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Hallie Palmer #1
Beginner's Luck
“Laura Pedersen delivers . . . Throughout, you can’t help but think how hilarious some of the scenes would play on the big screen.”—The Hartford Courant
“There could be no doubt left in anyone’s mind that my life had all the makings of a country-and-western song.”
The second of seven children (with another on the way), Hallie Palmer has one to make it to Vegas. Normally blessed with an uncanny gift for winning at games of chance, she’s just hit a losing streak. She’ s been kicked out of the casino she frequents during school hours, lost all her money for a car on a bad bet at the track, and has been grounded by her parents. Hallie decides the time as come to cut her losses.
Answering an ad in the local paper, she lands a job as yard person at the elegant home of the sixty-ish Mrs. Olivia Stockton, a wonderfully eccentric rebel who scribes acclaimed poetry along with the occasional soft-core porn story. Under the same wild roof is Olivia’s son, Bernard, an antiques dealer and gourmet cook who turns out mouthwatering cuisine and scathing witticisms, and Gil, Bernard’s lover, whose down-to-earth sensibilities provide a perfect foil to the Stocktons’ outrageous joie de vivre . Here, in this anything-goes household, Hallie has found a new family. And she’s about to receive the education of her life.
From a wonderful new voice in fiction comes the freshest and funniest novel to barrel down the pike since Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café . In Beginner’s Luck , Laura Pedersen introduces us to the endearing oddballs and eccentrics of Cosgrove County, Ohio, who burst to life and steal our hearts–and none more so than Hallie Palmer, sixteen, savvy, and wise beyond her years, a young woman who knows life is a gamble . . . and sometimes you have to bet the house.
“There could be no doubt left in anyone’s mind that my life had all the makings of a country-and-western song.”
The second of seven children (with another on the way), Hallie Palmer has one to make it to Vegas. Normally blessed with an uncanny gift for winning at games of chance, she’s just hit a losing streak. She’ s been kicked out of the casino she frequents during school hours, lost all her money for a car on a bad bet at the track, and has been grounded by her parents. Hallie decides the time as come to cut her losses.
Answering an ad in the local paper, she lands a job as yard person at the elegant home of the sixty-ish Mrs. Olivia Stockton, a wonderfully eccentric rebel who scribes acclaimed poetry along with the occasional soft-core porn story. Under the same wild roof is Olivia’s son, Bernard, an antiques dealer and gourmet cook who turns out mouthwatering cuisine and scathing witticisms, and Gil, Bernard’s lover, whose down-to-earth sensibilities provide a perfect foil to the Stocktons’ outrageous joie de vivre . Here, in this anything-goes household, Hallie has found a new family. And she’s about to receive the education of her life.
From a wonderful new voice in fiction comes the freshest and funniest novel to barrel down the pike since Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café . In Beginner’s Luck , Laura Pedersen introduces us to the endearing oddballs and eccentrics of Cosgrove County, Ohio, who burst to life and steal our hearts–and none more so than Hallie Palmer, sixteen, savvy, and wise beyond her years, a young woman who knows life is a gamble . . . and sometimes you have to bet the house.
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2003
44 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Laura Pedersen
25 books42 followersLaura Pedersen was born in Buffalo, New York (one of "God's frozen people") in 1965, at the height of The Folk Music Scare. (For details of misspent youth see essay at 'Is there a Nurse in the Church?'). After finishing high school in 1983 she moved to Manhattan and began working on The American Stock Exchange, a time when showing up combined with basic computation skills could be parlayed into a career. She chronicled these years in her first book, Play Money.
Having vowed to become anything but a journalist and with no conception of what a semicolon does, Laura spent the better part of the 1990s writing for The New York Times.
In 1994 President Clinton honored her as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans. She has appeared on TV shows including Oprah, Good Morning America, Primetime Live, and David Letterman.
In 2001, her first novel, Going Away Party, won the Three Oaks Prize for Fiction and was published by Storyline Press. Beginner's Luck was published by Ballantine Books in 2003 and subsequently chosen for the Barnes & Noble "Discover Great New Writers" program, Borders "Original Voices," and as a featured alternate for The Literary Guild.
Pedersen's other novels include Last Call, Heart's Desire, and The Big Shuffle.
Laura lives in New York City, teaches reading and trades Yu-Gi-Oh! cards at the Booker T. Washington Learning Center in East Harlem, and is a member of the national literary association P.E.N. (poets, essayists and novelists).
Having vowed to become anything but a journalist and with no conception of what a semicolon does, Laura spent the better part of the 1990s writing for The New York Times.
In 1994 President Clinton honored her as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans. She has appeared on TV shows including Oprah, Good Morning America, Primetime Live, and David Letterman.
In 2001, her first novel, Going Away Party, won the Three Oaks Prize for Fiction and was published by Storyline Press. Beginner's Luck was published by Ballantine Books in 2003 and subsequently chosen for the Barnes & Noble "Discover Great New Writers" program, Borders "Original Voices," and as a featured alternate for The Literary Guild.
Pedersen's other novels include Last Call, Heart's Desire, and The Big Shuffle.
Laura lives in New York City, teaches reading and trades Yu-Gi-Oh! cards at the Booker T. Washington Learning Center in East Harlem, and is a member of the national literary association P.E.N. (poets, essayists and novelists).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
October 31, 2010
This book is unlike every other YA contemporary I’ve read before. It deals with the same issues (such as coming-of-age, not fitting in, not knowing what you want to do with your future, having a crush on someone who seems to be out of your league …) many other novels do, but it does so with its very own charm.
Every single character in this story has his or her major quirk or flaw. They might even come across as completely ridiculous from their descriptions. But despite that, they are never overdrawn or seem unrealistic - as it can be the case with characters that have very special traits. They are simply loveable and make this story what it is.
We have:
- The main character, Hallie: a maths genius/professional gambler/high-school-dropout/runaway;
- The Stocktons, who welcome Hallie into their house, first only as a ‘yard-person’, but she quickly becomes an important addition to the family:
There’s Ms. Olivia, an older lady (who would probably hit everyone calling her that) with a revolutionary streak, caring for her husband - only called the Judge - who suffers from Alzheimer’s, writing poems and the occasional porn story for a magazine (one has to live on something ;));
her son, Mr. Bernard, an antique dealer and culinary genius;
his boyfriend, Mr. Gil, the director of the local theatre, who seems to be the only normal person in the household, but turns out to have a major talent for toothsaying;
and last but not least: Rocky, an alcoholic chimpanzee and devout Catholic completing his rehabilitation programme by mixing cocktails for the family and caring for the Judge.
I watched Hallie grow and learn quite some interesting things about life in general; and haute cuisine (how to kill someone with a chickpea!), history, literature, old movies/music, gardening and antiques in particular.
I liked that this book actually covers a longer span in Hallie’s life – about a year, I think. It makes her development seem much more believable. Although she comes across as very wise for her age and there are things she excels in, she isn’t one of those know-it-all protagonists that tend to annoy me rather quickly. She has a slightly naïve and vulnerable side to her as well.
Every chapter in Beginner’s Luck is headed by some expression used in poker that just fits what happens in the funniest way. And I’m saying this although I’m sure about half of the jokes must have been lost on me, I’m not that familiar with gambling.
The only thing that irked me a little bit: The story is told from Hallie’s perspective, but a few things feel kind of left out. Hallie solves a crime, and she basically knows the culprit all along and has this uptight plan how to catch him, but the plan isn’t mentioned until the police arrest the person responsible. Also, I found it strange that important issues concerning Hallie’s love life are only brought up in passing. On the other side, it's refreshing that for once the love interest isn’t the centre of all the attention and I understand that leaving some stuff out serves a purpose after all.
Altogether, a unique book with a great cast of characters and a quirky kind of humour I loved. Will be checking out the sequel for sure!
Every single character in this story has his or her major quirk or flaw. They might even come across as completely ridiculous from their descriptions. But despite that, they are never overdrawn or seem unrealistic - as it can be the case with characters that have very special traits. They are simply loveable and make this story what it is.
We have:
- The main character, Hallie: a maths genius/professional gambler/high-school-dropout/runaway;
- The Stocktons, who welcome Hallie into their house, first only as a ‘yard-person’, but she quickly becomes an important addition to the family:
There’s Ms. Olivia, an older lady (who would probably hit everyone calling her that) with a revolutionary streak, caring for her husband - only called the Judge - who suffers from Alzheimer’s, writing poems and the occasional porn story for a magazine (one has to live on something ;));
her son, Mr. Bernard, an antique dealer and culinary genius;
his boyfriend, Mr. Gil, the director of the local theatre, who seems to be the only normal person in the household, but turns out to have a major talent for toothsaying;
and last but not least: Rocky, an alcoholic chimpanzee and devout Catholic completing his rehabilitation programme by mixing cocktails for the family and caring for the Judge.
I watched Hallie grow and learn quite some interesting things about life in general; and haute cuisine (how to kill someone with a chickpea!), history, literature, old movies/music, gardening and antiques in particular.
I liked that this book actually covers a longer span in Hallie’s life – about a year, I think. It makes her development seem much more believable. Although she comes across as very wise for her age and there are things she excels in, she isn’t one of those know-it-all protagonists that tend to annoy me rather quickly. She has a slightly naïve and vulnerable side to her as well.
Every chapter in Beginner’s Luck is headed by some expression used in poker that just fits what happens in the funniest way. And I’m saying this although I’m sure about half of the jokes must have been lost on me, I’m not that familiar with gambling.
The only thing that irked me a little bit: The story is told from Hallie’s perspective, but a few things feel kind of left out. Hallie solves a crime, and she basically knows the culprit all along and has this uptight plan how to catch him, but the plan isn’t mentioned until the police arrest the person responsible. Also, I found it strange that important issues concerning Hallie’s love life are only brought up in passing. On the other side, it's refreshing that for once the love interest isn’t the centre of all the attention and I understand that leaving some stuff out serves a purpose after all.
Altogether, a unique book with a great cast of characters and a quirky kind of humour I loved. Will be checking out the sequel for sure!
February 11, 2013
There's probably a more precise word for "unplanned pleasure" or "happenstance magic." Maybe whimsy, although that sounds a little flimsy (I'm no rhymin' Simon but that's the best description, honest).
Anyway, what a lifetime in books means is that there are many, many books on the shelf that haven't been read. So you've got a spot of time (which more likely means that you're avoiding doing the dozen other things on the to-do list, and truly ducking the one or two or three pending-crises on the MUST-DO list) and your inclination to read something on the spur of the moment, it's like winning the lottery when it's a book as good as Beginner's Luck.
A charming, engaging story filled with people you'd be delighted to spend time in their company: memorable, witty, and good-hearted to a fault. So when the author Laura Pedersen very skillfully whisks them together in a stew of social faux pas and late-adolescent, headstrong actions of innocence, indignation and invulnerability, you end up tickled that fate placed this book in your hands because you really could use a break from the world's woes...and Hallie delivers in spades (pun fully intended, but not explained).
The best part of all this - learning that in the decade since this book was first published, three more have followed. And I won't dare wait another ten years to catch up on the adventure.
Anyway, what a lifetime in books means is that there are many, many books on the shelf that haven't been read. So you've got a spot of time (which more likely means that you're avoiding doing the dozen other things on the to-do list, and truly ducking the one or two or three pending-crises on the MUST-DO list) and your inclination to read something on the spur of the moment, it's like winning the lottery when it's a book as good as Beginner's Luck.
A charming, engaging story filled with people you'd be delighted to spend time in their company: memorable, witty, and good-hearted to a fault. So when the author Laura Pedersen very skillfully whisks them together in a stew of social faux pas and late-adolescent, headstrong actions of innocence, indignation and invulnerability, you end up tickled that fate placed this book in your hands because you really could use a break from the world's woes...and Hallie delivers in spades (pun fully intended, but not explained).
The best part of all this - learning that in the decade since this book was first published, three more have followed. And I won't dare wait another ten years to catch up on the adventure.
May 8, 2012
Absolutely my favorite fiction series of all time, I have read these books over and over. A lot of humor, a decent dose of melancholy, and a heartwarming story weaves through each book. Each stands alone but you won't want to put them down until you finish them all. This one is still my favorite, probably in my Top 10 favorite books of all time.
did-not-finish
September 10, 2017No review/didn't finish
March 5, 2017
Three aces (and five stars or more)!
Small-town Ohio. Sixteen-year-old Hallie Palmer, poker pro and high-school-drop-out escapes her life as the second child of eight in a christian family as she accepts a position as a live-in "yard-person" in the unconventional Stockton household, which consists of Judge Stockton, who - in the last stages of Alzheimer's - is being cared for
by his wife Olivia, an eccentric activist, atheist and successful writer of magazine pornography, his son Bernard, antique dealer, Bernhard's husband Gil, stage director at the local theater ... and Rocky, an alcoholic chimpanzee who is devoted to cocktail-mixing and the catholic church.
The coming-of-age-novel passes about a year of Hallie's life. During this time Hallie becomes a valued member of the household, sheds her image as the town's teenage delinquent, repairs the relationship with her parents and learns a lot about friendship, trust, love, life and tolerance and almost as much about culture, history, gardening, cooking, etiquette and religion.
Even if one (like me) does not share Ms. Olivia's belief of a godless universe, the warmth of the displayed relationships, the quirky characters, the comic situations, the puns and the misunderstandings cannot fail to touch and entertain.
I really love this book and have added the following two volumes to my Christmas wish-list.
Small-town Ohio. Sixteen-year-old Hallie Palmer, poker pro and high-school-drop-out escapes her life as the second child of eight in a christian family as she accepts a position as a live-in "yard-person" in the unconventional Stockton household, which consists of Judge Stockton, who - in the last stages of Alzheimer's - is being cared for
by his wife Olivia, an eccentric activist, atheist and successful writer of magazine pornography, his son Bernard, antique dealer, Bernhard's husband Gil, stage director at the local theater ... and Rocky, an alcoholic chimpanzee who is devoted to cocktail-mixing and the catholic church.
The coming-of-age-novel passes about a year of Hallie's life. During this time Hallie becomes a valued member of the household, sheds her image as the town's teenage delinquent, repairs the relationship with her parents and learns a lot about friendship, trust, love, life and tolerance and almost as much about culture, history, gardening, cooking, etiquette and religion.
Even if one (like me) does not share Ms. Olivia's belief of a godless universe, the warmth of the displayed relationships, the quirky characters, the comic situations, the puns and the misunderstandings cannot fail to touch and entertain.
I really love this book and have added the following two volumes to my Christmas wish-list.
September 30, 2009
Funny...a very independent 16 year old, who tries to be emancipated...who loves gambling, and is very good at it...great characters.
March 13, 2021
Why did I ever buy this book? I detest gambling, and cannot relate to a defiant, truant sixteen-year-old from a large family, as I was a "good" girl and an only child. My guess is that it was on a buy-two-get-one-free table at Barnes & Noble, years ago now as I don't buy books like this any more.
Anyway, Hallie has a problem: she is child #2 in a family of seven kids (going on eight). She hates school, but loves the track. Her parents have refused to help her get the money to buy a car. She loses her entire savings on a bad day at the track. In desperation, she goes to the local grocery store to apply for a crappy job, but instead sees a post on the bulletin board asking for yard help. The Stocktons have a large old property in need of care, and they hire Hallie on the spot w/o much of an interview. To say the Stocktons are eccentric is to be kind. Olivia is an airy-fairy, bohemian activist when she can spare the time from caring for her husband, the Judge, who has advanced Alzheimer's. It is also possible that Olivia is a drug dealer. Hmmm. Their only son, Bernard, runs an antique store and is in a relationship w/ Gil, who runs the local theatre. Gil lives w/ Bernard. To top off the family, there is a resident chimpanzee, Rocky, who can fix a mean cocktail.
OK this family is definitely intriguing. Hallie can't stand her mother any more so she moves into the Stockton's "summer house" on the sly. She is chased by the local truant officer b/c she has also dropped out of school. She plays poker (again, on the sly) w/ various town officials, including the cop. Officer Rich has the distinct displeasure of accusing her of stealing a large quantity of money from the local drugstore, which Hallie did NOT do. But as a truant who has run away from home, she is a logical choice. So, to clear her name, she starts to hunt for the thief herself. Is it her friend Jane who works at the store?
The Stocktons drop the ruse that Hallie isn't living in their summer house and fix her up a bedroom and Hallie becomes a member of the family, learning to cook from Bernard and taking history and literature lessons from Ms. Olivia. At first, I found her conversations w/ the family so painful, b/c Hallie is really ignorant of cultural touchstones such as classic books, music, and movies - all the things the Stocktons really enjoy and use as shorthand in their family conversations. Hallie stops gambling so much, b/c she doesn't have the time. Hallie goes through typical teenage stuff w/ boys and more painful things that happen in the Stockton family. She even figures out who stole the money from the drugstore and talked her crush, Craig, into helping her set up a ruse to flush the thief into the open. The ruse would have been complicated for someone who follows the Stock Market, much less a teenage girl, but this is explained by noting that Hallie is really good at following odds at the track and can count cards in her head in poker games, so why wouldn't playing the Market be one more thing she could learn about and exploit?
Anyway, all ends relatively well, but I have to say that I had to force myself to keep reading the book at first, as I am not a "book quitter." I will give the book 3,5 stars rounded up to 4 b/c I really LIKE the Stocktons and how accepting they are of confused teenagers. The author also had a real sense of humor so there were a few snort-out-loud moments. If you can get past the unrealistic plot line, and the thought of a teenage gambler, you might enjoy this one.
Anyway, Hallie has a problem: she is child #2 in a family of seven kids (going on eight). She hates school, but loves the track. Her parents have refused to help her get the money to buy a car. She loses her entire savings on a bad day at the track. In desperation, she goes to the local grocery store to apply for a crappy job, but instead sees a post on the bulletin board asking for yard help. The Stocktons have a large old property in need of care, and they hire Hallie on the spot w/o much of an interview. To say the Stocktons are eccentric is to be kind. Olivia is an airy-fairy, bohemian activist when she can spare the time from caring for her husband, the Judge, who has advanced Alzheimer's. It is also possible that Olivia is a drug dealer. Hmmm. Their only son, Bernard, runs an antique store and is in a relationship w/ Gil, who runs the local theatre. Gil lives w/ Bernard. To top off the family, there is a resident chimpanzee, Rocky, who can fix a mean cocktail.
OK this family is definitely intriguing. Hallie can't stand her mother any more so she moves into the Stockton's "summer house" on the sly. She is chased by the local truant officer b/c she has also dropped out of school. She plays poker (again, on the sly) w/ various town officials, including the cop. Officer Rich has the distinct displeasure of accusing her of stealing a large quantity of money from the local drugstore, which Hallie did NOT do. But as a truant who has run away from home, she is a logical choice. So, to clear her name, she starts to hunt for the thief herself. Is it her friend Jane who works at the store?
The Stocktons drop the ruse that Hallie isn't living in their summer house and fix her up a bedroom and Hallie becomes a member of the family, learning to cook from Bernard and taking history and literature lessons from Ms. Olivia. At first, I found her conversations w/ the family so painful, b/c Hallie is really ignorant of cultural touchstones such as classic books, music, and movies - all the things the Stocktons really enjoy and use as shorthand in their family conversations. Hallie stops gambling so much, b/c she doesn't have the time. Hallie goes through typical teenage stuff w/ boys and more painful things that happen in the Stockton family. She even figures out who stole the money from the drugstore and talked her crush, Craig, into helping her set up a ruse to flush the thief into the open. The ruse would have been complicated for someone who follows the Stock Market, much less a teenage girl, but this is explained by noting that Hallie is really good at following odds at the track and can count cards in her head in poker games, so why wouldn't playing the Market be one more thing she could learn about and exploit?
Anyway, all ends relatively well, but I have to say that I had to force myself to keep reading the book at first, as I am not a "book quitter." I will give the book 3,5 stars rounded up to 4 b/c I really LIKE the Stocktons and how accepting they are of confused teenagers. The author also had a real sense of humor so there were a few snort-out-loud moments. If you can get past the unrealistic plot line, and the thought of a teenage gambler, you might enjoy this one.
May 5, 2020
Good things:
-The characters were fun, silly and three-dimensional without being too "whimsical" (I had concerns about the monkey on the cover.)
-The monkey turned out to be a bartender and very charming.
-The book made me laugh and wasn't as much about gambling as I thought it would be.
-I've never read anything quite like this.
Meh things:
-Even in 2003, Pedersen didn't quite have her finger on the pulse of teen culture. Unless the book was supposed to take place in the 90s? Which would actually explain a lot now that I think of it.
-The weird sexy stuff at the end just seemed out of nowhere, because for most of the book Hallie matter-of-factly makes out with dudes without providing much detail.
-The characters were fun, silly and three-dimensional without being too "whimsical" (I had concerns about the monkey on the cover.)
-The monkey turned out to be a bartender and very charming.
-The book made me laugh and wasn't as much about gambling as I thought it would be.
-I've never read anything quite like this.
Meh things:
-Even in 2003, Pedersen didn't quite have her finger on the pulse of teen culture. Unless the book was supposed to take place in the 90s? Which would actually explain a lot now that I think of it.
-The weird sexy stuff at the end just seemed out of nowhere, because for most of the book Hallie matter-of-factly makes out with dudes without providing much detail.
July 22, 2018
Entertaining read! The story took place in Northeast Ohio which made it fun too.
April 29, 2010
Hallie is a sixteen-year-old who marches to the beat of her own drum, and finds herself trapped in a Procrustean world of rules and regulations, school bells and deadlines, and no one to appreciate her for who she is. Then she meets the tenants of Nuthatch Lane, and she has never felt so normal!
There is the senior Unitarian Ms. Olivia, a vegetarian pornography-writing smuggler and poet who is fighting for freedom of speech and separation of church and state. She's a wild bohemian who is always leading the bandwagon for some cause.
I love when Ms. Olivia is sharing a conversation she had with the school principal about his Procrustean approach to school in regards to Hallie:
"...They don't want a freethinking person in their establishment. No, absolutely not. They want blocks of soft, malleable clay that they can carve and shape into their own images. People have a child and then set about tugging the strings to make that child dance to their own tune-- become what they've envisioned a child of theirs should be. I said to him, 'Mr. Collier, with all due respect, one of your trained seals has risen up from the man-made pool and spat in the eye of the zookeeper.' " (page 124)
By this point in the book, I think I have fallen in love with Ms. Olivia.
Mr. Bernard, the gay son of Ms. Olivia, is always at odds with his mother, but in a good-natured sort of way. You can feel the great love between mother and son. A gourmand and antiques collector, he lives with his mother and his lover Gil, who is the most "normal" of the bunch!
I love the quirky characters that drive this book. Free-thinking and supportive, the Stocktons offer a strong foundation for Hallie and give her a leg-up on life. And I love having the opportunity to stand beside Hallie as she navigates her way through new experiences and challenges. This is truly a "coming of age" story, and Hallie is a very likable girl.
This book is full of hot topic issues, and at times I felt that the author may be pushing her own agenda. However I tried to look beyond this. For the most part, I enjoyed Ms. Olivia's passionate spirit, and only a few times did I feel somewhat "manipulated" by a storyline that seemed to be a proponent for certain social-political ideas.
One thing that really bugged me was the inclusion of the chimp Rocky. I'm not sure what the point was of having him around. I just found him to be a distraction. I grew to dread any passages containing Rocky, as they were just ridiculous. So I tried to just work my way around Rocky, viewing him as something of an obstacle to the storyline for me, and continued on my merry way once I'd made it past him.
There is some minor vulgarity-- the kind of expletives you would expect even the best of kids to utter on occasion. Typical teen "situations", but nothing too untoward. I would be more cautious of the political and religious subject matter, and whether or not you are comfortable with your child reading ideas that may not jive with your own. You just have to know your own child, and whether they have a mind of their own or not.
This was an enjoyable story with great characters full of interest. There are some sensitive subjects addressed, some minor vulgarity, and that stupid chimp to contend with, but a good story all around. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a light coming-of-age YA story with a whimsical twist.
There is the senior Unitarian Ms. Olivia, a vegetarian pornography-writing smuggler and poet who is fighting for freedom of speech and separation of church and state. She's a wild bohemian who is always leading the bandwagon for some cause.
I love when Ms. Olivia is sharing a conversation she had with the school principal about his Procrustean approach to school in regards to Hallie:
"...They don't want a freethinking person in their establishment. No, absolutely not. They want blocks of soft, malleable clay that they can carve and shape into their own images. People have a child and then set about tugging the strings to make that child dance to their own tune-- become what they've envisioned a child of theirs should be. I said to him, 'Mr. Collier, with all due respect, one of your trained seals has risen up from the man-made pool and spat in the eye of the zookeeper.' " (page 124)
By this point in the book, I think I have fallen in love with Ms. Olivia.
Mr. Bernard, the gay son of Ms. Olivia, is always at odds with his mother, but in a good-natured sort of way. You can feel the great love between mother and son. A gourmand and antiques collector, he lives with his mother and his lover Gil, who is the most "normal" of the bunch!
I love the quirky characters that drive this book. Free-thinking and supportive, the Stocktons offer a strong foundation for Hallie and give her a leg-up on life. And I love having the opportunity to stand beside Hallie as she navigates her way through new experiences and challenges. This is truly a "coming of age" story, and Hallie is a very likable girl.
This book is full of hot topic issues, and at times I felt that the author may be pushing her own agenda. However I tried to look beyond this. For the most part, I enjoyed Ms. Olivia's passionate spirit, and only a few times did I feel somewhat "manipulated" by a storyline that seemed to be a proponent for certain social-political ideas.
One thing that really bugged me was the inclusion of the chimp Rocky. I'm not sure what the point was of having him around. I just found him to be a distraction. I grew to dread any passages containing Rocky, as they were just ridiculous. So I tried to just work my way around Rocky, viewing him as something of an obstacle to the storyline for me, and continued on my merry way once I'd made it past him.
There is some minor vulgarity-- the kind of expletives you would expect even the best of kids to utter on occasion. Typical teen "situations", but nothing too untoward. I would be more cautious of the political and religious subject matter, and whether or not you are comfortable with your child reading ideas that may not jive with your own. You just have to know your own child, and whether they have a mind of their own or not.
This was an enjoyable story with great characters full of interest. There are some sensitive subjects addressed, some minor vulgarity, and that stupid chimp to contend with, but a good story all around. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a light coming-of-age YA story with a whimsical twist.
January 6, 2009
Hallie is one of a whole gaggle of children, and when we meet her, she’s at her wit’s end with her family, with her high school, and in general with the way her life is going. So when she gets kicked off the soccer team for skiving off school for the umpteenth time, she decides she’s had it – she’s not going to go anymore. In fact, she’s going to use the money she has saved so far and buy a car and head off to Las Vegas. She’s kind of a mathematical genius and a pretty good gambler on top of that, but she still manages to lose all of her nest egg, which is kind of a set-back in her scheme to blow that popsicle stand.
What really changes things for her is finding an advertisement in the local grocery store for a yard person. She goes in person to apply for the job and meets an eccentric group of people who accept her for who she is. They make her feel at home and give her freedom to figure out what she’s doing and where she’s going with her life. Her family is hurt and confused by her defection (from them, from school), but Hallie’s new friends really help her to bloom. They also support her through a difficult time when everyone seems to be against her and thinking she’s a hoodlum or juvenile delinquent.
This is a quite funny coming of age story. Hallie may be smart in some ways, but in others, her naiveté is quite charming. The family she falls in with is filled with characters – an erotica writing matriarch, a gay couple, and a chimpanzee with a penchant for drink. Things can be shocking, but mostly there’s this odd camaraderie between people who have been lucky enough to find others who complement themselves so well. You will love them all.
I appreciate Hallie's luck or whatever it was in falling in with the family she chose – as opposed to the one she was born with. We all need people who understand us and appreciate us in all of our quirks. It's so satisfying when we find them and our own way in the world.
What really changes things for her is finding an advertisement in the local grocery store for a yard person. She goes in person to apply for the job and meets an eccentric group of people who accept her for who she is. They make her feel at home and give her freedom to figure out what she’s doing and where she’s going with her life. Her family is hurt and confused by her defection (from them, from school), but Hallie’s new friends really help her to bloom. They also support her through a difficult time when everyone seems to be against her and thinking she’s a hoodlum or juvenile delinquent.
This is a quite funny coming of age story. Hallie may be smart in some ways, but in others, her naiveté is quite charming. The family she falls in with is filled with characters – an erotica writing matriarch, a gay couple, and a chimpanzee with a penchant for drink. Things can be shocking, but mostly there’s this odd camaraderie between people who have been lucky enough to find others who complement themselves so well. You will love them all.
I appreciate Hallie's luck or whatever it was in falling in with the family she chose – as opposed to the one she was born with. We all need people who understand us and appreciate us in all of our quirks. It's so satisfying when we find them and our own way in the world.
February 13, 2013
There's probably a more precise word for "unplanned pleasure" or "happenstance magic." Maybe whimsy, although that sounds a little flimsy (I'm no rhymin' Simon but that's the best description, honest).
Anyway, what a lifetime in books means is that there are many, many books on the shelf that haven't been read. So you've got a spot of time (which more likely means that you're avoiding doing the dozen other things on the to-do list, and truly ducking the one or two or three pending-crises on the MUST-DO list) and your inclination to read something on the spur of the moment, it's like winning the lottery when it's a book as good as Beginner's Luck.
A charming, engaging story filled with people you'd be delighted to spend time in their company: memorable, witty, and good-hearted to a fault. So when the author Laura Pedersen very skillfully whisks them together in a stew of social faux pas and late-adolescent, headstrong actions of innocence, indignation and invulnerability, you end up tickled that fate placed this book in your hands because you really could use a break from the world's woes...and Hallie delivers in spades (pun fully intended, but not explained).
The best part of all this - learning that in the decade since this book was first published, three more have followed. And I won't dare wait another ten years to catch up on the adventure. -Review by Richard Hunt
Anyway, what a lifetime in books means is that there are many, many books on the shelf that haven't been read. So you've got a spot of time (which more likely means that you're avoiding doing the dozen other things on the to-do list, and truly ducking the one or two or three pending-crises on the MUST-DO list) and your inclination to read something on the spur of the moment, it's like winning the lottery when it's a book as good as Beginner's Luck.
A charming, engaging story filled with people you'd be delighted to spend time in their company: memorable, witty, and good-hearted to a fault. So when the author Laura Pedersen very skillfully whisks them together in a stew of social faux pas and late-adolescent, headstrong actions of innocence, indignation and invulnerability, you end up tickled that fate placed this book in your hands because you really could use a break from the world's woes...and Hallie delivers in spades (pun fully intended, but not explained).
The best part of all this - learning that in the decade since this book was first published, three more have followed. And I won't dare wait another ten years to catch up on the adventure. -Review by Richard Hunt
March 10, 2012
When high school and her ginormous family get to be too much for her, Hallie drops out and gets a job as a yard person for the rather eccentric Stockton family. Here she meets kooky aging activist Olivia; the Judge, her husband suffering from Alzheimer's Disease; her fabulous son Bernard who deals in antiques; and Gil, Bernard's relatively sane husband. (And a chimp, but that's not important right now.) Though a longtime and pretty successful gambler, Hallie soon finds herself spending all her time with the hospitable (and often very, very funny) Stocktons. This is not a book I would have picked up had it not landed in my hands courtesy of a generous BookCrosser, but I'm so glad I did. The characters were brilliant, the plot more or less believable (I'm still not convinced putting money in someone else's parking meter is actually against the law), and perhaps most importantly, it made me want to put forth more effort toward making my house a home. Definitely a good beach read.
January 28, 2009
This book is about a girl who is growing up, and wanting to try many things that aren't the best of luck to her. She has a weird relationship with her parents and doesn't always make the right decisions. Everyone makes mistakes, but Hallie has gone out of the way in doing mischief.
I can relate, and I am sure everyone else in the world can too. They make a mistake, some bigger than others, but they all lead you to places you don't want to be. You learn from your mistakes, you that them, progress on them, and build on that to make you stronger.
I would rate this book a 4 because even though there are some things that didn't go well in the story. It taught me not to do what she did, I learned from her mistakes. This story has a great moral and will make you say "WOW!" I would recommend this book to people who like to learn other people and how their situations are!
I can relate, and I am sure everyone else in the world can too. They make a mistake, some bigger than others, but they all lead you to places you don't want to be. You learn from your mistakes, you that them, progress on them, and build on that to make you stronger.
I would rate this book a 4 because even though there are some things that didn't go well in the story. It taught me not to do what she did, I learned from her mistakes. This story has a great moral and will make you say "WOW!" I would recommend this book to people who like to learn other people and how their situations are!
October 6, 2014
I would never have known about this book had a friend not sent it me in the mail and demanded that I read it. It is a pure delight.
Laura Pederson, like (YA God) John Greene, showers us with crossword puzzle-y facts that you never knew you really ought to know. Culture, cooking, antiques, literature, religion, and poker are just a few topics you will suddenly become strangely articulate in. And (oh yeah) it's a beautiful coming-of-age story as well.
Hallie is a charming character, endearing in her struggles to be taken seriously in poker, and heroic in her fight to be allowed to live free from her parents who have proved to be increasingly too busy to notice her. This is a daring journey that Hallie takes on, and we are so glad she does. I wish more people knew about this book, this is one that deserves a U-Turn in time and marketing. If you love quirky YA fiction, here it is.
Laura Pederson, like (YA God) John Greene, showers us with crossword puzzle-y facts that you never knew you really ought to know. Culture, cooking, antiques, literature, religion, and poker are just a few topics you will suddenly become strangely articulate in. And (oh yeah) it's a beautiful coming-of-age story as well.
Hallie is a charming character, endearing in her struggles to be taken seriously in poker, and heroic in her fight to be allowed to live free from her parents who have proved to be increasingly too busy to notice her. This is a daring journey that Hallie takes on, and we are so glad she does. I wish more people knew about this book, this is one that deserves a U-Turn in time and marketing. If you love quirky YA fiction, here it is.
May 11, 2015
"Beginner's Luck" was based on an interesting premise and I really wanted to like the book. Unfortunately, the book didn't even come close to living up to its potential. The writing was quite poor with each character lacking a unique voice. For a YA novel, it was filled with description and not a lot of believable dialogue. My biggest complaint, however, was that the book is a liberal manifesto including anti-family bias, pro morning after pills, pro gay marriage, pro emancipated minor, anti education, pro pornography, pro gambling as a viable lifestyle, etc. I don't believe presenting these issues in a novel provides youth with the opportunity to explore them based on facts rather than emotions. I absolutely would not recommend this series! Contains profanity and a lot of very questionable content, including sexual references.
November 11, 2010
I liked this book about Hallie exploring the meaning of family. Hallie is a teenager in a family of 7 soon to be 8 kids. She feels lost and alienated from her parents. Hallie is an adept gambler due to her superior math skills. Many parents, including her own, view her as the town miscreant. Hallie drops out of school and leaves home. She gets a job as a lawn girl for the town's most eccentric family consisting of the Judge who is senile, Ms. Olivia, the town rabblerouser, and their son Mr. Bernard and his husband, Mr. Gil. The Stockton's respect Hallie's different way of life but also help her to understand why education and family are important. Hallie deals with normal teen angst as well as being accused of a crime she didn't commit.
January 29, 2008
Hallie Palmer sounds like I did at 19, she needs a friend, a mentor; and finds not one, but two. Mrs. Oilivia's a cross between a rock and a dear old thing, and her son, who still lives with his mommy. This scandalizes her parents. Always a good thing, in my book. Love them and let them go. It puts me in mind of "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Fried Green Tomatoes".
I thought it peculiar that Hallie's mother never had a name, in the whole book, but it turned out she never got one, and i didn't care, after a bit. If you overlook the idea that women should grow up, snare men, and make babies, being different can be most excellent.
I thought it peculiar that Hallie's mother never had a name, in the whole book, but it turned out she never got one, and i didn't care, after a bit. If you overlook the idea that women should grow up, snare men, and make babies, being different can be most excellent.
July 26, 2009
This marks the first time in memory that I really noticed inconsistencies/mistakes in the text. Not just typos, but time changes or details that didn't fit right. I decided that the main character was slightly flexible and vague in favor of the secondary characters (which were wonderful, I will admit). If I'm even *thinking* about this kind of stuff while I'm reading, I'm annoyed. I did like it well enough to stick with it and finish though. Not sure how Kirkus gave this one a good review (seems like they don't give those out too often), but maybe the blurb on the jacket cover is actually misleading...
February 9, 2016
Hallie Palmer is bright, bored and feels a misfit at school and in her large Catholic family. When she decides to try her luck at the track in order to get enough money to go to Vegas, she loses everything. But then she finds a job as a "yard person" for the Stocktons - an eccentric family to say the least. Here she meets Judge (the patriarch who has Alzheimer's), his wife Olivia (who is always protesting something), their son Bernard (a gay, antiques dealer), and Gil (Bernard's boyfriend). Slowly Hallie learns about family, loyalty, art, literature, her own resourcefulness, poise, character, etc. A wholly satisfying coming-of-age book. Think "Secret Life of Bees" without the abuse.
March 18, 2011
This book is about a girl who can't figure out where she fits in. She is good with cards and math. She has 7 siblings and another on the way. One day at the Star-Mart, she finds an ad for a yard person and responds. Thats when she meets the Stocktons. Their family is made of a spunky elder mom, her husband, The Judge, who has Alzheimers, their 30ish year old child, Bernard and his male lover, Gil. This unique family helps her find her true meaning and what she is meant for.
Through all the up and downs, I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot from it. Boy or girl, young or old, you will enjoy this book about a girl who find the true meaning of love and life.
Through all the up and downs, I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot from it. Boy or girl, young or old, you will enjoy this book about a girl who find the true meaning of love and life.
June 23, 2017
This was a slow starter for me, I almost quit but on the advice of a friend I gave it 100 pages and I'm glad I stuck with it. Hallie started out as a bratty and ungrateful teenager which initially turned me off but as the story went on, I understood where she was coming from and what she was working through. And though she is the central player, the supporting characters of Ms. Olivia, Mr. Bernard and Mr. Gil almost stole the show, I'd love to read more about them. This is apparently the first in a sequel of four books and though I might read the rest at some point, I don't feel like I HAVE to rush off and do so now. I like how this one ends well enough.
April 13, 2008
This is a really entertaining, witty, rollicking book. One of my students recommended it to me, and at first I was annoyed by the teenage narrator's silly gambling lingo, but then the cast of characters enchanted me, and I enjoyed the message about the families we make (in addition to the ones we are born into). I read almost all of it at one sitting, and it really was a pleasure. Very atmospheric, and not just with the quirky-yet-lovable characters, but also the garden descriptions, food descriptions, etc. A fun, heart-warming read.
June 26, 2008
This is a great book...the author is amazingly descriptive, though...so you have to get used to things like "the maroon-and-chestnut-colored rug with its fancy floral patterns in blue, yellow, red, and beige whirling around as if someone tossed a gigantic bouquet down from the ceiling fan..."
The main character, Hallie, is quite likeable as are the Stocktons. I'm not sure if this is her first book, but she is definitely on my "author" list now!
The main character, Hallie, is quite likeable as are the Stocktons. I'm not sure if this is her first book, but she is definitely on my "author" list now!
September 17, 2010
Sixteen year old Hallie, second child of seven and adept gambler, decides to quit high school. A chance ad at the Star-Mart lands her a gig as a lawn care specialist at an unusual home populated by the bohemian activist Olivia, her son Bernard, his partner Gil, an alcoholic chimp named Rocky and the ailing Judge (Olivia's husband who has Alzheimers). Soon, she's been adopted into this eccentric family and discovers that despite quitting school, her education has just begun.
June 15, 2011
Hallie is a teen who is good at gambling but does not enjoy school. She decides to drop out, to her parents' chagrin, and become a full-time yard person for the eccentric Stockton family. The household includes a chimp who mixes cocktails, a gay couple, and people and animal rights crusader Ms. Olivia.
While Hallie is a teen, this is not a teen novel. It's a great summertime read with an appealing main character who faces some unusual challenges.
While Hallie is a teen, this is not a teen novel. It's a great summertime read with an appealing main character who faces some unusual challenges.
May 27, 2012
I usually stay away from coming of age type books, but this had some fun characters that made it worth reading until the very end. The author ruined the book for me by having the pinnacle point be at the girl's senior prom. Really?! First, it was out of character for the girl and second, are we women still that caught up in all the social expectations that the prom is the defining moment of a girl's teen years?
December 4, 2014
3.5 stars.
Protagonist Hallie is sixteen and decides to leave her home and quit school. She becomes a yard person for an eccentric lady and her grown son. There's also a chimp. I enjoyed Hallie and the Stocktons, and the education Hallie got by living with them. The chimp was a bit of a stretch, but overall a fun story. Even though there's a YA protagonist, it is not marketed as, nor does it read like, a YA novel. Will keep my eye out for the sequels.
42/60 tbr box.
Protagonist Hallie is sixteen and decides to leave her home and quit school. She becomes a yard person for an eccentric lady and her grown son. There's also a chimp. I enjoyed Hallie and the Stocktons, and the education Hallie got by living with them. The chimp was a bit of a stretch, but overall a fun story. Even though there's a YA protagonist, it is not marketed as, nor does it read like, a YA novel. Will keep my eye out for the sequels.
42/60 tbr box.
January 15, 2016
I am on page 115, Currently in the book Hallie, the main character really is not enjoying school. Her hate for school really sparked when she was kicked from the soccer team. Unusually Hallie spends her free time gambling and detecting. Hallie decides to drop out of school and takes a job as a yard person for an eccentric family named the Stocktons. Hallie quickly moves in because the accept everyone for who they are.
May 14, 2017
Told from the point of view of a precocious but unappreciated 16-year-old, who leaves home and happens into the Stockton family by way of a landscaping job for Olivia, an enigmatic character if there ever was one. The characters are quirky, with a gay couple, a senile judge, and a caretaker chimpanzee. Difficult to place in time, although certain details make it clearly 21st century. Great ending!
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