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Unclaimed Baggage
In Jen Doll's young adult debut novel, Unclaimed Baggage, Doris--a lone liberal in a conservative small town--has mostly kept to herself since the terrible waterslide incident a few years ago. Nell had to leave behind her best friends, perfect life, and too-good-to-be-true boyfriend in Chicago to move to Alabama. Grant was the star quarterback and epitome of "Mr. Popular" whose drinking problem has all but destroyed his life. What do these three have in common? A summer job working in a store called Unclaimed Baggage cataloging and selling other people's lost luggage. Together they find that through friendship, they can unpack some of their own emotional baggage and move on into the future.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2018
67 people are currently reading
3717 people want to read
About the author
Jen Doll
6 books83 followersJen Doll has written for The Atlantic, The Atlantic Wire, Cosmopolitan, The Hairpin, New York magazine, The New York Times Book Review, The Toast, Topic, Vice, The Village Voice, and The Week, among others. She grew up in Alabama and lives in Brooklyn and upstate New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
August 3, 2019
I really liked the characters and the format of this one, but I feel like the plot kind of dragged a little? This is a fairly short book but it took me ages to read and tbh it took away from my enjoyment a bit. Blah
March 23, 2020
Very cute and sweet book... It started out light and breezy, but then it got pretty serious. I would have loved more about the store and the crazy things they found.
November 6, 2018
2 stars.
You ever find yourself reading a contemporary novel and wanting to know the message behind the story? That's me. And I did not find the message in Unclaimed Baggage.
Even as I'm writing this, I'm having a hard time trying to come up with how I genuinely feel about this book. There are powerful messages throughout the story calling out sexism, double standards, racism, etc. Except, the story itself is lost among those messages.
Unclaimed Baggage follows three teens working at a store where they sell stuff that belonged in suitcases that were never claimed at airports. We have Doris, a liberal living in a conservative town. Nell, fresh out of Chicago, trying to cope with the move. And Grant, the town golden boy football star who is no longer the golden boy. They form a friendship all while trying to deal with their personal lives.
In hindsight, the plot sounds fun, and maybe even cute based on the cover. The cover sure is cute. But the story was just bland.
As mentioned earlier, Unclaimed Baggage does deal with important topics that are very much relevant to today's time. Stuff is called out and Jen Doll does a great job at this. Not only that but she also does bring up the issue of stereotyping people based on states. Like how not everyone from the south is racist and not everyone in the north is accepting of others. This I feel like was the best part of the story.
Unfortunately, the rest of it was just bad. While the story does bring up important issues, the story and characters themselves are sacrificed for those issues. They were cast aside and weren't given the proper development throughout the story.
The characters were completely underdeveloped and almost acted like caricatures instead of actual people.
Doris is a liberal living in a conservative state that isn't afraid to speak out her mind and call out people for being ignorant. That's great. Except that is her only personality other than being that weird girl. That trope has been seen dozens of times but for the most part, the characters who are in that trope have distinct characteristics that make them different instead of being the stereotypical weird person. Doris is a character with a good heart but doesn't have any distinguishing personalities at all.
Plus, Doris pulled the "I'm not like the other girls" card which made me put the book down for 10 seconds before continuing. News flash Doris, you're not special just because you're not like other girls. Sorry to break it to you.
Nell started out strong but ended up being another bland character. She starts off mad for her mom making the family move to a different state. Nell leaves behind her friends and boyfriend and isn't sure how she'll adapt to her new life. Then she meets Doris and she becomes just as bland as Doris. It's like all of Nell's issues were completely tossed out the window and she became a carbon copy of Doris. That isn't an exaggeration. There were times where I confused the two because they sound the same.
Grant is the only character that has any development, but even that is marred with flaws. He is an alcoholic (not a spoiler, it's mentioned early on in the story) and has fallen from grace as the town's golden boy. I did sort of like him, but even then he had his moments of being bland. I would say he is the more developed out of the three characters. But when he is with Doris and Nell, I did feel his characterization was halted at the expense of wacky moments with Doris and Nell.
Another issue was the rushed friendship between the three characters. They became friends too quickly and that struck me as odd. When Doris and Nell are introduced, they don't know much about each other but in a matter of seconds, they become BFFs. If it were that easy, I would have hundreds of friends. Then Grant comes into the mix and they're all friends. I didn't find any of it believable.
My next issue is what I had with part II of the book. There are three parts in the book. Part I, II, and III. Part II is just filler. I could've gone through the story without that part. It was completely unnecessary.
The last and main issue is the message behind the story. On the cover, it says "Life can be heavy. Learn to travel light." The message is that it is OK to let go some of the baggage you have in your life. If there is something holding you down, you have to learn to let it go if you want to have a life that will make you happy. However, however, that message is completely lost in the story. Grant is the only one who has baggage he needs to let go whereas Doris and Nell are just there in the background. I kept waiting for the message to be mentioned and the only times it was it was there for only a few seconds before going into something completely irrelevant.
Verdict
Unclaimed Baggage brings up important social issues that are done well. But the story and characters are pushed aside and are not as well developed. Static characters and a lost message, Unclaimed Baggage was a serious disappointment.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
You ever find yourself reading a contemporary novel and wanting to know the message behind the story? That's me. And I did not find the message in Unclaimed Baggage.
Even as I'm writing this, I'm having a hard time trying to come up with how I genuinely feel about this book. There are powerful messages throughout the story calling out sexism, double standards, racism, etc. Except, the story itself is lost among those messages.
Unclaimed Baggage follows three teens working at a store where they sell stuff that belonged in suitcases that were never claimed at airports. We have Doris, a liberal living in a conservative town. Nell, fresh out of Chicago, trying to cope with the move. And Grant, the town golden boy football star who is no longer the golden boy. They form a friendship all while trying to deal with their personal lives.
In hindsight, the plot sounds fun, and maybe even cute based on the cover. The cover sure is cute. But the story was just bland.
As mentioned earlier, Unclaimed Baggage does deal with important topics that are very much relevant to today's time. Stuff is called out and Jen Doll does a great job at this. Not only that but she also does bring up the issue of stereotyping people based on states. Like how not everyone from the south is racist and not everyone in the north is accepting of others. This I feel like was the best part of the story.
Unfortunately, the rest of it was just bad. While the story does bring up important issues, the story and characters themselves are sacrificed for those issues. They were cast aside and weren't given the proper development throughout the story.
The characters were completely underdeveloped and almost acted like caricatures instead of actual people.
Doris is a liberal living in a conservative state that isn't afraid to speak out her mind and call out people for being ignorant. That's great. Except that is her only personality other than being that weird girl. That trope has been seen dozens of times but for the most part, the characters who are in that trope have distinct characteristics that make them different instead of being the stereotypical weird person. Doris is a character with a good heart but doesn't have any distinguishing personalities at all.
Plus, Doris pulled the "I'm not like the other girls" card which made me put the book down for 10 seconds before continuing. News flash Doris, you're not special just because you're not like other girls. Sorry to break it to you.
Nell started out strong but ended up being another bland character. She starts off mad for her mom making the family move to a different state. Nell leaves behind her friends and boyfriend and isn't sure how she'll adapt to her new life. Then she meets Doris and she becomes just as bland as Doris. It's like all of Nell's issues were completely tossed out the window and she became a carbon copy of Doris. That isn't an exaggeration. There were times where I confused the two because they sound the same.
Grant is the only character that has any development, but even that is marred with flaws. He is an alcoholic (not a spoiler, it's mentioned early on in the story) and has fallen from grace as the town's golden boy. I did sort of like him, but even then he had his moments of being bland. I would say he is the more developed out of the three characters. But when he is with Doris and Nell, I did feel his characterization was halted at the expense of wacky moments with Doris and Nell.
Another issue was the rushed friendship between the three characters. They became friends too quickly and that struck me as odd. When Doris and Nell are introduced, they don't know much about each other but in a matter of seconds, they become BFFs. If it were that easy, I would have hundreds of friends. Then Grant comes into the mix and they're all friends. I didn't find any of it believable.
My next issue is what I had with part II of the book. There are three parts in the book. Part I, II, and III. Part II is just filler. I could've gone through the story without that part. It was completely unnecessary.
The last and main issue is the message behind the story. On the cover, it says "Life can be heavy. Learn to travel light." The message is that it is OK to let go some of the baggage you have in your life. If there is something holding you down, you have to learn to let it go if you want to have a life that will make you happy. However, however, that message is completely lost in the story. Grant is the only one who has baggage he needs to let go whereas Doris and Nell are just there in the background. I kept waiting for the message to be mentioned and the only times it was it was there for only a few seconds before going into something completely irrelevant.
Verdict
Unclaimed Baggage brings up important social issues that are done well. But the story and characters are pushed aside and are not as well developed. Static characters and a lost message, Unclaimed Baggage was a serious disappointment.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
September 24, 2018
This review originally appeared on Novel Ink.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
*4.5 stars*
TW: alcoholism; sexual assault; victim blaming; racism (all are challenged in the story)
Ever wonder what happens to lost luggage that’s never returned to its rightful owner? Well, in the adorable Unclaimed Baggage, we, along with the three main characters, get to find out! When I saw the author would be signing ARCs of Unclaimed Baggage at BookExpo, I immediately made it a priority to pick up a copy. I mean, a book about teenagers working in a lost luggage store? My inner air travel geek was so here for it. And, I’m happy to report, this book did not disappoint!
Unclaimed Baggage follows three main characters– Doris, Nell, and Grant– over the course of their summer jobs at the store in their small town that processes and sells items from lost luggage. We get to read from all three of their perspectives, and I truly appreciated what each had to offer. Doris is the resident non-religious liberal in her tiny Southern town (which was #relatableAF), and she’s constantly challenging the problematic ideals and traditions prevalent in her hometown. Nell has just moved to small-town Alabama from Chicago, so we get an outsider’s perspective. And then there’s Grant, the town’s star quarterback, who’s hiding his struggles with alcoholism from the general public, who all adore him.
Though a friendship might seem unlikely between an outcast, a new girl, and the most popular boy in town, the three quickly become close. And it’s easy to understand why, once you get to know these characters– they’re all intensely loyal, good people. They are always there to support one another, but also aren’t afraid to call the others out on any BS. All three of them are a bit lost in their own ways, much like the luggage they process every day at the store. (Which, by the way, was one of the most fun parts about this story. I loved reading about the characters opening up new bags and discovering what was inside).
All of that being said, Unclaimed Baggage is much more than a feel-good friendship story. It tackles important issues like misogyny, racism, and reproductive rights. Rather than feeling tokenistic, these elements were incorporated very well into the story. I think it’s important for YA to address topics like these, because prejudice (unfortunately) is pretty prevalent right now in our current social and political climate.
Overall, I loved everything about this book. It featured wonderful, healthy friendships, a sweet summer romance, a unique setting, social commentary, and a lovable cast of characters I won’t soon forget. If you love a good YA contemporary, I highly recommend you keep an eye out for Unclaimed Baggage when it hits shelves!
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
*4.5 stars*
TW: alcoholism; sexual assault; victim blaming; racism (all are challenged in the story)
Ever wonder what happens to lost luggage that’s never returned to its rightful owner? Well, in the adorable Unclaimed Baggage, we, along with the three main characters, get to find out! When I saw the author would be signing ARCs of Unclaimed Baggage at BookExpo, I immediately made it a priority to pick up a copy. I mean, a book about teenagers working in a lost luggage store? My inner air travel geek was so here for it. And, I’m happy to report, this book did not disappoint!
Unclaimed Baggage follows three main characters– Doris, Nell, and Grant– over the course of their summer jobs at the store in their small town that processes and sells items from lost luggage. We get to read from all three of their perspectives, and I truly appreciated what each had to offer. Doris is the resident non-religious liberal in her tiny Southern town (which was #relatableAF), and she’s constantly challenging the problematic ideals and traditions prevalent in her hometown. Nell has just moved to small-town Alabama from Chicago, so we get an outsider’s perspective. And then there’s Grant, the town’s star quarterback, who’s hiding his struggles with alcoholism from the general public, who all adore him.
Though a friendship might seem unlikely between an outcast, a new girl, and the most popular boy in town, the three quickly become close. And it’s easy to understand why, once you get to know these characters– they’re all intensely loyal, good people. They are always there to support one another, but also aren’t afraid to call the others out on any BS. All three of them are a bit lost in their own ways, much like the luggage they process every day at the store. (Which, by the way, was one of the most fun parts about this story. I loved reading about the characters opening up new bags and discovering what was inside).
All of that being said, Unclaimed Baggage is much more than a feel-good friendship story. It tackles important issues like misogyny, racism, and reproductive rights. Rather than feeling tokenistic, these elements were incorporated very well into the story. I think it’s important for YA to address topics like these, because prejudice (unfortunately) is pretty prevalent right now in our current social and political climate.
Overall, I loved everything about this book. It featured wonderful, healthy friendships, a sweet summer romance, a unique setting, social commentary, and a lovable cast of characters I won’t soon forget. If you love a good YA contemporary, I highly recommend you keep an eye out for Unclaimed Baggage when it hits shelves!
February 1, 2019
4.5 stars
This book was such an unexpectedly cute and fun read (with elements of complexity) that gave me all of the feelings of a summer in the South. I really enjoyed reading this in the month of January but believe me, this would be the absolute perfect summer or vacation read.
In this story, we follow three main characters Nell, Doris, and Grant. All three of them are very different but as expected, a friendship develops and is accelerated by the fact that they all share the same place of employment: a store which sells lost luggage and the contents that are found.
Along with this being a fun read, each character does have their own struggles of which they are dealing with, most notably Grant. This was a quick read and made me feel as if I was plopped down right in the midst of Alabama. I will definitely be looking for more written by this author in the future.
***Thank you to Raincoast Books for sending me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
This book was such an unexpectedly cute and fun read (with elements of complexity) that gave me all of the feelings of a summer in the South. I really enjoyed reading this in the month of January but believe me, this would be the absolute perfect summer or vacation read.
In this story, we follow three main characters Nell, Doris, and Grant. All three of them are very different but as expected, a friendship develops and is accelerated by the fact that they all share the same place of employment: a store which sells lost luggage and the contents that are found.
Along with this being a fun read, each character does have their own struggles of which they are dealing with, most notably Grant. This was a quick read and made me feel as if I was plopped down right in the midst of Alabama. I will definitely be looking for more written by this author in the future.
***Thank you to Raincoast Books for sending me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
July 23, 2018
3.5 stars! I’m really into stories where people are brought together by circumstance and end up growing more into who they really are because of those relationships and experiences. Loved the added bonus of the Unclaimed Baggage store as a setting too!
January 12, 2019
Rating: 2.5/5
This story follows three teens and, through their three different perspectives, we follow them and their experience working at Unclaimed Baggage, a store in small town Alabama that literally sells the contentns of baggage not retrieved at airports. We have Doris, a native of the town who has worked at Unclaimed Baggage for a while and often finds her self suffocated and misunderstood in small town Alabama. A lot more progressive then her family and surrounding townspeople, she finds refuge in the lost items of other people.
Nell has recently been transplanted, unwillingly, from Chicago, and has been hired at Unclaimed Baggage. It doesn't take long before she and Doris become close friends, and Nell starts to hope that she can be happy in her new town.
And then there is Grant, former star of the highschool football team, he has found himself in some trouble. He is battling an addiction and recovering from some poor choices when he is told to take a job at Unclaimed Baggage by his mother, who hopes it will keep him out of trouble
The story follows their friendship and how they bond with one another and overcome life's challenges together.
I admit that I originally DNF'd this book. I had gotten to part that so enraged me, I could not see passed it and had to put it down (more on why in a bit). After a day had passed and I was over the initial rage I felt, I decided that my completionist self would, at the very least, hate-read this until I was done. So, I picked it back up and luckily, I was pleasantly surprised by the last third.
So let's talk about it:
1.) Until the last third of the book, there was almost no point or plot to the story. Jen Doll seemed to have a lot to say about serious issues, like underage drinking, drunk driving, sexual assault and sexism, but these topics were just thrown into a light-hearted contemporary with no real depth to them (again, until the last third), and she did this so often that it was at great sacrifice to the plot and the characters.
2.) On the note of plot, almot the entire second section was completely unnecessary to the story. Doll basically just used it as a way to have the characters spend more time together, but there was no real purpose.
3.) On this same note, I found myself very disconnected to the story and characters as whole, primarily because I had a very hard time distinguishing the voices of Nell and Doris. I constantly confused the two when I was reading their viewpoints as they were fairly underdeveloped and felt a bit bland.
3.) I had a hard time accepting the friend group, because the friendship between the three was almost immediate. That was unrealistic for several reasons. 1. Doris and Grant have somewhat of a history, and not a great one from Doris's perspective. Grant doesn't have the best reputation and has been a previous source of pain for Doris. 2. Grant is dealing with the aftermath of some terrible choices he made, choices that hurt a lot of people and were quite humiliating to Grant himself. Yet, very early on in their friendship, with almost no prodding, he tells this entire tale to these girls, which on its own was unrealistic. But they both just accept this truth with no real qualms, which might be okay except Doris was already wary of Grant to begin with.
4.) I also had a problem with some of the cultural and political commentary that Doll weaves throughout the book. she makes very pointed and critical statements about the South, painting it in a very stereotypical light, casting all the religious conservatives as "wrong" but the progressive characters as "right." which made it seem as though she was including her own political preferences through Nell and Doris, attempting to make them these ultra cool, left-wing feminists whiles failing to note the hypocrisy in some of the statements she made. It was almost as if she was trying so hard to make her points heard, that she found any way to do that.
For example, in that totally uncessary Section 2, the trio is going to the Fourth of July balloon festival and camp out. One morning, Grant and Doris are strolling and they find a deflated hot-air balloon that has come unmoored and caught in some trease. Doris investigates, seeing the letters "PL" on it, and automatically deduces that this was a Planned Parenthood balloon, and starts discussing how people have tried to ban Planned Parenthood in the past...yada, yada.
Seriously? This randomly lost baloon with just the letters "PL" on it, is Planned Parenthood? And then they just so happen to meet the people who lost the balloon at which point Doll takes the opportunity to discuss the importance of PP's mission? Yeah.....that wasn't convenient at all.
Honestly, I don't care what your political views are. You may agree with every statement that Doll makes here, but blatantly throwing it in the plot for no reason, is ridiculous and pushy.
The one that really did it, was this gem on page 249:
"If you're wearing a Civil War uniform, you're still pretending to be someone who fought to keep slavery legal in America. You may not 'mean' to support it, but you are. And how do you think people who aren't white feel when they see that guy in the uniform?..."
I'll just stop there.
I think it is safe to say, that we all understand racism and slavery are wrong. But this paragraph just takes such a complex issues as the Civil War and slavery, gives a very basic and undeveloped commentary on it, and puts it in there for almost no reason at all. Not only does it fail to truly understand the whole depth of the Civil War, but fails to understand that there were black people who did support the Confederacy, and that there were black slave owners as well. It was not a black and white issue...literally.
Perhaps the only thing I truly loved consistently about this story, was the setting behind it. This was the first and only time I read a story that dealt with what happens when luggage goes unclaimed and I found it both fun and fascinating.
I admit that Part Three of the story picked up a great deal and Doll managed to develop the friendship a bit and actually imparted some good lessons, such as the idea that, though there are shitty people in this world, most people are good. But, I still don't think it was enough to truly save this story for me, especially after the fustercluck that was that Part Two.
It started off so fun and cute. I thought it would be the perfect light read. But as it went on, I found so many issues with the story and halfway through the book I found myself angry that it wasn't over and then angrier over the unsolicited politcal commentary thrown in. And then you have the third part is what you would expect from a more solid contemporary.
Though I am glad I pushed myself to finish, and ended up getting more out of it than I though I could, I would not recommend this story. Seriously. There are so many contemporaries that are done so much better than this one. Choose those.
This story follows three teens and, through their three different perspectives, we follow them and their experience working at Unclaimed Baggage, a store in small town Alabama that literally sells the contentns of baggage not retrieved at airports. We have Doris, a native of the town who has worked at Unclaimed Baggage for a while and often finds her self suffocated and misunderstood in small town Alabama. A lot more progressive then her family and surrounding townspeople, she finds refuge in the lost items of other people.
Nell has recently been transplanted, unwillingly, from Chicago, and has been hired at Unclaimed Baggage. It doesn't take long before she and Doris become close friends, and Nell starts to hope that she can be happy in her new town.
And then there is Grant, former star of the highschool football team, he has found himself in some trouble. He is battling an addiction and recovering from some poor choices when he is told to take a job at Unclaimed Baggage by his mother, who hopes it will keep him out of trouble
The story follows their friendship and how they bond with one another and overcome life's challenges together.
I admit that I originally DNF'd this book. I had gotten to part that so enraged me, I could not see passed it and had to put it down (more on why in a bit). After a day had passed and I was over the initial rage I felt, I decided that my completionist self would, at the very least, hate-read this until I was done. So, I picked it back up and luckily, I was pleasantly surprised by the last third.
So let's talk about it:
1.) Until the last third of the book, there was almost no point or plot to the story. Jen Doll seemed to have a lot to say about serious issues, like underage drinking, drunk driving, sexual assault and sexism, but these topics were just thrown into a light-hearted contemporary with no real depth to them (again, until the last third), and she did this so often that it was at great sacrifice to the plot and the characters.
2.) On the note of plot, almot the entire second section was completely unnecessary to the story. Doll basically just used it as a way to have the characters spend more time together, but there was no real purpose.
3.) On this same note, I found myself very disconnected to the story and characters as whole, primarily because I had a very hard time distinguishing the voices of Nell and Doris. I constantly confused the two when I was reading their viewpoints as they were fairly underdeveloped and felt a bit bland.
3.) I had a hard time accepting the friend group, because the friendship between the three was almost immediate. That was unrealistic for several reasons. 1. Doris and Grant have somewhat of a history, and not a great one from Doris's perspective. Grant doesn't have the best reputation and has been a previous source of pain for Doris. 2. Grant is dealing with the aftermath of some terrible choices he made, choices that hurt a lot of people and were quite humiliating to Grant himself. Yet, very early on in their friendship, with almost no prodding, he tells this entire tale to these girls, which on its own was unrealistic. But they both just accept this truth with no real qualms, which might be okay except Doris was already wary of Grant to begin with.
4.) I also had a problem with some of the cultural and political commentary that Doll weaves throughout the book. she makes very pointed and critical statements about the South, painting it in a very stereotypical light, casting all the religious conservatives as "wrong" but the progressive characters as "right." which made it seem as though she was including her own political preferences through Nell and Doris, attempting to make them these ultra cool, left-wing feminists whiles failing to note the hypocrisy in some of the statements she made. It was almost as if she was trying so hard to make her points heard, that she found any way to do that.
For example, in that totally uncessary Section 2, the trio is going to the Fourth of July balloon festival and camp out. One morning, Grant and Doris are strolling and they find a deflated hot-air balloon that has come unmoored and caught in some trease. Doris investigates, seeing the letters "PL" on it, and automatically deduces that this was a Planned Parenthood balloon, and starts discussing how people have tried to ban Planned Parenthood in the past...yada, yada.
Seriously? This randomly lost baloon with just the letters "PL" on it, is Planned Parenthood? And then they just so happen to meet the people who lost the balloon at which point Doll takes the opportunity to discuss the importance of PP's mission? Yeah.....that wasn't convenient at all.
Honestly, I don't care what your political views are. You may agree with every statement that Doll makes here, but blatantly throwing it in the plot for no reason, is ridiculous and pushy.
The one that really did it, was this gem on page 249:
"If you're wearing a Civil War uniform, you're still pretending to be someone who fought to keep slavery legal in America. You may not 'mean' to support it, but you are. And how do you think people who aren't white feel when they see that guy in the uniform?..."
I'll just stop there.
I think it is safe to say, that we all understand racism and slavery are wrong. But this paragraph just takes such a complex issues as the Civil War and slavery, gives a very basic and undeveloped commentary on it, and puts it in there for almost no reason at all. Not only does it fail to truly understand the whole depth of the Civil War, but fails to understand that there were black people who did support the Confederacy, and that there were black slave owners as well. It was not a black and white issue...literally.
Perhaps the only thing I truly loved consistently about this story, was the setting behind it. This was the first and only time I read a story that dealt with what happens when luggage goes unclaimed and I found it both fun and fascinating.
I admit that Part Three of the story picked up a great deal and Doll managed to develop the friendship a bit and actually imparted some good lessons, such as the idea that, though there are shitty people in this world, most people are good. But, I still don't think it was enough to truly save this story for me, especially after the fustercluck that was that Part Two.
It started off so fun and cute. I thought it would be the perfect light read. But as it went on, I found so many issues with the story and halfway through the book I found myself angry that it wasn't over and then angrier over the unsolicited politcal commentary thrown in. And then you have the third part is what you would expect from a more solid contemporary.
Though I am glad I pushed myself to finish, and ended up getting more out of it than I though I could, I would not recommend this story. Seriously. There are so many contemporaries that are done so much better than this one. Choose those.
August 24, 2018
4.5 stars. I expected a cute, quirky romcom, but I got SO much more than that. Unclaimed Baggage has a LOT of hidden depth to it, and I really enjoyed it! Full review tk.
October 28, 2018
MY RATING: 3/5 STARS
I was sent an ARC from Raincoast Books Canada in exchange for a honest review.
Let’s take a quick break from the review to talk about how incredibly cute this cover is! I loved it so much and was immediately drawn to it. After reading the synopsis, I was hooked from the start. Unclaimed Baggage tells the story of Doris, an employee of Unclaimed Baggage, a store dedicated to selling luggage that has been lost or forgotten from airlines across the country. She loves her job because it’s the only place she feels like she belongs. When Nell moves into town, they instantly connect as very good friends. Doris doesn’t have much friends but Nell proves to be someone trustworthy and sweet. Nell is then hired by Doris and together they work together sorting luggage in the store. It isn’t until the town’s golden boy, Grant, starts working there do things get shaken up. Grant has a secret. He’s an alcoholic and he can’t seem to stop drinking to relieve the pressure and to forget about his past filled with mistakes. Doris resents Grant for a mysterious reason only revealed towards the end of the novel. The three most unlikely characters build a strong friendship despite different social classes, problems, and discrimination from peers.
I found this novel to be refreshing at first. I love stories involving teens with social issues that are important to readers today. I never read a story before featuring a teenage alcoholic so it was kind of dark to see Grant suffer a lot of the times. However, I found Doris and Nell to be similar to the point that I questioned the author’s writing style. Doris and Nell come with different backstories but from their voices and actions, they might as well be one character. It was especially distracting when it’s told in 3 different perspectives and Doris and Nell are having a conversation. It felt like Doris and Nell were talking to themselves in their respective perspective.
Anyways, the story itself left more to be desired. I wanted more raw emotions from Doris because she went through a traumatizing event but it kind of got glazed over. The overall mood of the book felt too happy for the issues that each person was dealing with. It didn’t make sense.
MY RECOMMENDATION
Pick this up if you’re feeling a light and quirky read!
I was sent an ARC from Raincoast Books Canada in exchange for a honest review.
Let’s take a quick break from the review to talk about how incredibly cute this cover is! I loved it so much and was immediately drawn to it. After reading the synopsis, I was hooked from the start. Unclaimed Baggage tells the story of Doris, an employee of Unclaimed Baggage, a store dedicated to selling luggage that has been lost or forgotten from airlines across the country. She loves her job because it’s the only place she feels like she belongs. When Nell moves into town, they instantly connect as very good friends. Doris doesn’t have much friends but Nell proves to be someone trustworthy and sweet. Nell is then hired by Doris and together they work together sorting luggage in the store. It isn’t until the town’s golden boy, Grant, starts working there do things get shaken up. Grant has a secret. He’s an alcoholic and he can’t seem to stop drinking to relieve the pressure and to forget about his past filled with mistakes. Doris resents Grant for a mysterious reason only revealed towards the end of the novel. The three most unlikely characters build a strong friendship despite different social classes, problems, and discrimination from peers.
I found this novel to be refreshing at first. I love stories involving teens with social issues that are important to readers today. I never read a story before featuring a teenage alcoholic so it was kind of dark to see Grant suffer a lot of the times. However, I found Doris and Nell to be similar to the point that I questioned the author’s writing style. Doris and Nell come with different backstories but from their voices and actions, they might as well be one character. It was especially distracting when it’s told in 3 different perspectives and Doris and Nell are having a conversation. It felt like Doris and Nell were talking to themselves in their respective perspective.
Anyways, the story itself left more to be desired. I wanted more raw emotions from Doris because she went through a traumatizing event but it kind of got glazed over. The overall mood of the book felt too happy for the issues that each person was dealing with. It didn’t make sense.
MY RECOMMENDATION
Pick this up if you’re feeling a light and quirky read!
September 21, 2018
3.5 stars!
September 21, 2018
First of all, thank you so much to Fierce Reads for the book giveaway!! I'm not a big contemporary reader so may not have read this book otherwise if I hadn't won this copy. Well... This has turned out to be one of my top favorites of 2018!! I loved it! And now I want to read more like this, and more by Jen Doll.
Unclaimed Baggage was such a delight to read. I'm totally and completely enamored over Doris, Nell, and Grant, three teens who work at a store that sells the contents of lost, unclaimed baggage. The book was funny, and the characters endearing.
And there were deeper issues that are looked at such as sex assault, alcoholism, and racism. I thought the author handled each of these horrific items well.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a fairly significant book hangover now. Thanks for that, Jen Doll!
Unclaimed Baggage was such a delight to read. I'm totally and completely enamored over Doris, Nell, and Grant, three teens who work at a store that sells the contents of lost, unclaimed baggage. The book was funny, and the characters endearing.
And there were deeper issues that are looked at such as sex assault, alcoholism, and racism. I thought the author handled each of these horrific items well.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a fairly significant book hangover now. Thanks for that, Jen Doll!
Read
September 22, 2018This is an incredibly fun read. I think most of us can relate to feeling like an outsider, and if that's also you, you will love Doris.
All three of them are struggling, though. Nell is in a new town, Grant may well be an alcoholic (those online quizzes indicate yes, but he's not so sure) but either way, his life is falling apart and again, Doris is a liberal in a conservative, religion-is-the-best-thing-except-maybe-football town.
I love stories about friendship and stories where people are very much out of their element but then they adjust and end up loving where they are. This book has both of those elements (also personal growth). It's sweet and laugh out loud funny, but there are also heavy topics. It's a delicate balance but it works very well.
And while you will correctly call a lot of the plot, you'll still very much enjoy the ride. (Also, at least one thing will catch you very off guard.)
Recommended.
All three of them are struggling, though. Nell is in a new town, Grant may well be an alcoholic (those online quizzes indicate yes, but he's not so sure) but either way, his life is falling apart and again, Doris is a liberal in a conservative, religion-is-the-best-thing-except-maybe-football town.
I love stories about friendship and stories where people are very much out of their element but then they adjust and end up loving where they are. This book has both of those elements (also personal growth). It's sweet and laugh out loud funny, but there are also heavy topics. It's a delicate balance but it works very well.
And while you will correctly call a lot of the plot, you'll still very much enjoy the ride. (Also, at least one thing will catch you very off guard.)
Recommended.
October 23, 2018
Thank you Raincoast books for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
ACTUAL: 4.75/5 stars
I absolutely loved this novel! It was different than I expected, but it was a pleasant surprise.
I found the characters refreshing, and the challenges they faced were realistic. Each experienced growth in their own way throughout the story and overcame periods of racism, guilt, and hardship, resulting in a new positive sense of identity.
I was impressed with the variety of characters, and their different points of view shared insight on the emotions they have. They shared an inside perspective to different cultures, stereotypes, and how to handle racism and abuse. It was a bolder story than I expected, and it was executed very well.
The atmosphere at the Unclaimed Baggage store is one of my favourite parts. It was fun, and exciting to see the unique items, and Red was a great boss. It was engaging to hear their ideas of the story behind each item or suitcase they found.
Overall, I really loved it and would recommend it to any contemporary fan.
ACTUAL: 4.75/5 stars
I absolutely loved this novel! It was different than I expected, but it was a pleasant surprise.
I found the characters refreshing, and the challenges they faced were realistic. Each experienced growth in their own way throughout the story and overcame periods of racism, guilt, and hardship, resulting in a new positive sense of identity.
I was impressed with the variety of characters, and their different points of view shared insight on the emotions they have. They shared an inside perspective to different cultures, stereotypes, and how to handle racism and abuse. It was a bolder story than I expected, and it was executed very well.
The atmosphere at the Unclaimed Baggage store is one of my favourite parts. It was fun, and exciting to see the unique items, and Red was a great boss. It was engaging to hear their ideas of the story behind each item or suitcase they found.
Overall, I really loved it and would recommend it to any contemporary fan.
August 11, 2018
This was great! A quiet, heartwarming, and quirky story. I loved the main characters so much and that only grew with every page. I wish there was even more time at the Unclaimed Baggage; the concept of the store was so fun! I loved how some of the luggage-related threads were woven together eventually. The author covered a lot of serious issues while keeping the book lighthearted overall. Highly recommend!!
January 7, 2019
The plot is a bit messy in parts especially towards the end. I feel like there were a lot of topics that were introduced early on (sexual assault, rape culture, racism, alcoholism, stereotypes of Christians being narrow-minded and hateful, homophobia, etc.) and the author felt like she needed to address them all. But it kind of felt like a checklist after awhile.
The beginning chapters were probably the weakest parts of the book for me. Each chapter is a POV of one of the three teens. But the chapters felt like info dumping. The POV is also written in 2nd person. It just felt awkward to me. It was like they were explaining their personality to the reader directly. For example, “My job helps, though, it really does.” Or “That’s the sort of question that can drive you to drink. Two things you shouldn’t do together. Ha. Ha. I know, not funny.” The 2nd person POV gets looser as the story goes on.
This is a fast read and I did enjoy reading it despite its little quirks. The setting of the Unclaimed Baggage store was cute and all the scenes in the store were the funniest moments. I liked how all three characters have such a good time together and end up being genuine friends. I was hoping they would stay platonic because the moments of them all just hanging out were really sweet but a romance does form. Overall, enjoyed it and recommend. Also kudos to the graphic designer for the adorable cover!
The beginning chapters were probably the weakest parts of the book for me. Each chapter is a POV of one of the three teens. But the chapters felt like info dumping. The POV is also written in 2nd person. It just felt awkward to me. It was like they were explaining their personality to the reader directly. For example, “My job helps, though, it really does.” Or “That’s the sort of question that can drive you to drink. Two things you shouldn’t do together. Ha. Ha. I know, not funny.” The 2nd person POV gets looser as the story goes on.
This is a fast read and I did enjoy reading it despite its little quirks. The setting of the Unclaimed Baggage store was cute and all the scenes in the store were the funniest moments. I liked how all three characters have such a good time together and end up being genuine friends. I was hoping they would stay platonic because the moments of them all just hanging out were really sweet but a romance does form. Overall, enjoyed it and recommend. Also kudos to the graphic designer for the adorable cover!
January 17, 2019
Woah was this book a hot mess. Doll seemed solely focused on pushing it as an Issue book featuring every issue under the sun, including racism, assault, overly religious people, and abortion. All of these issues were added in haphazardly and just so Doll could push her own opinions instead of the opinions of her characters and sacrificed plot and character development for the issues' sake.
May 16, 2019
What I have read so far it is one the best book ever.
August 31, 2018
It’s probably humanly impossible to not like a book with fluffy clouds and a little squirrel holding nuts on the cover. So far, I believe this to be 100% true.
‘Unclaimed Baggage’, while having nothing to do with now-endangered and very cute red squirrels, is just as adorable a book on the inside as it is on the outside, and if it’s that cover that draws you in (like it did me), so be it). It’s the goods inside though that will make you stay a while.
The title of the book is the name of the store that brings three new and unlikely friends together in small town Alabama. Doris has been working at Unclaimed Baggage for a while, and takes great pride in her work, unpacking suitcases that have lost their owners somewhere along the way on their journeys around the world, left at airports, unclaimed, unnamed. The contents of the bags are then sold in this unique store, which gets customers from all over the place, and even has an Instagram feed.
Nell is the newcomer, who has been made to move from the Chicago suburbs to this tiny Southern town, away from her boyfriend and BFFs, and at the start of the summer too. Forced to get a summer job by her rocket scientist mom, she fortunately meets Doris at the store.
And to round out the unlikely trio, we have Grant Collins, the hometown (but recently disgraced) football star, struggling with a drinking problem, having recently lost his girlfriend, as well as his way. His mom calls in a favor and gets him a job at the store, which is probably the best thing to ever happen.
Over the course of their summer (but barely a couple of my days) this trio is taken through a bonding experience like no other, and not only do they have infinitely a more exciting summer than I had, these unlikeliest of friends learn some big eye-opening things about the world.
Author Jen Doll is a smart writer, and beneath all the adorable quirkiness, she presents a whole host of issues that teens (and a lot of us, in fact), have dealt and might deal with: sexual assault, alcohol abuse (particularly how it’s accepted in certain groups in high school), grief and loss, racism, a particular brand of which is still especially pervasive in the South, as well as an expectation for everyone to subscribe to the same Christian dogma.
Doll also gives us these wonderful teen characters that challenge these issues in a way that I found, for a change, to be brave instead of obnoxious, to be thoughtful instead of preoccupied, and actually give us cause to be sympathetic to their faults (especially dear Grant).
One key element of this novel, underneath all that quirkiness which I just loved, is relationships, and since this is a contemporary YA novel, it’s worth noting that it isn’t filled with text conversations, and there are also positive family relationships in this book, with the parents actually feeling like real people. I’m finding this is becoming a rarity in my reading lately (is it really so bad to put that out there?). Additionally, the close relationship Doris had with her aunt Stella, who’s passed away, plays a big part in the book; the exploration of Doris’ grief and the influence she had on her, adds depth to this story and her character.
All of this though, is served up with heaps and heaps of Southern fried syrupy goodness and charm, or at least, a furry manatee, and suitcases with their own names. The ‘scenes’ at the store were so wonderful, I wanted more, with all these amazing artifacts and personal belongings from people all over the world ending up on their shelves with the teens wondering their backstories.
I also didn’t even mind the fact that Jen Doll uses the alternating ‘voices’ of Doris, Nell, and Grant, to tell the story, which is a writing device I was becoming tired of lately but in the case of ‘Unclaimed Baggage’, I found it worked well. The book is also divided up into the three months of the summer vacation, to give you a sense of time flow.
However ‘slow’ their (or anyone’s) summer went, I raced through this book. It is funny, quirky, thoughtful, and full of so much heart that I can’t help but love it to pieces.
*I gratefully received this ARC as part of Miss Print's ARC Adoption Program.").
This squirrel is being released into the wild on September 18th, ‘18.
‘Unclaimed Baggage’, while having nothing to do with now-endangered and very cute red squirrels, is just as adorable a book on the inside as it is on the outside, and if it’s that cover that draws you in (like it did me), so be it). It’s the goods inside though that will make you stay a while.
The title of the book is the name of the store that brings three new and unlikely friends together in small town Alabama. Doris has been working at Unclaimed Baggage for a while, and takes great pride in her work, unpacking suitcases that have lost their owners somewhere along the way on their journeys around the world, left at airports, unclaimed, unnamed. The contents of the bags are then sold in this unique store, which gets customers from all over the place, and even has an Instagram feed.
Nell is the newcomer, who has been made to move from the Chicago suburbs to this tiny Southern town, away from her boyfriend and BFFs, and at the start of the summer too. Forced to get a summer job by her rocket scientist mom, she fortunately meets Doris at the store.
And to round out the unlikely trio, we have Grant Collins, the hometown (but recently disgraced) football star, struggling with a drinking problem, having recently lost his girlfriend, as well as his way. His mom calls in a favor and gets him a job at the store, which is probably the best thing to ever happen.
Over the course of their summer (but barely a couple of my days) this trio is taken through a bonding experience like no other, and not only do they have infinitely a more exciting summer than I had, these unlikeliest of friends learn some big eye-opening things about the world.
Author Jen Doll is a smart writer, and beneath all the adorable quirkiness, she presents a whole host of issues that teens (and a lot of us, in fact), have dealt and might deal with: sexual assault, alcohol abuse (particularly how it’s accepted in certain groups in high school), grief and loss, racism, a particular brand of which is still especially pervasive in the South, as well as an expectation for everyone to subscribe to the same Christian dogma.
Doll also gives us these wonderful teen characters that challenge these issues in a way that I found, for a change, to be brave instead of obnoxious, to be thoughtful instead of preoccupied, and actually give us cause to be sympathetic to their faults (especially dear Grant).
One key element of this novel, underneath all that quirkiness which I just loved, is relationships, and since this is a contemporary YA novel, it’s worth noting that it isn’t filled with text conversations, and there are also positive family relationships in this book, with the parents actually feeling like real people. I’m finding this is becoming a rarity in my reading lately (is it really so bad to put that out there?). Additionally, the close relationship Doris had with her aunt Stella, who’s passed away, plays a big part in the book; the exploration of Doris’ grief and the influence she had on her, adds depth to this story and her character.
All of this though, is served up with heaps and heaps of Southern fried syrupy goodness and charm, or at least, a furry manatee, and suitcases with their own names. The ‘scenes’ at the store were so wonderful, I wanted more, with all these amazing artifacts and personal belongings from people all over the world ending up on their shelves with the teens wondering their backstories.
I also didn’t even mind the fact that Jen Doll uses the alternating ‘voices’ of Doris, Nell, and Grant, to tell the story, which is a writing device I was becoming tired of lately but in the case of ‘Unclaimed Baggage’, I found it worked well. The book is also divided up into the three months of the summer vacation, to give you a sense of time flow.
However ‘slow’ their (or anyone’s) summer went, I raced through this book. It is funny, quirky, thoughtful, and full of so much heart that I can’t help but love it to pieces.
*I gratefully received this ARC as part of Miss Print's ARC Adoption Program.").
This squirrel is being released into the wild on September 18th, ‘18.
August 25, 2018
Rating: 3.5 Stars
I am going to start by saying, that I love the concept behind this book. Three teens, who are trying to find how they fit in this world are brought together, and a wonderful and unlikely friendship forms. I was totally onboard with the underlying concept of this book.
I wanted to run for president of the Doris fan club from chapter 1. I loved her voice and her quest to be a connector. It was very beautiful and altruistic, and I thought it was wonderful, that she wouldn't let setbacks keep her from being true to herself and doing the right thing.
I was a fan of the friendship, which developed quickly between Nell and Doris. Being the lone liberal in a conservative town cannot be easy, and it was great that the universe brought a "yankee" into Doris' world.
Shortly thereafter, Grant joined the group. Doris had a past with Grant, and it was not a good one. However, because Doris' goal was to be a "connector", she showed him grace and welcomed Grant into her small circle. Thank goodness she did, because Grant's life was in turmoil. I really appreciated the way Doll handled Grant's addiction. We saw how it affected him and those around him, and I liked that she did not shy away from the ugliness of it.
Though Doris was struggling with past pain and losses, it was Grant's situation, which really broke my heart. His confusion, denial, and guilt made me want to give him a hug. I was so proud of any progress he made, and utterly downtrodden when he failed, but I never stopped rooting for him.
The store was such a source of fascination for me. I looked forward to getting in new shipments, and sorting through people's lost things. The process was fun, and there was even a little mystery suitcase. This suitcase had a few highlights, which I thought were fairly brilliant in the way they tied into our characters' struggles. But what really, really delighted me, was the backstory of the bag, and it's connection to Doris. I love when authors do that sort of thing.
Yes, I liked many, many things about this book, but I did feel like the author was a bit heavy handed at times. I understood that Doris was the lonely liberal, and I did appreciate that Doll tried to point out that not all southerns or christians are bad, but she turned what was initially a really light hearted and amusing story into something much more dramatic. There was also one liberal darling that seemed forced into the story, when it was initially introduced, whereas many of the others worked more organically with the story.
I will commend Doll on deftly combining the three POVs, and delivering an entertaining story, which had a lot of depth and was packed with some fantastic characters.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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I am going to start by saying, that I love the concept behind this book. Three teens, who are trying to find how they fit in this world are brought together, and a wonderful and unlikely friendship forms. I was totally onboard with the underlying concept of this book.
I wanted to run for president of the Doris fan club from chapter 1. I loved her voice and her quest to be a connector. It was very beautiful and altruistic, and I thought it was wonderful, that she wouldn't let setbacks keep her from being true to herself and doing the right thing.
I was a fan of the friendship, which developed quickly between Nell and Doris. Being the lone liberal in a conservative town cannot be easy, and it was great that the universe brought a "yankee" into Doris' world.
Shortly thereafter, Grant joined the group. Doris had a past with Grant, and it was not a good one. However, because Doris' goal was to be a "connector", she showed him grace and welcomed Grant into her small circle. Thank goodness she did, because Grant's life was in turmoil. I really appreciated the way Doll handled Grant's addiction. We saw how it affected him and those around him, and I liked that she did not shy away from the ugliness of it.
Though Doris was struggling with past pain and losses, it was Grant's situation, which really broke my heart. His confusion, denial, and guilt made me want to give him a hug. I was so proud of any progress he made, and utterly downtrodden when he failed, but I never stopped rooting for him.
The store was such a source of fascination for me. I looked forward to getting in new shipments, and sorting through people's lost things. The process was fun, and there was even a little mystery suitcase. This suitcase had a few highlights, which I thought were fairly brilliant in the way they tied into our characters' struggles. But what really, really delighted me, was the backstory of the bag, and it's connection to Doris. I love when authors do that sort of thing.
Yes, I liked many, many things about this book, but I did feel like the author was a bit heavy handed at times. I understood that Doris was the lonely liberal, and I did appreciate that Doll tried to point out that not all southerns or christians are bad, but she turned what was initially a really light hearted and amusing story into something much more dramatic. There was also one liberal darling that seemed forced into the story, when it was initially introduced, whereas many of the others worked more organically with the story.
I will commend Doll on deftly combining the three POVs, and delivering an entertaining story, which had a lot of depth and was packed with some fantastic characters.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
March 26, 2019
The genre of YA has a problem -- authors feel the need to throw everything at a book in order to appease the power readers on Goodreads and Twitter. I think this was an almost perfect novel by Jen Doll that fails when it attempts to address racism, bullying, body image, long distance love, alcoholism, religious prejudice, AND living in the South. Honestly, I think the author either needed to make the book longer (which I would have loved) or cut out one or two issues.
But with that one criticism aside, I really did like this book. The characters interacted with their families (one of my favorite things in YA literature) and the premise was interesting. I wish more was done with the lost piece of luggage, but I appreciated the subplot. And I would definitely recommend this to young people at the library for an entertaining look into living in Alabama.
But with that one criticism aside, I really did like this book. The characters interacted with their families (one of my favorite things in YA literature) and the premise was interesting. I wish more was done with the lost piece of luggage, but I appreciated the subplot. And I would definitely recommend this to young people at the library for an entertaining look into living in Alabama.
October 22, 2018
This book really spoke to me! I grew up in the south often feeling out of place, and I just loved these quirky gals who aren't afraid to be different. Anyone who was a teenager can appreciate this delightful novel, though!
July 11, 2019
Definitely one of my favorite books of the summer!!! Loved every character. They are each crafted with depth and love. I am so grateful for this direction in YA lit.
November 18, 2018
A great story about losing and finding about three friends (teenagers) who work at a store for lost luggage in Alabama. Sweat, honest, a little awkward, like being young. Like life.
I couldn't put this book down. Now I am dying for a sequel, a movie about, a tv series. Anything. Just give me more of these characters and this world.
I couldn't put this book down. Now I am dying for a sequel, a movie about, a tv series. Anything. Just give me more of these characters and this world.
February 11, 2019
A fun book about friendship told from the points of view of three very different teens in a small Alabama town.
My review: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/20...
My review: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/20...
October 23, 2018
Bah. What a waste of time. I skimmed the last third of the book because it was. So. Boring. I’m over this reading month. Give me something good!!!
July 31, 2019
My disappointment in this book is papable. There was SO much potential with the provided character depth and the quirky set-up but it all fell flat. Nell and Doris in particular blended into one voice by the middle of the book to the point where I had to continually double check whose chapter I was reading to keep them in order. Grant had the only life in the book but even then he was sort of kicked to the side to make way for Doris's social issues speeches and Nell who didn't really do much or develop at all. Doris also had a "I'm not like other girls" complex that never got resolved and annoyed me to no end because she also never was ever in the wrong ever.
This is a good read if you enjoy Jen Wilde's works and can ignore the stiff and inaccurate dialogue that doesn't quite fit the age bracket it represents. The seven year old talks like he's five or fifteen and the teens tend to speak like they're an English professor during their longer monologues. I also can see how someone would enjoy this novel with the variety of characters and the comforting themes of friendship so it's not completely irredeemable but I personally did not enjoy it.
This is a good read if you enjoy Jen Wilde's works and can ignore the stiff and inaccurate dialogue that doesn't quite fit the age bracket it represents. The seven year old talks like he's five or fifteen and the teens tend to speak like they're an English professor during their longer monologues. I also can see how someone would enjoy this novel with the variety of characters and the comforting themes of friendship so it's not completely irredeemable but I personally did not enjoy it.
February 16, 2019
unclaimed baggage is told in three perspectives - nell, doris, grant. three teens who seem lost but have found each other.
out of the three, i really like grant. his character has a lot going on. even though the book is an easy read, the things that grant is going through is hard to swallow. his character had the most development. and while there weren't a lot of glimpses and strong impressions of the old grant, it was not hard to imagine how he was.
i enjoyed doris too. she's a strong character. she will fight for what she thinks is right, and she does it in smart way. she doesn't have much going on about her life, except for the mystery of her aunt stella.
nell is something i haven't quite figured out. her family is new to the town. i think her struggle is that her mom doesn't like her boyfriend, and that maybe she'll fall out of love with him because of the long distance.
i like the different dramas going on with each character. while some plot seem childish, it's important to note that these are teenagers having teen problems and therefore should not be viewed in a complete adult lens or be dismissed as childish. they're all growing teens who'll realize their own immaturity, so let them be.
i adore the friendship between the three. the friendship might have developed quickly because of southern hospitality (they're from the south right?). as someone who's from a country known for their hospitality, i think the way their friendship developed is natural and realistic.
i can relate to grant and doris growing up in the church. i too have gone to youth camps, etc. thank goodness i hadn't experienced what doris had experienced, but the gossiping and scolding by church elders who think they know better is relatable. you either develop trust issues, or you grow up too trusting.
there's hint of romance but it's not a romance book. it's about friendship.
out of the three, i really like grant. his character has a lot going on. even though the book is an easy read, the things that grant is going through is hard to swallow. his character had the most development. and while there weren't a lot of glimpses and strong impressions of the old grant, it was not hard to imagine how he was.
i enjoyed doris too. she's a strong character. she will fight for what she thinks is right, and she does it in smart way. she doesn't have much going on about her life, except for the mystery of her aunt stella.
nell is something i haven't quite figured out. her family is new to the town. i think her struggle is that her mom doesn't like her boyfriend, and that maybe she'll fall out of love with him because of the long distance.
i like the different dramas going on with each character. while some plot seem childish, it's important to note that these are teenagers having teen problems and therefore should not be viewed in a complete adult lens or be dismissed as childish. they're all growing teens who'll realize their own immaturity, so let them be.
i adore the friendship between the three. the friendship might have developed quickly because of southern hospitality (they're from the south right?). as someone who's from a country known for their hospitality, i think the way their friendship developed is natural and realistic.
i can relate to grant and doris growing up in the church. i too have gone to youth camps, etc. thank goodness i hadn't experienced what doris had experienced, but the gossiping and scolding by church elders who think they know better is relatable. you either develop trust issues, or you grow up too trusting.
there's hint of romance but it's not a romance book. it's about friendship.
February 9, 2019
This book was very cute, I would recommend to fans of Jennifer Mathieu's Moxie, and To All the Boys I've Loved Before.
I loved the focus on the support of good friendship in this book, and loved that they were misfits in their small southern town. Coming from the South myself and knowing people who are from even more southern places than myself, I feel it is important for those "Southern misfits" to see themselves in books. I liked that Doll was also able to discuss difficult and serious topics like racism and alcoholism without losing the lightness of the book.
I found the friendship at the beginning to start pretty quickly and without much substance behind it. It was kind of strange. Don't get me wrong, I love weird friendships, but Doris and Nell didn't seem to have any conversations that realistically made me think they would want to be friends. I think that Doll just wanted their friendship to go ahead and start so that she could get on with the rest of the plot. I also thought that her making Aunt Stella into a martyr by her death saving two children (NOT a spoiler, this is explained in the first couple pages and happened before the book starts) was a bit too much. Stella's memory would still have meant a lot had she died in a more realistic manner.
Overall I adored the friendship between Doris, Nell, and Grant, and how the three of them develop over their summer working in Unclaimed Baggage. It gave me nostalgia for the friendships I made at summer jobs when I was a teen.
I loved the focus on the support of good friendship in this book, and loved that they were misfits in their small southern town. Coming from the South myself and knowing people who are from even more southern places than myself, I feel it is important for those "Southern misfits" to see themselves in books. I liked that Doll was also able to discuss difficult and serious topics like racism and alcoholism without losing the lightness of the book.
I found the friendship at the beginning to start pretty quickly and without much substance behind it. It was kind of strange. Don't get me wrong, I love weird friendships, but Doris and Nell didn't seem to have any conversations that realistically made me think they would want to be friends. I think that Doll just wanted their friendship to go ahead and start so that she could get on with the rest of the plot. I also thought that her making Aunt Stella into a martyr by her death saving two children (NOT a spoiler, this is explained in the first couple pages and happened before the book starts) was a bit too much. Stella's memory would still have meant a lot had she died in a more realistic manner.
Overall I adored the friendship between Doris, Nell, and Grant, and how the three of them develop over their summer working in Unclaimed Baggage. It gave me nostalgia for the friendships I made at summer jobs when I was a teen.
January 25, 2019
I got an early copy of this book through a Twitter trade.
What first drew me to the book was the unique, but somewhat similar plot: 3 different teens (each with different and slight dramas in their own lives) meet at a job at a store for Unclaimed Baggage (hence the name of the store and the book). Nell's the new girl in town from Chicago with a black boyfriend back home; Doris is the non-church goer that some of the town views as the social outcast; and Grant is the alcoholic football player who recently broke up with his girlfriend.
Each character, even the supporting characters, were unique and interesting. Just like the 3 teens, I despised Mrs. Stokes (won't reveal why). I did love how it wasn't just one character telling their point of view for the entire book, but all of them. We got to see things from Grant's, Nell's, and Doris's views.
My favorite of the teens would have to be Nell. She was new to town, just like the reader, and I enjoyed seeing the town and other events from her view.
Also, I enjoyed the pace of the story. It didn't feel too short or too long. The ending nicely wrapped up the summer.
There's not a lot of romance in the book (I read a lot of YA contemporary romance type books), but it was a good story about new and building friendships. A good one for teens to read.
What first drew me to the book was the unique, but somewhat similar plot: 3 different teens (each with different and slight dramas in their own lives) meet at a job at a store for Unclaimed Baggage (hence the name of the store and the book). Nell's the new girl in town from Chicago with a black boyfriend back home; Doris is the non-church goer that some of the town views as the social outcast; and Grant is the alcoholic football player who recently broke up with his girlfriend.
Each character, even the supporting characters, were unique and interesting. Just like the 3 teens, I despised Mrs. Stokes (won't reveal why). I did love how it wasn't just one character telling their point of view for the entire book, but all of them. We got to see things from Grant's, Nell's, and Doris's views.
My favorite of the teens would have to be Nell. She was new to town, just like the reader, and I enjoyed seeing the town and other events from her view.
Also, I enjoyed the pace of the story. It didn't feel too short or too long. The ending nicely wrapped up the summer.
There's not a lot of romance in the book (I read a lot of YA contemporary romance type books), but it was a good story about new and building friendships. A good one for teens to read.
February 8, 2019
This is the story of Doris, a young woman that has worked at a store that buys unclaimed baggage and sells the items inside and the suitcases, and grieving the loss of her aunt, whom she had a strong bond with. Grant, a young man that is the town's football star, but is dealing with his own demons. Nell, a young woman that just moved to the small Alabama town that Doris and Grant live, she is missing her boyfriend back in Chicago, but trying to make her way in her new town.
This was an utterly lovely book. It had some hard edges that each of the characters dealt with, but mostly it was about good people trying to good things. It was a story about forming friendships and how people make an impact (good and bad) in our lives. I enjoyed escaping into the story of each of the teens and kicking around town with them.
I lived for moments in the story that we got to learn about other people that worked at Unclaimed Baggage. I loved each of them dearly and would love a book centered around any of them.
This was an utterly lovely book. It had some hard edges that each of the characters dealt with, but mostly it was about good people trying to good things. It was a story about forming friendships and how people make an impact (good and bad) in our lives. I enjoyed escaping into the story of each of the teens and kicking around town with them.
I lived for moments in the story that we got to learn about other people that worked at Unclaimed Baggage. I loved each of them dearly and would love a book centered around any of them.
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