What do you think?
Rate this book
Jump
Jump. That is what P.K. has done. A totally wild, crazy jump from a restrictive life with her family into a life of total adventure—rock-climbing out west with a guy she barely knows. At first, everything’s amazing. Not only are they climbing in awesomely beautiful national parks like Yosemite but they seem awesomely made for one another. P.K. is in heaven. And then the cops show up . . . with an arrest warrant. And P.K. has to decide who to this amazing guy whom she trusts with her life—or the cops, who want her to believe that he may take her life.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2010
31 people are currently reading
853 people want to read
About the author
Elisa Carbone
16 books79 followersElisa Carbone was raised in Arlington, Virginia. She attended college at University of Maryland and also received two master’s degrees from University of Maryland, one in Speech Communication and the other in Education.
She now lives part time in the Washington D.C. area and part time in the mountains of West Virginia.
She now lives part time in the Washington D.C. area and part time in the mountains of West Virginia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
November 5, 2011
This book was very touching, and it was different from anything else I've ever read. It gives a whole different view on life, and I recommend it to anyone to loves philosophy and the whole meaning-of-life topic. But it wasn't just about that. It was about love, friendship, companionship, understanding, acceptance, and many other truly important and interesting topics. P.K. and Critter are so spiritually connected and their adventure is amazing and inspiring. This book really made me thing about my life, and how we should live based on the now, not on the future or on the past. Also it taught me that sometimes, we should just tell the little hamster inside of our minds to hop off the wheel and shut up. Lol :) Read the book, and you'll understand.
I'm definitely going to try to go by the whole "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" thing :)
I'm definitely going to try to go by the whole "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" thing :)
May 31, 2010
I picked up JUMP on a whim... I had never heard of it and had nothing more to recommend it than the description on the back and the interesting cover. After reading, I have absolutely no idea why no one is discussing this novel.
I'll admit that I was a bit worried about the climbing jargon when I first started reading. I have absolutely no experience with rock climbing or rock climbing lingo, but Carbone writes with ample detail and I had no difficulty deciphering and filling in the blanks. I'm actually thankful that she did include the jargon, even though she could have told the story without, because it made the characters much more real.
JUMP is told from alternating point-of-view by P.K. and the mysterious boy she runs away with, Critter. I may have questioned P.K.'s sanity a bit more if I didn't have the opportunity to see Critter's POV. After all, running away to perform a dangerous activity with a boy (named Critter!) that you've only known for a half hour (at the most) is most definitely insane. Usually, when a novel is told by two or more characters, I favor one voice over the other(s), but this wasn't the case with JUMP. I especially enjoyed Critter and P.K.'s budding romance, as the reader gets to experience it through both characters.
Generally, I have no problem figuring how how a story will end, but Carbone kept me on my toes. I loved that! There are a few heart pounding passages where I honestly had no clue what was going to happen next!
JUMP is rife with action, romance, and humor - the trifecta! I'm not sure how this novel slipped under my radar for so long, but I'm infinitely glad I stumbled upon it!
I'll admit that I was a bit worried about the climbing jargon when I first started reading. I have absolutely no experience with rock climbing or rock climbing lingo, but Carbone writes with ample detail and I had no difficulty deciphering and filling in the blanks. I'm actually thankful that she did include the jargon, even though she could have told the story without, because it made the characters much more real.
JUMP is told from alternating point-of-view by P.K. and the mysterious boy she runs away with, Critter. I may have questioned P.K.'s sanity a bit more if I didn't have the opportunity to see Critter's POV. After all, running away to perform a dangerous activity with a boy (named Critter!) that you've only known for a half hour (at the most) is most definitely insane. Usually, when a novel is told by two or more characters, I favor one voice over the other(s), but this wasn't the case with JUMP. I especially enjoyed Critter and P.K.'s budding romance, as the reader gets to experience it through both characters.
Generally, I have no problem figuring how how a story will end, but Carbone kept me on my toes. I loved that! There are a few heart pounding passages where I honestly had no clue what was going to happen next!
JUMP is rife with action, romance, and humor - the trifecta! I'm not sure how this novel slipped under my radar for so long, but I'm infinitely glad I stumbled upon it!
February 16, 2011
When PK meets Critter at the climbing gym she works out in on the eve she is planning on running away from home to go on a climbing adventure, everything seems to fall into place. The handsome, mysterious Critter is miraculously willing to go with her on the adventure when no one else will...even though they've met just hours ago. Together the two set out on a cross country road trip that requires PK to trust Critter...who, she learns relatively early in the book, is an escaped mental patient who, after a suicide attempt is able to see auras. Will PK be able to trust him? Is Critter crazy? Vivid descriptions of rock climbing will appeal to readers who enjoy books about the outdoors and adventure stories.
Although I think this book will have a lot of teen appeal because of the equal part romance/adventure story, I was concerned about the author's treatment of mental illness in the book. Critter is institutionalized at the beginning of the book and on some heavy drugs for delusions. He's also recently tried to kill himself. The author trivializes his "aura" seeing as some kind of special ability he has after his near-death experience; Critter goes off his meds and is "fine" (except for the whole aura thing). My issue with this is that I think that it trivializes medicine in the treatment of mental illness for people who may need meds. Even as I write this, I'm thinking about One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and thinking twice about my comment, but, in this story it really did stop me.
Although I think this book will have a lot of teen appeal because of the equal part romance/adventure story, I was concerned about the author's treatment of mental illness in the book. Critter is institutionalized at the beginning of the book and on some heavy drugs for delusions. He's also recently tried to kill himself. The author trivializes his "aura" seeing as some kind of special ability he has after his near-death experience; Critter goes off his meds and is "fine" (except for the whole aura thing). My issue with this is that I think that it trivializes medicine in the treatment of mental illness for people who may need meds. Even as I write this, I'm thinking about One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and thinking twice about my comment, but, in this story it really did stop me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2019
Sięgając po tę książkę nie wiedziałam czego mam oczekiwać. Do teraz nie wiem, co o niej sądzić.
Na pewno mamy tutaj świetny klimat wspinaczek górskich, jednak czegoś mi tutaj zabrakło. Miałam wrażenie, że autorka aż za dużą uwagę kładzie tym wspinaczkom, przez co bardzo kuleją takie rzeczy jak fabuła czy bohaterowie.
Jest to dobra młodzieżówka, ale niestety nie jest to nic wybitnego. Do przeczytania na raz i do zapomnienia.
Na pewno mamy tutaj świetny klimat wspinaczek górskich, jednak czegoś mi tutaj zabrakło. Miałam wrażenie, że autorka aż za dużą uwagę kładzie tym wspinaczkom, przez co bardzo kuleją takie rzeczy jak fabuła czy bohaterowie.
Jest to dobra młodzieżówka, ale niestety nie jest to nic wybitnego. Do przeczytania na raz i do zapomnienia.
December 16, 2022
The book that I read was “Jump” by Elisa Carbone. I personally thought this was a great book. It’s one of the first books I’ve ever really liked, it felt like a book that you could read in one week if you wanted to. The book was about this girl named P.K. who doesn’t want to be forced into going to a boarding school. So instead she decides to run away with this guy named Critter. They are both really into rock climbing and decide that their trip should include rock climbing.
This book shows a different philosophy on life. It makes you think about things in a different prospective, outside the box. The relationship between P.K. and Critter is intense and really draws you into the book. Carbone does an amazing job making you invested into the world our characters live. My favorite character is Critter, because he is a different person than anyone else in the book, he is very unique. My favorite thing about this book is how they switch between the different characters, so we understand what both characters are thinking kind of like a anim It’s an amazing way to show what characters are thinking.I highly recommend this book to anyone who isn’t the biggest fan of reading because this book is absolutely amazing!
This book shows a different philosophy on life. It makes you think about things in a different prospective, outside the box. The relationship between P.K. and Critter is intense and really draws you into the book. Carbone does an amazing job making you invested into the world our characters live. My favorite character is Critter, because he is a different person than anyone else in the book, he is very unique. My favorite thing about this book is how they switch between the different characters, so we understand what both characters are thinking kind of like a anim It’s an amazing way to show what characters are thinking.I highly recommend this book to anyone who isn’t the biggest fan of reading because this book is absolutely amazing!
June 14, 2020
I was thoroughly impressed. I went to mountaineering & repelling school while in the Army. This book was definitely written by a climber. The climbing grades such as 5.7 or 5.11a would not be known without being in that subculture. Equipment such as biners, hexes, tricams, clipping into an anchor all added to the authenticity of the book. The locations were iconic, Red Rocks outside vegas and El Capitan in Yosemite. Pretty much the Holy grail for climbing. Ive been to both and the words the author tried to use fell short of the beauty and sheer magnitude of the place. I give the climbing part a ⭐⭐⭐⭐
But, the storie bout a 16 year old runaway and a 17 year old escaped mental patient. First of all, you can learn all the basics, but you cant learn to climb an 5.12d on an indoor climbing wall. Even though the storie was ending on an emotional downer, the last page gave hope. The boy gets the girl in the end. The storie i give⭐⭐⭐
But, the storie bout a 16 year old runaway and a 17 year old escaped mental patient. First of all, you can learn all the basics, but you cant learn to climb an 5.12d on an indoor climbing wall. Even though the storie was ending on an emotional downer, the last page gave hope. The boy gets the girl in the end. The storie i give⭐⭐⭐
October 10, 2019
I read “Jump” by Elisa Carbone. I absolutely adored the book! It’s one of the first books I’ve ever completely read, and matter of fact, I read it in one week because of how amazing it was. The book’s about this girl named P.K. who doesn’t want to be forced to go to this boarding school. So instead she decides to run away with somebody named Critter. They’re both into rock climbing and decide that their trip should include rock climbing.
This book shows a different philosophy on life. It makes me think about things I’ve never thought about. The relationship between P.K. and Critter is intense and really draws you into the book. Carbone does an amazing job making you invested into the world our characters live. My favorite character is Critter, because he is just so different from anyone else in the book, he is very unique. My favorite thing about this book, is how they switch between the different characters, so we understand what both characters are thinking. It’s an amazing way to show what characters are thinking.I highly recommend this book to anyone who isn’t the biggest fan of reading because this book is absolutely amazing!
This book shows a different philosophy on life. It makes me think about things I’ve never thought about. The relationship between P.K. and Critter is intense and really draws you into the book. Carbone does an amazing job making you invested into the world our characters live. My favorite character is Critter, because he is just so different from anyone else in the book, he is very unique. My favorite thing about this book, is how they switch between the different characters, so we understand what both characters are thinking. It’s an amazing way to show what characters are thinking.I highly recommend this book to anyone who isn’t the biggest fan of reading because this book is absolutely amazing!
July 5, 2010
P.K. is a high school student who is severly misunderstood by her parents who are sending her to boarding school in the fall. Critter has escaped from a mental institution after his attempted suicide and lack of support from his parents. The two meet up accidentally and plan to run away on a rock climbing trip. As they spend more time together, Critter shares his "live in the moment" philosophy on life and P.K. stuggles to accept who she is and where Critter came from. All of this unfolds on their cross-country climbing adventure threaded with a side of romance.
The book contains multiple points of view (P.K. and Critter). Sometimes they go back and forth; othertimes the story follows one character or another. There are some quick chapters and some of a longer length. Due to both POVs, this book would be good for either guys or girls. Someone with an interest in rock climbing would probably be more drawn to the story. The abstract thinking of Critter might be a little much for the more recreational/lower level reader.
The book contains multiple points of view (P.K. and Critter). Sometimes they go back and forth; othertimes the story follows one character or another. There are some quick chapters and some of a longer length. Due to both POVs, this book would be good for either guys or girls. Someone with an interest in rock climbing would probably be more drawn to the story. The abstract thinking of Critter might be a little much for the more recreational/lower level reader.
January 20, 2011
Jump by, Elisa Carbone
You can some this book up to one word. AMAZING! It always keeps you on your feet and makes you wanna read more and more untill its done. I usually dont like to read but I was even readying this book in class its so good.
In the book P.K. and Critter are the two main people. They both want out. There parents are going to send them to BOOT camp so they decied to run away to do what they love........ Rock Climb. They travel all over to climb and find that they like each other soon after being together. But when the cops catch up to them its a race for freedom. The rescue crew is semiclimging which is a faster way to get up the rock. Just as they get to the top the crew is right behind them and they have to do one thing and thats JUMP. They fall over the ledge out of sight and hide for a while. But there friendship is tested when P.K. decieds to go up and go to her dad who was looking for her. Tjats all i can tell you. You are going to have to read the book to find out the rest.
Ben Ammann pd 3
Miss Grimm
You can some this book up to one word. AMAZING! It always keeps you on your feet and makes you wanna read more and more untill its done. I usually dont like to read but I was even readying this book in class its so good.
In the book P.K. and Critter are the two main people. They both want out. There parents are going to send them to BOOT camp so they decied to run away to do what they love........ Rock Climb. They travel all over to climb and find that they like each other soon after being together. But when the cops catch up to them its a race for freedom. The rescue crew is semiclimging which is a faster way to get up the rock. Just as they get to the top the crew is right behind them and they have to do one thing and thats JUMP. They fall over the ledge out of sight and hide for a while. But there friendship is tested when P.K. decieds to go up and go to her dad who was looking for her. Tjats all i can tell you. You are going to have to read the book to find out the rest.
Ben Ammann pd 3
Miss Grimm
Read
July 11, 2010a boy and a girl, both on the run, meet up and it turns out they are both climbing enthusiasts. So they hitchhike and climb across the west coast.
Micro-small chapters keep the book moving along, but the voices don't seem very distinct and there is a real lack of character development.
Micro-small chapters keep the book moving along, but the voices don't seem very distinct and there is a real lack of character development.
October 6, 2010
I dunno, I thought this would be different, but it felt rushed and I didn't care for the style it's written in.
It's entertaining in it's own way I guess, maybe it's just my mood, or maybe it's just me, but I couldn't love this one.
It's entertaining in it's own way I guess, maybe it's just my mood, or maybe it's just me, but I couldn't love this one.
December 25, 2010
Adventurous journey with a little bit of romance. Great story without a dull moment...I couldn't put this down!
April 21, 2021
I will admit, many readers probably will/do feel that five stars is overdoing it. That's fine and dandy, and I won't argue with you. But also, I don't care. For me, Jump had it all: acting on the drop-everything-and-go fantasy, zingy chemistry with a guy who's respectful , climbing (I am not a climber, nor even much of an athlete, but I have... I'm going to go with, daydreams, which allow me to appreciate the athletes and their narratives), hamsters, birds, a female lead who is/becomes assertive and a little sassy, and just enough philosophy. I'm a big fan of bedtime (12 at the latest), but it's currently 2:30 am, and I am squeeing too hard to care. I haven't had un-put-down-able read for a while.
My two complaints are 1: I waited literal months to read this book (I expected something much more boy and less... philosophical hamsters?) and 2: this book is too good not to keep. I must have it. The idea was to read it and be done with it, since I have too many books (I'm sure many of you are confused by this idea, but believe you me, it can happen), but I cannot just callously toss this one to the recyclers. (They find new owners, promise.) I must keep this one. For the hamsters. (Warning: These hamsters are representative and not fuzzy creatures the characters play with. My excitement is more about how the hamsters are dealt with. For adorable fuzzy creatures, please search GIFs or YouTube.) I have a couple of quotes that I'd love to share with you, but I'm pretty sure they're spoilers, so they will go into my private notes (if they fit), and you will have to make do with my cryptic hamsters.
My two complaints are 1: I waited literal months to read this book (I expected something much more boy and less... philosophical hamsters?) and 2: this book is too good not to keep. I must have it. The idea was to read it and be done with it, since I have too many books (I'm sure many of you are confused by this idea, but believe you me, it can happen), but I cannot just callously toss this one to the recyclers. (They find new owners, promise.) I must keep this one. For the hamsters. (Warning: These hamsters are representative and not fuzzy creatures the characters play with. My excitement is more about how the hamsters are dealt with. For adorable fuzzy creatures, please search GIFs or YouTube.) I have a couple of quotes that I'd love to share with you, but I'm pretty sure they're spoilers, so they will go into my private notes (if they fit), and you will have to make do with my cryptic hamsters.
January 20, 2023
The beginning of this book was a bit doubtful, but when I first entered Critters mind and witnessed the winding of these two characters, it pulled me in. The most interesting thing about this book was the slow fusion of two opposite minds. I loved watching a stiff anxious and impulsive girl seep into the loose fun (and somewhat insane) mindset that is Critters. I felt that the progression of this book was not bad at all, it had a pleasingly exponential growth in events. With meeting new characters, disagreements, drama, and new places. All through which they stuck together. A part of me wishes there were more significant characters, but the other deeply enjoyed the focus on P.K. and Critter. The growth, both friendly and romantic, between these two was very real. No corny lovey dovey parts that made you decide to take a break, but natural disagreements and a strong growing connection, along with lovey dovey parts that make you smile, not cringe. I really did enjoy this book which was unexpected considering I find books like these to be too corny to sit through. The climax was very nerve racking, and the slow walk down was painful. As the story shifted from it's adventurous top to it's soft and sudden bottom, it felt empty. Not in an incomplete way, but in a sappy way, showing that I really did feel a connection to the characters. The ending felt a bit disappointing though, as it left me with so many questions.. If there were just a few more pages; it'd be perfect. I would totally recommend this book, even to picky readers.
Read
April 2, 2019This book may be a book the majority like based off of reviews, but I couldn't read past page 30 before I had to dnf it.
The writing is very choppy. The best way to explain it in my opinion is 'it's like a boomerang. You just keep throwing it until it comes back and chops your head off'.
You don't know anything about the characters, rather on care about them. Which from what I've read are very terrible characters. They have a lack of understanding, it is very much judge first and deal with it later.
Also keep in mind before picking it up it is in the style of an actors script. So if you don't like that, this is not the book for you. Because that is the majority of it.
Also another thing I dont like that is drawn thru the story, is sayings and quotes that seem to have no correlation to the story and only seem to take me out of the story. Even further than I already was which is saying something.
Also the characters are very much "the world is always against me" type of people. The main female character is very defensive to everyone. Constantly trying to find a way to blame someone for hating her.
You may like it but over all not a book for me.
The writing is very choppy. The best way to explain it in my opinion is 'it's like a boomerang. You just keep throwing it until it comes back and chops your head off'.
You don't know anything about the characters, rather on care about them. Which from what I've read are very terrible characters. They have a lack of understanding, it is very much judge first and deal with it later.
Also keep in mind before picking it up it is in the style of an actors script. So if you don't like that, this is not the book for you. Because that is the majority of it.
Also another thing I dont like that is drawn thru the story, is sayings and quotes that seem to have no correlation to the story and only seem to take me out of the story. Even further than I already was which is saying something.
Also the characters are very much "the world is always against me" type of people. The main female character is very defensive to everyone. Constantly trying to find a way to blame someone for hating her.
You may like it but over all not a book for me.
January 28, 2018
I'm actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was different than I expected, because the other Carbone books I've been exposed to were all historical fiction. This is teen realistic fiction and (other than the lying to parents and running away to do seriously dangerous climbing) I enjoyed the positive messages about avoiding unnecessary worry and overcoming depression. Critter and P.K. were both intriguing characters with sufficient depth. I appreciated their clean relationship and clean language. This book would also be fun for readers really into rock climbing. I'm afraid a lot of those references were lost on me, but I still enjoyed the story.
April 8, 2024
3.5 stars but deserves to be rounded up
This book is so unique tbh, I read it like 5 years ago and randomly remembered it existed so I read it again and it's still just as good. There's a lot of interesting philosophophical stuff, but the story is actually so cool because you can tell the author actually knows rock climbing. Only negative comments are the real people on the cover (ew) and maybe more development for PK. Other than that solid book would recommend
This book is so unique tbh, I read it like 5 years ago and randomly remembered it existed so I read it again and it's still just as good. There's a lot of interesting philosophophical stuff, but the story is actually so cool because you can tell the author actually knows rock climbing. Only negative comments are the real people on the cover (ew) and maybe more development for PK. Other than that solid book would recommend
February 7, 2018
love reading a book that gives me an experience that I would never have in reality (as much as I find it fascinating I would go rock climbing it terrifies me) and my heart was in my throat fearing an awful ending and all these bad things that might happen on the next page.
I love Critter and his views and lessons on life!
I love Critter and his views and lessons on life!
April 1, 2025
A nice, light read bouncing between two characters and their adventure together. It changed the way I thought when I read it year ago, and this time it was a great reminder to ask myself, “what would I do if I weren’t afraid” and get out to do it.
May 14, 2017
A quick read about misunderstood teenagers who find freedom in rock-climbing. They meet while running away. It was better than I expected.
September 2, 2017
Very interesting style/format the book was written in. I loved the story so much. It really kept me reading on.
November 9, 2019
i really liked this book. i was sort of disappointed when it ended. i felt like it could go on about another 500 pages and i would still be interested.
August 20, 2023
This is my second time reading, I first read when I was in high school and this book helped me through some shit, found again years later and I love just as much!!!
July 2, 2011
What I expected from Jump I'm not quite sure. I've read so many books told in two or more points of view I've come to see some well written books, some good, and some that just ended up confusing me. Which was the boy and which was the girl again? Jump fell into the good category. With names like PK and Critter it took me a bit to remember which was which. PK is a tomboy kind of girl, independent and on her own. She takes crap from no one, and this kind of attitude, I suppose, lands her into trouble. Trouble that makes her parents want to send to her a private boarding school because, I guess, they just can't handle her. However, the longer I spent in PK's mind the I less I could understand just why her parents felt the need to send her away. She seemed adventurous, but a troubled teen? Not really. Her friends didn't choose to go with her when she asked them run away and go climbing together. So bad influences? Hardly. It seemed more to me that PK dressed and acted in ways that her parents had a hard time identifying with, but in no way did PK seem to need to be sent away anywhere.I was confused by this definitely, but for the sake of the story I suppose PK had to have a reason to run away.
The one crazy thing I could see from PK was her need to run away so badly that she takes off with Critter, a boy she just met literally minutes ago, because he's the only one that will go with her on her rock climbing trip. Little does PK know, Critter has just run away from a mental hospital and just so happens to walk into the rock climbing gym right at the moment that she needs a climbing partner. After all she promised her best friend she wouldn't go alone right?
Surprising? Yes. But then, Critter is often surprising. Shocking? Not really, but he seems to think he has shocked me. He clams up, goes to get his sleeping bag, and walks back past me with it like he's going to find his own spot to sleep. I catch his hand on the way by.
"Critter it's not that bad," I tell him.
(...)
He looks at me hopefully. "So you're not totally freaked out?"
I shake my head. "Nope."
He grins. "So... you want to make out?" (pg. 102)
Critter is eccentric, but hardly a bad person. Despite having escaped rather spectacularly from a mental hospital he seems like a regular teenager who meets a girl he thinks is hot. Gets the chance to hang out with her, and takes it so fast he can't believe other red-blooded males aren't taking PK up on her offer. He seems perfectly fine. Between meeting PK and running off to rock climb Critter seems no more different from any other male I've encountered. I generally enjoyed his point of view. He was just eccentric enough to make me want to know more about his way of thinking, and reading PK's reactions to him was funny, and had me nodding my head in understanding.
The rocks are powerful. I feel them pulling me into their three-hundred-million-years-ago-I-used-to-be-an-ocean-floor presence. I nearly disappear into them, but Dante's chatter yanks me back. New routes to be had. Untouched rock deep in the canyon. Too cold in the winter; now the weather is perfect. His girlfriend is coming to put up a new route with him. All I can think is, Spend the day climbing those amazing rocks, spend the night with a hot girl, what could be better? (pg. 51)
Jump was funny, suspenseful, and enjoyable to read. It was a sweet romantic story about two teens who find each other under the strangest of circumstances. It made me want to rock climb, to see the sights, to be in that car with the apostates, and have a conversation with Critter and PK just to learn more about them. I really enjoyed Jump more then I thought I would, and that is always a pleasant surprise.
The one crazy thing I could see from PK was her need to run away so badly that she takes off with Critter, a boy she just met literally minutes ago, because he's the only one that will go with her on her rock climbing trip. Little does PK know, Critter has just run away from a mental hospital and just so happens to walk into the rock climbing gym right at the moment that she needs a climbing partner. After all she promised her best friend she wouldn't go alone right?
Surprising? Yes. But then, Critter is often surprising. Shocking? Not really, but he seems to think he has shocked me. He clams up, goes to get his sleeping bag, and walks back past me with it like he's going to find his own spot to sleep. I catch his hand on the way by.
"Critter it's not that bad," I tell him.
(...)
He looks at me hopefully. "So you're not totally freaked out?"
I shake my head. "Nope."
He grins. "So... you want to make out?" (pg. 102)
Critter is eccentric, but hardly a bad person. Despite having escaped rather spectacularly from a mental hospital he seems like a regular teenager who meets a girl he thinks is hot. Gets the chance to hang out with her, and takes it so fast he can't believe other red-blooded males aren't taking PK up on her offer. He seems perfectly fine. Between meeting PK and running off to rock climb Critter seems no more different from any other male I've encountered. I generally enjoyed his point of view. He was just eccentric enough to make me want to know more about his way of thinking, and reading PK's reactions to him was funny, and had me nodding my head in understanding.
The rocks are powerful. I feel them pulling me into their three-hundred-million-years-ago-I-used-to-be-an-ocean-floor presence. I nearly disappear into them, but Dante's chatter yanks me back. New routes to be had. Untouched rock deep in the canyon. Too cold in the winter; now the weather is perfect. His girlfriend is coming to put up a new route with him. All I can think is, Spend the day climbing those amazing rocks, spend the night with a hot girl, what could be better? (pg. 51)
Jump was funny, suspenseful, and enjoyable to read. It was a sweet romantic story about two teens who find each other under the strangest of circumstances. It made me want to rock climb, to see the sights, to be in that car with the apostates, and have a conversation with Critter and PK just to learn more about them. I really enjoyed Jump more then I thought I would, and that is always a pleasant surprise.
April 4, 2017
Negative: Establishes its young adult cred by having the ending be a make-out session. Bleh.
Positive: Is sensitive to the topic of mental health, and shows that everyone has value as a person regardless of their mental condition.
Positive: Is sensitive to the topic of mental health, and shows that everyone has value as a person regardless of their mental condition.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2010
P.K. and Critter are both escaping; one from a trip to boarding school and the other from the psychiatric ward. They meet by fate at a climbing gym and set off the next day for an adventure.
Something about Jump screamed out to me: 'Pick me up! If you don't, this decision will haunt you for the rest of the year'! With that kind of argument, I knew if an opportunity arise for me to pick up Jump, I had to take it. And I did. And I did not regret it...for the first half of the book.
When I picked up Jump, I wanted an escape, something to take the heat out of my mind. The first several chapters provided a chortling good read with one of the most oddness, but entertaining, character I have ever come across. Critter's narration was the key highlight of the novel. He has a call-it-as-he-sees-it attitude (in his mind at least) with a touch of innocent naivety that produced, on more than one occasion, laugh-out-loud statements. Yet it is P.K.'s narration that balanced it out. She had a much somber, regular teen narration that worked well to balance the bubbly cheerfulness of Critter's (because the chapters do alternate). (There are also third-person point of views mixed in as well.)
However, Jump started to falter towards the middle and shot right out of the line at the end. For me, though some opinions will differ, Jump had too much rock climbing. 'This is a rock climbing book'--I understand, but somewhere down the line I got tired of reading about cracks, belays, 5. 9's, 5.lla's, and gah! Every once or so I can deal with, but it was a continuous process that gave me a strong urge to flip through the pages. Many will say that there were dialogues and short scenes in-between the rock climbing, but my mind did not register that as much as the rock climbing.
There is also the argument that the rock climbing frees the mind and helped shaped P.K. and Critter develop in the story as well as being a philosophical stepping stone (because Jump is big on the philosophy of what makes up life: the here and now, the past, or the future). But I looked at Jump as a wholesome, fun, joy-ride read as a means of escape that I did not find.
There is also a big level of unbelieveability in Jump. Do teens nowadays run away from boarding school with a complete stranger to go rock climbing? Substitue rock climbing for anotehr obsession and I still find it hard to beleive. The running away part?--Sure. Teh complete stranger part?--W.T.F. is wrong with you? Is the sensisible reasoning why thsi is okay is because he is hot? And the fact taht he brings deordant, a toothbrush, and a change of shirts convinces you that he is not a criminal escaped from somewhere? And let's not bring a cell phone because if you did, it would only make you feel really guilty.
The ending was a mess in my opinion. There is some closure, but plenty more of what's, how's, and why's.
If you are looking for something different, enjoy adventures (rock climbing), and a different philosophical take than Jump is for you. For everyone else test the water before Jumping in.
Something about Jump screamed out to me: 'Pick me up! If you don't, this decision will haunt you for the rest of the year'! With that kind of argument, I knew if an opportunity arise for me to pick up Jump, I had to take it. And I did. And I did not regret it...for the first half of the book.
When I picked up Jump, I wanted an escape, something to take the heat out of my mind. The first several chapters provided a chortling good read with one of the most oddness, but entertaining, character I have ever come across. Critter's narration was the key highlight of the novel. He has a call-it-as-he-sees-it attitude (in his mind at least) with a touch of innocent naivety that produced, on more than one occasion, laugh-out-loud statements. Yet it is P.K.'s narration that balanced it out. She had a much somber, regular teen narration that worked well to balance the bubbly cheerfulness of Critter's (because the chapters do alternate). (There are also third-person point of views mixed in as well.)
However, Jump started to falter towards the middle and shot right out of the line at the end. For me, though some opinions will differ, Jump had too much rock climbing. 'This is a rock climbing book'--I understand, but somewhere down the line I got tired of reading about cracks, belays, 5. 9's, 5.lla's, and gah! Every once or so I can deal with, but it was a continuous process that gave me a strong urge to flip through the pages. Many will say that there were dialogues and short scenes in-between the rock climbing, but my mind did not register that as much as the rock climbing.
There is also the argument that the rock climbing frees the mind and helped shaped P.K. and Critter develop in the story as well as being a philosophical stepping stone (because Jump is big on the philosophy of what makes up life: the here and now, the past, or the future). But I looked at Jump as a wholesome, fun, joy-ride read as a means of escape that I did not find.
There is also a big level of unbelieveability in Jump. Do teens nowadays run away from boarding school with a complete stranger to go rock climbing? Substitue rock climbing for anotehr obsession and I still find it hard to beleive. The running away part?--Sure. Teh complete stranger part?--W.T.F. is wrong with you? Is the sensisible reasoning why thsi is okay is because he is hot? And the fact taht he brings deordant, a toothbrush, and a change of shirts convinces you that he is not a criminal escaped from somewhere? And let's not bring a cell phone because if you did, it would only make you feel really guilty.
The ending was a mess in my opinion. There is some closure, but plenty more of what's, how's, and why's.
If you are looking for something different, enjoy adventures (rock climbing), and a different philosophical take than Jump is for you. For everyone else test the water before Jumping in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2012
Beautiful XD
*review to come later
P.K. isn't doing so well at school and her parents have had enough so there shipping her off to boarding school miles and miles away. But P.K. is going to have the last word. Before they send her off she's going to run away. Not for long. Just long enough for her parents to change their minds. They just don't get her like her friends parents. I mean she showed them a book of teenage rebellion and she was allowed to study for classes at home. Not P.K.'s parents. So she wants to go on an adventure but no one wants to go with her until this boy walks in and he volunteers rights away. She doesn't know anything about him and that's fine by her... for now.
That boy I was talking about? Well his name is Critter and he's just got out of a psych ward. He has these really weird ideas about life. He sees the light of people so he can tell what their moods are. He has different philosophies about life and his parents just think he is insane. He had to get out of there. His parents never gave him a chance. So he's hitchhiking with P.K. this incredible cute girl that no one wants to go with. Life's a hundred percent adventure. There is no past or future only now. And now he's not going to worry about the cops or being locked up again. But what happens when he starts to really fall for the girl? Will he be able to let her get hurt because of his problems?
LOVED THIS BOOK! So beautiful.... I want more books like this. I love nature books/sport books like this. And I kind of like books about crazy people. But Critter isn't crazy... well it depends on your point of view but he's just weird to me. I really cared for Critter and that... that AUTHOR! RUINED MY LIFE FOR A SECOND! That was messed up... you know what you did. But then there is P.K. and she was like sort of the stable one. She's like you when you're reading about Critter. Lack of a better word she's the sane one. I understand some of what Critter was saying but some of the things just went over my head honestly. Basically live your life to the fullest.
Her parents were killing me! Both of their parents in fact. P.K.'s parents and Critter's needed to listen to their children. Everything could be solved if you just listened. Critter's parents at the end... I realized they didn't really care. There are a couple of loose ends at the end but that's too be expected. In the end this book left me wanting more... more books like this and more stories that are deep in its way like this. It was so rewarding.
http://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot...
*review to come later
P.K. isn't doing so well at school and her parents have had enough so there shipping her off to boarding school miles and miles away. But P.K. is going to have the last word. Before they send her off she's going to run away. Not for long. Just long enough for her parents to change their minds. They just don't get her like her friends parents. I mean she showed them a book of teenage rebellion and she was allowed to study for classes at home. Not P.K.'s parents. So she wants to go on an adventure but no one wants to go with her until this boy walks in and he volunteers rights away. She doesn't know anything about him and that's fine by her... for now.
That boy I was talking about? Well his name is Critter and he's just got out of a psych ward. He has these really weird ideas about life. He sees the light of people so he can tell what their moods are. He has different philosophies about life and his parents just think he is insane. He had to get out of there. His parents never gave him a chance. So he's hitchhiking with P.K. this incredible cute girl that no one wants to go with. Life's a hundred percent adventure. There is no past or future only now. And now he's not going to worry about the cops or being locked up again. But what happens when he starts to really fall for the girl? Will he be able to let her get hurt because of his problems?
LOVED THIS BOOK! So beautiful.... I want more books like this. I love nature books/sport books like this. And I kind of like books about crazy people. But Critter isn't crazy... well it depends on your point of view but he's just weird to me. I really cared for Critter and that... that AUTHOR! RUINED MY LIFE FOR A SECOND! That was messed up... you know what you did. But then there is P.K. and she was like sort of the stable one. She's like you when you're reading about Critter. Lack of a better word she's the sane one. I understand some of what Critter was saying but some of the things just went over my head honestly. Basically live your life to the fullest.
Her parents were killing me! Both of their parents in fact. P.K.'s parents and Critter's needed to listen to their children. Everything could be solved if you just listened. Critter's parents at the end... I realized they didn't really care. There are a couple of loose ends at the end but that's too be expected. In the end this book left me wanting more... more books like this and more stories that are deep in its way like this. It was so rewarding.
http://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot...
June 9, 2010
P.K. flat-out refuses to go to boarding school. Just because she ditches her boring classes at her stupid high school and spends more time climbing a rock wall and dreaming of being outdoors does not mean she is boarding school material. That's when she comes up with the great idea of running away with a climbing buddy to the Western wilds in search of primo rock. The downside is that none of her friends want to go with her.
That is until Critter comes bouldering her way in the rock gym. They make off the next morning and make their way out to the Red Rocks. Hooking up with another climber, they manage to put in a new route and start to make their way out of the canyon. That's when things get a little... complicated.
It turns out that Critter is on the run... from the cops... for breaking out of a mental hospital. P.K. and Critter have to decide if they can continue to trust one another and how far they are willing to go to preserve their freedom. There's only so much rock to be climbed and what will happen when they get to the top?
This was an amazing book! I spent a good part of my teenage years playing weekend excursioner by hiking and rock climbing and generally enjoying myself. This book appealed to my outdoorsy side. There is a lot of technical rock climbing speak used in the book, which may turn many people off, but I found it interesting and just as easy to skip over since it wasn't vital information.
P.K. was a typically disgruntled teenager with a free spirit. While I don't think running away is a smart idea, ever, I still admire her courage for seizing her opportunity at a life-long dream. Critter was a big old mess, but in a fun way. His brain, actions, and general demeanor were like a puzzle that every time I thought I was getting it all put together, another piece jumbled my plan. He was a real riot to watch evolve.
The storyline was quite amusing in that "highly improbable" way because the universe would have to be perfectly aligned for everything to go exactly how they needed it to in order for the story to work. Although, I like to think it's totally plausible. This is a nice read that I think is perfect for those looking for some outdoorsy fun, that they can safely do from their favorite reading spot. Enjoy!
That is until Critter comes bouldering her way in the rock gym. They make off the next morning and make their way out to the Red Rocks. Hooking up with another climber, they manage to put in a new route and start to make their way out of the canyon. That's when things get a little... complicated.
It turns out that Critter is on the run... from the cops... for breaking out of a mental hospital. P.K. and Critter have to decide if they can continue to trust one another and how far they are willing to go to preserve their freedom. There's only so much rock to be climbed and what will happen when they get to the top?
This was an amazing book! I spent a good part of my teenage years playing weekend excursioner by hiking and rock climbing and generally enjoying myself. This book appealed to my outdoorsy side. There is a lot of technical rock climbing speak used in the book, which may turn many people off, but I found it interesting and just as easy to skip over since it wasn't vital information.
P.K. was a typically disgruntled teenager with a free spirit. While I don't think running away is a smart idea, ever, I still admire her courage for seizing her opportunity at a life-long dream. Critter was a big old mess, but in a fun way. His brain, actions, and general demeanor were like a puzzle that every time I thought I was getting it all put together, another piece jumbled my plan. He was a real riot to watch evolve.
The storyline was quite amusing in that "highly improbable" way because the universe would have to be perfectly aligned for everything to go exactly how they needed it to in order for the story to work. Although, I like to think it's totally plausible. This is a nice read that I think is perfect for those looking for some outdoorsy fun, that they can safely do from their favorite reading spot. Enjoy!
July 25, 2010
From Elisa Carbone comes a book that will take you to unexpected places…and not just in terms of the rock-climbing. JUMP is a beautifully written, marvelously well researched, and soulful story that is reminiscent of genre-defining books like Stargirl.
Elisa Carbone’s prose is poetry in motion. The chapters alternate between P.K. and Critter’s points of view, and the words follow the rhythm of their thoughts and actions: if they’re moving, the words are uncluttered, efficient, one after the other, and if they’re more contemplative, the words meander almost ethereally. Woven between this intricate prose is a confidence in subject detail that is rarely matched in YA lit: it’s clear that Carbone knows her rock-climbing lingo inside out. The rock-climbing language that P.K. and Critter speak may be unfamiliar to most of us, but its value is, once again, in its rhythm, of putting us right there on that rock face alongside the main characters.
Critter reminds me a lot of Stargirl in Jerry Spinelli’s classic eponymous novel. Both are people who seem to “get” the truth about living and this world a little more than the rest of us think we know best. As a result, it’s fascinating to read about Critter, to see him from both his eyes and P.K.’s. Regardless of whether or not you can relate to the characters, the two of them together make for an eye-opening reading experience, and Critter’s explanations of how the world works in particular should linger on your mind, maybe even become embedded in your own personal philosophy.
The plot I felt was perhaps a little uneven at times, in that it was too easy for me to put the book down and go do something else, because nothing altogether tangible really connects the golden strands of these characters’ developments together. However, JUMP was still a worthy read, and I’ve found passages of the book still turning in my head even now, weeks after I read it. Read this if you, like P.K. and Critter, think you’re ready to make that jump into another level of YA lit, one that forces you to reevaluate your life philosophies and priorities.
Elisa Carbone’s prose is poetry in motion. The chapters alternate between P.K. and Critter’s points of view, and the words follow the rhythm of their thoughts and actions: if they’re moving, the words are uncluttered, efficient, one after the other, and if they’re more contemplative, the words meander almost ethereally. Woven between this intricate prose is a confidence in subject detail that is rarely matched in YA lit: it’s clear that Carbone knows her rock-climbing lingo inside out. The rock-climbing language that P.K. and Critter speak may be unfamiliar to most of us, but its value is, once again, in its rhythm, of putting us right there on that rock face alongside the main characters.
Critter reminds me a lot of Stargirl in Jerry Spinelli’s classic eponymous novel. Both are people who seem to “get” the truth about living and this world a little more than the rest of us think we know best. As a result, it’s fascinating to read about Critter, to see him from both his eyes and P.K.’s. Regardless of whether or not you can relate to the characters, the two of them together make for an eye-opening reading experience, and Critter’s explanations of how the world works in particular should linger on your mind, maybe even become embedded in your own personal philosophy.
The plot I felt was perhaps a little uneven at times, in that it was too easy for me to put the book down and go do something else, because nothing altogether tangible really connects the golden strands of these characters’ developments together. However, JUMP was still a worthy read, and I’ve found passages of the book still turning in my head even now, weeks after I read it. Read this if you, like P.K. and Critter, think you’re ready to make that jump into another level of YA lit, one that forces you to reevaluate your life philosophies and priorities.
May 19, 2014
On the front cover of Jump by Elisa Cardone, the four letters that make up the title are powerful and playful at the same time. It seems as though the ending of the book could be a disaster or a something great. This book revolves around a girl named P.K. and a boy named Critter. The day that P.K. and Critter meet, Critter has just escaped from the mental hospital that was holding him, a fact that P.K. does not know until the middle of the book. Critter is a troubled boy who suffered depression and attempted suicide by shutting himself in a car and attempting to have the carbon monoxide take over his body. Critter had an amazing experience with this and was able to see the world in a whole new way. Throughout the book, Critter attempts to explain to P.K. how he sees everything, in terms of light. P.K.’s parents were going to send her to boarding school after she did poorly at her high school. P.K. makes the decision to run away to go rock climbing, and found Critter to bring along as her climbing partner. This nail-biting book keeps you on the edge of your seat through all of P.K. and Critter’s adventures.
One of my favorite things about this book is that the chapters were short and traded off between the point of view of Critter and P.K. I thought the use of short chapters was interesting because it allowed the reader to take a break many times, but could also make the reading a little choppy. I really appreciated the way that the character Critter saw life. He had another outlook on life which caused me to step back and look at my life in another way. The book had a bit of a slow beginning but picked up pace near the middle. By the end of the book, my parent’s had to pry it out of my hands to get me to have dinner. I would definitely suggest this book for anyone who likes books about adventure or adventure in real life. This book is also good for people looking for a semi-light read with a deeper meaning. Reader’s shouldn’t give up the book at the beginning just because of the style of writing because as it goes on, the alternate way of looking at life gives another understanding of who we are as people. Happy reading!
One of my favorite things about this book is that the chapters were short and traded off between the point of view of Critter and P.K. I thought the use of short chapters was interesting because it allowed the reader to take a break many times, but could also make the reading a little choppy. I really appreciated the way that the character Critter saw life. He had another outlook on life which caused me to step back and look at my life in another way. The book had a bit of a slow beginning but picked up pace near the middle. By the end of the book, my parent’s had to pry it out of my hands to get me to have dinner. I would definitely suggest this book for anyone who likes books about adventure or adventure in real life. This book is also good for people looking for a semi-light read with a deeper meaning. Reader’s shouldn’t give up the book at the beginning just because of the style of writing because as it goes on, the alternate way of looking at life gives another understanding of who we are as people. Happy reading!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews