14 years and older, and wants to read a bittersweet novel in verse about a cast of flawed and realistic characters.
December 11, 2017
POETRY
Jen is just a reagular girl who does her best to be good. After two of her boyfriends die, she realizes that there's something wrong, and that's when she becomes Jinx. She wonders if there's any way she can get back to the girl she was before. This book had a lot of emotional content in it that I think was enhanced by the fact that it's written in verse. The amount of loss was a little surprising to me but it also made me like it more.
Jen is just a reagular girl who does her best to be good. After two of her boyfriends die, she realizes that there's something wrong, and that's when she becomes Jinx. She wonders if there's any way she can get back to the girl she was before. This book had a lot of emotional content in it that I think was enhanced by the fact that it's written in verse. The amount of loss was a little surprising to me but it also made me like it more.
March 6, 2020
My favorite part of this novel-in-verse is the poem at the end in praise of the mothers of teens. That is unique and speaks to me in a way it wouldn't have had I read it when it was originally published. Interesting characters in good landscapes with plot twists despite the sparse text.
April 12, 2018
loved it
Read
April 1, 2020If I still had my copy, I would be re-reading over and over and over again
October 1, 2020
sensitive.
June 29, 2021
I did not go into this with high expectations and I'm still let down!
November 20, 2022
4,5
Open Library. Unmissable.
Open Library. Unmissable.
April 11, 2023
quick read, well written and easy to follow!!
August 13, 2024
If you are not a fan of poems then this isn't for you, I didn't realize it was poems but it was a very interesting book. Don't want to give any details..
March 5, 2025
my fav book ever
July 19, 2025
4.75/4.8
July 27, 2025
Det gick alldeles för fort, hann inte känna något för någon tyvärr.
May 21, 2012
hmm..it was okay i guess, it was sad how not everyone got a happy ending, but i guess thats life.
i kind of liked the way it was written in poems though it took me a while to figure out the poems change perspective. so i was kinda confused throughout the start of the novel/collection of poems. i liked the unique-ness of the plot and the way it was written/expressed (i.e. in poems)
SPOILER ALERT
i wonder what happened to connor? did she tell her parents? and what about serena? didn't the author say she was kind at the start? i wonder why she was so destructive...i wish ruthless ended up with ben. oh well i guess thats also life
SPOILER FINISHED
the things i didn't like about the story was vague-ness of the writing, as i don't think the author wrote enough to allow us readers to fully delve into a character's mind and life in order to feel what they feel and understand why they feel that way or do what they do. also, if you're gonna write in changing perspectives, you should elaborate more on the lives of the people you write about, otherwise it just doesn't work. i'm not sure i liked the storyline, it was interesting but it didn't draw me in. it was mostly just weird. and i thought the way the main character changes so radically was a bit i dunno, radical?
so, in summary, i didn't like the storyline, though if it had been written better i might have cos it was so unique and i just think the book was way too vague. it didn't have enough of anything to draw me in and get me to care about the main character. overall, i am disappointed in the book and i believe this book failed to reach its full potential. which makes me kinda sad :(
but anyway, read this book if you feel like something different. you might love it.
i kind of liked the way it was written in poems though it took me a while to figure out the poems change perspective. so i was kinda confused throughout the start of the novel/collection of poems. i liked the unique-ness of the plot and the way it was written/expressed (i.e. in poems)
SPOILER ALERT
i wonder what happened to connor? did she tell her parents? and what about serena? didn't the author say she was kind at the start? i wonder why she was so destructive...i wish ruthless ended up with ben. oh well i guess thats also life
SPOILER FINISHED
the things i didn't like about the story was vague-ness of the writing, as i don't think the author wrote enough to allow us readers to fully delve into a character's mind and life in order to feel what they feel and understand why they feel that way or do what they do. also, if you're gonna write in changing perspectives, you should elaborate more on the lives of the people you write about, otherwise it just doesn't work. i'm not sure i liked the storyline, it was interesting but it didn't draw me in. it was mostly just weird. and i thought the way the main character changes so radically was a bit i dunno, radical?
so, in summary, i didn't like the storyline, though if it had been written better i might have cos it was so unique and i just think the book was way too vague. it didn't have enough of anything to draw me in and get me to care about the main character. overall, i am disappointed in the book and i believe this book failed to reach its full potential. which makes me kinda sad :(
but anyway, read this book if you feel like something different. you might love it.
February 29, 2008
Jen is the main character in this book. Her parents had divorced and her father remarried Stella. She had one sister, Grace, she has Down's Syndrome. Life is wonderful to Jen after she starts to date Charlie. They had been great together, but one day she had been tell that Charlie committed suicide. She then went wild for a while until she met Ben. Eventually she and Ben were together. But soon Ben was killed, because he had been called "SHORT" by a guy name Hal. After that, Jen renames herself Jinx, because she thinks she is the most unlucky girl in the world. So she kind of revenge for Ben by painting the work "KILLER" in Hal's house and making scary calls to scare his family. But after she dreamt about Charlie, she decided to apologize. And eventually, she and Hal had fallen in love. She then told Hal she was the one making the phone calls and painted the word KILLER in his house. Hal got mad. But at last, they decided to start over, and Jinx told Hal her name is Jen. And at last, she change her name back to Jen.
September 9, 2014
Interesting YA book written in verse. After two consecutive boyfriends die, Jen is re-named Jinx.
Jen leads a fairly normal life with a few rough spots. Her parents are divorced, her father 'The Rat' has remarried, and her sister Grace has Down's Syndrome. Life is wonderful after Jen starts to date Charlie, until he commits suicide. She loses it for a while, running around and acting wild. Eventually she befriends Ben. But when he is killed, Jen renames herself Jinx, because she must be the most unlucky girl in the world. Will she ever be ordinary Jen again?
Jinx is written in verse as a series of interconnected poems, which convey the thoughts, feelings, and actions of Jen, her family, and her friends. The poems are clearly labeled as to whose point-of-view they reflect, so the reader is never confused. The plot flows quickly, carrying the story through with ease. The author writes with raw emotion, creating empathy with the characters, especially with Jen's joy and heartbreak. I recommend Jinx to you for its unique style and tone.
Jen leads a fairly normal life with a few rough spots. Her parents are divorced, her father 'The Rat' has remarried, and her sister Grace has Down's Syndrome. Life is wonderful after Jen starts to date Charlie, until he commits suicide. She loses it for a while, running around and acting wild. Eventually she befriends Ben. But when he is killed, Jen renames herself Jinx, because she must be the most unlucky girl in the world. Will she ever be ordinary Jen again?
Jinx is written in verse as a series of interconnected poems, which convey the thoughts, feelings, and actions of Jen, her family, and her friends. The poems are clearly labeled as to whose point-of-view they reflect, so the reader is never confused. The plot flows quickly, carrying the story through with ease. The author writes with raw emotion, creating empathy with the characters, especially with Jen's joy and heartbreak. I recommend Jinx to you for its unique style and tone.
November 9, 2009
Jinx by Margaret Wild. It captures your attention right from the beginning. I feel like I can connect to this girl, Jen.
Jen's first boyfriend died, maybe a little unlucky?
Jen's second boyfriend died, was it more than just being unlucky?
Since that day, Jen was called Jinx. Cursed, filled with bad luck.
Jen is lonely and can not seem to find closeness in people around her.
I said I can connect to that because I feel like sometimes in life, there are many hard times. Friends not being there for you when you need them most, loving a person very much yet not being loved back.
I feel like the most important thing in this world is not just finding your friends, but also having the opportunity to love someone and be loved back. The warm feeling that is able to wash away all the pain and can bring happiness to one self is the best gift for anyone.
Jen's first boyfriend died, maybe a little unlucky?
Jen's second boyfriend died, was it more than just being unlucky?
Since that day, Jen was called Jinx. Cursed, filled with bad luck.
Jen is lonely and can not seem to find closeness in people around her.
I said I can connect to that because I feel like sometimes in life, there are many hard times. Friends not being there for you when you need them most, loving a person very much yet not being loved back.
I feel like the most important thing in this world is not just finding your friends, but also having the opportunity to love someone and be loved back. The warm feeling that is able to wash away all the pain and can bring happiness to one self is the best gift for anyone.
September 3, 2015
Really enjoyed this coming-of-age verse novel about Jen who becomes Jinx and then Jen again. (Spoiler alert!) Jen takes on the name Jinx after her first boyfriend suicides and the second is killed in an accident. Ironically, she heals by falling in love with the boy who was partly responsible for the second boyfriend's death. The characters in this novel were wonderfully drawn; especially the little sister Grace who has Downe's Syndrome and yet a wonderful insight into human behaviours. I also liked the scenes of Stella (Jen's step-mum) in the psych ward - this sort of stuff does happen to people and I'm sure it would be reassuring to some young people to read about it. Margaret Wild writes equally awesome picture books (one of my fave's is The Midnight Gang). I want to be Margaret Wild when I grow up :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews