What do you think?
Rate this book
Undercover
Like a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac, Elisa ghostwrites love notes for the boys in her school. But when Elisa falls for Theo Moses, things change fast. Theo asks for verses to court the lovely Lila—a girl known for her beauty, her popularity, and a cutting ability to remind Elisa that she has none of these. At home, Elisa's father, the one person she feels understands her, has left on an extended business trip. As the days grow shorter, Elisa worries that the increasingly urgent letters she sends her father won't bring him home. Like the undercover agent she feels she has become, Elisa retreats to a pond in the woods, where her talent for ice-skating gives her the confidence to come out from under cover and take center stage. But when Lila becomes jealous of Theo's friendship with Elisa, her revenge nearly destroys Elisa's ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family. National Book Award nominee Beth Kephart's first young adult novel is a stunning debut.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2007
12 people are currently reading
929 people want to read
About the author
Beth Kephart
57 books336 followersI'm the award-winning writer of more than two-dozen books in multiple genres—memoir, middle grade and young adult fiction, picture books, history, corporate fable, and books on the making of memoir.
I'm also an award-winning teacher at the University of Pennsylvania, co-founder of Juncture Workshops, and an essayist and critic with work appearing in The New York Times, Life magazine, Ninth Letter, Catapult, The Millions, The Rumpus, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and elsewhere.
Please visit me at junctureworkshops.com or bethkephartbooks.com.
I'm also an award-winning teacher at the University of Pennsylvania, co-founder of Juncture Workshops, and an essayist and critic with work appearing in The New York Times, Life magazine, Ninth Letter, Catapult, The Millions, The Rumpus, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and elsewhere.
Please visit me at junctureworkshops.com or bethkephartbooks.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
September 15, 2008
There were some truly beautifully lyrical passages in this book...but they were too few to actually make this book worth reading. Beautiful words and a beautiful writing style do not make a good book; it is necessary to also have a plot worth reading and characters that are well-developed.
I got the sense that Kephart was trying to do too much with her book...trying to tell an angsty tale of a shy teenage with an affinity for words, trying to tell the tale of a family on the verge of breaking apart, trying to put a modern spin on the tale of Cyrano de Bergerac, trying to tell a tale of the popular versus unpopular teens of a high school, etc. Yes, it is possible to combine one or two of those threads, but when the author decided to combine all of them, the reader is left with a book that lacks depth.
Elisa, the main character, is strange. She's way into the outdoors, even keeping remnants of nature in a box under her bed, and tracks the seasons and what's occurring outdoors as a way of connecting with her father. Elisa also parlays this love of nature into the poetic descriptions she writes and then gives (no mention is made of her actually earning money for doing this service) to the boys at her school for them in turn to give to the girls they like. This is where the Cyrano connection comes in; Elisa ends up writing poetic metaphors and similes for a boy whom she grows to love. She has also taught herself how to ice skate and at the end of the book enters an interpretive free skate competition.
I just couldn't muster a liking for Elisa. Her extreme love of nature was bizarre, mainly because it seemed as though she was content to merely observe nature and not to actually embrace it. Her relationship with Theo lacked feeling. Sometimes she was quite passionate about her love of English and poetry and language, but then at other times she seemed apathetic about it. I never got a sense of a real person, a real teenager, in Elisa.
I was also greatly disappointed with the predictable and laughable way Lila got her revenge. It was such a contrived way of showing the dynamics of the popular girl (Lila) versus the nerd (Elisa); not very creative.
Kephart also ends the book rather abruptly and leaves the reader hanging as to how Elisa's skate turned out, how her father's return affected the family, how her relationship with her mother and sister changed, and how her feelings for Theo were resolved.
I got the sense that Kephart was trying to do too much with her book...trying to tell an angsty tale of a shy teenage with an affinity for words, trying to tell the tale of a family on the verge of breaking apart, trying to put a modern spin on the tale of Cyrano de Bergerac, trying to tell a tale of the popular versus unpopular teens of a high school, etc. Yes, it is possible to combine one or two of those threads, but when the author decided to combine all of them, the reader is left with a book that lacks depth.
Elisa, the main character, is strange. She's way into the outdoors, even keeping remnants of nature in a box under her bed, and tracks the seasons and what's occurring outdoors as a way of connecting with her father. Elisa also parlays this love of nature into the poetic descriptions she writes and then gives (no mention is made of her actually earning money for doing this service) to the boys at her school for them in turn to give to the girls they like. This is where the Cyrano connection comes in; Elisa ends up writing poetic metaphors and similes for a boy whom she grows to love. She has also taught herself how to ice skate and at the end of the book enters an interpretive free skate competition.
I just couldn't muster a liking for Elisa. Her extreme love of nature was bizarre, mainly because it seemed as though she was content to merely observe nature and not to actually embrace it. Her relationship with Theo lacked feeling. Sometimes she was quite passionate about her love of English and poetry and language, but then at other times she seemed apathetic about it. I never got a sense of a real person, a real teenager, in Elisa.
I was also greatly disappointed with the predictable and laughable way Lila got her revenge. It was such a contrived way of showing the dynamics of the popular girl (Lila) versus the nerd (Elisa); not very creative.
Kephart also ends the book rather abruptly and leaves the reader hanging as to how Elisa's skate turned out, how her father's return affected the family, how her relationship with her mother and sister changed, and how her feelings for Theo were resolved.
September 17, 2008
I was certain that this book wasn't going to work for me- it began with more than one cliché and I mentally rolled my eyes. I don't know when I started noticing Kephart's extraordinary facility with language, maybe by the second chapter. The words in this book are muscular, flexible and entirely beguiling. The main character is a nascent poet who is gradually coaxed into herself with the assistance of a phenomenal teacher and a pond.
Read it for the glorious use of language, if nothing else.
Read it for the glorious use of language, if nothing else.
November 14, 2017
Ondanks dat ik het poezie gedeelte in het boek minder vond. Vond ik dit een leuk verhaal voor even tussendoor.
May 10, 2009
UNDERCOVER is simply stunning. There are some books you read for the sake of the story, and there are some you read just to see the words fall perfectly together, to hear the way they sound in your mind. Beth Kephart’s words do not conjure up vivid scenes involving the characters and their predicaments; instead, they push the boundaries of language and remind us of the multidimensionality of words—that language is not simply a means to a message, but rather a form of art itself.
Elisa’s way of thinking puts us readers easily into her mind, understanding where she is coming from and why she is feeling what she feels. We see the world through her descriptions, which perhaps does not give us as clear a picture of the other characters as we would like—but they are understandably incomplete character sketches. Elisa’s mother, sister, and father are all compelling and possessing unique characteristics, while Theo is an appealing romantic interest. Lila, Theo’s evil girlfriend, seems a little underdeveloped to me, but I’m willing to overlook that in light of the numerous other positive qualities that this book has.
All in all, UNDERCOVER is a fantastic work of art that just might change the way you look at the world. I am now thoroughly a fan of Beth Kephart and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
Elisa’s way of thinking puts us readers easily into her mind, understanding where she is coming from and why she is feeling what she feels. We see the world through her descriptions, which perhaps does not give us as clear a picture of the other characters as we would like—but they are understandably incomplete character sketches. Elisa’s mother, sister, and father are all compelling and possessing unique characteristics, while Theo is an appealing romantic interest. Lila, Theo’s evil girlfriend, seems a little underdeveloped to me, but I’m willing to overlook that in light of the numerous other positive qualities that this book has.
All in all, UNDERCOVER is a fantastic work of art that just might change the way you look at the world. I am now thoroughly a fan of Beth Kephart and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
June 4, 2009
his book is absolutely lovely. The words contained within these pages are poetic and I guess they're meant to be right? Because Elisa has a way with words, in fact, she hides behind the words that she writes. Kephart hit a home run with her first foray into YA fiction. There is so much going on underneath the facade of Elisa. She lets her guard down when she's writing for others and when she writes for herself. The poetry in this book is wonderful. At times in my life I've been intimidated by poetry, felt that I never quite got the gist of the author's meaning. Not so here. I was moved by the writing in this book so much that this book is going on my list of favorite YA books ever...!!! I'm so grateful to Lenore at Presenting Lenore for reviewing Undercover a while back. If I hadn't read that review I would've missed out on this gem. That makes me sad...this book was published in 2007, so why haven't I heard about it? And for that reason alone I'm so glad that I belong to a group of book lovers who are so passionate about what we read and are so willing to share it with others. Because without blogs some truly wonderful books may remain unread and we can't let that happen, can we? If you're new to the YA genre and are looking for a good first book then look no further......Undercover is one you should add to your list, I promise that you will not be disappointed!!
June 25, 2008
Elisa is a girl who has spent most of her life in the shadows, quietly observing from the sidelines, content to think her own thoughts and write poetic thoughts in her head. As a hobby she writes love poems for some of the boys at school to give to the girl they like. Elisa's father seems to be constantly away on business trips, the one person that she feels she can talk to and to cope, she starts ice skating. Things get really slippery when Elisa starts to suspect that she has feelings for one of her "clients".
I think my favorite aspect of this book was the poetic imagery. I loved how the author threw in all these fantastic lines describing the everyday normal and turning it into a poem without the regular poem format. The sentences about nature were very picturesque. It was a little shorter then I would have liked, and the ending was a bit of a damper, but I thought it did end well. The poetic flavor, and the slight bit of humor made this book very enjoyable. Overall, I thought that it was a lovely book that I would recommend to my friends.
*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2008...
I think my favorite aspect of this book was the poetic imagery. I loved how the author threw in all these fantastic lines describing the everyday normal and turning it into a poem without the regular poem format. The sentences about nature were very picturesque. It was a little shorter then I would have liked, and the ending was a bit of a damper, but I thought it did end well. The poetic flavor, and the slight bit of humor made this book very enjoyable. Overall, I thought that it was a lovely book that I would recommend to my friends.
*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2008...
August 18, 2009
Elisa has a way with words. Her metaphors and similes come in handy for the boys at her school who come to her for poems to pass on to the girls they pine for. She is a female Cyrano d' Bergerac of her school. She considers herself an "undercover operative", not quite on the radar of the boys or the girls, sometimes not even with her teachers but always there watching and seeing things they don't. UNDERCOVER tells the story of Elisa as she discovers that she is not as "undercover" as she thinks she is.
Another beautiful story by Beth Kephart. I read HOUSE OF DANCE last year and loved it, and now I love this one even more. I am not much of a poetry reader, but this book has definitely got me interested in reading some. I loved Elisa's English teacher and how she helped her develop her talent of writing and also to find a love and understanding of other's poetry. That is what I need!
On top of all that, this is a very sweet story about a young girl discovering who she is and what her strengths are, and then finds the courage to share them with others.
Another beautiful story by Beth Kephart. I read HOUSE OF DANCE last year and loved it, and now I love this one even more. I am not much of a poetry reader, but this book has definitely got me interested in reading some. I loved Elisa's English teacher and how she helped her develop her talent of writing and also to find a love and understanding of other's poetry. That is what I need!
On top of all that, this is a very sweet story about a young girl discovering who she is and what her strengths are, and then finds the courage to share them with others.
July 28, 2011
Elisa writes poetry. She captures the metaphor, the moment, like a tiny butterfly in a box and hands them to her clients at school, so that they can let their feelings fly. Her clients are boys like Mr. Sue, a boy who once asked for a love note for a girl he was courting and is now known as Mr. Sue. She speaks for people who can’t find the words, bridges them through her words, and lets them rephrase what they feel in their own way. But what happens when she finds a boy she wants to give her own words to? Undercover is delicate, graceful, lovely. It’s a moment in a forest, a pond frozen solid, a tiny bird you cup with both palms. It doesn’t have the pure adrenaline of more recent young adult books, but is engrossing in its own way. I loved the journey with Elisa and her family.
Love to hear your comments. To read more please visit my Blog: BOOKS, BRANDO & BURGERS http://tessurizaholthe.blogspot.com/ or chat with me on Facebook.
Love to hear your comments. To read more please visit my Blog: BOOKS, BRANDO & BURGERS http://tessurizaholthe.blogspot.com/ or chat with me on Facebook.
February 5, 2017
3.5 stars
Once again beautiful writing from Beth Kephart, but I felt the story was a little slow and lacking a climax. I also felt the story ended without any real conclusions. I will however read more from Ms. Kephart because I love her writing style so much.
Once again beautiful writing from Beth Kephart, but I felt the story was a little slow and lacking a climax. I also felt the story ended without any real conclusions. I will however read more from Ms. Kephart because I love her writing style so much.
January 4, 2009
I was touched by this book even though I didn't really identify with any of the characters. I liked its emphasis on words and writing, and it was a good book to read at this time of year, too.
April 23, 2008
The buzz about this book is lost on me. It’s one of those highly anticipated books—because it’s a National Book Award Nominee for the author—that turns out to be deeply dissatisfying and disappointing. I hate it when that happens.
I’m not going to deal with a summary like I normally do, because I’ll admit, I did not finish the book. I stopped on page 139. I read the book flap’s summary, which makes the book sound more interesting than it is. That should be a sin.
As far as I’m concerned, the only reason this isn’t a total flop is because of the writing. The poetic lines are thoughtful and you can tell that the author has put a lot of effort and time to string those sentences together. Although I’m not a fan of serious poetry (I like funny poems like Shel Silverstein), nor do I really understand it, I’m kind of not too awed by this author. Yes, it’s poetic, beautiful, and all that, but I get the sense that Beth Kephart is just trying too hard to fit them into her story. She devotes short chapters to figurative language that doesn’t fit into the story or makes things sound so much more complicated than it really is. You do not need to have beautiful description in every single paragraph to get the essence of your character or let your voice be known on paper.
Now, the storyline. I can only shake my head. I wanted to stop pretty early in the book, but I forced myself to continue. Since I read the summary, I kept waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. That’s when I decided stopping halfway was enough. If there wasn’t going to be action, did I really want to continue looking at poetic sentence structures? Nope. If I wanted to admire poems and metaphorical lines, I might as well pick up a book of assorted poems. But I didn’t. I wanted to see how an author could write a book with awesome lines and still keep the essentials of the storyline. Failure. A good book does not make you contemplate whether to finish the remaining 150 + pages. A good book does not lose your concentration.
Moving on: Characters. I have no idea what Elisa is supposed to be. She’s the kind of character that doesn’t really exist on paper to me. She seems so unreal. The way the book starts doesn’t give me much to infer about Elisa, and when her story progresses, I still just find her so bland. I don’t understand why she doesn’t have friends; don’t understand how she’s just supposedly great until the teacher tells her she’s a genius, don’t understand how she came to fall for Theo, don’t understand what Lila has to do with it all. None of the characters here attract me, just boring, boring people who are sucked out of nowhere to be written into a book the get published.
I’ve no clue whether it gets better in the latter half, but I’m not about to force myself to try. I’ll only get more irritated with every other chapter I have to read, so might as well save my time to pick up a better book.
I’m not going to deal with a summary like I normally do, because I’ll admit, I did not finish the book. I stopped on page 139. I read the book flap’s summary, which makes the book sound more interesting than it is. That should be a sin.
As far as I’m concerned, the only reason this isn’t a total flop is because of the writing. The poetic lines are thoughtful and you can tell that the author has put a lot of effort and time to string those sentences together. Although I’m not a fan of serious poetry (I like funny poems like Shel Silverstein), nor do I really understand it, I’m kind of not too awed by this author. Yes, it’s poetic, beautiful, and all that, but I get the sense that Beth Kephart is just trying too hard to fit them into her story. She devotes short chapters to figurative language that doesn’t fit into the story or makes things sound so much more complicated than it really is. You do not need to have beautiful description in every single paragraph to get the essence of your character or let your voice be known on paper.
Now, the storyline. I can only shake my head. I wanted to stop pretty early in the book, but I forced myself to continue. Since I read the summary, I kept waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. That’s when I decided stopping halfway was enough. If there wasn’t going to be action, did I really want to continue looking at poetic sentence structures? Nope. If I wanted to admire poems and metaphorical lines, I might as well pick up a book of assorted poems. But I didn’t. I wanted to see how an author could write a book with awesome lines and still keep the essentials of the storyline. Failure. A good book does not make you contemplate whether to finish the remaining 150 + pages. A good book does not lose your concentration.
Moving on: Characters. I have no idea what Elisa is supposed to be. She’s the kind of character that doesn’t really exist on paper to me. She seems so unreal. The way the book starts doesn’t give me much to infer about Elisa, and when her story progresses, I still just find her so bland. I don’t understand why she doesn’t have friends; don’t understand how she’s just supposedly great until the teacher tells her she’s a genius, don’t understand how she came to fall for Theo, don’t understand what Lila has to do with it all. None of the characters here attract me, just boring, boring people who are sucked out of nowhere to be written into a book the get published.
I’ve no clue whether it gets better in the latter half, but I’m not about to force myself to try. I’ll only get more irritated with every other chapter I have to read, so might as well save my time to pick up a better book.
February 2, 2015
"What I knew wasn't mine. That's the thing about being undercover: You know what you know, and you cannot act on it."
Elisa Cantor is used to blending into the background. At home she is always in the shadow of her glamorous mother and sister, watching and wandering like her father. At school she is self-conscious and keen to stay invisible.
After all, it's so much easier to observe things when no one is looking at you. In the woods Elisa is able to observe nature, like her father, as an undercover operative. At school, she can use everything she sees and finds to secretly write love notes for the boys in her school like a modern day Cyrano De Bergerac.
Elisa thinks she is fine with all of that; with being undercover. But when Theo Moses starts asking for notes to win over Lila--a pretty, popular girl who is always ready to remind Elisa that she is neither--Elisa isn't sure she wants to stay in the shadows anymore.
As she hones her voice writing poems for herself--not pretending to be anyone else--and learns more about Theo, Elisa begins to wonder if there could be more to her life. With her father away on an extended trip and her family crumbling under the weight of his absence, Elisa really needs for there to be something more. When Elisa discovers a hidden pond and a talent for ice skating, she realizes it might be time for her to stop hiding in Undercover (2007) by Beth Kephart.
Undercover is a marvelous novel, partly a retelling of the play Cyrano De Bergerac and partly something entirely unique.
Elisa is a narrator who sees the world not just as it is but also through her own lens, always with a sense of whimsy and wonder. Readers are easily drawn into Elisa's appreciation for poetry when she discovers new writers and forms and begins to write poems of her own (included throughout the narrative and also in bonus material at the end of the paperback edition).
Kephart uses poetry and prose to tell a layered story about love in all of its forms whether for family, friends, nature or even for words. Elisa's journey as she learns to love and respect herself is also beautifully told. Undercover is a slim book that has a lot to say about honesty, family and learning who you want to be. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo, Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley, Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg, The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee, To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu, And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, Drawing the Ocean by Carolyn MacCullough, Cyrano De Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales, A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell, The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott, Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
Elisa Cantor is used to blending into the background. At home she is always in the shadow of her glamorous mother and sister, watching and wandering like her father. At school she is self-conscious and keen to stay invisible.
After all, it's so much easier to observe things when no one is looking at you. In the woods Elisa is able to observe nature, like her father, as an undercover operative. At school, she can use everything she sees and finds to secretly write love notes for the boys in her school like a modern day Cyrano De Bergerac.
Elisa thinks she is fine with all of that; with being undercover. But when Theo Moses starts asking for notes to win over Lila--a pretty, popular girl who is always ready to remind Elisa that she is neither--Elisa isn't sure she wants to stay in the shadows anymore.
As she hones her voice writing poems for herself--not pretending to be anyone else--and learns more about Theo, Elisa begins to wonder if there could be more to her life. With her father away on an extended trip and her family crumbling under the weight of his absence, Elisa really needs for there to be something more. When Elisa discovers a hidden pond and a talent for ice skating, she realizes it might be time for her to stop hiding in Undercover (2007) by Beth Kephart.
Undercover is a marvelous novel, partly a retelling of the play Cyrano De Bergerac and partly something entirely unique.
Elisa is a narrator who sees the world not just as it is but also through her own lens, always with a sense of whimsy and wonder. Readers are easily drawn into Elisa's appreciation for poetry when she discovers new writers and forms and begins to write poems of her own (included throughout the narrative and also in bonus material at the end of the paperback edition).
Kephart uses poetry and prose to tell a layered story about love in all of its forms whether for family, friends, nature or even for words. Elisa's journey as she learns to love and respect herself is also beautifully told. Undercover is a slim book that has a lot to say about honesty, family and learning who you want to be. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo, Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley, Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg, The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee, To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu, And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, Drawing the Ocean by Carolyn MacCullough, Cyrano De Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales, A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell, The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott, Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
June 13, 2012
If UNDERCOVER were a movie, I would say it's a slice of life story. You both start and end in the middle of things, but it's still satisfying. Intelligent Elisa may not be conventionally pretty, but she walks in a world of beauty. She appreciates the outdoors and uses the nature around her to inspire poetry. In turn she gives this poetry to male classmates to aid them in attracting the girls they like. The person who taught her to pay such attention to nature, her father, is away in San Francisco. Her parents' marriage might be falling apart.
Elisa's at a crucial point in discovering who she is, but she's floundering. She's closer to her father and her sister is closer to their mother, but now her father isn't readily available. Her crush Theo is dating the possessive Lila, whom Elisa helped Theo woo. Luckily, she discovers those close to her are allies even when their relationships are strained. She's also encouraged by her English teacher, Dr. Charmin, who recognizes the potential in Elisa's poems.
As with any good slice of life story, UNDERCOVER works because reader's can see elements of their own life in Elisa's, even when the two diverge. I used to skate, although never outdoors and never over a permanently drowning girl. (I do live in Texas. Outdoor ice skating just doesn't work.) During my parents' divorce, my mother used skating to deal with her emotions. The scenes of Elisa skating on the pond, which are numerous, resonate with my own experience.
Likewise, I never had a teacher quite like Dr. Charmin. But I did have wonderful English teachers. I remember reading poetry and plays aloud in class. Of course, the only emotions I was ever overcome by were embarrasment and humor. (Deimyts and I read the two main characters of WAITING FOR GODOT. My character started asking his whether he ever hung himself, because it would give him a boner. Very startling. We also read two characters in a shorter Polish play titled THE UNVEILING. His character began to show another character how to properly seduce a woman - my character. This is the sort of stuff you need to be prepared for! These lines creep up on you!)
One of my biggest quibbles with most books set in high schools is the fact they never seem like any high school I ever attended. But Beth Kephart writes characters I could see myself knowing, in situations I could see happening. And she does it with beautiful language. Elisa's voice has a steady flow and Kephart uses elegant imagery. I hope UNDERCOVER not only pulls readers into Elisa's world, but pushes her world out into theirs and encourages them to read some of the prose and poetry mentioned within the story. (Believe me, it's worth reading.)
Elisa's at a crucial point in discovering who she is, but she's floundering. She's closer to her father and her sister is closer to their mother, but now her father isn't readily available. Her crush Theo is dating the possessive Lila, whom Elisa helped Theo woo. Luckily, she discovers those close to her are allies even when their relationships are strained. She's also encouraged by her English teacher, Dr. Charmin, who recognizes the potential in Elisa's poems.
As with any good slice of life story, UNDERCOVER works because reader's can see elements of their own life in Elisa's, even when the two diverge. I used to skate, although never outdoors and never over a permanently drowning girl. (I do live in Texas. Outdoor ice skating just doesn't work.) During my parents' divorce, my mother used skating to deal with her emotions. The scenes of Elisa skating on the pond, which are numerous, resonate with my own experience.
Likewise, I never had a teacher quite like Dr. Charmin. But I did have wonderful English teachers. I remember reading poetry and plays aloud in class. Of course, the only emotions I was ever overcome by were embarrasment and humor. (Deimyts and I read the two main characters of WAITING FOR GODOT. My character started asking his whether he ever hung himself, because it would give him a boner. Very startling. We also read two characters in a shorter Polish play titled THE UNVEILING. His character began to show another character how to properly seduce a woman - my character. This is the sort of stuff you need to be prepared for! These lines creep up on you!)
One of my biggest quibbles with most books set in high schools is the fact they never seem like any high school I ever attended. But Beth Kephart writes characters I could see myself knowing, in situations I could see happening. And she does it with beautiful language. Elisa's voice has a steady flow and Kephart uses elegant imagery. I hope UNDERCOVER not only pulls readers into Elisa's world, but pushes her world out into theirs and encourages them to read some of the prose and poetry mentioned within the story. (Believe me, it's worth reading.)
November 14, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Having recently read NOTHING BUT GHOSTS, I was anxious to crack open another Beth Kephart novel. UNDERCOVER was her first novel, and I'm surprised I missed it. According to the cover, Kephart was a
"National Book Award Nominee" and a well-deserved one, I'd say.
Elisa has always viewed herself as more of her father's daughter. Her sister, Jilly, and her mother share a passion for make-up and fashion. They are always dressed in perfectly matched colors with every hair in place. Elisa, on the other hand, has perpetually wild hair and could care less about clothes and colors. Her passion lies in words and nature.
The only person who understands Elisa is suddenly missing from her life. Her father shares her interest in words and literature, but his extended business trip is keeping him from home. At least that's the excuse Elisa imagines as she tries to keep him up-to-date with letters sent to distant San Francisco. As the days and weeks pass, it's becoming more obvious that his business travel may be a side-effect of trouble in her parents' marriage.
Elisa has previously accepted her backseat in life. At home she watches her mother and sister parade, and at school she uses her talent for poetry to ghost-write inspirational love poems for her male classmates to use as they court girls that don't even know Elisa exists. All this has been satisfying enough until she met Theo.
Theo gladly accepts Elisa's poem offerings because he's head-over-heels in love with Lila. Without Elisa's words, he knows he wouldn't have a chance. He shows his appreciation by developing a friendship with Elisa, but that friendship sparks something in her she never felt before.
With her father absent and conflicting feelings about Theo filling her thoughts, Elisa seeks peace by grabbing a pair of her mother's old ice skates and escapes to the hidden ice of a secluded pond. The freedom she feels as she imagines beautiful music and teaches herself to skate helps her cope with the twisting emotions that have suddenly invaded her life.
Readers will be immediately captivated by Kephart's smooth and lyrical prose. Her words and story flow as cleanly and easily as Elisa's skates on the pond. UNDERCOVER portrays Elisa's struggle to deal with insecurities and push herself to achieve what those around her know she is capable of achieving. Teens will easily relate to her desire to fit in both at home and at school, yet not compromise her own personal spirit and view.
Having recently read NOTHING BUT GHOSTS, I was anxious to crack open another Beth Kephart novel. UNDERCOVER was her first novel, and I'm surprised I missed it. According to the cover, Kephart was a
"National Book Award Nominee" and a well-deserved one, I'd say.
Elisa has always viewed herself as more of her father's daughter. Her sister, Jilly, and her mother share a passion for make-up and fashion. They are always dressed in perfectly matched colors with every hair in place. Elisa, on the other hand, has perpetually wild hair and could care less about clothes and colors. Her passion lies in words and nature.
The only person who understands Elisa is suddenly missing from her life. Her father shares her interest in words and literature, but his extended business trip is keeping him from home. At least that's the excuse Elisa imagines as she tries to keep him up-to-date with letters sent to distant San Francisco. As the days and weeks pass, it's becoming more obvious that his business travel may be a side-effect of trouble in her parents' marriage.
Elisa has previously accepted her backseat in life. At home she watches her mother and sister parade, and at school she uses her talent for poetry to ghost-write inspirational love poems for her male classmates to use as they court girls that don't even know Elisa exists. All this has been satisfying enough until she met Theo.
Theo gladly accepts Elisa's poem offerings because he's head-over-heels in love with Lila. Without Elisa's words, he knows he wouldn't have a chance. He shows his appreciation by developing a friendship with Elisa, but that friendship sparks something in her she never felt before.
With her father absent and conflicting feelings about Theo filling her thoughts, Elisa seeks peace by grabbing a pair of her mother's old ice skates and escapes to the hidden ice of a secluded pond. The freedom she feels as she imagines beautiful music and teaches herself to skate helps her cope with the twisting emotions that have suddenly invaded her life.
Readers will be immediately captivated by Kephart's smooth and lyrical prose. Her words and story flow as cleanly and easily as Elisa's skates on the pond. UNDERCOVER portrays Elisa's struggle to deal with insecurities and push herself to achieve what those around her know she is capable of achieving. Teens will easily relate to her desire to fit in both at home and at school, yet not compromise her own personal spirit and view.
July 31, 2018
This is such a pretty book. It's been sitting on a bookshelf in my house for several years and it finally fell off. It was obviously begging to be read.
Our heroine, Elisa, isn't pretty like her mom or sister. She is compared to Cyrano de Bergerac, who writes words of love for this handsome guy to give to his love, Roxanne, while he himself, with his giant nose, loves Roxanne. Similarly, Elisa, who is in Honors English, ghost writes love poems (well, metaphors) for others. Her anguish begins when she falls for one of her customers. She could also be compared to Cyrano because her sister and mother are beautiful (yet seem pretty boring), while she is more like her dad. Dad. He's been in San Francisco for a long time now, baby-sitting a client. His family misses him.
Elisa discovers a pond in the woods early in the book. She finds expression for her unhappiness by stealing her mom's ice skates and taking to the icy pond. There is a marble statue of a little girl reading a book that has sunk to the bottom of the pond. It doesn't do much other than help us create a vivid and interesting image.
Poetry, both well-known and by Elisa, along with letters to Dad, are interspersed in this book. It was a National Book Award nominee.
Our heroine, Elisa, isn't pretty like her mom or sister. She is compared to Cyrano de Bergerac, who writes words of love for this handsome guy to give to his love, Roxanne, while he himself, with his giant nose, loves Roxanne. Similarly, Elisa, who is in Honors English, ghost writes love poems (well, metaphors) for others. Her anguish begins when she falls for one of her customers. She could also be compared to Cyrano because her sister and mother are beautiful (yet seem pretty boring), while she is more like her dad. Dad. He's been in San Francisco for a long time now, baby-sitting a client. His family misses him.
Elisa discovers a pond in the woods early in the book. She finds expression for her unhappiness by stealing her mom's ice skates and taking to the icy pond. There is a marble statue of a little girl reading a book that has sunk to the bottom of the pond. It doesn't do much other than help us create a vivid and interesting image.
Poetry, both well-known and by Elisa, along with letters to Dad, are interspersed in this book. It was a National Book Award nominee.
December 6, 2008
A sort of small, intimate story - not the kind of thing to pick up if you want plot and action, because it's more about the emotions pushing the characters than what they're actually doing as a result. Elisa, the narrator, is a poet, and the language of the story is very lovely in a way that will appeal to readers who live very much of an interior life. All of the things she does to push out her boundaries, like teaching herself to skate, letting herself feel the risk of affection - feel more about their symbolic value than moving any kind of plot forward. I started to listen to the audiobook, but that intimate, personal quality did not translate well to a read-aloud, and I enjoyed it much more once it was just me and the book. I kept almost connecting to Elisa, but not quite, and there were a lot of intentionally unresolved plot points, a lot of characters left hanging - that ultimately left me feeling disconnected. I don't usually need a big plot to keep me hooked, but this one kept offering plot and taking it away in a way that never quite fit with the lovely language.
March 12, 2011
Con(s): In regards to the actual story line, reading this book was an experience somewhat similar to the one I had when I read Leap Day. I kind of felt like the story had no point really....Maybe its just me, but I feel like a story is not good unless it has a solid ending. The ending to this book wasn't a cliffhanger, but it was just as bad as one. Bu, I guess this was the author's idea of being realistic (because let's be honest: we all have our own definitions of realistic. The more cynical of the bunch might view this ending as "realistic")....And, the main character was too passive for my taste. She just kind of let people run over her (one of the many issues not addressed in the book).
Pro(s): I found the heroine intimidating 9and yes, this is a good thing). She just had so much depth and wisdom for a girl her age. Overall, the writing was excellent and it really made me think. The author really had a way with words. Beth Kephart is so talented and after reading Undercover, my brain felt so stimulated that i couldn't sleep for hours.
Pro(s): I found the heroine intimidating 9and yes, this is a good thing). She just had so much depth and wisdom for a girl her age. Overall, the writing was excellent and it really made me think. The author really had a way with words. Beth Kephart is so talented and after reading Undercover, my brain felt so stimulated that i couldn't sleep for hours.
April 10, 2009
What was the main conflict in this book? The description is better than the story itself.
Was it about a girl falling for a guy?
A guy falling for a girl?
Ice-skating?
Poetry?
Honors English Class?
Love letters written by a girl to give to a guy so he can give it to another girl?
I really didn't enjoy the sloppiness of this book. Perhaps a younger audience would like some of the wording, but I could barely finish this, much less recommend it.
Was it about a girl falling for a guy?
A guy falling for a girl?
Ice-skating?
Poetry?
Honors English Class?
Love letters written by a girl to give to a guy so he can give it to another girl?
I really didn't enjoy the sloppiness of this book. Perhaps a younger audience would like some of the wording, but I could barely finish this, much less recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2010
I picked this up after reading another of Beth Kephart's books, and I enjoyed it to a certain extent. There was definitely something missing, though. You never really get to know the characters or see them fully flushed out in the writing. It was mostly the end that brought this from a 3 star to a 2 star: I was literally shocked it ended there, because it didn't seem like a finish at all - so ambiguous.
January 16, 2008
I never completely got in to this for some reason. I found parts of the beginning to be somewhat pretentious, and not a whole lot happened. There was nothing to make up for the lack of things happening, at least for me. I know that other people have liked this better. My parents got it for me at a book fair, and the author signed it really nicely to me, so I wish I had liked it better!
April 29, 2009
This book was a worthy read. It was interesting and real, and the ending was enough to satisfy my curiosity without tying up every loose end. I loved the perspective we were given on the nature, and the world in general. I liked how the author could portray her message without spelling everything out for you. All in all, an excellent book.
May 30, 2009
While the plot is pretty predictable (main character "ghostwrites" love letters for boys to give to their girlfriends at school, main character falls in love with one of her "clients" - very much like Cyrano!), the writing really shines in this book. A good for middle school girls looking for a gentle read.
May 30, 2015
I loved that this was a book about words, and about noticing beauty where most people don't. But I didn't like the main character's love interest, and I'm not entirely happy with the ending; I just feel that there should have been a little something more. Beautifully written, but just...incomplete somehow.
March 25, 2010
I was kind of expecting a little bit more from this book. I thought that it was written pretty well, and it had the basics of a good story, but I felt it was rushed, and didn't go that much into the story as it could have. The ending was cut way too short, and it felt like the story wasn't finished. I liked it, but I feel it could have been better.
November 16, 2007
This book has a feel of being very true to life. It's a quiet book, Like Olive's Ocean or Criss Cross, and very enjoyable because of that. I'd recommend it to girls who like words, who like to write and tend toward introversion. I think it would speak volumes to them.
June 12, 2008
This book reminds one of the importance of being honest and open about who we are and what we bring to the table. It also is a reminder that communication and romance are key to any strong, long-lasting marriage/love relationship.
September 5, 2008
I wanted to like this book. It had such promise...
But despite some lovely imagery and some poetic language, I just thought Ms. Kephart tried too hard to be important and beautiful. The language felt forced to me, as did some plot elements. OK, a lot of plot elements. Not my favorite
But despite some lovely imagery and some poetic language, I just thought Ms. Kephart tried too hard to be important and beautiful. The language felt forced to me, as did some plot elements. OK, a lot of plot elements. Not my favorite
September 29, 2008
Young Adult. Similar to Cyrano de Bergerac, the heroine writes love letters for fellow students. But falls in love with one of the recipients. Multi-layered though, much more than just a love story, as she struggles with her family problems and finding her identity.
maybe-someday
June 6, 2009Seems I'm always gardening or making some sort of mess. Kaneko's Story is rather boring compared to Rivers of Gold and Cuba and it's Music. Some YA reading may get me to stop gardening and open a book.
July 3, 2009
love this book-- one of my favorite YAs in recent time--about a female teenage cyrano who writes the love letters for her school, then falls in love with one of the boys she is helping--great ice skating scenes too
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews