Pieces of Me

by Charlotte Gingras, Susan Ouriou (Translator)

Mirabelle's art teacher tells her she has talent, but what good is it doing her? Almost fifteen and friendless, Mira is plagued by dark thoughts. Her body seems to be changing daily. Her mother is domineering and half-crazy and her father --- well, he's her ex-father, mostly out of Mira's life and awkward when he's around.

Then she meets free-spirited, confident Catherine, a knockout who makes the boys' jaws drop. Not only is Catherine good at art like Mira, she also knows about kissing boys. Mira has never kissed anyone and doesn't understand the hungry way boys are beginning to look at her.

Now that Mira's finally found someone she can talk to, her dark thoughts are vanishing. But as her friend encourages her to come out of her shell, Mira finds that her new-found confidence can still be shattered in an instant.

Only after Mira faces a betrayal and a tragedy can she begin to put the fragmented pieces of herself together.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Canada, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1999

About the author

Charlotte Gingras is a Canadian author of books for the youth. She studied teaching and the plastic arts taught primary school, gave workshops on creativity for adults and did freelance work as a visual artist. She writes in French.

Charlotte Gingras est une auteure canadienne d'expression française de livres pour la jeunesse. Elle a fait des études en pédagogie et en arts plastiques, a enseigné aux enfants du primaire, a animé des ateliers sur la créativité pour les adultes et effectué des travaux indépendants en tant qu'artiste en arts visuels.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought it was an okay book. I wasn't too fond of it in the beginning or in the middle of it, but towards the end I began to like it. It teaches the important lesson to always keep moving forward, no matter how scary it may be, which I can definitely relate to.
So, not the best book I've read, but not the worst either.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: https://hiplibrariansbookblog.com/200...

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shattered
Pieces of me is a outstanding novel about Mirabelle a fifteen years old girl who is friendless. Mira is struggling to put her pieces of life together,she is a young,lonely and not a trusting person. Her father left her and her mother years ago,he only visits once a month, every time he visits it just gets very awkward between them. Her mother, seems to be very paranoid,half obsessive she can't handle being alone. She designs pieces of clothing in her apartment that no one ever sees. Mirabelle is forced to head straight home after school and to spend weekends only with her mother. Mira started to test her bravery,becoming best friends with a new classmate Catherine in art class. Catherine started to get Mirabelle to step out of her shell such as eating french fries after school at the cafe and wearing colours other than black. When things are looking bright for Mira,Catherine non willfully betrayed her. Mirabelle being devastated after everything,she got recommended to attend counselling. The therapist helps Mira to put together her shattered pieces of herself.
I thought the book was decent,it was an oppressive tale. I wasn't really attached to the book in the beginning or the middle of it,but towards the ending I started to appreciate the book. It teaches an important lesson that no matter how deep of a situation is just keeping moving forward,no matter how frightening it may be there's always a way to escape.
This book is mostly for young women,ages 15 and up. The reason for the mature audience is there's a lot of compassion,loneliness and also some mature moments. I recommend "Pieces Of Me" to young women out there who feels there's no way to fix their shattered pieces.

[Leen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toen ik dit boek als tiener las, was ik (denk ik) vooral bezig met het verhaal. Nu heb ik daarbovenop genoten van het taalgebruik. Dit fragment wist me te treffen:

Ik heb zin om een grote zak snoep tot op de bodem leeg te eten. Ik heb zin om naar het noorden te liften, helemaal tot waar de weg ophoudt. Ik heb zin om mijn wimpers af te knippen. Er zijn dagen dat ik voel dat mijn borst uit elkaar zal spatten. Dat doet pijn. Maar niets spat uiteen, dus heb ik nergens nog zin in. Alleen maar om op mijn bed te gaan liggen wachten tot het overgaat.

Mira is vijftien en is basically de babysit van haar labiele moeder. Haar vader heeft hen in de steek gelaten en nu moet zij elke zondag met haar moeder een wandeling maken en luisteren naar haar paranoia verhalen over grote designers die haar kledingontwerpen stelen. Gelukkig is er het nieuwe meisje Catherine, dat door haar pantser weet te dringen, en die spannende jongen met wie ze misschien wel voor het eerst zal kussen. Misschien kan ze zo ontsnappen uit haar leven?

De zinnen zijn zo voorzichtig opgebouwd, en toch is elk woord bedoeld om tot de lezer door te dringen. Het is een dun boekje, een kort verhaal, maar er wordt veel in verteld. Alle subtiliteiten van hoe moeilijk het is om jong te zijn. Ik heb het zo traag mogelijk gelezen.

Alsof ik een puzzel ben waarvan de stukken verspreid liggen over de vloer, en waarvan ik zelf niet weet welk beeld ze samen vormen. Ik ben er trouwens niet zeker van of ik wel alle stukken heb.

[Sam Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, I had no problem with the translation and found the novel intriguing.

I was interested in the authors' portrayal of her mother's knitting and sewing as a contribution to her overall mental state. Being a knitter, I of course didn't share the same points of view, but other than the knitting I found the mother's character to be undeveloped and flat. I would have liked to learn a bit more about her back story or her opinions, or at least see her communicate in a way that wasn't accusing, full of hate.

The only trouble with the translation (and I can't seem to let it go) is at the end of the book when Mira's father is describing the tundra to her, and mentions that there are only "birch" trees which grow up there, so dense that you can walk over them. There are definitely no birch trees in the high arctic! They are spruce, most likely, and this one little error (which would have only taken a minute of research) sort of made me lose faith in the translation and the novel itself. Too bad!

[South Brunswick High School Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This slim novel offers an eloquent explanation of the loneliness of Mirabella, a teen raised by an oppressive mother who struggles with mental illness. Mira, the name she prefers, is close to being swallowed by her loneliness until she meets Cath and her world begins to gain color, laughter, and life. A piece at a time, Mira reveals who she is and how she gotten here. The reader will watch as she begins to spread her wings and find her own way forward, despite tragedy.

[Crystal Waleed · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT BOOK. I picked this book up not really knowing what to expect but I finished it within 2 hours and left feeling so touched. It was quite relatable for me and written in such a beautiful way that was still easy to understand. There is no plot or direct storyline other than following a few moments in her life but it makes for such a wonderful book I highly recommend!!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really beautiful little story about feeling alone in the world. It felt a little bit like I was reading my own teenage diaries but without the added cringiness of my own regrets.

[towana🧸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was an okay book
expected a bit more but she’s 15 so you can’t really expect much but the attraction to bird man seems a bit random….it just came and go
but i’d re-read

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that Pieces of Me was initially published in Canada in French under the title La Liberte? Connais pas ... and it won the Governor General's Literary Award?

Me neither. I don't normally come across books written in another language first, but I definitely will be looking for foreign books in the future. Mirabelle has such a unique outlook on life and her words are poetic. Hailing from a small town with a half-crazy mom (portrayed perfectly) and a father who left when she was young, Mira is figuring out who she is and gathering the pieces of herself.

Through heartwarming experiences, like having Cath as a friend and expressing herself through her art, we see Mira's world through her intelligent, yet lonely eyes. I loved reading this book. It was as if I could feel Mira's loneliness and desperation for a friend filling me up like a balloon.

She eventually overcomes her loneliness and comes to grip with her life after she goes to therapy and tells her secrets to a blind woman whom she helped on her first day. Each action by Mira is clear, and yet there's subtle undertones that create depth to her life and meaning.

Her relationship with the 'birdman' is interesting. He's her art teacher, and she views him as more than a teacher, but as a potential serious love interest, which I thought was a bit bizarre. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of stories out there that have the teacher/student relationship so that aspect is believable, but I guess it was a bit weird for me to read through it.

There were a small few loose ends that I would've liked to have been tied up, but in reality it's all good. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The imagery was beautiful and the characters were unique.

Rating: 4/5

[Carmen Yeung · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book, because the cover really stuck out to me. This book spoke to me in everyways, language or expressions. Mirabelle is a girl that no one cares about, well thats what she thinks. Not until a new girl, Cathrine (Cath) stepped into her life and became her friend. They both interesting in art, Cath in fashion and Mira in nature lives. Both of them was known as the best artist in the art class. Cath and Mira started hanging out, but Mira realize Cath is betraying her and told that she was a thieve for taking what Mira ownes. Cath was really sorry, but she still wanted to be Mira's friend. Not sooner, Mira's father died. Her father and mother was in a bad relationship, her mother always have an awkward emotion, sometimes really mad and sometimes really weak. Her father was scared of her, so her father left. Mira is mad that her father has abandon her, then now her mother has abandon her. Everyone important to her has abandon her. But throughout this story, she grew to understand what is the purpose behind everyone, to protect her. I thought Mira was a really lucky person, because she got a natural talent to draw. She is gifted, but nothing is perfect. Her father was always there but no use, her mother is the one that is always there for her and stood up for her and her talents. She wanted her daughter to be the best. Her mother even letted Mira do something that would split them apart for a while just for the best of her future. I am really proud of Mira for being able to doing something she really want to do.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book at our local library when I was there with my daughter. The name of the book grabbed my attention and immediately had to know more. It is a book meant for 12 and up and 144 pages. It was originally published in Canada in French language and now has been translated into English.

Mirabelle (Mira) is trying to piece together herself in this book. She is young, lonely and not trusting person as her father left because he couldn't deal with her mentally ill mother so he only comes around once in awhile. Mira could barley stand to be with her mother as she was always to be home right after school which is why she is pretty lonely without any friends and having to keep to herself for the most part. The new girl Cath helps Mira kind of come out of her shell so to speak by trying to get her to dress different and meet for fries after school. Mira learns to express herself with art and ends up having feelings of more than friendship for someone whom she just shouldn't which later complicates things for her even more especially since Cath had betrayed her earlier. There really is so much emotion you can feel in this book and it's worth the read for any teen girl and up. I enjoyed the read even though it did go kind of fast.

[Shawnta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read it, because it was a part of the New fiction at BPL's YA fiction wall. Award-winning, and reprinted in English, from French, I was interested to see exactly what it would be about, and why it was so well received.

I recommend this book as a gentle interlude to the young girl, stuck inside of her head, and afraid of what to do next. Already half-way through the novel, and you are still questioning the story, still interested in the plot, still invested in the child who seems lonely and on the verge of a breakthrough.

A great read when travelling, on long rides, in deep thought, and before you go to sleep at night.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pieces of Me is a very beautiful novel about a lonely teen girl, named Mira. She doesn't have any friends. Her mother, seems to be half paranoid, half obsessive compulsive, and can't handle being alone, so she forces Mira to come home directly after school and spend all her weekends with her. Her father left years before and only shows up about once a month. All of this stress seems to tear away at her sense of self, so she feels like a series of pieces rather than a whole person.

If you don't enjoy very fragmented novels, then you won't like this one. However, for me...all I can say is wow. Mira is a character that will definitely stay with me for a long time.

[Dreamlina · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason this book reminds me a lot of "My Tiki Girl". I hate the fact that she never found someone her age to date, and still loves Birdman even though he's 30-40. It's disgusting. Whatever. I still liked how the ending didn't really seem like an ending, and seemed like a beginning, that way I felt like Mira is actually alive and has a bright future in front of her, instead of a fictional character who is only created with one purpose and once it's complete the character's story is over, and that nothing else interesting happened after that, in the character's entire life. It filled me with determination.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to thank the author for sharing Mira, a beautiful, fragile, fractured creature, with the girls of the world. Hopefully they will see reflections of someone they know in her, perhaps even themselves, and make the effort to help her fly. Kudos to the translator, as well, for keeping the French phrasing and nuance intact.

Devastatingly lovely prose, characters whose complexities are shown in simple strokes, and a rich, deep portrayal of loneliness and compassion make this a must-read for young women, middle-school aged and up.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wobbled between 3 and 4 and settled on 4 since it was a translation and I could see this being beautiful in the original French. As such the writing had a distant feeling too it but was still very moving. It was a very short book and filled with lots of teen angst but it also had some very mature moments of self-awareness and a quiet strength. I liked it how about that. I liked that it was short too.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good one. The disjointed writing style was a little distracting, but it was fairly good other than that. Not a very good ending though.

(detailed review available at www.flamingnet.com)

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

lovely and poetic and dark - Mira is a lonely young woman struggling with a difficult home life,insecurity and betrayal. There are so many themes in this story that girls will relate to. This was a tender, sometimes painful, coming of age story. Won a Gov Gen.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark and somewhat oppressive tale of a deeply unhappy young lady and how she gradually begins to open up and turn her life around. I was glad to see that she attended counseling at her school, and that it was portrayed in a positive light.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

heartbreaking, but a sort and easy read.

[Robin Madden · Rating 3 out of 5]

i love this book it's wired and different in a good way!

[Janaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book because I can really relate to this book.

[Nadhirah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is ok but not really good story.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about learning how not to be lonely... a lesson a lot of us could use, I'm sure! I really feel for Mira. I wish I could have known her. This is a really beautiful story.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it through all my tears. Read it in one sitting!

[Amy Mathers · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://amysmarathonofbooks.ca/pieces-...

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fragmented beginning and a powerful sorrowful feeling the rest of the way out. Mira discovers our parents are our parents...

[Meg]

YA working through grief, finding oneself.