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Miłość i inne rośliny mięsożerne
Danny i Sara od zawsze snuły wspólnie plany na przyszłość. Jednego były pewne: jakkolwiek potoczą się ich losy, na zawsze pozostaną najlepszymi przyjaciółkami. Ale gdy Danny wyjeżdża na studia, przyjaciółki zaczynają się od siebie oddalać. Danny nie potrafi się przyznać Sarze, że zamiast błyszczeć na uczelni jako najlepsza studentka, trafiła do ośrodka leczenia zaburzeń odżywiania, ani że poznała tam kogoś, kto być może jest miłością jej życia. Kiedy niewyobrażalna tragedia rozdziela przyjaciółki na zawsze, Danny pogrąża się coraz głębiej w autodestruktywnym marazmie. Czy uda jej się otrząsnąć i odnaleźć w sobie siłę, by być nade wszystko sobą?
344 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
January 2, 2019
This book features a character so self-destructive that she might as well come with a Danger! Object may combust under extreme stress sticker. Or in other words, it was everything about myself I try to not dwell on. Danny? She dwells. She makes stupid decisions, thinks the worst things, and is an all-around mess. But I think that’s what made her so real.
Mental illness makes you think - no, dwell - on the worst parts of yourself. And Danny reflects that. This is a book about a girl who tries to escape her thoughts but ultimately realizes that she can’t. She’s stuck with who she is, and it’s not exactly what she wants, but it’s all she’s got. And the thing is: she still has the opportunity to choose to be the best version of herself.
The last line, paraphrased, is something like “they don’t know where they’re going, but they end up where they needed to be anyway.” And I think that’s a perfect summary of the book.
"Danny? Look at me.”
“Yes?”
She pauses and I try to hold her gaze. The problem is that looking at her is like looking into a megawatt light-bulb; I’m just so human and she’s just so bright.
I don’t really know what else to say about it, because it’s definitely an experience to read this book. But the love subplot was SO GOOD. I swear, it was the first time I read a sex scene and didn’t feel the urge to cringe on some level. It was exactly what it needed it to be. Both girls were clinging to each other at one point in the book, and they realize later that they had to let go. And then they found their ways back to each other, because like all things managing to stay afloat in the Great Ocean of Life, you can’t stray very far from the ones who you need to survive.
It’s only after, when your sweat is drying and you’re regaining the feeling in your toes that you realize you’re some sort of miracle. What else do you call going to pieces without falling apart?
I’ve seen reviews calling the love interest a “manic pixie dream girl” and I see where they’re coming from, but I don’t think it’s true at all. I think she was someone struggling, and she found solace in Danny. She found someone who understands, on some level, the need to escape from her struggles. They talk about running away to Paris because that’s what teenagers do.
When I have a fight with my parents, I tell my bestfriend that I’d give anything to be in Paris with her, having the freedom to choose what I wanted in life. I don’t think it makes someone a manic dream girl if all they want is the freedom to get away from the things that are suffocating them for a while. Because, god, we all deserve that feeling, you know?
”I think, besides my gravestone reading ‘tried and failed to lose the same twenty-five pounds,’ my greatest fear is that when we die there’s nothing, not even a hole to suggest we might have once conducted a mediocre life here. Isn’t that why people try to write epic novels and compose famous symphonies and build monuments and put human debris on the moon? To avoid oblivion?”
Wow, so I thought I didn’t have a lot to say about this book but I apparently do. So here, have these words. I’m going to type up the quotes that I loved a lot - and treasure the poem this book gave me forever. I don’t know how I went this long without knowing about “Wild Geese,” because it is everything.
So thank you, Florence Gonsalves, for that.
'"Look, I’m sorry that I’m not as strong-stomached as the rest of you. I’m sorry the second that bad shit happens I lock myself in my inner closet and don’t come out. I need to do this my way, and I’m sorry if that offends you, and even though I could probably try a little harder to do things your way, I like who I am and I like doing things my way.”
It’s probably a stretch to say I like who I am, but maybe if I say it enough times, it’ll be true.’
Mental illness makes you think - no, dwell - on the worst parts of yourself. And Danny reflects that. This is a book about a girl who tries to escape her thoughts but ultimately realizes that she can’t. She’s stuck with who she is, and it’s not exactly what she wants, but it’s all she’s got. And the thing is: she still has the opportunity to choose to be the best version of herself.
The last line, paraphrased, is something like “they don’t know where they’re going, but they end up where they needed to be anyway.” And I think that’s a perfect summary of the book.
"Danny? Look at me.”
“Yes?”
She pauses and I try to hold her gaze. The problem is that looking at her is like looking into a megawatt light-bulb; I’m just so human and she’s just so bright.
I don’t really know what else to say about it, because it’s definitely an experience to read this book. But the love subplot was SO GOOD. I swear, it was the first time I read a sex scene and didn’t feel the urge to cringe on some level. It was exactly what it needed it to be. Both girls were clinging to each other at one point in the book, and they realize later that they had to let go. And then they found their ways back to each other, because like all things managing to stay afloat in the Great Ocean of Life, you can’t stray very far from the ones who you need to survive.
It’s only after, when your sweat is drying and you’re regaining the feeling in your toes that you realize you’re some sort of miracle. What else do you call going to pieces without falling apart?
I’ve seen reviews calling the love interest a “manic pixie dream girl” and I see where they’re coming from, but I don’t think it’s true at all. I think she was someone struggling, and she found solace in Danny. She found someone who understands, on some level, the need to escape from her struggles. They talk about running away to Paris because that’s what teenagers do.
When I have a fight with my parents, I tell my bestfriend that I’d give anything to be in Paris with her, having the freedom to choose what I wanted in life. I don’t think it makes someone a manic dream girl if all they want is the freedom to get away from the things that are suffocating them for a while. Because, god, we all deserve that feeling, you know?
”I think, besides my gravestone reading ‘tried and failed to lose the same twenty-five pounds,’ my greatest fear is that when we die there’s nothing, not even a hole to suggest we might have once conducted a mediocre life here. Isn’t that why people try to write epic novels and compose famous symphonies and build monuments and put human debris on the moon? To avoid oblivion?”
Wow, so I thought I didn’t have a lot to say about this book but I apparently do. So here, have these words. I’m going to type up the quotes that I loved a lot - and treasure the poem this book gave me forever. I don’t know how I went this long without knowing about “Wild Geese,” because it is everything.
So thank you, Florence Gonsalves, for that.
'"Look, I’m sorry that I’m not as strong-stomached as the rest of you. I’m sorry the second that bad shit happens I lock myself in my inner closet and don’t come out. I need to do this my way, and I’m sorry if that offends you, and even though I could probably try a little harder to do things your way, I like who I am and I like doing things my way.”
It’s probably a stretch to say I like who I am, but maybe if I say it enough times, it’ll be true.’
August 14, 2018
I’m so surprised with this novel! I picked LOVE & OTHER CARNIVOROUS PLANTS up on a whim, and I just finished reading this in one sitting. I’m definitely adding Florence Gonsalves to my auto-buy authors.
This novel follows Danny, who is a college student at Harvard but is struggling with an eating disorder, body image, her sexuality, and the recent death of a close friend. The plot was very fast-paced and I whipped through the pages faster than I thought was possible. Danny was so authentic and genuine, and I loved reading through her perspective.
While this novel covers several different themes and topics, such as bisexuality, grief, alcohol abuse, LBGTQ+, grief, and mental health, Gonsalves does a wonderful job depicting the ways that one can find help and support. I feel like the author was fantastic in being honest and authentic with these various issues in modern society.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I highly, highly recommend this book for all readers. Danny will resonate with readers everywhere in the way she depicts common issues that many people go through. Be sure to pick this one as soon as you can!
Thank you to the Novl for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This novel follows Danny, who is a college student at Harvard but is struggling with an eating disorder, body image, her sexuality, and the recent death of a close friend. The plot was very fast-paced and I whipped through the pages faster than I thought was possible. Danny was so authentic and genuine, and I loved reading through her perspective.
While this novel covers several different themes and topics, such as bisexuality, grief, alcohol abuse, LBGTQ+, grief, and mental health, Gonsalves does a wonderful job depicting the ways that one can find help and support. I feel like the author was fantastic in being honest and authentic with these various issues in modern society.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I highly, highly recommend this book for all readers. Danny will resonate with readers everywhere in the way she depicts common issues that many people go through. Be sure to pick this one as soon as you can!
Thank you to the Novl for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2018
3.5 STARS
Oh gosh, I have such mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, there's a lot to like. The prose is beautiful, which is especially refreshing in a YA novel, as I often find that the writing in the genre ditches quality sentences in favor of what a lot of authors must see as "voice." Gonsalves sees no need to compromise though; the prose is crystalline and occasionally lyrical, and yet LOVE's protagonist, Danny, sounds exactly like a nineteen-year old. Her voice is pitch-perfect, and she wonderfully demonstrates that weird combination of self-confidence, utter insecurity, idealism, cynicism, and irony native to late-adolescence.
I also found the ending to be enormously satisfying. Without giving too much away, Gonsalves has so much to say, and makes sure that the urgency behind the book doesn't get lost in the romance that drives the plot. Suffice it to say that this is a coming-of-age novel in the truest sense of the phrase.
But also, there's plenty that didn't work here. Whereas Danny's internal voice was dead-on accurate, the dialogue of just about all the characters here fell flat for me, which is frustrating because Gonsalves clearly has such a keen ear. The people in the book, when they speak to each other, just don't sound very much like people. And then there's Danny's love interest, Bugg, who felt a little under-developed to me and too much like the notorious "manic pixie dream girl." And while the book is carefully written--there's seemingly no throwaway image, no scene without some kind of attempt at urgency and poignancy--a few of the metaphors feel super heavy-handed. About halfway through the book, there's a literal bird trapped in a glass box.
So it's a promising debut, but by no means flawless. I'll be intrigued to see what Gonsalves does next.
Oh gosh, I have such mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, there's a lot to like. The prose is beautiful, which is especially refreshing in a YA novel, as I often find that the writing in the genre ditches quality sentences in favor of what a lot of authors must see as "voice." Gonsalves sees no need to compromise though; the prose is crystalline and occasionally lyrical, and yet LOVE's protagonist, Danny, sounds exactly like a nineteen-year old. Her voice is pitch-perfect, and she wonderfully demonstrates that weird combination of self-confidence, utter insecurity, idealism, cynicism, and irony native to late-adolescence.
I also found the ending to be enormously satisfying. Without giving too much away, Gonsalves has so much to say, and makes sure that the urgency behind the book doesn't get lost in the romance that drives the plot. Suffice it to say that this is a coming-of-age novel in the truest sense of the phrase.
But also, there's plenty that didn't work here. Whereas Danny's internal voice was dead-on accurate, the dialogue of just about all the characters here fell flat for me, which is frustrating because Gonsalves clearly has such a keen ear. The people in the book, when they speak to each other, just don't sound very much like people. And then there's Danny's love interest, Bugg, who felt a little under-developed to me and too much like the notorious "manic pixie dream girl." And while the book is carefully written--there's seemingly no throwaway image, no scene without some kind of attempt at urgency and poignancy--a few of the metaphors feel super heavy-handed. About halfway through the book, there's a literal bird trapped in a glass box.
So it's a promising debut, but by no means flawless. I'll be intrigued to see what Gonsalves does next.
July 29, 2019
Ok so first of all: trigger warnings for this book for fatphobia and an eating disorder (I know it's in the synopsis, but it should be a warning before going into this book, too).
I had... so many issues with this book. I know there's an author's note at the end where the author explains that she recognizes her main character isn't "exemplary" and engages in unhealthy coping mechanisms, but I personally don't think addressing the problems with some of the character's habits in a letter at the end as opposed to within the story itself is sufficient.
Like this interaction between the MC and the love interest (warning for fatphobia ahead):
""Is that you?"
"Sure is. Right before my parents made me go to fat camp."
"I wish my parents would send me to fat camp."
Bugg plants her feet on the ground and says sharply, "You think you have it hard, but there are people in the world who are more than ten pounds overweight. Having been one of those people, it sucks when you complain about being fat when you're not.""
They then go on to agree that it "obviously" isn't a "moral failing" not to be a size six and that "people should mind their own business about other people's bodies"... but why are they both immediately associating being fat with "having it hard"? And really? The most they can agree on is that it isn't a moral failing to not be what they think is the "right" size? Yeah, not judging people for the choices they make is a first step, but the fact that neither of them can fathom a situation in which someone that's fat is happy or accepted sends a potentially harmful message to readers, especially since it was an outlook that was never addressed anywhere else in the story itself.
Issue #2: The main character is HORRIBLE to the people around her. Even when she's more or less healthy at the beginning of the book. She's overly sarcastic and intentionally insulting/condescending to virtually everyone in her life. I kept waiting for her to soften & have an emotional scene with anyone, but the conversation always ended in her yelling the most hurtful things she could think of. She doesn't change or develop at all in the story; no one calls her out and she never sees an issue with how she treats other people.
Issue #3: I get a book centering heavily on one character, but that doesn't mean the other characters should be two dimensional or used simply as plot devices. I don't want to go too far into this because of spoilers, but NONE of the side characters felt fleshed out or complex.
Ok, I think that's it. I can appreciate and respect a book that attempts to start a dialogue and spark discussion, but if you're going to do that... you need to actually engage in those discussions within the story. It's not enough to portray a character with a dangerous mental illness and never really show her realization that her habits are unhealthy or having any meaningful discussions with anyone in her life.
I had... so many issues with this book. I know there's an author's note at the end where the author explains that she recognizes her main character isn't "exemplary" and engages in unhealthy coping mechanisms, but I personally don't think addressing the problems with some of the character's habits in a letter at the end as opposed to within the story itself is sufficient.
Like this interaction between the MC and the love interest (warning for fatphobia ahead):
""Is that you?"
"Sure is. Right before my parents made me go to fat camp."
"I wish my parents would send me to fat camp."
Bugg plants her feet on the ground and says sharply, "You think you have it hard, but there are people in the world who are more than ten pounds overweight. Having been one of those people, it sucks when you complain about being fat when you're not.""
They then go on to agree that it "obviously" isn't a "moral failing" not to be a size six and that "people should mind their own business about other people's bodies"... but why are they both immediately associating being fat with "having it hard"? And really? The most they can agree on is that it isn't a moral failing to not be what they think is the "right" size? Yeah, not judging people for the choices they make is a first step, but the fact that neither of them can fathom a situation in which someone that's fat is happy or accepted sends a potentially harmful message to readers, especially since it was an outlook that was never addressed anywhere else in the story itself.
Issue #2: The main character is HORRIBLE to the people around her. Even when she's more or less healthy at the beginning of the book. She's overly sarcastic and intentionally insulting/condescending to virtually everyone in her life. I kept waiting for her to soften & have an emotional scene with anyone, but the conversation always ended in her yelling the most hurtful things she could think of. She doesn't change or develop at all in the story; no one calls her out and she never sees an issue with how she treats other people.
Issue #3: I get a book centering heavily on one character, but that doesn't mean the other characters should be two dimensional or used simply as plot devices. I don't want to go too far into this because of spoilers, but NONE of the side characters felt fleshed out or complex.
Ok, I think that's it. I can appreciate and respect a book that attempts to start a dialogue and spark discussion, but if you're going to do that... you need to actually engage in those discussions within the story. It's not enough to portray a character with a dangerous mental illness and never really show her realization that her habits are unhealthy or having any meaningful discussions with anyone in her life.
April 19, 2020
I tried really hard to like this book. It deals with some hard stuff and I figured that even if it wasn't pretty, it was worth reading. But good god, the characters are far too unlikable. Not a single one of them makes you like them, hell even sympathise with them or hate them. They're not characters, they're just damn empty.
And the realtionship that we're supposed to take as romantic is so toxic. They enable each others illnesses and are just not good for each other, outside of a few moments. In the, it feels like the main character, doesn't evolve in any meangiful way. It's like nothing even happened, not even the losses of friends that happened. It's just not for me at all, I guess.
And the realtionship that we're supposed to take as romantic is so toxic. They enable each others illnesses and are just not good for each other, outside of a few moments. In the, it feels like the main character, doesn't evolve in any meangiful way. It's like nothing even happened, not even the losses of friends that happened. It's just not for me at all, I guess.
Read
March 19, 2018Think
American Panda
meets
Paperweight
, which sounds really great except it felt like I'd already read this, because I wouldn't say it does a ton on top of those things. (Especially because although she's in college, she's never in that setting for any portion of the book, so it differentiates itself even less from
Paperweight
.)
From a queer perspective, I really liked this; I know readers will dislike Danny's refusal to self-label, and the author knows it, too, because there's an author's note that pre-emptively addresses what a lot of criticism of this book and its main character is gonna be. (More on that below.) But over and over again it's made clear that Danny's still questioning things, that maybe she's somewhere on the ace spectrum (no such words are used, but she says things repeatedly about not being sexual, and it's never clear to the reader or to her whether it's Bugg or girls that are the exception), and I thought it was nicely done and very believable for Danny.
On the subject of that author's note...I did not love its inclusion. She's not wrong that people are going to hate the lack of labeling, or the main character eschewing medication for mental illness (content warning there - this is another of those "I hate the way it makes me feel" books that just leaves it at that), but those are the choices you make as an author and leave to the reader to react to. This feels like a "Can't criticize me because I explained!" move, vs. an author's note like in If I Was Your GirlIf I Was Your Girl, where the author's note genuinely felt in service of readers. And that's an easy way out, which, honestly, I felt like the book's ending was too. Not an easy way out for Danny, per se, but an easy way out for the author. It's hard to discuss without spoiling it, but it felt to me as if it was telling me Danny had had some sort of character arc that I just wasn't seeing.
None of this is to say I think it's a bad book, and I'm sure there are readers who will find themselves in it; I just don't know that they'll feel good about that by the time they finish.
Cw: Heavy eating disorder themes and depictions, mentions of suicide, above note re: mental illness meds
From a queer perspective, I really liked this; I know readers will dislike Danny's refusal to self-label, and the author knows it, too, because there's an author's note that pre-emptively addresses what a lot of criticism of this book and its main character is gonna be. (More on that below.) But over and over again it's made clear that Danny's still questioning things, that maybe she's somewhere on the ace spectrum (no such words are used, but she says things repeatedly about not being sexual, and it's never clear to the reader or to her whether it's Bugg or girls that are the exception), and I thought it was nicely done and very believable for Danny.
On the subject of that author's note...I did not love its inclusion. She's not wrong that people are going to hate the lack of labeling, or the main character eschewing medication for mental illness (content warning there - this is another of those "I hate the way it makes me feel" books that just leaves it at that), but those are the choices you make as an author and leave to the reader to react to. This feels like a "Can't criticize me because I explained!" move, vs. an author's note like in If I Was Your GirlIf I Was Your Girl, where the author's note genuinely felt in service of readers. And that's an easy way out, which, honestly, I felt like the book's ending was too. Not an easy way out for Danny, per se, but an easy way out for the author. It's hard to discuss without spoiling it, but it felt to me as if it was telling me Danny had had some sort of character arc that I just wasn't seeing.
None of this is to say I think it's a bad book, and I'm sure there are readers who will find themselves in it; I just don't know that they'll feel good about that by the time they finish.
Cw: Heavy eating disorder themes and depictions, mentions of suicide, above note re: mental illness meds
July 21, 2018
Danny returns from an eating disorder clinic, reluctant to tell her BFF Sara the real reason she was MIA for two months. Danny’s life slowly spins back out of control, despite possibly falling in love.
Finding empathy for Danny, short for Dandelion, was difficult for me. She didn’t realize she was steeped in privilege from loving, though imperfect, parents, her parents paying for Harvard, having the financial resources to spend two months in a treatment center etc. Her dishonesty with everyone, including herself made her unlikable. She stopped taking meds and lies to her therapist about everything acting more like a twelve year old than a young woman of nineteen. Danny had little or no consequence for her self destructive behavior, her parents never set limits.
Florence Gonsalves must have wanted Danny to be unlikable, for how she behaved at Sara’s funeral. Selling Sara’s car, given to her by Sara’s parents was a slap in the face to them. The only person who mildly confronts Danny is Steven, and then he basically apologizes to her.
I hate the ending, with Danny refusing treatment and likely going off on her own to find herself. Substance abuse and mental illness isn’t cured by taking a road trip.
Finding empathy for Danny, short for Dandelion, was difficult for me. She didn’t realize she was steeped in privilege from loving, though imperfect, parents, her parents paying for Harvard, having the financial resources to spend two months in a treatment center etc. Her dishonesty with everyone, including herself made her unlikable. She stopped taking meds and lies to her therapist about everything acting more like a twelve year old than a young woman of nineteen. Danny had little or no consequence for her self destructive behavior, her parents never set limits.
Florence Gonsalves must have wanted Danny to be unlikable, for how she behaved at Sara’s funeral. Selling Sara’s car, given to her by Sara’s parents was a slap in the face to them. The only person who mildly confronts Danny is Steven, and then he basically apologizes to her.
I hate the ending, with Danny refusing treatment and likely going off on her own to find herself. Substance abuse and mental illness isn’t cured by taking a road trip.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2018
VERY well-written, Love & Other Carnivorous Plants by Florence Gonsalves is a book that explores some extremely heavy topics: mental health, eating disorders, sexuality and sexual identity, grief and substance abuse.
It's hard for me to write a review for this one - this doesn't feel like the best space to try to grapple with what I've read or what I'm feeling after finishing. Just know that this book is not for the faint of heart. You want a fluffy, cute read? Go find a Kasie West book. This one was raw and real.
It's hard for me to write a review for this one - this doesn't feel like the best space to try to grapple with what I've read or what I'm feeling after finishing. Just know that this book is not for the faint of heart. You want a fluffy, cute read? Go find a Kasie West book. This one was raw and real.
January 22, 2023
Gelezen voor onze boekenclub Psyched About Books. Het is een young adult boek en is in dat genre zeker niet slecht. Het hoofdpersonage kampt met een eetstoornis, en er wordt denk ik wel op accurate wijze over de typische gezinsdynamieken en eetgedragingen geschreven bij adolescenten. Toch stoorde ik mij aan de magere karakterontwikkeling en de clichés, hierdoor heb ik totaal niet meegevoeld met de personages. Het is wel vlot en grappig geschreven.
May 7, 2019
O tej książce praktycznie nic nie słyszałam, jednak byłam jej bardzo ciekawa.
Przede wszystkim pozycja ta jest naładowana poważnymi tematami. Mamy zaburzenia odżywiania, depresję, żałobę, uzależnienia i wiele innych, których zdradzać nie chcę.
Nie spodziewałam się, że będzie tu takie tego naładowanie, ale to na pewno jest na plus, bo nie jest to zwykła młodzieżówka, a raczej taka, z której można dużo wynieść.
Pod koniec trochę brakowało mi zakończenia niektórych wątków, ale nie mogę powiedzieć, że mamy całkiem otwarte zakończenie.
Nie jest to nie wiadomo jak dobre young adult, ale jednak należy do tych lepszych, po które naprawdę warto sięgnąć.
Przede wszystkim pozycja ta jest naładowana poważnymi tematami. Mamy zaburzenia odżywiania, depresję, żałobę, uzależnienia i wiele innych, których zdradzać nie chcę.
Nie spodziewałam się, że będzie tu takie tego naładowanie, ale to na pewno jest na plus, bo nie jest to zwykła młodzieżówka, a raczej taka, z której można dużo wynieść.
Pod koniec trochę brakowało mi zakończenia niektórych wątków, ale nie mogę powiedzieć, że mamy całkiem otwarte zakończenie.
Nie jest to nie wiadomo jak dobre young adult, ale jednak należy do tych lepszych, po które naprawdę warto sięgnąć.
July 17, 2024
3.25/5
czytało się szybko, ale nie była to wyjątkowa książka młodzieżowa
nie wiem co więcej o niej napisać - nie zachęcam, nie odradzam
była w porządku
czytało się szybko, ale nie była to wyjątkowa książka młodzieżowa
nie wiem co więcej o niej napisać - nie zachęcam, nie odradzam
była w porządku
February 12, 2020
(This is my first in-depth book review. Bear with me.)
There are many reasons I didn’t like this book, a few being a) the instalove trope that way too many YA novels have, b) the underdeveloped characters, and c) the random, unnecessary lists in almost every chapter.
Love & Other Carnivorous Plants sounds good until you actually dive into it. There’s little to no backstory about how Danny developed her eating disorder. It even goes as far as to say she developed it because her dad had an eating disorder 20+ years ago and it’s hereditary or something. Personally, I can’t speak to how well her character was portrayed. However, I don’t think you can just turn an eating disorder on and off depending on if you’re fighting with your girlfriend or not.
Speaking of girlfriend (named Bugg btw). Her character isn’t introduced until 30 pages in at a random party even though she and Danny knew each other prior. It’s instalove the moment they’re alone and just really unrealistic.
On to Danny’s “best friend”, Sara. Her main characteristic is how heavily she drinks and how often yet she DIES FROM A HEREDITARY HEART CONDITION?? Wtf. If she had to die, something like alcohol poisoning or a drunk driving accident would have made so much more sense. Not some random newly discovered heart condition that was mentioned in as little as a paragraph.
Now that Sara is gone, Danny is grieving and blah blah blah but you can’t really feel anything since their friendship wasn’t developed at all. Oh, they’ve been friends for 14 years? That’s nice, they act like strangers forced to get along.
There’s more I could bitch about but I’ll skip to the end. Where Sara’s mom just hands the keys to her Range Rover over to Danny like it’s no big deal. Is that a rich people thing? “Here honey, I know you miss your best friend, here’s her 2 year old $86,000+ car to make you feel better.” Then to top that off, Danny turns around and sells it. She buys two tickets to Paris and convinces Bugg that neither of them need treatment for their issues (when they clearly do) and then decides on the way to the airport that she was wrong and they should go home and take a break from each other.
I feel like at this point I’m so frustrated with this book that I’m not articulating myself the way I want to but I’ll stop here. This book was a waste of time. Maybe I would have liked it in middle school, but at 25, nope, no way.
There are many reasons I didn’t like this book, a few being a) the instalove trope that way too many YA novels have, b) the underdeveloped characters, and c) the random, unnecessary lists in almost every chapter.
Love & Other Carnivorous Plants sounds good until you actually dive into it. There’s little to no backstory about how Danny developed her eating disorder. It even goes as far as to say she developed it because her dad had an eating disorder 20+ years ago and it’s hereditary or something. Personally, I can’t speak to how well her character was portrayed. However, I don’t think you can just turn an eating disorder on and off depending on if you’re fighting with your girlfriend or not.
Speaking of girlfriend (named Bugg btw). Her character isn’t introduced until 30 pages in at a random party even though she and Danny knew each other prior. It’s instalove the moment they’re alone and just really unrealistic.
On to Danny’s “best friend”, Sara. Her main characteristic is how heavily she drinks and how often yet she DIES FROM A HEREDITARY HEART CONDITION?? Wtf. If she had to die, something like alcohol poisoning or a drunk driving accident would have made so much more sense. Not some random newly discovered heart condition that was mentioned in as little as a paragraph.
Now that Sara is gone, Danny is grieving and blah blah blah but you can’t really feel anything since their friendship wasn’t developed at all. Oh, they’ve been friends for 14 years? That’s nice, they act like strangers forced to get along.
There’s more I could bitch about but I’ll skip to the end. Where Sara’s mom just hands the keys to her Range Rover over to Danny like it’s no big deal. Is that a rich people thing? “Here honey, I know you miss your best friend, here’s her 2 year old $86,000+ car to make you feel better.” Then to top that off, Danny turns around and sells it. She buys two tickets to Paris and convinces Bugg that neither of them need treatment for their issues (when they clearly do) and then decides on the way to the airport that she was wrong and they should go home and take a break from each other.
I feel like at this point I’m so frustrated with this book that I’m not articulating myself the way I want to but I’ll stop here. This book was a waste of time. Maybe I would have liked it in middle school, but at 25, nope, no way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2018
This book was painful to finish. And I have no idea why. From the synopsis, it honestly seemed like the perfect book for me- it's exactly the genre that I always read and enjoy. But this was just different. It was so excessively long I got frustrated. So many things could have been condensed or summarized, but this book had so many filler chapters that literally did not advance the plot at all. My english teacher once gave me amazing advice, saying, "think about whether a particular detail or event actually helps propel the storyline forward, or creates character growth. If it's just an interesting tid bit, it's not needed"- and that has helped me summarize so much of my work! Also, this book was soooo boring. It was slow, didn't feel focused, and I didn't learn anything from it. It wasn't written in like the typical young adult, poetic sad lesson tone, it was just factual and boring. This girl suffered from an eating disorder but I couldn't even feel bad for her because she was so annoying and bratty that it made me hate her as a character. She's mean to her best friend, then her best friend dies. Also, that was so unnecessary. The book was so boring the author literally just killed of one of the main characters- which turned the book into a "coping with loss" storyline instead of the initial eating disorder and friendship, which was disappointing. Honestly, it's a miracle I even got through it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2018
I really loved Danny’s voice in this book. She made me laugh and feel her acute contradictions and the itchy realness of her suffering. She was a wonderful narrator of the show-don’t-tell variety, who fucks up and fucks up and lies to herself and lies to you and makes hyperbolic jokes all along the way.
The story itself I didn’t love. Halfway through it takes a sudden sharp turn, and from there wavers along, no longer certain of its destination or goals. It doesn’t stick the landing because it can’t decide which way it’s even jumping.
Eating disorders, recovery, queer discovery, girls helping girls, challenging your own expectations to live a genuine life, creative writing: all topics I love. I would recommend this book for stellar YA writing and voices, but not so much the actual plot.
The story itself I didn’t love. Halfway through it takes a sudden sharp turn, and from there wavers along, no longer certain of its destination or goals. It doesn’t stick the landing because it can’t decide which way it’s even jumping.
Eating disorders, recovery, queer discovery, girls helping girls, challenging your own expectations to live a genuine life, creative writing: all topics I love. I would recommend this book for stellar YA writing and voices, but not so much the actual plot.
July 12, 2018
Disclaimer: I received this book through KidLitExchange and Little, Brown Books! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (sex, lgbt+, eating disorders, fixation, self-destructive tendencies. Please be aware there are some possible triggers for those who have eating disorders).
Pages: 352
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Freshman year at Harvard was the most anticlimactic year of Danny's life. She's failing pre-med and drifting apart from her best friend. One by one, Danny is losing all the underpinnings of her identity. When she finds herself attracted to an older, edgy girl who she met in rehab for an eating disorder, she finally feels like she might be finding a new sense of self. But when tragedy strikes, her self-destructive tendencies come back to haunt her as she struggles to discover who that self really is.
I have to say that this book, while sad and destructive, is so beautiful at the same time. The book revolves around a girl who’s fighting an eating disorder on top of all these other stresses in life. And when she meets someone she cares for? She has a whole new set of issues to conquer. The book did marvelous in pacing and the book’s writing was also well done. I personally liked the sarcastic humor in the main character.
However, I feel like we were missing the story. The main character really proved herself to be an unreliable narrator and it felt like she was cherry picking what she would tell us. It doesn’t feel like a complete story to me and that’s just weird in a book.
Verdict: Beautiful, but not quite whole. Is this a larger meaning about life in general?
Rating: 3/5
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (sex, lgbt+, eating disorders, fixation, self-destructive tendencies. Please be aware there are some possible triggers for those who have eating disorders).
Pages: 352
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Freshman year at Harvard was the most anticlimactic year of Danny's life. She's failing pre-med and drifting apart from her best friend. One by one, Danny is losing all the underpinnings of her identity. When she finds herself attracted to an older, edgy girl who she met in rehab for an eating disorder, she finally feels like she might be finding a new sense of self. But when tragedy strikes, her self-destructive tendencies come back to haunt her as she struggles to discover who that self really is.
I have to say that this book, while sad and destructive, is so beautiful at the same time. The book revolves around a girl who’s fighting an eating disorder on top of all these other stresses in life. And when she meets someone she cares for? She has a whole new set of issues to conquer. The book did marvelous in pacing and the book’s writing was also well done. I personally liked the sarcastic humor in the main character.
However, I feel like we were missing the story. The main character really proved herself to be an unreliable narrator and it felt like she was cherry picking what she would tell us. It doesn’t feel like a complete story to me and that’s just weird in a book.
Verdict: Beautiful, but not quite whole. Is this a larger meaning about life in general?
May 6, 2018
3.5 Stars. Okay, it's been a few days since I finished the book. I still stand by my 3.5 rating. The book starts off funny. I loved the sarcasm and dark humor of the main character. Danny is a highly-focused overachiever. She was valedictorian at her high school and is going to Harvard as a premed major. She and her best friend have always had a plan. They would go to college together, get married, become widows, and live the rest of their lives out together. Unfortunately, that plan becomes messy as Danny ends up at Harvard. I think we’ve all had friendships that we thought would last forever (especially after high school or a big life event). Unfortunately, friendships often change or end altogether. Danny is going through that stage in her life with her best friend Sarah.
What we know right from the beginning is that Danny has developed an eating disorder as a way to cope with her OCD and anxiety. She feels constantly pressured by her environment. She ends up at a treatment center. The story begins as she is leaving the center. It's summer vacation and she is now back in her hometown. Her friendship with Sarah is a little rocky, and she is well aware of her mental issues.
I felt Danny was likable and relatable. I loved her matter-of-fact way of thinking. That being said she is a very flawed character. She is flippant in the way she thinks of her compulsion and mental health. She sees those around her dealing with substance abuse and while she is concerned, she does not do anything to help them. Somehow though, this didn't bother me as a reader. I felt for her because she was battling her own demons while trying to keep her mental breakdown from the previous semester a secret.
Something tragic happens midway and the book turns a dark corner. Things get darker and angrier as she begins to relapse hard. Her dark humor is still there to bring some lightness to the overall angsty mood, but it's definitely angrier and more desperate. You can feel her grasping for any semblance of control while giving into her compulsions.
While I liked the mental health and friendship aspects, I wish this book had more diversity. There is almost no people of color. Everyone seemed to be rich, young, white girls who lived in mansions. It gave the book an early 2000s The O.C. soap opera-ish vibe.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it got me out of a big reading slump. I think for those looking to read an book about mental health issues that isn't too intense, this is a great option. I ended the book rooting for Danny and sincerely hoping she gets better.
One thing I'd like to mention is that Danny begins to form a romance with a girl she meets at treatment. However, this is not a coming-out story. I believe the girl was the first person she was really attracted to and with everything that she’s going through, trying to label herself as any specific sexual orientation is not a priority. The focus is much more her journey to a healthy mental state.
Trigger warnings for eating disorders, alcohol abuse, depression, attempted suicide, grief, compulsion disorders, and anxiety.
What we know right from the beginning is that Danny has developed an eating disorder as a way to cope with her OCD and anxiety. She feels constantly pressured by her environment. She ends up at a treatment center. The story begins as she is leaving the center. It's summer vacation and she is now back in her hometown. Her friendship with Sarah is a little rocky, and she is well aware of her mental issues.
I felt Danny was likable and relatable. I loved her matter-of-fact way of thinking. That being said she is a very flawed character. She is flippant in the way she thinks of her compulsion and mental health. She sees those around her dealing with substance abuse and while she is concerned, she does not do anything to help them. Somehow though, this didn't bother me as a reader. I felt for her because she was battling her own demons while trying to keep her mental breakdown from the previous semester a secret.
Something tragic happens midway and the book turns a dark corner. Things get darker and angrier as she begins to relapse hard. Her dark humor is still there to bring some lightness to the overall angsty mood, but it's definitely angrier and more desperate. You can feel her grasping for any semblance of control while giving into her compulsions.
While I liked the mental health and friendship aspects, I wish this book had more diversity. There is almost no people of color. Everyone seemed to be rich, young, white girls who lived in mansions. It gave the book an early 2000s The O.C. soap opera-ish vibe.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it got me out of a big reading slump. I think for those looking to read an book about mental health issues that isn't too intense, this is a great option. I ended the book rooting for Danny and sincerely hoping she gets better.
One thing I'd like to mention is that Danny begins to form a romance with a girl she meets at treatment. However, this is not a coming-out story. I believe the girl was the first person she was really attracted to and with everything that she’s going through, trying to label herself as any specific sexual orientation is not a priority. The focus is much more her journey to a healthy mental state.
Trigger warnings for eating disorders, alcohol abuse, depression, attempted suicide, grief, compulsion disorders, and anxiety.
May 20, 2018
Okay, so basically I got this book for free. When one gets a book for free that is nothing to sniff at. I almost drop kicked a few children to get my hands on it. Am I happy about that decision? I dunno. Would I do it again? Probably. Anyway, without further adieu, let's get to what I kind of liked about this book and what I absolutely hated.
Pros because I like to start positive: has a very real portrayal of eating disorders and mental illness, also the main character is in a same-sex relationship so yay for diversity.
Cons: Okay, let's be real, the main character's love interest is a manic pixie dream girl for pretty much the entire book. Also, just as a personal distaste, I did not like how much this book encouraged smoking. Call me a wet blanket or whatever but what teenager in this day and age thinks that breathing in toxic chemicals is cool? Actually, don't answer that. Guess I'm not cool enough to understand wanting lung cancer. Even with the teens doing such 'rad' things the writing was still kind of bland. Sorry.
Overall, I like what the author was going for in terms of showing eating disorders such as bulimia, but this was just not the book for me maybe because I have not struggled with such issues and do not fully understand. If you or someone you know has dealt with eating disorders then maybe you will like this book more than I did and get a little more out of it. Which is great! We all have different opinions and world views. In conclusion, read this if you want and don't come for me if you liked it.
Pros because I like to start positive: has a very real portrayal of eating disorders and mental illness, also the main character is in a same-sex relationship so yay for diversity.
Cons: Okay, let's be real, the main character's love interest is a manic pixie dream girl for pretty much the entire book. Also, just as a personal distaste, I did not like how much this book encouraged smoking. Call me a wet blanket or whatever but what teenager in this day and age thinks that breathing in toxic chemicals is cool? Actually, don't answer that. Guess I'm not cool enough to understand wanting lung cancer. Even with the teens doing such 'rad' things the writing was still kind of bland. Sorry.
Overall, I like what the author was going for in terms of showing eating disorders such as bulimia, but this was just not the book for me maybe because I have not struggled with such issues and do not fully understand. If you or someone you know has dealt with eating disorders then maybe you will like this book more than I did and get a little more out of it. Which is great! We all have different opinions and world views. In conclusion, read this if you want and don't come for me if you liked it.
May 8, 2019
Warning, spoilers galore...
I don't know why the cover claims that this story is for fans of Sarah Dessen, because she's never published a steaming pile of horse crap like this disaster. Dessen's characters are usually spunky girls coping with real world issues in trying situations. Dandelion is just a troll.
Seriously, she might be the single most unlikable character I've ever come across in more that 5,400 books. The Trunchbull from 'Matilda' has more redeeming features than she did. Hell, Voldemort is more likable; at least he had a sense of flair...
She and her best friend Sara have had a plan for years to be college roommates. They've already shopped for dorm stuff to outfit their room when she gets into Harvard off the waiting list. But does she tell her BFF that she's bailing out on her? No; she goes a month without letting her know because she's chickenshit.
She's had this vision: be valedictorian, go to Harvard and then on to med school. But once she gets to Harvard she discovers that everyone else there was a valedictorian as well and they're kicking her ass in class. By her second semester she's bulimic and out of Harvard to spend 2 months in a psych facility. Naturally she's so honest that she breaks off all contact with Sara, claiming she has to study for school so that she won't know where she really has been. The lies continue once she gets home for the summer.
She's an overindulged brat. The fact that her parents could pony up the money for Harvard tuition, plus 2 months of psych care is a clue how well off she was but she was totally disrespectful to her parents (and pretty much everyone else). She never faces any consequences for her behavior. She lies to her therapist and starts back with the binging and purging, as well as drinking heavily.
She connects with a girl (Bugg) she peripherally interacted with at the psych facility; of course Bugg turns out to be friends with Sara, so even as they're starting to get romantic Danny's demanding that Bugg keep Sara in the dark about how they know each other. To her credit Bugg tells her she needs to tell Sara the truth but Danny weasels out of doing so.
She also isn't willing to be open about her relationship with Bugg. She's got one male friend left from Harvard and she shamelessly leads him on because a couple of her high school buddies are getting suspicious about her and Bugg. So that friendship detonates when he finds out he's just being used.
Then Sara dies because of a cardiac condition that she didn't want to get tested for because she might have to give up playing tennis. Danny has a hissy fit about Sara pissing away her chance to stay healthy, which seemed pretty hypocritical considering the train wreck Danny was making of her life despite all the assistance she'd been provided. Then she makes a flaming ass of herself when she's supposed to deliver Sara's eulogy.
Her parents and therapist finally put their feet down after she has to get her stomach pumped and nearly dies from alcohol poisoning. They're sending her back to the psych facility, but she comes up with her own solution to her problem.
That's when any prayer of this story receiving anything greater than a single star rating imploded:
In what can only be described as a totally BS plot twist, Sara's mother gives Sara's vehicle to Danny as a gift. Yep, just gives it to her. And it isn't a junker; it's a Land Rover ($98k new, $30k+ used). Just what every high school girl drives. And they just sign it over to her...
Now if Danny's parents are wealthy enough to cover Harvard and the psych care why doesn't Danny already have a car of her own?
So what does she do with this gift? As soon as she files all the DMV paperwork she turns around and sells it to fund her getaway plan. The salesman only gives her a check for $2,000 now and will send the remaining balance within a week.
Note that amount because it is significant. What does she do with that $2k as part of her master plan? She buys 2 airplane tickets to Paris so she and Bugg can wander the countryside by themselves and evade being sent off for treatment. The problem is that the cheapest ticket to Paris on short notice like that is a carrier like Aeroflot for ~$865/ticket + taxes, etc. And that's assuming you're flying straight from JFK. If you've got a connecting flight involved you're looking at closer to $1,473/ticket.
So obviously $2,000 is at best going to get them across the Atlantic if they can get cheap enough tickets, and then leave them with essentially no money to survive on and no marketable skills for employment. Stunningly brilliant planning. Granted she did have the balance of the car payment coming, but since they were mailing her a check and she was planning to be on another continent it's unclear how she would ever be able to cash it.
Then there's also the little matter of PASSPORTS! Since this was supposed to be a surprise trip for Bugg, how was she supposed to know she needed her passport (assuming she even has one)? And if you're trying to go off the grid flying to another country will get your identity pinged pretty quickly.
Just an overall brilliant solution to her problems. As another commenter noted, substance abuse and mental illness aren’t cured by taking a road trip. How exactly did she get into Harvard, since she has the survival instincts of a brain-damaged gerbil? Perhaps her parents coughed up a chunk of change like Felicity Huffman to get her admitted.
Spare your brain cells.
I don't know why the cover claims that this story is for fans of Sarah Dessen, because she's never published a steaming pile of horse crap like this disaster. Dessen's characters are usually spunky girls coping with real world issues in trying situations. Dandelion is just a troll.
Seriously, she might be the single most unlikable character I've ever come across in more that 5,400 books. The Trunchbull from 'Matilda' has more redeeming features than she did. Hell, Voldemort is more likable; at least he had a sense of flair...
She and her best friend Sara have had a plan for years to be college roommates. They've already shopped for dorm stuff to outfit their room when she gets into Harvard off the waiting list. But does she tell her BFF that she's bailing out on her? No; she goes a month without letting her know because she's chickenshit.
She's had this vision: be valedictorian, go to Harvard and then on to med school. But once she gets to Harvard she discovers that everyone else there was a valedictorian as well and they're kicking her ass in class. By her second semester she's bulimic and out of Harvard to spend 2 months in a psych facility. Naturally she's so honest that she breaks off all contact with Sara, claiming she has to study for school so that she won't know where she really has been. The lies continue once she gets home for the summer.
She's an overindulged brat. The fact that her parents could pony up the money for Harvard tuition, plus 2 months of psych care is a clue how well off she was but she was totally disrespectful to her parents (and pretty much everyone else). She never faces any consequences for her behavior. She lies to her therapist and starts back with the binging and purging, as well as drinking heavily.
She connects with a girl (Bugg) she peripherally interacted with at the psych facility; of course Bugg turns out to be friends with Sara, so even as they're starting to get romantic Danny's demanding that Bugg keep Sara in the dark about how they know each other. To her credit Bugg tells her she needs to tell Sara the truth but Danny weasels out of doing so.
She also isn't willing to be open about her relationship with Bugg. She's got one male friend left from Harvard and she shamelessly leads him on because a couple of her high school buddies are getting suspicious about her and Bugg. So that friendship detonates when he finds out he's just being used.
Then Sara dies because of a cardiac condition that she didn't want to get tested for because she might have to give up playing tennis. Danny has a hissy fit about Sara pissing away her chance to stay healthy, which seemed pretty hypocritical considering the train wreck Danny was making of her life despite all the assistance she'd been provided. Then she makes a flaming ass of herself when she's supposed to deliver Sara's eulogy.
Her parents and therapist finally put their feet down after she has to get her stomach pumped and nearly dies from alcohol poisoning. They're sending her back to the psych facility, but she comes up with her own solution to her problem.
That's when any prayer of this story receiving anything greater than a single star rating imploded:
In what can only be described as a totally BS plot twist, Sara's mother gives Sara's vehicle to Danny as a gift. Yep, just gives it to her. And it isn't a junker; it's a Land Rover ($98k new, $30k+ used). Just what every high school girl drives. And they just sign it over to her...
Now if Danny's parents are wealthy enough to cover Harvard and the psych care why doesn't Danny already have a car of her own?
So what does she do with this gift? As soon as she files all the DMV paperwork she turns around and sells it to fund her getaway plan. The salesman only gives her a check for $2,000 now and will send the remaining balance within a week.
Note that amount because it is significant. What does she do with that $2k as part of her master plan? She buys 2 airplane tickets to Paris so she and Bugg can wander the countryside by themselves and evade being sent off for treatment. The problem is that the cheapest ticket to Paris on short notice like that is a carrier like Aeroflot for ~$865/ticket + taxes, etc. And that's assuming you're flying straight from JFK. If you've got a connecting flight involved you're looking at closer to $1,473/ticket.
So obviously $2,000 is at best going to get them across the Atlantic if they can get cheap enough tickets, and then leave them with essentially no money to survive on and no marketable skills for employment. Stunningly brilliant planning. Granted she did have the balance of the car payment coming, but since they were mailing her a check and she was planning to be on another continent it's unclear how she would ever be able to cash it.
Then there's also the little matter of PASSPORTS! Since this was supposed to be a surprise trip for Bugg, how was she supposed to know she needed her passport (assuming she even has one)? And if you're trying to go off the grid flying to another country will get your identity pinged pretty quickly.
Just an overall brilliant solution to her problems. As another commenter noted, substance abuse and mental illness aren’t cured by taking a road trip. How exactly did she get into Harvard, since she has the survival instincts of a brain-damaged gerbil? Perhaps her parents coughed up a chunk of change like Felicity Huffman to get her admitted.
Spare your brain cells.
September 10, 2018
What a crazy journey. I loved all the twists and turns. Danny was such a great character because of how imperfect she is. She was such an incredible character, with so many issues that she was trying so hard to work through. Definitely a refreshing contemporary. Just wish her and Bugg ended differently...
Lesbian romance, a vague sex scene, underage drinking, as well as frank discussion of mental illness including eating disorders.
Lesbian romance, a vague sex scene, underage drinking, as well as frank discussion of mental illness including eating disorders.
February 19, 2021
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This book was a little disappointing in terms of the characters, I really felt every single character lacked depth and because of that I wasn’t really fond of any of them.
That being said, I still enjoyed this book. It was super funny at times and also dealt with grief, mental illness and sexuality. Not necessarily in the right ways, but in truthful ways.
This book was a little disappointing in terms of the characters, I really felt every single character lacked depth and because of that I wasn’t really fond of any of them.
That being said, I still enjoyed this book. It was super funny at times and also dealt with grief, mental illness and sexuality. Not necessarily in the right ways, but in truthful ways.
April 30, 2022
It is not often that I find a debut novel with such a strong and steady-flowing voice. Despite its generous dose of humour (or maybe BECAUSE of it) this book handles sensitive topics like mental health issues, eating disorders, sexual identities, grief and substance abuse among others in such a RELATABLE manner that one can't help but fall in love.
August 30, 2018
Maybe 3.5 stars
I liked this book, but it dragged a bit for me. I would have really liked the story that occurs before the main events of this book. Overall though, it was a good read and an interesting look at living your true self in life and facing your problems.
I liked this book, but it dragged a bit for me. I would have really liked the story that occurs before the main events of this book. Overall though, it was a good read and an interesting look at living your true self in life and facing your problems.
May 17, 2019
I would do a full review but I don't think it is worth it. I think that it wasn't a good representation of eating disorders with the toxicity and bad characterization. I think the writing the writing is not very well developed. It might be others' cup of tea but after ten months I am dnfing.
Read
June 8, 2018we're going to move on from this nightmare :)
September 2, 2018
This book was VERY boring - I felt absolutely no sympathy for the characters.
November 4, 2018
DNF at page 139
Yikes.
Yikes.
October 17, 2018
I picked up this book on a whim because the first line was so intriguing. The main character, Danny, has such an interesting, sardonic voice, which I think was a risk but a risk that paid off. There were several times while reading that I had to sticky note a quote because I wanted to come back to revisit the idea; sometimes they were so small but poignant.
I loved this book and could not put it down until the end. The story follows a perfectionist's feelings of feeling not good enough and the character's acceptance of being 'average' when she goes to a Harvard pre-med program. It's a story about figuring out what you want and how to be happy with what you have and who you are. I think this is a story that a lot of people in their 20's could relate to. Additionally, this story tackles self-identity, loss, navigating adult friendships, and self-discovery.
Although I loved this book, I also recognized it had its flaws. The ending was unsatisfying for me. The author is the first to admit that Danny, is not the poster child for healthy attitudes (and does address it in the back of the book. Even goes as far as to say Danny would admit she should not be the poster child.) However, even then there was once or twice where I felt Danny's flippant attitude about treatment overstepped the line of 'the character's making a terrible decision' to the author believing 'this will work out fine.' Additionally, Danny's girlfriend is a little manic pixie dream girl-esque at times.
Overall, I couldn't put it down and can't wait for future novels from the author.
"It's so funny to get exactly what we want. Because then we realize happiness has nothing to do with such shitty things."
"Haven't you heard that love is like a telephone? If you can't answer it, you put it on hold for a second."
I loved this book and could not put it down until the end. The story follows a perfectionist's feelings of feeling not good enough and the character's acceptance of being 'average' when she goes to a Harvard pre-med program. It's a story about figuring out what you want and how to be happy with what you have and who you are. I think this is a story that a lot of people in their 20's could relate to. Additionally, this story tackles self-identity, loss, navigating adult friendships, and self-discovery.
Although I loved this book, I also recognized it had its flaws. The ending was unsatisfying for me. The author is the first to admit that Danny, is not the poster child for healthy attitudes (and does address it in the back of the book. Even goes as far as to say Danny would admit she should not be the poster child.) However, even then there was once or twice where I felt Danny's flippant attitude about treatment overstepped the line of 'the character's making a terrible decision' to the author believing 'this will work out fine.' Additionally, Danny's girlfriend is a little manic pixie dream girl-esque at times.
Overall, I couldn't put it down and can't wait for future novels from the author.
"It's so funny to get exactly what we want. Because then we realize happiness has nothing to do with such shitty things."
"Haven't you heard that love is like a telephone? If you can't answer it, you put it on hold for a second."
February 27, 2019
*3*
If you know me then you know contemporary novels aren't my most favorite thing. I've read many that I've enjoyed and want to read a few but there aren't something I actively reach for or that capture me as much as a good fantasy does. I know though that I would have loved this so much more if I was really into the contemporary genre and might have even given it five stars. With all that being said I still enjoyed this book for the most part. It's a book that deals with a lot of hard but important topics so there were many parts that just made me feel, and broke my heart. But equally there were many parts that made me laugh and smile.
I think what I enjoyed most about this were the characters. I really enjoyed Danny, and her love interest. I especially loved her love interest. I thought she was a really cool character and I love her and Danny together. Sarah was really annoying to me, but I think that was a little bit of the point. I also felt like I could relate to Danny in the way she dealt with a lot of things. Humor is kind of a huge coping mechanism for her and I find that's really true for myself. I did feel like there was a bit of insta love between the two characters, which we all know I don't like insta love but it wasn't overly annoying while I was reading.
I also really enjoyed the writing and narrative of this book and thought it was really well done! I usually don't like first person POV but this really fit the story and was well done so I did like it. I will say that the ending of this book honestly felt a little random and abrupt, and I'm not sure everything felt wrapped up nicely, but overall this was still a good book.
If you know me then you know contemporary novels aren't my most favorite thing. I've read many that I've enjoyed and want to read a few but there aren't something I actively reach for or that capture me as much as a good fantasy does. I know though that I would have loved this so much more if I was really into the contemporary genre and might have even given it five stars. With all that being said I still enjoyed this book for the most part. It's a book that deals with a lot of hard but important topics so there were many parts that just made me feel, and broke my heart. But equally there were many parts that made me laugh and smile.
I think what I enjoyed most about this were the characters. I really enjoyed Danny, and her love interest. I especially loved her love interest. I thought she was a really cool character and I love her and Danny together. Sarah was really annoying to me, but I think that was a little bit of the point. I also felt like I could relate to Danny in the way she dealt with a lot of things. Humor is kind of a huge coping mechanism for her and I find that's really true for myself. I did feel like there was a bit of insta love between the two characters, which we all know I don't like insta love but it wasn't overly annoying while I was reading.
I also really enjoyed the writing and narrative of this book and thought it was really well done! I usually don't like first person POV but this really fit the story and was well done so I did like it. I will say that the ending of this book honestly felt a little random and abrupt, and I'm not sure everything felt wrapped up nicely, but overall this was still a good book.
did-not-finish
November 1, 2018Dropped at pg 75.
Despite this book having a shockingly low Goodreads rating average (3.39), I didn't go into this one hating it. I was curious sure, but I already owned it so I figured to try it out. Sometimes things are better left a mystery though. I just couldn't do it.
For some reason this book just... skipped everything important. It skipped on the before and during of this character's eating disorder and other issues that lead her into taking a break from college to go to a treatment center. She had a problem that we were vaguely told about in one chapter, skip and suddenly she's mostly better after treatment? Sorry but you just cut out the reason I bought this book in the first place. I understand that it could follow her even further recovering AFTER treatment but it's not about that at all.
It's a boring book about a super annoyingly sarcastic girl not doing anything. At first I didn't mind her personality but it just got too much. There were a lot of weird sayings and thoughts from her that I think were supposed to be quirky but they were just bizarre. Like a line about how she tried to do her best impersonation of a toilet paper roll; girl what? She meets a girl, they hang out, there are no sparks (from what I saw), more tragedy, and then the end. I don't have time to waste on books that don't grab me so it's done.
Despite this book having a shockingly low Goodreads rating average (3.39), I didn't go into this one hating it. I was curious sure, but I already owned it so I figured to try it out. Sometimes things are better left a mystery though. I just couldn't do it.
For some reason this book just... skipped everything important. It skipped on the before and during of this character's eating disorder and other issues that lead her into taking a break from college to go to a treatment center. She had a problem that we were vaguely told about in one chapter, skip and suddenly she's mostly better after treatment? Sorry but you just cut out the reason I bought this book in the first place. I understand that it could follow her even further recovering AFTER treatment but it's not about that at all.
It's a boring book about a super annoyingly sarcastic girl not doing anything. At first I didn't mind her personality but it just got too much. There were a lot of weird sayings and thoughts from her that I think were supposed to be quirky but they were just bizarre. Like a line about how she tried to do her best impersonation of a toilet paper roll; girl what? She meets a girl, they hang out, there are no sparks (from what I saw), more tragedy, and then the end. I don't have time to waste on books that don't grab me so it's done.
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