Same Difference

by Siobhan Vivian

Same-Difference

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, Art, Chick Lit

Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Siobhan Vivian is the author of THE LAST BOY AND GIRL IN THE WORLD (April 2016), as well as THE LIST, NOT THAT KIND OF GIRL, SAME DIFFERENCE, and A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE. She also co-wrote BURN FOR BURN series with her best friend JENNY HAN. She currently lives in Pittsburgh.

Reviews

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it hard to review Same Difference. There is nothing wrong with this book except that within a few days I will probably not remember I ever read it.

Same Difference is your standard coming-of-age story. The main character - Emily - feels a little blue, her best friend has a new boy-friend and Emily feels left out. To break the routine of being the third wheel, she decides to pursue her newly found artistic aspirations and attend a summer arts program in the big city nearby - Philadelphia. Although originally Emily just wants to improve her drawing skills, very soon all her Philadelphia experiences become focused on fitting in with her new pink-haired/wrist-cutting/fishnet-wearing pretentious artsy classmates. Suddenly Emily's old life - her old friends, her caring family, comfortable home - becomes too vanilla and she is too willing to reject it all. As you can guess, the rest of the story is Emily's journey to find her place in relation to these two very different worlds.

Same Difference is a very inoffensive novel, dull even. There is no edge or excitement to it, the conflicts are resolved almost painlessly. The romance is lukewarm at best. While carefully written, the characters do not stand out in the crowd of the ones I've read about in YA fiction. Emily's journey to self-discovery is moderately compelling, but her final self I am not pleased with. She becomes a better artist but a much worse friend and daughter IMO. In fact, I still fail to understand her rage against her best friend and family who have been nothing but supportive of her artistic aspirations.

Who I think this novel will appeal to are readers interested in art. Siobhan Vivian does a great job describing Emily's experiences both in her arts school and in the artistic environment in general. Unfortunately, such details tend to leave me cold in literature unless written very well.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emily feels trapped. Trapped in Cherry Grove, a suburb that practically exudes pool parties and backyard cookouts. Trapped with her best friend Meg, who has recently gotten a boyfriend and isn't paying as much attention to her. And trapped in a school where art isn't appreciated. So when Emily is offered to go to a prestigious art program over the summer of her junior year, she accepts immediately. However, now she's stuck between two completely different worlds: her hometown where everyone tries to be identical, and the artsy area of Philadelphia, where being unique and standing out is as important as living.

I'm sad that I'm only giving Same Difference three stars. Some of the reasons would spoil the book, so I'll just say the ones that don't. First, most of the side characters were majorly annoying. I wanted to tell Fiona to shut up the entire book. Same thing with Robyn, Meg, Emily's mom, etc. Even Emily, sometimes (especially at the end with Meg...) Also, Vivian didn't really wrap things up well. It seemed as if when she was writing the end of the book she realized what a bad place she put herself in plot-wise and gave up.

There were good parts, too. I enjoyed Emily's struggle to fit in and find who she really was. I liked her sister Claire. I enjoyed the contrast between Emily's hometown and Philadelphia, and the imagery with the numerous art pieces mentioned throughout the book. Overall, I would recommend this book to an aspiring artist.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily is searching for something real. Summer in her hometown of Cherry Hill doesn’t feel fun anymore as it should, especially since her best friend Meg got a boyfriend. So she decides to attend an art program in nearby Philadelphia. She figures that since she’s always liked drawing, this will be a chance to discover herself without everyone else’s expectations weighing her down. But is a change of scenery really all that Emily needs to forge her own identity? Because it seems like Emily keeps running into the same old problem with friendship, boys, and personal insecurities no matter where she goes.

As she did in her debut A Little Friendly Advice, Vivian crafts a realistic portrayal or life as a teen. Readesr will be swept up in Emily’s life, in all her awkwardness and struggles to define herself because of Vivian’s vivid writing. At some point, I stopped thinking of Emily as just a character and her life as just a story all due to how real Vivian makes Same Difference seem, and this made me care about Emily even more. Vivian does a fantastic job of capturing a point in a young woman’s life where nothing is definite and personal identity is just beginning to blossom in a way I was especially able to relate to. The incorporation of art only adds another dimension of depth to Emily. I truly enjoyed the juxtaposition of Emily’s city life versus her life in suburbia, including the friendship spites and boy troubles, because it demonstrated in a way that humanity with all its blessings and flaws is universal and that escape can’t define who you are.

Fans of Vivian’s fantastic first novel A Little Friendly Advice, as well as Readers who enjoy Lisa Yee, Courtney Summers, Sarah Dessen, and Deb Caletti, will most definitely want to check out her latest. Readers who like Vivian’s writing will likely want to check out A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell, which will be released early April.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sixteen-year-old Emily struggles to discover her identity as she goes back and forth between an art program in Philadelphia and sunning in the suburbs in New Jersey.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and will probably read the author's first book, A Little Friendly Advice soon. A little predictable, but definitely enjoyable. Fun and interesting, and I'll definitely recommend this at my library.

However, one thing really bothered me about the plot . . . (SPOILERS AHEAD)



-Emily is a REALLY bad friend to her best friend Meg. I can't even really understand what Emily was mad at Meg about when it was Emily who was being so mean. The plot point about Meg and her new boyfriend was the weakest part of the story. But that still does not excuse the fact to me that Emily was practically begging to be Fiona's friend again when Fiona was obviously using Emily and did something horrible, but when Meg is a good friend and comes to Emily's art show despite Emily being a huge bitch, and is a GOOD FRIEND, but Emily's basically just like, "hey whatever. Cool we'll be friends again. But where's Fiona?"
All right that was quite the ramble.

-One other thing that bothered me -- Meg and Emily, two very rich girls, as the book points out, plan to go to TRENTON STATE together? Completely unbelievable! Rutgers -- believable. Trenton State? Sorry, no.

[Theresa Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would have given this book four stars, because it was great, but not quite to the five-star mark. But then this happened:
The girl in the book is going to summer art classes at the art college in Philly. After her first week, she's still self-conscious about her J. Crew tanks tops- she's way too suburby, she feels. So one morning she takes a Sharpie to one of her tank tops and draws a picture of her (now deceased) cat Meowie. Right there on her tank top. I read this on the lightrail back from work. When I got home, I found a t-shirt of my own, got out my own Sharpie, and drew a big flower right down the front of it. The I showed off my 'new' shirt all weekend long with my college friends in Omaha. The fact that the book inspired me to do this earns it a whole extra star!
What I really loved, in addition to the art inspiration, was the understanding this author has of two really important kinds of friendships. One, being the friend you've had forever, the one who you share a huge part of your history with, but as your lives go in different directions, you have to work to keep sharing that history/future with each other. And the other friend is the one who you share a really specific time with in your life, the kind of friend who is really hard to explain, but they just bowl you over with how amazing they are and how they open your eyes. And again, when your lives take different paths, you have to work at keeping the friendship going. And when these two friendships intersect, well, it's either wonderful or disastrous. I like that Siobhan Vivian gets these dynamics. Because, as usual I think with YA books, this dynamic doesn't change just because I'm not in HS anymore. It still happens, and it's good to be reminded that this happens to everyone, and it's been happening for years, and we all continue to grow in good ways through these relationship changes.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Angie Fisher for TeensReadToo.com

How many of us can truly say we know who we are, especially as teenagers?

Emily is no different. Sure, she has had the same BFF forever, will graduate from high school next year, and her family seems pretty together. Take away those three things, and she has no idea.

That is, until her art teacher recommends her for an invitation-only summer program in Philadelphia. Though she has never thought seriously about her artistic ability (like everyone else, she only took the class because it was an easy A), Emily decides a couple days a week taking some art classes in the city is a perfect way to take a break from all the blah.

What follows is Emily's journey between her hometown, where everyone is trying to fit in, and her new surroundings in the city, where the struggle is in trying to stand out. Attempting to navigate both worlds isn't easy, and Emily will lose herself before she can truly find the self-discovery, and the self-confidence, she will need to become the person she is meant to be.

As in all life lessons, there are losses as well as gains along the way.

Those living through adolescence and their teen years, as well as those of us who have actually made it through the experience, however scathed, can truly appreciate Siobhan Vivian's SAME DIFFERENCE. Though we would never choose to go back and live it all again, Ms. Vivian has given us a gift in allowing us to follow Emily in her effort to answer the question many go through life never having the strength to ask: Who am I?

[Jodysegal · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5: The summer before her senior year, Emily leaves the familiarity and confines of her suburban neighborhood each morning to attend art school in the city. While she has always enjoyed art, under the influence of new peers and courses, Emily begins to develop and trust in her own strong aesthetic voice. Author Vivian’s discussion of composition and materials and her insight into the power of art brings the story to life and is my favorite part of the book. At the same time, Vivian’s plot and characters are overly formulaic, as our young artist initially rejects her suburban best friend and family for a new arty crowd, encounters jealousy and competition in the art world, falls for an older guy, and then resolves all conflicts. Dialog is also stilted at times, though overall the story is very readable. While Emily may be seventeen and her friend mentions having sex with her boyfriend, the story’s naiveté may appeal more to tweens and younger teens.

[Daria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am able to see bits and pieces of myself in almost every book I read, but it is rare that I find one that so accurately reflects the teen I was (and in some ways even reflects the adult I am now). Emily is a "regular" girl who is a talented artist (OK, that part isn't like me AT ALL) who does not realize the extent of her ability. She willingly downplays her skills to make her more dominant friend, Fiona, stand out and feel better about herself. Even when she is given the opportunity to shine, she can't fully enjoy it because she feels guilty that Fiona is not the one receiving the attention. Emily is so much like the girl I was, that it almost hurt me to read parts of this book. I wonder if I would have recognized myself as easily if I had read this book as a teen?

[Mackenzie Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25
Meh.
That's mostly what I get from this book. I didn't really like any of the characters, or understand them. I didn't like their decisions, and not even in a way that I don't like them but respect them for their character, etc. I just felt like it was all superficial.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more reviews!

*3.5 star rating*

Siobhan Vivian is literally the master of writing a perfect relatable contemporary novel for teenagers willing to look for something fresh and different. Same Difference was a novel that really touched my heart. Yes, it wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty great, and it changed the view that I had on books with a different protagonist than whom I’m used for, someone who’s free to say what she’d like and doesn’t care what people thinks of her. Emily may have seemed to create a Plain Jane role, but she was an artsy person who might have not known what life she had planned out, but once she met people who respected her and fit her personality, she realized that she was a person to be respected and honoured for her talent. *smiles of cheesiness*

But no, this book wasn’t cheesy at all. Yeah, she did ‘fall in love with her teacher,’ but don’t other magnificent stories feature that kind of romance? Just take a look at PLL by Sara Shepard. Ezra and Aria? Teacher-student romance? But that novel honestly made it all look hideous, while this was okay, and he saw Emily and Fiona drinking alcohol, (which does compare to other teen issues found today which Vivian is fantastic at sharing), which kind of made it even more okay since he was into their kinds of stuff, too. And hey, they both enjoy art and the feeling of it. But the thing is, Vivian’s characters weren’t memorable. It’s been a little over a week since I finished this book, and I can’t seem to remember the guy’s name.



Ummm… *awkward silence* You see, I still don’t remember. But that’s not the point here. Yeah, the love interest kind of sucked, but the best thing was that this book hadn’t relied on the romance. If it did, then this certainly would’ve gotten a lower rating since there wasn’t too much of a connection between the two other than their talents and hobbies. The main point of this book was that Emily was trying to find who she was as an artist, and who her real friends are, as all she’s ever had was Meg, her best friend.

Emily signs up for an art program during the summer in Philadelphia, the nearest big city to her small town. She’s passionate with painting, but she doesn't feel like she’s that big of a professional compared to the other people in her class. There she makes a few enemies who then turn into friends and explore her life while she changes and moves on to the person who she really is deep inside, at the same time as falling in love and being happy.

Yeah, the concept was pretty awesome if you ask me, and only certain authors can actually do it right. Some would've made this into a cliché disaster where we actually begin to question who we are ourselves and laugh at the stupidity. I love the feeling that Emily had to art and how passionate she was to succeed and be unique. That was diverse compared to most contemporary-romances, just like The List was when I read it a few years back. How does this woman honestly come up with these ideas?

Emily was a successful character, as was Fiona. Not to be judgmental, but I felt that some romance between them would come up when they met, as the way Emily described Fiona was kind of too-perfect and addictive if you ask me. But in the end, I realized that she was just desperate to find a person like her who understands her love of art, since Meg could never have.



Next off, the plot. That was another tweak that I had a tiny problem with. I guess I can explain to you that this was a very slow book. You'll need some time to get into it though it's pretty short if you ask me. Vivian here has created a protagonist who's trying to speak to readers, to let us know her story so we can fully understand the main concept and point of her decision to go into art and proceed with her talent. I fully respected her but I do wish that since this was a contemporary, for the pace to go faster as even her and her teacher didn't even get to a big jump in their relationship until somehow the end when they... kissed, you guessed it. *rolls eyes*

The funny thing is, Emily's from a small town in New Jersey. You'd never expect her to be so narrow-minded as Meg, her best friend was because she's never been into a city situation or found a hobby in her life where she is able to succeed. Cherry Grove is an awesome place, but I guess that it's not for someone like Emily who dreams big and wants out of everything and to rebel. Hey, you guessed it—she did eventually rebel against her parents because of the influence of Fiona as to change her clothing and her room and do "shadow art." Every teenager goes through that scene and spark in their lives, no? At least, that's how I feel it is, and I've been through that as well so I can understand.

With a story that's very easy to relate to and with a shocking finale to the choices that she made, Emily, our protagonist, was one of the favourites that I've read about in a while. She took a stand, led her talents into something bigger, and Vivian, our author, was truly magnificent with the way she had presented Emily's thoughts into readers' minds and left it there. Though there were some mishaps with the supporting side characters, I can truly say that I'm happy with the way this one ended up, just like her previous novels that I've read. I'll definitely go for more, and we won't need the same difference next.

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Recommend to teens and adults!!

[Diana Welsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a plot arc that I could totally get behind. It was subtle, no grand gestures, no cliched bullshit. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Emily is a 16-year old boring New Jersey suburbanite. Her summertime fun plans have usually include laying by the pool, going to Starbucks, going to Dairy Queen, all with her cheery best friend Meg. But Emily has just taken an art class in school and found that she has an aptitude for drawing. So her parents signed her up for a summer art program 3 days a week in Philadelphia - the scary big city.

The second Emily arrives at the campus, she realized what a fish out of water she is. The other kids are all artsy weirdos with colorful hair and bizarre fashion choices, and she looks out of place with her brand-new art supplies and mall-bought clothes.

Then Emily meets Fiona, the weirdest, loudest, most artsy kid of all. Her big thing is tracing shadows with chalk, and she balks loudly at people who value things like "craftsmanship" and "skill" over radical ideas. She's all attitude and no substance. Fiona has no patience for people who aren't constantly sucking her dick over how perfect and amazing her art is. She throws tantrums when given constructive criticism during critiques. I was initially worried at the breathless, awestruck way Emily described Fiona. I went to art school with people exactly like Fiona, and they are some of the most obnoxious people I've ever met. I've also been friends with people like Fiona. It's alternately exhilarating and shitty. However, Siobhan Vivian has obviously been friends with someone like Fiona too, because she got it exactly right. In Fiona, Emily gains a marginally talented, batshit frenemy who gets a thrill out of influencing Blank Slate Emily, but cruelly screws her over when Emily's art gets chosen for the juried art show instead of Fiona's.

As you can imagine, the things Emily experiences during the course of her class in Philly make now feel like an outsider in her New Jersey suburb. Now, she's a poseur in both worlds. After having Indian food and Bahn Mi, Starbucks doesn't taste as good. After running around to radical galleries on First Friday, going to Dairy Queen after a high school baseball game doesn't cut it. And after flirting with a sexy cool-guy teaching assistant, whatever boring jock she was supposed to like doesn't hold the same appeal. Side note: her love interest was described as possibly black or Hispanic, but it was only mentioned once, and the author didn't make the book about that. How refreshingly progressive!

The third act has the shit hitting the fan with both her New Jersey school friends and her new Philly pals/crush. Emily has so much trouble balancing the two aspects of her life that she screws it up in both places. But, she's able to start repairing it. Fortunately, and lesser authors might have gone this route, Emily doesn't resolve things by just throwing away one part. She doesn't just disavow her lame suburban existence in favor of being more like Fiona. She realize that that's a big part of who she is. But becoming a cool artist is also important to her, so she decides to stop worrying so much about fitting in in the suburbs. She stops letting her mom choose her hairstyle and pick out all her clothes and room furnishings. She goes back to the suburbs, lets her modest freak flag fly, and looks forward to a couple of years in the future when she can apply to art school in the city and develop it even more. Her friends, while they haven't had the same experiences she has, aren't bad people and start liking this different new Emily. And the book ends with her hoping that maybe someday Fiona will calm down and forgive Emily for being more talented than she is.

Beautifully written. I'm looking forward to reading more of Siobhan Vivian's work.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s summer and Emily is going to be a senior in high school in the fall. She’s a little tired of the way things have been going – her best friend Meg, who lives right across the street, has been dating this guy Rick, and whenever they go out Emily feels like a third wheel. So, when her art teacher recommends her for a summer program in the city (Philadelphia), Emily jumps at the chance. And immediately regrets it after the first few classes make her feel like an idiot. Is she really the talentless, undifferentiated suburbanite everyone thinks she is? No. But Emily isn’t sure who she is either. She decides to stick it out after she bonds with Fiona, another student. She’s wild and passionate and bright with energy and enthusiasm and embodies “artist” in a completely different manner than Emily. Her new friends and new experiences help Emily discover her gifts and her real self and she begins to blossom and to trust her own ideas (even when they’re different from others’). It doesn’t hurt, either, that her TA, Yates, seems to admire more than just her artwork. Problems arise when Emily has to integrate all of the pieces of her selves and parts of her life – new and old – into something cohesive. Can she, does she even want to keep the old stuff? And what does that mean for her friendship with Meg?

Emily is basically a blank canvas when we are first introduced, but as she is exposed to new things and people, she starts to figure out who she does and doesn’t want to be. She has hidden depths and makes some startling insights (this from the girl who thought that having a Starbucks in her town somehow put it on the map). She makes a lot of mistakes, too, but is able to learn from them. Good story of self-discovery, plus art! [I’m reading all the cool arty-girl books this month…]

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

From suburban lawns to urban art school, the main character is on a summer journey of self-discovery. I recommend for students interested in art who may feel like an outsider in their home, town or school. The art school kids are portrayed in a real way and not idealized.

p. 96 "I'm here,looking at you,trying to figure out just who you are. Because it seems like you might be this secret cool person wrapped up inside this whole other cool person. Only you don't know it yet."

p.45 "For this class, I am requiring everyone to keep a sketchbook, for which I want you to think of as a visual diary," Mr Frank continues. Except that one entry per day will not do. Rather, I want you to catalog your life, your point of view in the pages. I want you to take pause in the small, beautiful moments where you'd otherwise push on through with your normal life."

p.46 "A visual diary will help you, as artist, become more familiar and comfortable with the way you,and you alone, see things. I don't want you to just observe, I want you to obsess. Your point of view, your voice, will be what makes your art special and unique, so I hope you'll all take this assignment seriously."

p.154. "I'm sort of a picky friend. I don't like being shoved into a place and then being told I have to be friends with a bunch of people. it can be overwhelming. I'd rather have one good friend over a hundred acquaintances. Those are the kinds of friends you can count on."

[Sallyann Van leeuwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily lives in a safe gated community where day after summer day hold nothing more than lazing around a pool and watching her best friend Meg and her boyfriend Rick cosy up. So when the offer of attending a summer program in an art school is made, Emily has her eyes and world broadened. Here she meets an eclectic bunch of people, the arty bunch who encourage her to step outside her vanilla world and grow into the person she wants to be. Morphing into her new shell doesn't sit well with everyone, there are old friends rubbed the wrong way, parents who lose their connection with their daughter, new friends that perhaps aren't as unconditional as once thought, but that's all a part of growing up and finding a sense of self.

This is quite a sweet safe book, one that could highlight to people who feel that they don't belong in their part of the world that there is more out there!

[Juliet Jarrett]

I just finished this book Same Difference! It's about this girl named Emily Thompson and she lives in this small town called Cherry Grove, right next to Philidelphia. At first she doesn't make friends that well, but then she meets this one girl named Fiona. She isn't your normal type of person. She is kinda fun and quirky. First off she has short blonde hair but then a pink extension that is about 5 inches longer. The author likes to refer to it as, "A Kool-Aid Waterfall." So when she meets Fiona, Emily's personality starts to change. She kind of comes like Fiona. Changes her style of clothes, changes the way her room looks. Anyway, I thought this was a great book. The beginning didn't get off to a good start though. I would recommend this book to any GIRLS that realistic-fiction.

[Ricki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job capturing those moments of loneliness that teenagers (and all humans) feel. Emily wants to be liked and will transform herself to fit in with others. At times, the other characters in the book are quite mean to her, and the reader feels complete empathy for her and wants her to feel a sense of belonging. She struggles to develop independent thoughts and ideas, but often, she finds herself emulating a very dominant female in her life, Fiona. The book was very well-written, and I would definitely recommend it.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian (Scholastic). Emily, 16, has the chance to spend half-days at a prestigious art school in Philadelphia, splitting her summer between the city and her hometown of Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Soon, she finds herself torn between the art world--where everyone wants to be unique, and the suburbs--where fitting in is practically required. Throughout this book, there are moments when you feel like you are Emily; it's a beautifully written coming of age novel.

[Aram Teens]

Love Vivian's writing a lot - her characters are never over-the-top and they don't struggle with twelve million problems before resolving the big one at hand. Emily feels like a real girl. Interestingly, this one pairs really well with Laura Lee Gulledge's graphic novel PAGE BY PAIGE.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a steady, quiet coming-of-age story that offers detailed sympathetic characters. Such an absorbing read with lots of insights into Art and our need to connect with it, other people and ourselves.

I love realistic, contemporary material, and this is an excellent example of the genre.

[Ari]

The only book I read from this author is "Not That Kind of Girl" (and I enjoyed it), so I do intend to read more. this one seems to be right up my alley and it might be a great starting point.

Dear March, why won't you switch places with January :p

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me horribly homesick on many many levels. I loved the characters--I KNOW these characters--and loved this book, simple as it was.

[Israa Ismail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book never ended that's how awesome it was!

[cactus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for any art students :) Really inspired me to make art again! Generally easy to understand and such a gooooooooood book for teens :D

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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no estoy segura de si quería terminarlo o no o que pero estoy segura de que me gusto. tal vez es más un 3.5 que un 4 pero culpo al final. En serio, creo que yo no soy de finales felices donde todo se arregla y así, me hubiera gustado más que me dejaran con el corazón roto #masoquistaforever pero aún así no me quejo (o al menos no mucho).

No es el tipo de libro que recomiendo no porque no haya sido bueno sino porque me gusta reservarme la historia solo para mi, aunque igual me gustaría tener alguien con quien compartirla.


* ACTUAL REVIEW *

Este libro lo leí debido a que salio en mi primer Random Reads y debo de decir que sentía que me estaba arriesgando mucho. Aunque se que por alguna razón llegan a mi to-read shelf, sentía que era muy como ir a ciegas con un libro que apenas conoces, así que tenía miedo de que lo odiara o algo así, pero gracias al cielo que no fue el caso.

Same Difference me ha parecido un libro peculiar ya que no estoy acostumbrada a los libros que son tan... ¿como decirlo sin que suene a ofensa? ¿ordinarios? ¿dentro de lo seguro? ¿normales?

Lo que quiero decir con esto es que me pareció que la historia seguía muy bien las lineas de la estructura clásica de una novela. En verdad se sentía que había un inicio, un desarrollo y un final.

Hubo mucho desarrollo en los personajes pero siento que todo fue a su debido tiempo, tal y como debe de ser. Y creo que sentí mucho esto por que últimamente he leído libros con una estructura muy caótica, que empiezan por el final, con nada de desarrollo (o a veces demasiado, pero por el camino erróneo) y un tremendo cliff-hanger que no sabes ni de donde salio ni a donde te va a llevar (lo cual a veces hace que quieras seguir leyendo los otros libros).

Les digo, este libro es más normal respecto a la estructura y a mi me pareció un poco extraño no porque haya sido malo sino porque sentí que no estaba acostumbrada. Pero hablemos de la historia.

Emily es una hoja en blanco. Es la mejor amiga (o más bien, la sombra) de la perfecta Meg, una chica popular con el novio perfecto. Casi siempre le hace de la tercera en su relación y se ha cansado.

A Emily le gusta mucho dibujar y se le da excelente, así que no lo piensa dos veces cuando la oportunidad de ir a un campamento de artes en Philadelphia se le presenta en el camino. Pero cuando llega ahí se siente como una completa extraña, lo cual es patético ya que todos los que van a ese campamento son los clásicos artistas marginados de la escuela y para Emily (que siempre ha sido todo lo contrario a marginada) ser marginada por gente como ellos es el colmo.

Es una de esas historias en las que la chica popular (o cuasi popular) llega a un lugar en donde se da cuenta de que ella en verdad no es nada. Que le falta carácter, autoestima y fuerza y no sabe como enfrentarse a ello.

Lo peor de todo (para Emily) es que no puede ignorarlo ya que el programa de artes la obliga a enfrentarse a ello, a descubrir su identidad y a usarla en su arte, pero ella siente que no encaja y que lo mejor sería irse, regresar a su cómoda vida en Cherry Groove y olvidarse de todo esto. Pero le gustan muchísimo las clases y hacer su propio arte, por lo cual irse termina sin ser una opción.

Le gusta tener el poder de crear y dibujar y ver las cosas de otra forma, pero para a veces es demasiado para ella y las cosas que todo mundo entiende para ella no tiene el más mínimo sentido.

Pero, tal y como dice Fiona: una vez lo notas, no hay manera de volver atrás.

You must know the rules before you can break them.

Llega un punto en el que Emily por fin sale de su zona segura y busca su propia identidad, aunque eso significa perder amigos y dañar un poco la relación con sus padres. Se vuelve un poco... rebelde, digamos, pero creo que se justifica con el hecho de que toda su vida haya sido planeada por alguien más (siempre siendo solo lo que su madre decida y una copia perfecta de Meg). Emily solo quiere tener una vida propia, una personalidad propia, quiere poder ser alguien ella misma sin tener que ser nadie más.

En el libro si hay mucho sobre arte pero creo que eso termina formando parte del fondo, la escenografía. Creo que lo principal en esta historia son las relaciones interpersonales y el autodescubrimiento.

Al principio, algo que se me hizo muy de creeper fue ver a Emily obsesionarse con Fiona. Okay, entiendo que le guste mucho y le inspire su arte pero a veces me pareció que se estaba obsesionando de más.

Fiona es un personaje profundo que me gusta pero a la vez no creo haber terminado de comprender. Claro que hice mis teorías pero pienso que a personas como ella nunca se les entiende del todo a menos que hayas estado alguna vez en sus zapatos (totally out of place pero algo así como con Alaska o Margo). Aún así, al final de cuentas, me quede con una relación amor/odio con ella: amor porque mas o menos logré entenderla y apreciarla, y odio por todas las cosas malas que hizo (que son bastantes).

You can decorate absence however you want - but you're still going to feel what's missing.

Al principio el libro no me convencía, pero conforme avanzaba me iba metiendo más en la historia y empezaba a sentir justo lo que la autora quiere que sintamos.

A veces me sentía como Emily, otras como Fiona, otras como Robyn o Yates y eso hizo que jamás me aburriera. Quiero decir, la autora crea unos personajes con personalidades muy únicas pero a la vez muy reales, siendo que lo más seguro nosotros seamos cercanos a gente así o que nosotros seamos igual a alguno de ellos.

Algo que puse en una de mis actualizaciones del libro fue que me preocupaba mucho que el crecimiento de Emily fuera más para mal que para bien.

Hay veces en las que ella se podía comportar de una forma y encajar completamente bien en su vida en Philadelphia, pero eso traía como consecuencia dañar y olvidarse de personas importantes como su mejor amiga Meg, su madre e incluso a su hermana. Me gusto ver como Emily crecía pero no podía quitarme nunca esa sensación de que a lo mejor no debería de hacerlo y regresar a como estaba antes ya que estaba siendo muy injusta con gente que en verdad la querían, pero al final digamos que muchas cosas se resuelven y te deja con la moraleja de que aunque haya cambios que sean muy difíciles igual los tienes que hacer, ya que daña más quedarte estática que moverte hacia algo mejor.

It's easier to play a part sometimes than to become the you you're really suppoused to be.

Creo que lo que más me lastima de todo es Yates y Fiona (e incluso un poco Adrian). No quiero decir mucho pero a pesar de que las cosas se dieron tal y como debió de haber sido, no me quito de encima que Emily pudo haber hecho mucho más para arreglar las cosas, pero a veces sentí que era demasiado egoísta y lo peor de todo es que no puedo terminar de decidirme de si eso es bueno o malo, como ya intente explicar más arriba.

El final fue bonito, adecuado,y aunque deja algunas cositas sin resolver, creo que es mejor así que intentar darle respuesta a todo.

La portada no me gusta pero creo que al terminar de leer la historia le encuentro algo de sentido (pero no estoy igual de segura con el titulo) pero eso no quita que este fea.

Same Difference es un libro que tiene muchas sorpresas. Los personajes tienen un gran potencial y creo que se aprovecha, aunque de repente pueda llegar a parecer un tanto conflictivo el resultado. Se los recomiendo para los que quieren una lectura ligera pero no aburrida.

[Hajerah Umar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe this is one of the most important books I've read this year, resonating strongly, as if through every bone of mine. Except this is the first real change in Emily's life, a life so settled and constant.I think the book plays with this concept quite beautifully, overlaps between new and old environments and the change , doubt, and sometimes conflict they bring is quite nicely explored. This book came just at the right time, in my last year of O levels and CAIEs starting from 4th of October, I feel scared and sad. Life is about to change very soon, I'm considering colleges too, just like her, and I know the power of going to a new place, the pain of losing your old friendships slowly, and then rebuilding them too, sometimes better than the last one. I also know what it's like to have people you're enraptured by , people who you are the one to hold onto, pursue, and bring back. I think I struck gold here with this book . Thank you to the writer!

[hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3-3.5- I can’t decide!!)

I did really liked this book. I mean, I am not an art fan but the concept was interesting and I liked how much Emily progressed in this story. I liked Emily’s character, although her decisions were so dependent on others and she’s defo a people pleaser. I guess the thing that really got me is how much I disliked Fiona. she was crazy, obsessive and arrogant and I think she was completely toxic and awful for Emily and everyone. I kept waiting for Emily to snap out of it and realise how much of a shite person she was to her and others but she never did - spoiler. I literally felt like screaming reading the second half of the book because Emily was being completely naive, ugh.

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book was very interesting how it talked about art and how everyone was unique in their own way. Each character expressed their own feelings throughout the story which I found very interesting. Fiona was my favorite character because she was the most creative and independent which I loved about her. Meg was my least favorite character because she was so into her boyfriend she did not realize how much that affected her best friend, Emily. I was very happy that Emily and Fiona became friends because Fiona understood Emily better than anyone. Fiona shows Emily how to get out of her comfort zone and helping her find her true self. Fiona helped Emily throughout the story become who she is. This book showed how it is good to be yourself and find who you are as a person.

[Jolyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plot starts with a rich, awkward teenager who got into a prestigious art school. She then meets someone interesting from school named Fiona (she an art hoe). She's known to be very outspoken and ultimately exudes confidence, in the way she speaks and everywhere she goes. Fiona and Emily are polar opposites and they both learn something from each other and got to be good friends not until Fiona's ego was crushed because of something she misunderstood smh. Overall, a light read with a tinge of teenage girl drama.

[Vanezza Joongz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really into this kind of genre but finished it anyway. The story lost the essence of being real. REALLY. For me, Emily was a character that I can't figure out until the end. Or maybe because we don't really have too many similarities. It's not really like disliking her but I don't like her at all. Not in a sense of being good/bad person but she's like someone I can't quite appreciate in the story. Only the way the author had written this story is what keeps me on going.