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Viola #1
Viola in Reel Life
I'm marooned.
Abandoned.
Left to rot in boarding school . . .
Viola doesn't want to go to boarding school, but somehow she ends up at an all-girls school in South Bend, Indiana, far, far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York. Now Viola is stuck for a whole year in the sherbet-colored sweater capital of the world.
Ick.
There's no way Viola's going to survive the year—especially since she has to replace her best friend Andrew with three new roommates who, disturbingly, actually seem to like it there. She resorts to viewing the world (and hiding) behind the lens of her video camera.
Boarding school, though, and her roommates and even the Midwest are nothing like she thought they would be, and soon Viola realizes she may be in for the most incredible year of her life.
But first she has to put the camera down and let the world in.
Abandoned.
Left to rot in boarding school . . .
Viola doesn't want to go to boarding school, but somehow she ends up at an all-girls school in South Bend, Indiana, far, far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York. Now Viola is stuck for a whole year in the sherbet-colored sweater capital of the world.
Ick.
There's no way Viola's going to survive the year—especially since she has to replace her best friend Andrew with three new roommates who, disturbingly, actually seem to like it there. She resorts to viewing the world (and hiding) behind the lens of her video camera.
Boarding school, though, and her roommates and even the Midwest are nothing like she thought they would be, and soon Viola realizes she may be in for the most incredible year of her life.
But first she has to put the camera down and let the world in.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2009
307 people are currently reading
2843 people want to read
About the author
Adriana Trigiani
67 books6,853 followersJoin Adriana Trigiani and the great authors and luminaries of our time on the YOU ARE WHAT YOU READ PODCAST! Available wherever you listen to podcasts: https://linktr.ee/adrianatrigiani
Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her "dazzling" novels (USA Today), Adriana Trigiani is "a master of palpable and visual detail" (Washington Post) and "a comedy writer with a heart of gold" (New York Times). She is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including her latest, The Good Left Undone- an instant New York Times best seller, Book of the Month pick and People's Book of the Week. Her work is published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker, Adriana's screen credits include writer/director of the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, the adaptation of her novel Very Valentine and director of Then Came You. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program serving over 2,700 students in Appalachia. She is at work on her next novel for Dutton at Penguin Random House.
Follow Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani and on TikTok @AdrianaTrigianiAuthor or visit her website: AdrianaTrigiani.com.
Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her "dazzling" novels (USA Today), Adriana Trigiani is "a master of palpable and visual detail" (Washington Post) and "a comedy writer with a heart of gold" (New York Times). She is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including her latest, The Good Left Undone- an instant New York Times best seller, Book of the Month pick and People's Book of the Week. Her work is published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker, Adriana's screen credits include writer/director of the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, the adaptation of her novel Very Valentine and director of Then Came You. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program serving over 2,700 students in Appalachia. She is at work on her next novel for Dutton at Penguin Random House.
Follow Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani and on TikTok @AdrianaTrigianiAuthor or visit her website: AdrianaTrigiani.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 533 reviews
January 9, 2010
Complaints:
-Viola seems like your typical spoiled only child -definite stereotype.
-There is continuous mentioning of how GREAT NEW YORK IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (New York may be a great place yes but constant mentioning of anything gets annoying after a while)
-Acronyms are overused. Using acronyms on the computer for instant messaging and such is fine but she goes a little overboard with the BFFAA thing. When I was in elementary and middle school girls used BFF (no AA at the end that I can remember) but at 12 it started to get uncool and by the time you were 13 you were a dork if you used it.
-Some of the parts seemed forced. Like when she was angry or happy I couldn’t see it. It was like someone looking at you very blankly and telling you “I’m very happy right now.” And you would just have to take their word for it because nothing is telling you otherwise.
Likes:
-Viola develops from her spoiled self-centered ways and becomes more mature (she still uses BFFAA though).
-She comes to really like Indiana although she still misses New York. And she is willing to let herself enjoy her time at the Perfect Academy.
-Her parents are really great and I like how she doesn’t hate them.
-Viola is passionate about what she does. She has a sort of mission that she pursues.
-Her self-pity moments are short before life sets in.
-The boarding school wasn’t full of all these girls who are mean to each other. And even though Viola is average she doesn’t have low self-esteem and she doesn’t get jealous of any of her roommates. Thank goodness.
-The ending made it better which I wouldn’t have expected seeing how it turned out but it did.
-Viola seems like your typical spoiled only child -definite stereotype.
-There is continuous mentioning of how GREAT NEW YORK IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (New York may be a great place yes but constant mentioning of anything gets annoying after a while)
-Acronyms are overused. Using acronyms on the computer for instant messaging and such is fine but she goes a little overboard with the BFFAA thing. When I was in elementary and middle school girls used BFF (no AA at the end that I can remember) but at 12 it started to get uncool and by the time you were 13 you were a dork if you used it.
-Some of the parts seemed forced. Like when she was angry or happy I couldn’t see it. It was like someone looking at you very blankly and telling you “I’m very happy right now.” And you would just have to take their word for it because nothing is telling you otherwise.
Likes:
-Viola develops from her spoiled self-centered ways and becomes more mature (she still uses BFFAA though).
-She comes to really like Indiana although she still misses New York. And she is willing to let herself enjoy her time at the Perfect Academy.
-Her parents are really great and I like how she doesn’t hate them.
-Viola is passionate about what she does. She has a sort of mission that she pursues.
-Her self-pity moments are short before life sets in.
-The boarding school wasn’t full of all these girls who are mean to each other. And even though Viola is average she doesn’t have low self-esteem and she doesn’t get jealous of any of her roommates. Thank goodness.
-The ending made it better which I wouldn’t have expected seeing how it turned out but it did.
July 10, 2017
Adorable cover with adorable yellow shoes. I wanted to love this one - but I started it as an audio book. I spent hours with the reader - to well past the 100 page mark - and her voice just got to me. It was awful - like nails down a chalkboard.
And I think, because of that first intro, and because Viola is pretty negative and surly, I just did not like this one. I loved the intro the boarding school. I even understood why her parents sent her. But Viola's attitude stunk.
I loved her roommates and thought they were pretty cute and realistic. I loved the brother drama. I even thought the dance drama was cute.
But that's just it. Over 150 pages of drama and the lady is red is barely mentioned. FINALLY she makes another appearance at the museum and finally the mystery is going. But for me, it was way too little too late and I'd lost interest. Pushed through to the end just so I'd know how it all worked out.
And I think, because of that first intro, and because Viola is pretty negative and surly, I just did not like this one. I loved the intro the boarding school. I even understood why her parents sent her. But Viola's attitude stunk.
I loved her roommates and thought they were pretty cute and realistic. I loved the brother drama. I even thought the dance drama was cute.
But that's just it. Over 150 pages of drama and the lady is red is barely mentioned. FINALLY she makes another appearance at the museum and finally the mystery is going. But for me, it was way too little too late and I'd lost interest. Pushed through to the end just so I'd know how it all worked out.
January 8, 2010
Viola feels like her life has been taken away from her. Her parents are both documentary makers and are going to make a film in Afghanistan. Well that’s all fine and dandy but that means Viola has to go to boarding school in Indiana. From her life in Brooklyn that is going to be a huge change. She has to leave her friends and all the things she has known her whole life. To put more into the mix, she will have to live with three other girls. Marisol- the smart Hispanic on scholarship, Romy- the bubbly athletic one, and Suzanne- the tall blond one, and these are the roommates she will learn to love in time. Of course Viola tops off the group as the sarcastic girl that loves film making.
The story was cute, but not overly so and had its good attributes. She learns to not be so judgmental, has her first relationship, learns how to live with others, and just knowing who she really is. Going away from home is thought more about during the college years, but this can constitute to be somewhat of the same experience. This is your first time away from home and your familiar surroundings, and that is tough. Though I doubt in boarding school you have as much freedom and financial stuff looming over you, but that’s a different topic… I learned just how much goes into making films with this book. I think if I were more of a film junkie I could have appreciated it more because most of the time I had no idea what movies she was talking about. It’s ok though because you get the gist and still get the meat of the story. She survives her first year in a boarding school and is better for it. My favorite line in the book is on page 235, “Their struggles are mine, and mine are theirs. Just the way it should be for parents and children-together as best they can be, on Christmas.”
Of course I have my gripes. Viola is EXTREMELY annoying in the beginning. She is an only child and it shows. It’s hard not to be kind of self-centered (especially at 14) but still when she complained about things all the time I wanted to yank her out of the pages and tell her to BUILD A BRIDGE AND GET OVER IT!!!! But she did mature and that is what counts. And I have to give the author kudos for taking on a character like this. Some aspects of the story seemed a little too convenient at times, but I have to say the descriptions she makes of Indiana totally make up for it.
A solid book that has a lot to offer while showing a different non-bada** side of boarding school, and who knew that there could be one in Indiana? Now I’ve heard of everything.
The story was cute, but not overly so and had its good attributes. She learns to not be so judgmental, has her first relationship, learns how to live with others, and just knowing who she really is. Going away from home is thought more about during the college years, but this can constitute to be somewhat of the same experience. This is your first time away from home and your familiar surroundings, and that is tough. Though I doubt in boarding school you have as much freedom and financial stuff looming over you, but that’s a different topic… I learned just how much goes into making films with this book. I think if I were more of a film junkie I could have appreciated it more because most of the time I had no idea what movies she was talking about. It’s ok though because you get the gist and still get the meat of the story. She survives her first year in a boarding school and is better for it. My favorite line in the book is on page 235, “Their struggles are mine, and mine are theirs. Just the way it should be for parents and children-together as best they can be, on Christmas.”
Of course I have my gripes. Viola is EXTREMELY annoying in the beginning. She is an only child and it shows. It’s hard not to be kind of self-centered (especially at 14) but still when she complained about things all the time I wanted to yank her out of the pages and tell her to BUILD A BRIDGE AND GET OVER IT!!!! But she did mature and that is what counts. And I have to give the author kudos for taking on a character like this. Some aspects of the story seemed a little too convenient at times, but I have to say the descriptions she makes of Indiana totally make up for it.
A solid book that has a lot to offer while showing a different non-bada** side of boarding school, and who knew that there could be one in Indiana? Now I’ve heard of everything.
February 26, 2021
Viola in Reel Life is a very refreshing read. Not in an million years would I have thought I was going to enjoy some young adult book that much, but as Adriana Trigiani is one of my absolute favorite authors I just ordered the book before I realised this was actually a book for young adults. I utterly and genuinely liked this quick and easy read and that is thanks to the author’s talent. No doubt.
Viola and her friends, Marisol, Romy and Suzanne are adorable – yes they seem to be very normal, decent and good girls at the age of 14, but those exists and I like that. I like their families, I like their mind-set, their ideology, their drive and ambitions. I like how they are not disappointed in the world, but are still believing in possibilities despite their adolescent confusion.
This is a sweet and original read about lovely young girls that live in our time and that have no big conflicts about their own personality, but nonetheless have their worries and heart aches, and find ways to grow up and make friends being away in a boarding school. Let me tell you: It’s a welcoming fresh breath of air!
I am certainly going to read the next Viola book.
Viola and her friends, Marisol, Romy and Suzanne are adorable – yes they seem to be very normal, decent and good girls at the age of 14, but those exists and I like that. I like their families, I like their mind-set, their ideology, their drive and ambitions. I like how they are not disappointed in the world, but are still believing in possibilities despite their adolescent confusion.
This is a sweet and original read about lovely young girls that live in our time and that have no big conflicts about their own personality, but nonetheless have their worries and heart aches, and find ways to grow up and make friends being away in a boarding school. Let me tell you: It’s a welcoming fresh breath of air!
I am certainly going to read the next Viola book.
October 26, 2017
I came across Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani, while looking for a book to read that took place in Indiana.
Viola Chesterson has been “abandoned” at the Prefect Academy for Young Women in South Bend, Indiana - an all-girls boarding school and horribly far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York - by her parents who are abroad working on a documentary.
“I like it when my mother smiles. And I especially like it when I make her smile.”
― Adriana Trigiani, Viola in Reel Life
tags: mother, smile 209 likes Like
“But what Mom never told me is that along the way, you find sisters, and they find you. Girls are cool that way.”
― Adriana Trigiani, Viola in Reel Life
I wanted to love this as much as I have loved others by Adriana Trigiani. I liked it, I did not love it, I listen to the audio book while I was doing other things, I am not sure I would have finished it had I been reading it.
Viola Chesterson has been “abandoned” at the Prefect Academy for Young Women in South Bend, Indiana - an all-girls boarding school and horribly far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York - by her parents who are abroad working on a documentary.
“I like it when my mother smiles. And I especially like it when I make her smile.”
― Adriana Trigiani, Viola in Reel Life
tags: mother, smile 209 likes Like
“But what Mom never told me is that along the way, you find sisters, and they find you. Girls are cool that way.”
― Adriana Trigiani, Viola in Reel Life
I wanted to love this as much as I have loved others by Adriana Trigiani. I liked it, I did not love it, I listen to the audio book while I was doing other things, I am not sure I would have finished it had I been reading it.
August 30, 2012
Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7
I came across Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani, the first in the Viola series, a year or so ago and finally got around to reading it while on my trip. This was a surprisingly quick read, yet it lacked a few qualities that would normally make a book stand out for me. What I surmised as I concluded Trigiani's novel is that yes, this book can be read in one sitting, but not because the book is fascinating, original, or gripping--it is simply an easy read.
While Viola in Reel Life is aimed at a teen audience, the prose feels like it is written for a much younger audience. While I love Viola's friends and the relationships she forms while she is at boarding school, Viola herself is hard to connect with, thanks to her unnatural prose. She is naive beyond comprehension and her narrative is at times redundant.
Viola's relationship with her first boyfriend lacks the emotions that one would equate to first love. This observation leads me to believe that Trigiani tells her readers what her characters are feeling, rather than show them the building emotions as her characters grow.
Though the ending is abrupt, I was somewhat sad to see the book finish. Personally, I think Viola has a lot more growth in store for her. I just hope that Trigiani manages it in a less unattached fashion.
There is a fun twist to this novel, however, and that is the short-lived mystery that literally haunts Viola until the conclusion. Though the story reads more as an angst-ridden novel, Viola in Reel Life does teach valuable lessons to readers caught in similar situations. Trigiani teaches us that not everything is as it appears to be, and to have faith during times where life isn't going the way we plan.
Though it is nowhere near perfect, I would recommend this book to younger readers. The writing might connect with younger teens and pre-teens, since it isn't anywhere near the maturity calibre of recently published young adult novels. Trigiani captures the difficulties of growing up and the importance of just letting go and accepting whatever life throws at you.
I came across Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani, the first in the Viola series, a year or so ago and finally got around to reading it while on my trip. This was a surprisingly quick read, yet it lacked a few qualities that would normally make a book stand out for me. What I surmised as I concluded Trigiani's novel is that yes, this book can be read in one sitting, but not because the book is fascinating, original, or gripping--it is simply an easy read.
While Viola in Reel Life is aimed at a teen audience, the prose feels like it is written for a much younger audience. While I love Viola's friends and the relationships she forms while she is at boarding school, Viola herself is hard to connect with, thanks to her unnatural prose. She is naive beyond comprehension and her narrative is at times redundant.
Viola's relationship with her first boyfriend lacks the emotions that one would equate to first love. This observation leads me to believe that Trigiani tells her readers what her characters are feeling, rather than show them the building emotions as her characters grow.
Though the ending is abrupt, I was somewhat sad to see the book finish. Personally, I think Viola has a lot more growth in store for her. I just hope that Trigiani manages it in a less unattached fashion.
There is a fun twist to this novel, however, and that is the short-lived mystery that literally haunts Viola until the conclusion. Though the story reads more as an angst-ridden novel, Viola in Reel Life does teach valuable lessons to readers caught in similar situations. Trigiani teaches us that not everything is as it appears to be, and to have faith during times where life isn't going the way we plan.
Though it is nowhere near perfect, I would recommend this book to younger readers. The writing might connect with younger teens and pre-teens, since it isn't anywhere near the maturity calibre of recently published young adult novels. Trigiani captures the difficulties of growing up and the importance of just letting go and accepting whatever life throws at you.
December 29, 2009
Viola Chesterson has been “abandoned” at the Prefect Academy for Young Women in South Bend, Indiana - an all-girls boarding school and horribly far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York - by her parents who are abroad working on a documentary.
She is devastated, sad, lonely - she misses her home, her parents and her BFF's - but most importantly, she can't fathom living with three complete strangers in a new school far away from everyone and everything she's ever known. Luckily for her, she is paired with a great set of roommates, her knack for film-making and a fanciful grandmother, aptly called Grand - she just might be able to survive the year... actually it might just be the best year of her life.
I truly enjoyed this coming-of-age story. It's about leaving your comfort zone, making new friends, and realizing that not everything in this world revolves around you (no matter how hard that seems when you are 14). Viola, who can be spoiled (at times), was spunky, witty and had a great sense of humor. I also enjoyed the aspects of boarding school life - maybe it's because I never went to an all-girls school or studied away from home - but I always enjoy novels where the setting is at a school. The girls and their friendship was also something to savor - they were all very different and I really enjoyed how they came together, supported and helped one another.
This is Viola's story - how she navigates in a new school, new experiences, new friendships, a new boyfriend, and how she follows her dream of making a movie. Although this is Ms. Trigiani's first venture into YA - she mastered it without a hitch. This is a fantastic story for tweens and young adults but can definitely be appreciated by adults just the same. I personally loved it.
She is devastated, sad, lonely - she misses her home, her parents and her BFF's - but most importantly, she can't fathom living with three complete strangers in a new school far away from everyone and everything she's ever known. Luckily for her, she is paired with a great set of roommates, her knack for film-making and a fanciful grandmother, aptly called Grand - she just might be able to survive the year... actually it might just be the best year of her life.
I truly enjoyed this coming-of-age story. It's about leaving your comfort zone, making new friends, and realizing that not everything in this world revolves around you (no matter how hard that seems when you are 14). Viola, who can be spoiled (at times), was spunky, witty and had a great sense of humor. I also enjoyed the aspects of boarding school life - maybe it's because I never went to an all-girls school or studied away from home - but I always enjoy novels where the setting is at a school. The girls and their friendship was also something to savor - they were all very different and I really enjoyed how they came together, supported and helped one another.
This is Viola's story - how she navigates in a new school, new experiences, new friendships, a new boyfriend, and how she follows her dream of making a movie. Although this is Ms. Trigiani's first venture into YA - she mastered it without a hitch. This is a fantastic story for tweens and young adults but can definitely be appreciated by adults just the same. I personally loved it.
February 18, 2010
This was a very cute coming of age book about a 14 year old girl named Viola, who gets sent to a all girls school in Indiana while her parents film a documentary in Afghanistan. I really enjoyed the film aspects because that is something that I don't know a lot about.
I related a lot to Viola, she is very stubborn and she seems to never understand that she is acting a certain way until someone points it out to her. I went into this book wanting to read a teenage romance, but as this story progressed I loved that it was more about Viola discovering herself and a friendship between four young girls.
I would love to read more about Viola and her friends, I think that there is a lot of potential in the characters of this book. Especially, the relationship between Andrew and Viola. I would also like to see more of what Viola films, mainly her video diaries.
All in all, this was a very well written book. It's the 1st book I've read by Adriana Trigiani and I will definetly be looking into her adult books now.
I related a lot to Viola, she is very stubborn and she seems to never understand that she is acting a certain way until someone points it out to her. I went into this book wanting to read a teenage romance, but as this story progressed I loved that it was more about Viola discovering herself and a friendship between four young girls.
I would love to read more about Viola and her friends, I think that there is a lot of potential in the characters of this book. Especially, the relationship between Andrew and Viola. I would also like to see more of what Viola films, mainly her video diaries.
All in all, this was a very well written book. It's the 1st book I've read by Adriana Trigiani and I will definetly be looking into her adult books now.
January 10, 2010
This book gets ten points alone for not being Tall Tales of the Moron Girls and How to Talk Like a Douche. There was literally a sigh of relief as I started reading this because it wasn't stuffed sausage-tight with so-hip-you-need-a-new-one slang and absolutely ridiculous situations.
But . . .
I started getting antsy, anxious, for something to happen. It was so boring and . . . ordinary. I can understand the realistic aspect to it and trying to make that kind of connection to readers that this could very well be a real girl anywhere having to adjust in a situation like this. But just think about it. How exciting is your normal, everyday girl going to school? Exactly. That's what Viola is.
The book is about the year in Viola's life where she goes to boarding school and has to adjust and learn a few life lessons. The thing is, it's so realistic it makes for a really dull read.
There's no drama. Well, next to none. And I felt that by the end of the book I should be holding hands with someone and singing Kumbaya or something. It was just so Brady Bunch uneventful. Hell, I think the Brady Bunch were more exciting. I mean, for a girl that's pretty much a loner and isn't the nicest of people to her roommates the first day of school, they sure seem to forgive her really quickly and they all become the bestest of friends. There's no head-butting with other girls, no rivalry, no normal social situations that real normal girls go through in school. It's like these characters existed in a love-in vacuum.
There's a hint of intrigue in the story but it pretty much stays that way. A hint. It leads Viola down this road to making her movie but it's just like seeing something in the right time and place. The only excitement going on around you when something like that happens is the epiphany going off inside your head. The only one that cared was Viola. And her Partridge Family friends.
The situation with Andrew was . . . meh. It worked itself out in the end. He joined in the Kumbaya sing-along. Jared on the other hand . . . well, it was another lesson Viola learned. Next time can we make these lessons something resembling compelling, please? Being steeped in ordinary is so BORING. I mean, they were good lessons and all but it was trying so hard to be realistic it ended up not being realistic. Does that make sense? No one goes through their freshman year in high school that easily, even with the "issues" Viola had. NO ONE.
That's not to say a book needs fantastical elements or ridiculous mememe drama for it to be compelling. But the lives of ordinary people are boring and shouldn't be written about. They need spice. This book would have been better with a modicum of tension and drama that actually exists in real school situations but it was so strawberries and cream glossed over that it eradicated it. It's like The Babysitters' Club on Prozac or something. Full House had more tension than this book.
The writing itself was a little awkward too. I know this is an ARC but a couple of things stood out that my gut tells me aren't things that are going to be fashioned out on the last copy edit. Namely dialogue and infodumping.
I have a feeling that dialogue isn't this author's strong point. They were all very stilted conversations and none of the characters really had their own voices. When one said a line, it could have been interchanged with any other character and it wouldn't have made a difference. I mean, not all teens talk like tools but most do use contractions.
And I really shouldn't say infodumping because that implies massive chunks of exposition which there aren't. What I'm talking about are things like conversations, or emails, between two characters where they would say things that are very obviously for the sake of the reader and not for each other. It comes off very unnatural. For instance, Cailtin, one of Violet's best friends from Brooklyn, sends Violet an email. In it she mentions her aunt. Seeing how often Caitlin talks about this woman, and how long they've been friends, Violet should already know who she is. But she goes into small detail about her aunt, "you know, first name, last name, what she does, why she's being mentioned." It's very awkward and very obvious that that information isn't there for Violet's benefit. She'd already know it.
And it really annoyed me when Violet kept saying South Bend, Indiana, South Bend, Indiana, South Bend, Indiana. The full city and state. Constantly. No just South Bend. And no just Brooklyn either. Rarely. Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn, New York. When you say Brooklyn, who the hell won't know what you're talking about? And what irked me even more, and this is something so minute but it goes against the grain of the character, Violet rarely called Brooklyn home. For how much she missed it, it was always Brooklyn, never home. That bothered me. A lot.
So I went from one extreme, Alphas, to another. It's not a bad book. It's just uneventful, which can equate to boring. Just think about how much you'd want to read the diary of your normal, everyday girl. Then again, I'm pretty sure your normal, everyday girl goes through normal everyday high school shenanigans which seem to be left out of Prefect Academy in South Bend, Indiana. Check your normal high school/boarding school at the door and welcome to Stepford.
Personally, when I read a book, I want something that's going to excite me, in one way or another. Not a boring girl's journal.
And what the deuce is with the boarding school craze? I don't get it. I live within ten minutes of two prestigious girls' boarding schools and every time I passed them when I was younger, I cringed. Now they're supposed to be appealing and real world "fantasy"? Stumped me.
But . . .
I started getting antsy, anxious, for something to happen. It was so boring and . . . ordinary. I can understand the realistic aspect to it and trying to make that kind of connection to readers that this could very well be a real girl anywhere having to adjust in a situation like this. But just think about it. How exciting is your normal, everyday girl going to school? Exactly. That's what Viola is.
The book is about the year in Viola's life where she goes to boarding school and has to adjust and learn a few life lessons. The thing is, it's so realistic it makes for a really dull read.
There's no drama. Well, next to none. And I felt that by the end of the book I should be holding hands with someone and singing Kumbaya or something. It was just so Brady Bunch uneventful. Hell, I think the Brady Bunch were more exciting. I mean, for a girl that's pretty much a loner and isn't the nicest of people to her roommates the first day of school, they sure seem to forgive her really quickly and they all become the bestest of friends. There's no head-butting with other girls, no rivalry, no normal social situations that real normal girls go through in school. It's like these characters existed in a love-in vacuum.
There's a hint of intrigue in the story but it pretty much stays that way. A hint. It leads Viola down this road to making her movie but it's just like seeing something in the right time and place. The only excitement going on around you when something like that happens is the epiphany going off inside your head. The only one that cared was Viola. And her Partridge Family friends.
The situation with Andrew was . . . meh. It worked itself out in the end. He joined in the Kumbaya sing-along. Jared on the other hand . . . well, it was another lesson Viola learned. Next time can we make these lessons something resembling compelling, please? Being steeped in ordinary is so BORING. I mean, they were good lessons and all but it was trying so hard to be realistic it ended up not being realistic. Does that make sense? No one goes through their freshman year in high school that easily, even with the "issues" Viola had. NO ONE.
That's not to say a book needs fantastical elements or ridiculous mememe drama for it to be compelling. But the lives of ordinary people are boring and shouldn't be written about. They need spice. This book would have been better with a modicum of tension and drama that actually exists in real school situations but it was so strawberries and cream glossed over that it eradicated it. It's like The Babysitters' Club on Prozac or something. Full House had more tension than this book.
The writing itself was a little awkward too. I know this is an ARC but a couple of things stood out that my gut tells me aren't things that are going to be fashioned out on the last copy edit. Namely dialogue and infodumping.
I have a feeling that dialogue isn't this author's strong point. They were all very stilted conversations and none of the characters really had their own voices. When one said a line, it could have been interchanged with any other character and it wouldn't have made a difference. I mean, not all teens talk like tools but most do use contractions.
And I really shouldn't say infodumping because that implies massive chunks of exposition which there aren't. What I'm talking about are things like conversations, or emails, between two characters where they would say things that are very obviously for the sake of the reader and not for each other. It comes off very unnatural. For instance, Cailtin, one of Violet's best friends from Brooklyn, sends Violet an email. In it she mentions her aunt. Seeing how often Caitlin talks about this woman, and how long they've been friends, Violet should already know who she is. But she goes into small detail about her aunt, "you know, first name, last name, what she does, why she's being mentioned." It's very awkward and very obvious that that information isn't there for Violet's benefit. She'd already know it.
And it really annoyed me when Violet kept saying South Bend, Indiana, South Bend, Indiana, South Bend, Indiana. The full city and state. Constantly. No just South Bend. And no just Brooklyn either. Rarely. Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn, New York. When you say Brooklyn, who the hell won't know what you're talking about? And what irked me even more, and this is something so minute but it goes against the grain of the character, Violet rarely called Brooklyn home. For how much she missed it, it was always Brooklyn, never home. That bothered me. A lot.
So I went from one extreme, Alphas, to another. It's not a bad book. It's just uneventful, which can equate to boring. Just think about how much you'd want to read the diary of your normal, everyday girl. Then again, I'm pretty sure your normal, everyday girl goes through normal everyday high school shenanigans which seem to be left out of Prefect Academy in South Bend, Indiana. Check your normal high school/boarding school at the door and welcome to Stepford.
Personally, when I read a book, I want something that's going to excite me, in one way or another. Not a boring girl's journal.
And what the deuce is with the boarding school craze? I don't get it. I live within ten minutes of two prestigious girls' boarding schools and every time I passed them when I was younger, I cringed. Now they're supposed to be appealing and real world "fantasy"? Stumped me.
June 29, 2023
die letzten 60 seiten waren gut aber der anfang und die mitte waren eher langweilig.
die hauptcharakterin hat definitiv eine starke persönlichkeit die oft nervig war aber am ende dann doch besser geworden ist, die anderen drei mitbewohnerinnen waren ziemlich langweilig.
die dialoge waren echt komisch oft und vorallem auch die sms und email chats ließen mich mit einem komischen gefühl zurück.
der plot kommt am anfang bisschen random aber wie gesagt dass ende ist dafür dann wieder ganz passabel
die hauptcharakterin hat definitiv eine starke persönlichkeit die oft nervig war aber am ende dann doch besser geworden ist, die anderen drei mitbewohnerinnen waren ziemlich langweilig.
die dialoge waren echt komisch oft und vorallem auch die sms und email chats ließen mich mit einem komischen gefühl zurück.
der plot kommt am anfang bisschen random aber wie gesagt dass ende ist dafür dann wieder ganz passabel
March 19, 2013
Viola Chesterton is possibly the most self-aware fictional teen I've ever read. Among her crop of difficulties--going to a new school in a strange place, having to make new friends, sharing a room for the first time, trying to understand boys--none has time to so much as sprout before she's busy reaping a bounty of insights from it. Important Lessons About Friendship and Life are thick on the ground here.
The story begins well enough: Viola's a sheltered only child from Brooklyn, knee deep in culture shock, angst and homesickness on her first day at Prefect Academy in South Bend, Indiana. She immediately makes the situation worse by alienating her roommates. But don't worry; readers are relieved of any need to empathize with Viola because by the next morning she's had an attitude overhaul and is referring to her roomies as "her family," an about-face that seemed to be motivated mostly by her fear of facing the cafeteria alone. It turns out to be a character overhaul, too. That snarky, streetwise, vulnerable girl we meet in Chapter One hardly shows up at all for the rest of the book.
The trio of roommates are plucked straight from an Edwardian boarding school novel, with a few modern amendments (texting! blue hair! a Latina!). One character even calls Viola 'droll' (I assume she picked it up from watching Downton Abbey). These chums always support each other and never, ever fight.
Viola's glad to have such sisterly support, especially when (spoiler!) she breaks up with her first boyfriend, suddenly and in public. Just moments after schooling him about emotions and his lack thereof, she muses that it's really okay, because she didn't know him all that well and she's better off with someone who'll like her for herself. Okay, fine. This I could almost buy. But when she follows up this analysis with "all in all, it was a good first relationship, and I learned a lot," I gave up. "I learned a lot"? What teenage girl says this about a (forty-minutes-old) breakup? How can she know that Jared Spencer was a 'good first relationship'? She has nothing to compare it to yet! For all she knows, it was the worst first relationship EVER and she is DOOMED in the romance department! This kind of assessment does not come from a fourteen year old; it comes from a twenty-four or thirty-four or forty-four year old. It comes with the distance of years. The breakup with your first love, even if he was really only a 'like,' hurts. It hurts a lot. It is raw, unsettling pain that you want to fix, but can't. But throughout the story, Viola never hurts (not much, not for long) and figures out this whole 'teenage' business without much fuss. And if nothing is really at stake, why should we care? Just give Viola thirty seconds and she'll be skipping along on her way to the next wholesome, nourishing lesson. If being a young adult was this easy no one would write about it in the first place. Being a teenager is hard. Who cares if the pain is character building? It hurts now! So if you're going to write for young people, honor that struggle, don't dismiss it. There's more to writing a good YA novel than sprinkling your dialogue with "like" and your plot with a few tender kisses.
The story begins well enough: Viola's a sheltered only child from Brooklyn, knee deep in culture shock, angst and homesickness on her first day at Prefect Academy in South Bend, Indiana. She immediately makes the situation worse by alienating her roommates. But don't worry; readers are relieved of any need to empathize with Viola because by the next morning she's had an attitude overhaul and is referring to her roomies as "her family," an about-face that seemed to be motivated mostly by her fear of facing the cafeteria alone. It turns out to be a character overhaul, too. That snarky, streetwise, vulnerable girl we meet in Chapter One hardly shows up at all for the rest of the book.
The trio of roommates are plucked straight from an Edwardian boarding school novel, with a few modern amendments (texting! blue hair! a Latina!). One character even calls Viola 'droll' (I assume she picked it up from watching Downton Abbey). These chums always support each other and never, ever fight.
Viola's glad to have such sisterly support, especially when (spoiler!) she breaks up with her first boyfriend, suddenly and in public. Just moments after schooling him about emotions and his lack thereof, she muses that it's really okay, because she didn't know him all that well and she's better off with someone who'll like her for herself. Okay, fine. This I could almost buy. But when she follows up this analysis with "all in all, it was a good first relationship, and I learned a lot," I gave up. "I learned a lot"? What teenage girl says this about a (forty-minutes-old) breakup? How can she know that Jared Spencer was a 'good first relationship'? She has nothing to compare it to yet! For all she knows, it was the worst first relationship EVER and she is DOOMED in the romance department! This kind of assessment does not come from a fourteen year old; it comes from a twenty-four or thirty-four or forty-four year old. It comes with the distance of years. The breakup with your first love, even if he was really only a 'like,' hurts. It hurts a lot. It is raw, unsettling pain that you want to fix, but can't. But throughout the story, Viola never hurts (not much, not for long) and figures out this whole 'teenage' business without much fuss. And if nothing is really at stake, why should we care? Just give Viola thirty seconds and she'll be skipping along on her way to the next wholesome, nourishing lesson. If being a young adult was this easy no one would write about it in the first place. Being a teenager is hard. Who cares if the pain is character building? It hurts now! So if you're going to write for young people, honor that struggle, don't dismiss it. There's more to writing a good YA novel than sprinkling your dialogue with "like" and your plot with a few tender kisses.
July 8, 2010
Many girls are furious to find themselves packaged and shipped off to boarding school, and are sure that they will hate it. But no girl was ever more determined to detest her home-away-from-home than Viola Chesterton, a New York City freshman who is forced to spend a year at Prefect Academy while her parents film a documentary in Afghanistan. "Viola in Reel Life", while an easy read, had such painfully unrealistic characters that it is difficult to continue reading. Viola's feelings against Indiana, boarding school, and dorm life are so potent that they become unbelievable. And worse, readers find that her three roommates are unreal in their own respect: each girl is chirpy and optimistic and ready for their exciting new lives at boarding school. Another issue with this story is how overly obsessed these girls are with boys. To be fair, they ARE in an all-girls' school, but teenage girls aren't so interested in boys that they'd kiss somebody they've known for two hours. Finally, the storyline of "Viola in Reel Life" was just so ordinary. Nothing exciting happened when one would expect it to.
Over all, "Viola in Reel Life" seemed like a book written to sell future boarding school students on their new lives. "Viola in Reel Life" is home to the most unrealistic characters I've ever read about, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has any other book on their reading list (even if it's school-assigned summer reading).
Over all, "Viola in Reel Life" seemed like a book written to sell future boarding school students on their new lives. "Viola in Reel Life" is home to the most unrealistic characters I've ever read about, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has any other book on their reading list (even if it's school-assigned summer reading).
November 16, 2010
I really wanted to like this story. It started off pretty strong - a girl, Viola, is shipped off to boarding school in Indiana while her parents jet off to Afghanastan for a documentary. She has to get used to small town life after growing up in Brooklyn as well as learn how to share a room with other girls. Viola seemed like a likeable character at first - trendy and snarky - and it seemed like she would be a lot of fun to live vicariously through. Then, Trigiani started throwing all these different curves into the plot. I kept finding myself thinking that the plot was going to change to be something different and, instead, none of these story lines were ever developed.
Viola experiences being away from home for the first time, having her first boyfriend (I think? Did they ever establish anything), and pursuing her dreams of becoming a filmmaker. However, towards the end of the book, things come to an abrubt end. Nothing was tied up nicely or, in some instances, even resolved.
Overall, I was pretty disappointed.
Viola experiences being away from home for the first time, having her first boyfriend (I think? Did they ever establish anything), and pursuing her dreams of becoming a filmmaker. However, towards the end of the book, things come to an abrubt end. Nothing was tied up nicely or, in some instances, even resolved.
Overall, I was pretty disappointed.
February 21, 2014
Viola’s parents are documentary filmmakers, and a year-long assignment to Afghanistan means that Viola will have to spend her freshman year at an exclusive all-girl boarding school. That’s bad enough, but the school – The Perfect Academy – is in South Bend, Indiana, far from her Brooklyn friends and the excitement of city life. How is she supposed to sleep with all that quiet!?
This is a nice young-adult novel about opening yourself to new possibilities and making the best of a less-than-ideal situation. Our heroine is sometimes “Princess Snark,” sometimes a homesick girl, and always a 14-year-old girl away from home for the first time and beginning to discover what she wants from life. Viola’s roommates quickly help her break down the barriers she’s erected to maintain distance. And what she learns about her parents, her friends and herself will truly make this a memorable year.
This is a nice young-adult novel about opening yourself to new possibilities and making the best of a less-than-ideal situation. Our heroine is sometimes “Princess Snark,” sometimes a homesick girl, and always a 14-year-old girl away from home for the first time and beginning to discover what she wants from life. Viola’s roommates quickly help her break down the barriers she’s erected to maintain distance. And what she learns about her parents, her friends and herself will truly make this a memorable year.
January 7, 2018
I'm biased toward any 'person from a large city moving to a small town and somehow finding ways to cope' plot. Viola's passion for filmmaking and refusal to act like anyone other than herself are great themes for young people. It ended quite abruptly, but it was enjoyable and very sweet overall.
Early-teens me would probably have given it five stars. Adult me is often overly critical of YA, and of Viola describing her three roommates as a knockout, a prep, and a Latina (seriously, that is not a personality trait.)
Early-teens me would probably have given it five stars. Adult me is often overly critical of YA, and of Viola describing her three roommates as a knockout, a prep, and a Latina (seriously, that is not a personality trait.)
October 1, 2015
This is a great book for young adults or teens. The main character is a young girl in high school. A wonderful coming of age book.
August 10, 2021
entertaining read, but....
VIOLA WAS SUCH AN ANNOYING AND STUBBORN CHARACTER!! besides, everything seemed so stereotype. nope, not my personal favorite.
VIOLA WAS SUCH AN ANNOYING AND STUBBORN CHARACTER!! besides, everything seemed so stereotype. nope, not my personal favorite.
September 8, 2017
A girl, her camera, a boarding school. What will happen?
This is one of the books I bought in May at the second-hand part of a book store. I was really interested in this book, it had quite a few elements that I liked. Boarding School: Check! Friendship: Check! A girl learning to live on her own: Check!
Sadly, I quickly disliked Viola. She is so judgy about everyone and everything. I can imagine that it sucks that her parents dropped her off at a boarding school to work hard. I can imagine it isn't fun to have to share a big room with 3 others. I can imagine many things. But really, she was just being a bitch. Even later on in the story when she is a bit more used to everything, she judges people on what they wear. Oh heaven forbid if someone dares to wear something that is not in style. She barely gave any attention to the teacher when she wearing x outfit. What is up with that? I just found it really rude. And not only fashion, but also other things. Like she keeps comparing where she is now with her home. And no, it isn't pretty.
There were moments I liked Viola, during the times when she was dedicated to her camera, she really has a talent with that (I hope she will do more and more with it in the future). But also when she was with her friends and didn't judge them too much. She really has a sweet side, and, since she passed, I guess she also gets good grades and studies hard.
Jared x Viola? Eh, I never really shipped them. Jared was just a bit too much like Viola. It was like he was a male clone of her. They just had too much alike. Plus I found it a bit too convenient that she met him and that they instantly liked each other. She hated that dance, but oh, hey, here is a hot boy who is exactly like you. Bang, done.
The ghost? Well, that was one thing that made me almost drop this book. Sorry, I love boarding school x mystery/paranormal. But it has to be done well. Here it just felt like an afterthought, like a plot device so that Viola would have a topic for that competition. And I don't like that. It just didn't fit at all.
The drama around Christmas? It felt overdone and silly. Yes, it was very sad for Viola, but I think the drama could definitely have toned done a few dials.
Also the story just kept on jumping around in time. For instance in one chapter we are getting the books and the next chapter begins with her writing a letter to her parents and it is a month and a bit later. It was just so disjointed. I would have loved to see more of that first period, to see how she adapted, adjusted, and how she made friends.
I barely saw anything of the boarding school. We were there, we saw some stuff, but it just felt lacking. I had liked to see a bit more of the school, of the classes, of the pizza club, and other things. It could have been fleshed out a lot more.
Also the whole Andrew thing and how that progressed was just eh. They are supposed to be best buddies, but I never really saw that. Maybe also because of how the story skipped around and months just seemed to pass.
So yeah, this was a disappointment. I may have given the second book a try, but that is about Viola at home, and I have no interest in that.
All in all, I am glad I didn't buy this book for the full price. I am not sure if I would recommend this one. It has a few good things, but also enough that wasn't too good.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This is one of the books I bought in May at the second-hand part of a book store. I was really interested in this book, it had quite a few elements that I liked. Boarding School: Check! Friendship: Check! A girl learning to live on her own: Check!
Sadly, I quickly disliked Viola. She is so judgy about everyone and everything. I can imagine that it sucks that her parents dropped her off at a boarding school to work hard. I can imagine it isn't fun to have to share a big room with 3 others. I can imagine many things. But really, she was just being a bitch. Even later on in the story when she is a bit more used to everything, she judges people on what they wear. Oh heaven forbid if someone dares to wear something that is not in style. She barely gave any attention to the teacher when she wearing x outfit. What is up with that? I just found it really rude. And not only fashion, but also other things. Like she keeps comparing where she is now with her home. And no, it isn't pretty.
There were moments I liked Viola, during the times when she was dedicated to her camera, she really has a talent with that (I hope she will do more and more with it in the future). But also when she was with her friends and didn't judge them too much. She really has a sweet side, and, since she passed, I guess she also gets good grades and studies hard.
Jared x Viola? Eh, I never really shipped them. Jared was just a bit too much like Viola. It was like he was a male clone of her. They just had too much alike. Plus I found it a bit too convenient that she met him and that they instantly liked each other. She hated that dance, but oh, hey, here is a hot boy who is exactly like you. Bang, done.
The ghost? Well, that was one thing that made me almost drop this book. Sorry, I love boarding school x mystery/paranormal. But it has to be done well. Here it just felt like an afterthought, like a plot device so that Viola would have a topic for that competition. And I don't like that. It just didn't fit at all.
The drama around Christmas? It felt overdone and silly. Yes, it was very sad for Viola, but I think the drama could definitely have toned done a few dials.
Also the story just kept on jumping around in time. For instance in one chapter we are getting the books and the next chapter begins with her writing a letter to her parents and it is a month and a bit later. It was just so disjointed. I would have loved to see more of that first period, to see how she adapted, adjusted, and how she made friends.
I barely saw anything of the boarding school. We were there, we saw some stuff, but it just felt lacking. I had liked to see a bit more of the school, of the classes, of the pizza club, and other things. It could have been fleshed out a lot more.
Also the whole Andrew thing and how that progressed was just eh. They are supposed to be best buddies, but I never really saw that. Maybe also because of how the story skipped around and months just seemed to pass.
So yeah, this was a disappointment. I may have given the second book a try, but that is about Viola at home, and I have no interest in that.
All in all, I am glad I didn't buy this book for the full price. I am not sure if I would recommend this one. It has a few good things, but also enough that wasn't too good.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
September 8, 2018
I did not realize that this was a young adult novel when I got it, but it doesn't matter I'll read anything Adriana Trigiani writes. Here the main character is a 14 year old girl and Trigiani must have one living with her, because she's got the voice and manners down cold. While Viola's three roommates come across as one dimensional, it's fine. The book is told from Viola's point of view in Viola's voice. We cannot expect her to peal back the layers of personality in others when she's just discovering it herself. Very solid read for teens and a nice, breezy book for adults.
February 25, 2021
So happy to be reunited with 14-year old teenager, Viola, who finds herself in boarding school, because her parents are making a documentary in Afghanistan.
This was indeed a happy re-read for me and I still feel much affection for these young women who are in a bubble and sharing their teen experiences. Of course, this is a best case scenario, with many positive vibes surrounding the teens (which I am happy for).
I simply love these Viola books (this being the first one in a series of 2) - and I had hoped that the author would have written many more of in this series of Y.A. books.
There's so much hope in these books because these girls are going to grow up in wonderful adults.
This was indeed a happy re-read for me and I still feel much affection for these young women who are in a bubble and sharing their teen experiences. Of course, this is a best case scenario, with many positive vibes surrounding the teens (which I am happy for).
I simply love these Viola books (this being the first one in a series of 2) - and I had hoped that the author would have written many more of in this series of Y.A. books.
There's so much hope in these books because these girls are going to grow up in wonderful adults.
September 19, 2024
Fun light-hearted read -
September 23, 2021
This story is told on the 9th grade level but it’s so cute! Villa is from NYC but she goes to South Bend, IN, for boarding school her 9th year. Her parents are film makers & are currently on location in Afghanistan. Her grandmother (Grand) is an on stage actress. Villa loves to make film. So cute!
July 29, 2012
[Review originally posted on Rather Be Reading]
Ever since I read Harry Potter, I’ve wished I had the opportunity to go to a boarding school when I was growing up. My little hometown didn’t have anything more than our tiny public school, but I yearned for the strong friendships, the lifelong bonds, and the living away from home experience. (I suppose this is what a lot of people gain by living on campus during college, too, but alas, I didn’t do that either.)
When I saw Viola in Reel Life at my library, I read “boarding school” on the flap and immediately added it to the stack of books in my arms. Viola’s parents are being sent to Afghanistan to to film a documentary; she has no choice but to go to the all girls boarding school her mother attended in South Bend, Indiana while they’re away. Viola, too, loves making films and feels the Midwest won’t be very inspiring considering she’s a NYC girl. How could things compare?
Viola leaves her best friend, Andrew, behind in New York. As a way to stay connected with him, she decides to film pieces of her life so he can join in her misery. She makes little to no effort to mesh with her three new roommates and chooses to be withdrawn and mopey until they confront her. I greatly admired these three girls, Marisol, Romy, and Suzanne, for reaching out to Viola to prove that the experience didn’t have to be as gruesome as she was allowing it to be. They force her to become more involved so she can walk away after the year is over with new friendships and outlooks.
While I overlooked the fact that Viola was only a Freshman when I checked this out, a much younger character than I typically read about, I did enjoy that the focus of Viola in Reel Life was different because of her age. The story was much more about friendship (than romance) and Viola, an only child, stripping away her independency to rely on new friends with very different upbringings and backgrounds. She had a lot to learn about herself, but she gained a new perspective: circumstances are what you make of them. You have to sieze the day and make the best of things.
Viola’s new friends became a sounding board for her as she navigated choppy waters when her friendship with Andrew became strained (oddly enough, right around the time she begins mentioning her first crush). They were her support group when her parents couldn’t make it home for the holidays. They became her film crew when Viola decided to enter a competition. The camaraderie was a definite strength for Viola in Reel Life and I happily reflected back on my days as a mere high school Freshman.
I wasn’t aware Viola was part of a series. I haven’t yet read the follow-up novel, Viola in the Spotlight, but I’ll be placing it on reserve at my library when I need a change of pace and want to take things back to basics — strong friendships, loving families, and innocent, first love.
Ever since I read Harry Potter, I’ve wished I had the opportunity to go to a boarding school when I was growing up. My little hometown didn’t have anything more than our tiny public school, but I yearned for the strong friendships, the lifelong bonds, and the living away from home experience. (I suppose this is what a lot of people gain by living on campus during college, too, but alas, I didn’t do that either.)
When I saw Viola in Reel Life at my library, I read “boarding school” on the flap and immediately added it to the stack of books in my arms. Viola’s parents are being sent to Afghanistan to to film a documentary; she has no choice but to go to the all girls boarding school her mother attended in South Bend, Indiana while they’re away. Viola, too, loves making films and feels the Midwest won’t be very inspiring considering she’s a NYC girl. How could things compare?
Viola leaves her best friend, Andrew, behind in New York. As a way to stay connected with him, she decides to film pieces of her life so he can join in her misery. She makes little to no effort to mesh with her three new roommates and chooses to be withdrawn and mopey until they confront her. I greatly admired these three girls, Marisol, Romy, and Suzanne, for reaching out to Viola to prove that the experience didn’t have to be as gruesome as she was allowing it to be. They force her to become more involved so she can walk away after the year is over with new friendships and outlooks.
While I overlooked the fact that Viola was only a Freshman when I checked this out, a much younger character than I typically read about, I did enjoy that the focus of Viola in Reel Life was different because of her age. The story was much more about friendship (than romance) and Viola, an only child, stripping away her independency to rely on new friends with very different upbringings and backgrounds. She had a lot to learn about herself, but she gained a new perspective: circumstances are what you make of them. You have to sieze the day and make the best of things.
Viola’s new friends became a sounding board for her as she navigated choppy waters when her friendship with Andrew became strained (oddly enough, right around the time she begins mentioning her first crush). They were her support group when her parents couldn’t make it home for the holidays. They became her film crew when Viola decided to enter a competition. The camaraderie was a definite strength for Viola in Reel Life and I happily reflected back on my days as a mere high school Freshman.
I wasn’t aware Viola was part of a series. I haven’t yet read the follow-up novel, Viola in the Spotlight, but I’ll be placing it on reserve at my library when I need a change of pace and want to take things back to basics — strong friendships, loving families, and innocent, first love.
September 3, 2013
So I got this book a few years ago as a free book from my school and put it at the back of my bookshelf. I probably should have read it then because it's probably too young for me even though the main character is meant to be 14! She acted like a 10 year old most of the time. But I am having a clearout of my bookshelf so I decided to try it. I've read better, alot better I probably shouldn't have read it after reading one of my favorite books because I couldn't help making comparisons. I tried to read it but only got up to p100 were I couldn't read any more it was OK if you are younger then me.
Story: So basically Viola has the best life in Brooklyn (or so she says.) Until one day her parents have to go off to Afghanistan and they won't bring her with them. So her parents send her to the Prefect academy (I know I mean Perfect or what), she is determined to hate it before she even gives it a try. She's snarky to her roommates who seem to be perfect, she's horrible to her teachers cause they wear something she doesn't agree with and then suddenly she miraculously changes and is lovely an princess sunshine and of course she excels at anything she tries including saving the day for founders day play which apparently would have been a disaster if Viola wasn't there because none of the older people can act and are rubbish! Then apparently the are all so grateful to her and admit it would have been awful without her.
Complaints: She acts like a completely spoilt brat for the first bit
- she suddenly changes to be brilliant to everyone in every-way I mean come on Adriana Trigani you're meant to be a new York bestseller surely you can do better than that lead up a little story.
- there is about a page of what she misses about new York and how brilliant it was I mean come on I just had to skip the page because it was so boring I mean we get it she misses New York.
-Alot of the writing is just floppy
I just can't believe that I am meant to be it's target audience it has almost no plot, and it doesn't introduce anything. I mean if your my age (12) then avoid this book like the plague you'd be much better reading some Ibbotson or Suzanne Collins but I your ten or under then you'd probably enjoy it alot I might of if Id read it earlier.
EDIT: And what the hell about BFFAA I mean Best Friends Forever And Always?! Its like Trigani is actually trying to be a 10 year old and getting it completely wrong. Who the hell says Best Friends Forever And Always? It doesn't even make grammatical sense for a start.
Story: So basically Viola has the best life in Brooklyn (or so she says.) Until one day her parents have to go off to Afghanistan and they won't bring her with them. So her parents send her to the Prefect academy (I know I mean Perfect or what), she is determined to hate it before she even gives it a try. She's snarky to her roommates who seem to be perfect, she's horrible to her teachers cause they wear something she doesn't agree with and then suddenly she miraculously changes and is lovely an princess sunshine and of course she excels at anything she tries including saving the day for founders day play which apparently would have been a disaster if Viola wasn't there because none of the older people can act and are rubbish! Then apparently the are all so grateful to her and admit it would have been awful without her.
Complaints: She acts like a completely spoilt brat for the first bit
- she suddenly changes to be brilliant to everyone in every-way I mean come on Adriana Trigani you're meant to be a new York bestseller surely you can do better than that lead up a little story.
- there is about a page of what she misses about new York and how brilliant it was I mean come on I just had to skip the page because it was so boring I mean we get it she misses New York.
-Alot of the writing is just floppy
I just can't believe that I am meant to be it's target audience it has almost no plot, and it doesn't introduce anything. I mean if your my age (12) then avoid this book like the plague you'd be much better reading some Ibbotson or Suzanne Collins but I your ten or under then you'd probably enjoy it alot I might of if Id read it earlier.
EDIT: And what the hell about BFFAA I mean Best Friends Forever And Always?! Its like Trigani is actually trying to be a 10 year old and getting it completely wrong. Who the hell says Best Friends Forever And Always? It doesn't even make grammatical sense for a start.
December 22, 2013
How I came by this novel: So, Adriana Trigiani is one of the most popular best-selling authors of this day in time. And guess what else? She's from a small town only 30 MILES from my small town! Literally! I hear about Big Stone Gap on the local news everyday. I can get there in about 40 minutes! So, naturally, when they began making a movie about her Big Stone Gap novels and began filming around here, I sent in a submission to become an extra in the movie. I haven't heard anything back yet, but who knows? This is not the first thing I've heard about Trigiani. So when Books A Million was having a huge sale (like, 30% off their bargain books and an extra 15% off that for Millionaire Club Members. Whoo hoo!) I decided to purchase my first Adriana Trigiani novel.
I absolutely loved this novel. To might not know, but I enjoy filming and film editing just as much as writing and reading. I enjoy making short films and videos, documentaries, and the such. I am also teaching myself film studies right now to get a head start. Anyway, it was great to find a novel about a girl, very similar to me, who enjoys filming and editing. The plot was great and very original. I don't believe I have found any more young adult novels that envolve teenagers in the film industry. And since Trigiani also works in the film industry, she shouldn't have had to research much, but there wasn't any inconsistencies that I could find. The plot was riveting, interesting, emotional, and funny, and a must-read for anyone who wants to work in film.
The writing was impeccable. The characters were interesting, emotional, and relatable, and each one harnessed their own faults and strengths. They all blended perfectly with one another and showcased an impenetrable bond between the four main girls in the novel. There are also strong instances of family ties in this novel, probably branching off from the homey, family novels Trigiani has been known for. The writing is perfect, spot-on, full of surprises and plot turns, all making for an interesting contemporary Si underlying artistic influences. Anyone with a streak of creativeness in them needs to read this novel, especially anyone with movie and film work in their hearts. Even people who don't see themselves as creative people can find themselves immersed in this novel, since it is so consuming. I cannot wait to read more of the work from Adriana Trigiani, local inspiration, international artist.
I absolutely loved this novel. To might not know, but I enjoy filming and film editing just as much as writing and reading. I enjoy making short films and videos, documentaries, and the such. I am also teaching myself film studies right now to get a head start. Anyway, it was great to find a novel about a girl, very similar to me, who enjoys filming and editing. The plot was great and very original. I don't believe I have found any more young adult novels that envolve teenagers in the film industry. And since Trigiani also works in the film industry, she shouldn't have had to research much, but there wasn't any inconsistencies that I could find. The plot was riveting, interesting, emotional, and funny, and a must-read for anyone who wants to work in film.
The writing was impeccable. The characters were interesting, emotional, and relatable, and each one harnessed their own faults and strengths. They all blended perfectly with one another and showcased an impenetrable bond between the four main girls in the novel. There are also strong instances of family ties in this novel, probably branching off from the homey, family novels Trigiani has been known for. The writing is perfect, spot-on, full of surprises and plot turns, all making for an interesting contemporary Si underlying artistic influences. Anyone with a streak of creativeness in them needs to read this novel, especially anyone with movie and film work in their hearts. Even people who don't see themselves as creative people can find themselves immersed in this novel, since it is so consuming. I cannot wait to read more of the work from Adriana Trigiani, local inspiration, international artist.
Read
July 19, 2018Aspiring filmmaker Viola spends her freshman year at a boarding school while her documentary filmmaker parents are shooting an important project in Afghanistan. As she misses her friends and her life back in NYC, Viola clings to an initial survival tactic of resiting getting attached and to keep a distance, using her camera and her wry attitude, from everyone and everything at Prefect Academy. This backfires on her when she realizes her roommates are bonding without her, and she quickly changes her tune and finds a place to shine and to belong at Prefect.
This was a sweet but bland YA novel. Characters remained mostly one-dimensional (or two-dimensional, in some cases), and Viola always managed to have a thoughtful, mature epiphany whenever one was needed to keep conflict from spiraling. While the friendship between Viola and her roommates at the core of the book wasn't very nuanced--it's hard to believe that a friendship between four very different girls all living together, away from home for the first time, would be as straightforward as depicted--I still appreciated that friendships were the focus of both the book and Viola's journey, and I liked the depiction of how natural it was for the girls to support each other, knowing when to prop each other up and when to challenge each other to change. It was very sweet, and a bit The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants-esque, but not very meaty or complicated.
This was a sweet but bland YA novel. Characters remained mostly one-dimensional (or two-dimensional, in some cases), and Viola always managed to have a thoughtful, mature epiphany whenever one was needed to keep conflict from spiraling. While the friendship between Viola and her roommates at the core of the book wasn't very nuanced--it's hard to believe that a friendship between four very different girls all living together, away from home for the first time, would be as straightforward as depicted--I still appreciated that friendships were the focus of both the book and Viola's journey, and I liked the depiction of how natural it was for the girls to support each other, knowing when to prop each other up and when to challenge each other to change. It was very sweet, and a bit The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants-esque, but not very meaty or complicated.
May 15, 2015
I had to read this book for book club at my school and frankly, I was expecting more out of it.
I had heard really good things about this author-- one of my family members knows her well and she had come to my school a few years ago through a program.
For me, the book didn't have any substance. It seemed like it was just a random collection of shallow thoughts. There was a little character development, but not nearly enough to make this an enjoyable read.
I found myself struggling to finish it because of the weird time jumps and the fact that Viola had a boyfriend and friends after about two seconds.
After she met Jared at the dance in November and proclaimed him her boyfriend after almost no talking and no chemistry between them besides the fact that they both like making films, it was December a few pages later. A few pages after that, it became March, with no indication we had skipped two months until quite a few pages into the new chapter.
It also really bugged me how she became friends with her roommates with almost little to no really substantial dialogue between the four of them. We got to know Viola really well and surprisingly her roommate Suzanne, but as for the other two, they were faceless names, almost completely meaningless to the whole plot of the story.
1/5 stars. I would rate it less than that if I could.
I had heard really good things about this author-- one of my family members knows her well and she had come to my school a few years ago through a program.
For me, the book didn't have any substance. It seemed like it was just a random collection of shallow thoughts. There was a little character development, but not nearly enough to make this an enjoyable read.
I found myself struggling to finish it because of the weird time jumps and the fact that Viola had a boyfriend and friends after about two seconds.
After she met Jared at the dance in November and proclaimed him her boyfriend after almost no talking and no chemistry between them besides the fact that they both like making films, it was December a few pages later. A few pages after that, it became March, with no indication we had skipped two months until quite a few pages into the new chapter.
It also really bugged me how she became friends with her roommates with almost little to no really substantial dialogue between the four of them. We got to know Viola really well and surprisingly her roommate Suzanne, but as for the other two, they were faceless names, almost completely meaningless to the whole plot of the story.
1/5 stars. I would rate it less than that if I could.
October 5, 2011
What can I say about this book?
Well, to start off it was a different kind of book than I usually reed. I'm into the fantasy books mostly, but because I won a HarperTeen writing contest and got to choose three books, this was one that I chose. And boy, am I glad I did.
I loved that Adriana Trigiani wrote a story about a young girl who knew what she wanted. Viola is a strong character, but a downer as I say. She's positive that she's going to hate Prefect Academy and therefore doesn't try to fit in. But then when her roommates turn out to be awesome and she learns to treat them better, she realizes she can have a good time.
Most of the book I saw coming, but I'm a writer and I tend to do that, look ahead in a book and try and guess what will happen. So I wasn't surprised when a boy popped into her life and then was a crappy person; it was to be expected. One of my favorite things about this book is that the characters and their struggles are relatable. I do love books that I could never have a life like the main character, but every once and awhile it's nice to see something that could be real.
This book is a must read and I encourage you all to read it!
-Kailyn Elyse
Well, to start off it was a different kind of book than I usually reed. I'm into the fantasy books mostly, but because I won a HarperTeen writing contest and got to choose three books, this was one that I chose. And boy, am I glad I did.
I loved that Adriana Trigiani wrote a story about a young girl who knew what she wanted. Viola is a strong character, but a downer as I say. She's positive that she's going to hate Prefect Academy and therefore doesn't try to fit in. But then when her roommates turn out to be awesome and she learns to treat them better, she realizes she can have a good time.
Most of the book I saw coming, but I'm a writer and I tend to do that, look ahead in a book and try and guess what will happen. So I wasn't surprised when a boy popped into her life and then was a crappy person; it was to be expected. One of my favorite things about this book is that the characters and their struggles are relatable. I do love books that I could never have a life like the main character, but every once and awhile it's nice to see something that could be real.
This book is a must read and I encourage you all to read it!
-Kailyn Elyse
December 2, 2013
I really disliked Viola as a narrator. She's self-absorbed, thinks she is absolutely amazing, and acts like a spoiled brat--yet, everyone around her treats her incredibly nicely all the time. Why?? Why wouldn't they get tired of her shit? I don't get it. I was enjoying the romantic relationship, but when things went south, it was once again weird and unbelievable. Additionally, there were a couple racist moments, as well as plentiful generalizations about the Midwest. So, that was great.
November 17, 2009
I was more bored than I wanted to be. Loved Viola's unwavering passion for film. Loved Grand (of course). Besides that, though, found it hard to figure out who she was. Quiet? Shy? Straight-shooting? Awkward? Loner? Just unbloomed? Developments didn't feel organic; suddenly things would happen and change.
Points for a good attitude about boys.
(read: 225)
Points for a good attitude about boys.
(read: 225)
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