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Carrie Pilby: A hilarious and charming story
NOW STREAMING ON NETFLIX!
“Hilarious” — New York Times
Teen Genius (and Hermit) Carrie Pilby’s To-Do
1. List 10 things you love (and do them! )
2. Join a club (and talk to people! )
3. Go on a date (with someone you actually like! )
4. Tell someone you care (your therapist doesn’t count! )
5. Celebrate New Year’s (with other people! )
Seriously? Carrie would rather stay in bed than deal with the immoral, sex-obsessed hypocrites who seem to overrun her hometown, New York City. She’s sick of trying to be like everybody else. She isn’t! But when her own therapist gives her a five-point plan to change her social-outcast status, Carrie takes a hard look at herself—and agrees to try.
Suddenly the world doesn’t seem so bad. But is prodigy Carrie willing to dumb things down just to fit in?
“Hilarious” — New York Times
Teen Genius (and Hermit) Carrie Pilby’s To-Do
1. List 10 things you love (and do them! )
2. Join a club (and talk to people! )
3. Go on a date (with someone you actually like! )
4. Tell someone you care (your therapist doesn’t count! )
5. Celebrate New Year’s (with other people! )
Seriously? Carrie would rather stay in bed than deal with the immoral, sex-obsessed hypocrites who seem to overrun her hometown, New York City. She’s sick of trying to be like everybody else. She isn’t! But when her own therapist gives her a five-point plan to change her social-outcast status, Carrie takes a hard look at herself—and agrees to try.
Suddenly the world doesn’t seem so bad. But is prodigy Carrie willing to dumb things down just to fit in?
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2003
149 people are currently reading
3599 people want to read
About the author
Caren Lissner
12 books121 followersCaren Lissner is the author of CARRIE PILBY (rereleased July 1, 2010) - a humorous novel about a 19-year-old genius who graduated from Harvard three years early and doesn't know how to fit in, socialize, and date in New York City. The main character believes many of the people she meets to be immoral and hypocritical, and has a lot to learn. How far should she go to fit in with others her age? The (wonderfully fun and creative) movie version, also called Carrie Pilby, was filmed in January, 2016 in New York City and premieres in September at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival! Where will it go next? Keep watching! See www.carenlissner.com for more!
Lissner also published the novel Starting from Square Two, and several essays and humor pieces in the New York Times and McSweeney's.net. She lives in beautiful New Jersey. Feel free to e-mail her at lizzner@aol.com (PLEASE put "carrie pilby" in the subject head so she doesn't think it's spam) and LIKE the Carrie Pilby-the Movie page on Facebook. The book was re-released in July 2010 via Harlequin Teen and was back on shelves at Barnes and Nobel and at barnesandnobel.com in summer of 2016. See www.carenlissner.com.
Lissner also published the novel Starting from Square Two, and several essays and humor pieces in the New York Times and McSweeney's.net. She lives in beautiful New Jersey. Feel free to e-mail her at lizzner@aol.com (PLEASE put "carrie pilby" in the subject head so she doesn't think it's spam) and LIKE the Carrie Pilby-the Movie page on Facebook. The book was re-released in July 2010 via Harlequin Teen and was back on shelves at Barnes and Nobel and at barnesandnobel.com in summer of 2016. See www.carenlissner.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
July 24, 2010
Why I loved this book:
-Carrie is smart
-She's pretty much anti social
-She loves to read
-She looks everything up in the dictionary
-She cracks herself up
-She's not one of those annoying airhead girls
-NYC!!
-The cover is friggin' cute
-Her favorite thing to do is sleep
I love her because (aside from her being a genius) she's a lot like me.
-Carrie is smart
-She's pretty much anti social
-She loves to read
-She looks everything up in the dictionary
-She cracks herself up
-She's not one of those annoying airhead girls
-NYC!!
-The cover is friggin' cute
-Her favorite thing to do is sleep
I love her because (aside from her being a genius) she's a lot like me.
September 7, 2010
I was expecting a fun, light, quirky read. The cover certainly leads you to believe so and I have a feeling that had I known that the book was way more serious than I was bargaining for, I would have been better prepared to read it. Because Carrie Pilby is most certainly not chick lit.
As the synopsis reveals, Carrie is a genius. A genius who has trouble fitting in, getting along; indeed she doesn’t understand the need for her to do so.
Well okay, I’ll just come right out and say it: I didn’t like the book.
It doesn’t mean that the book is horrible but it’s just that I couldn’t relate to the protagonist and for me, that is a total necessity. The writing itself is interesting. Lissner’s observations on the world are spot on and her descriptions about being alone and not fitting in – not being able to fit in – ring poignantly true.
The story is not a story. Not in the traditional sense of the word. It is, as a fellow reviewer said, a “character study.” And I was not prepared to be barraged by the overwhelming details – it was actually exhausting. I understand the need for internal monologues, I do. A discourse on the world today and all the ten thousand things wrong with it. But there was seriously too much of it. Things done in moderation have a more piercing effect. In fact, my eyes sort of started glazing over.
And Carrie – the so called genius – well, she graduated from Havard at 18, so she is a genius – just annoyed me. Really, really annoyed me. She is an elitist who believe that the only people worth socializing with are those with an IQ as large as hers. The rest of the people are beneath her with their stupidity making them unable to maintain a conversation with her. She also thinks the rest of the world is immoral, has too much sex and again, beneath her because of their immorality. I understand that these thoughts might be her way to safeguard herself from rejection by people but frankly, it doesn’t endear her to me one bit.
She refuses to get a job (make use of all that genius) and lives on her father’s money to which she feels entitled because he tells her a Big Lie (which seriously does not even register on the lie-o-meter). She had an affair with her 40-plus English Professor when she was 16 (skeevy!) and then got dumped because she refused to say a certain word or phrase he wanted her to say while they were getting steamy under the sheets (again, skeevy).
The book contains a thwarted lesbian experience, other sexual experiences of some variety and perhaps a certain thawing in her opinion of the world.
I really wanted to like this book. But other than its misrepresentation as a Chick Lit (it reads nothing like the cover would have you believe), and the waspish voice of its protagonist, I didn’t come away with much. Sadly.
As the synopsis reveals, Carrie is a genius. A genius who has trouble fitting in, getting along; indeed she doesn’t understand the need for her to do so.
Well okay, I’ll just come right out and say it: I didn’t like the book.
It doesn’t mean that the book is horrible but it’s just that I couldn’t relate to the protagonist and for me, that is a total necessity. The writing itself is interesting. Lissner’s observations on the world are spot on and her descriptions about being alone and not fitting in – not being able to fit in – ring poignantly true.
The story is not a story. Not in the traditional sense of the word. It is, as a fellow reviewer said, a “character study.” And I was not prepared to be barraged by the overwhelming details – it was actually exhausting. I understand the need for internal monologues, I do. A discourse on the world today and all the ten thousand things wrong with it. But there was seriously too much of it. Things done in moderation have a more piercing effect. In fact, my eyes sort of started glazing over.
And Carrie – the so called genius – well, she graduated from Havard at 18, so she is a genius – just annoyed me. Really, really annoyed me. She is an elitist who believe that the only people worth socializing with are those with an IQ as large as hers. The rest of the people are beneath her with their stupidity making them unable to maintain a conversation with her. She also thinks the rest of the world is immoral, has too much sex and again, beneath her because of their immorality. I understand that these thoughts might be her way to safeguard herself from rejection by people but frankly, it doesn’t endear her to me one bit.
She refuses to get a job (make use of all that genius) and lives on her father’s money to which she feels entitled because he tells her a Big Lie (which seriously does not even register on the lie-o-meter). She had an affair with her 40-plus English Professor when she was 16 (skeevy!) and then got dumped because she refused to say a certain word or phrase he wanted her to say while they were getting steamy under the sheets (again, skeevy).
The book contains a thwarted lesbian experience, other sexual experiences of some variety and perhaps a certain thawing in her opinion of the world.
I really wanted to like this book. But other than its misrepresentation as a Chick Lit (it reads nothing like the cover would have you believe), and the waspish voice of its protagonist, I didn’t come away with much. Sadly.
May 3, 2010
I feel like chick lit does have a chance to get a bad rap. I read this book years ago and it never really left my mind; I picked it up yesterday to reread it and I realized that Lissner wrote a strange little literary novel that just happened to come out in the height of the time when all books my women about young women had to have pink and turquoise slapped on the cover so it could be marketed as chick lit.
"Carrie Pilby" isn't really like that. It's about Carrie, a 19-year-old prodigy who has already graduated Harvard and now has to find her way through the world. She has a little romance by the end of the book, sure, but there's almost 300 pages before you get to it. Instead, Carrie is concerned with morality, with figuring out how she can be friends with someone if they aren't necessarily as smart as her (which no one could ever really be). She starts the book 19-going-on-45, but by the end she's just a frighteningly smart young woman. She's tried out religion, and she's questioned everything about that religion. She's tried out a typical New Year's Eve party. She spends the entire book pondering existential questions - funny questions, interesting ideas, things that make me feel like Caren Lissner is probably a very very smart lady herself.
I feel like I'm having to justify reading this, but oddly enough I think I appreciated it the second time around even better than the first, despite the fact that I haven't read chick lit in years.
"Carrie Pilby" isn't really like that. It's about Carrie, a 19-year-old prodigy who has already graduated Harvard and now has to find her way through the world. She has a little romance by the end of the book, sure, but there's almost 300 pages before you get to it. Instead, Carrie is concerned with morality, with figuring out how she can be friends with someone if they aren't necessarily as smart as her (which no one could ever really be). She starts the book 19-going-on-45, but by the end she's just a frighteningly smart young woman. She's tried out religion, and she's questioned everything about that religion. She's tried out a typical New Year's Eve party. She spends the entire book pondering existential questions - funny questions, interesting ideas, things that make me feel like Caren Lissner is probably a very very smart lady herself.
I feel like I'm having to justify reading this, but oddly enough I think I appreciated it the second time around even better than the first, despite the fact that I haven't read chick lit in years.
April 24, 2018
I read this book because my favourite movie is based on it and, as planned, I like the movie more.
Now, this book was written in 2003 and the movie is from 2017, so of course there is a huge difference. I'm not saying the book is bad, obviously I still liked it a lot, but there were times Carrie said things that are just unacceptable.
I liked that Carrie talks about asexuality, wondering if she's asexual or not, I also liked that her friend Kara is bisexual, but then again, you can tell it was written at a time people didn't really care if they were being nice towards the lgbtqiap+ community. At the end of the story, you still don't know if she is asexual or not, and I guess it's not the point of the book, but still I would have love for this book to have a positive asexual rep.
But yes, still liked the book, although I think the last 1/3 was better than the first two. I liked how Carrie started to realise that just because people aren't exactly like her doesn't mean that they're not worthy of her time.
3.75
Now, this book was written in 2003 and the movie is from 2017, so of course there is a huge difference. I'm not saying the book is bad, obviously I still liked it a lot, but there were times Carrie said things that are just unacceptable.
I liked that Carrie talks about asexuality, wondering if she's asexual or not, I also liked that her friend Kara is bisexual, but then again, you can tell it was written at a time people didn't really care if they were being nice towards the lgbtqiap+ community. At the end of the story, you still don't know if she is asexual or not, and I guess it's not the point of the book, but still I would have love for this book to have a positive asexual rep.
But yes, still liked the book, although I think the last 1/3 was better than the first two. I liked how Carrie started to realise that just because people aren't exactly like her doesn't mean that they're not worthy of her time.
3.75
December 29, 2010
When I read the synopsis of this book I had to have it. It's not the type of book I generally read, but it just sounded like something I would really like. I got an advanced reading copy through netgalley(dot)com to read. It was a great read, a fun read, and the kind of read that really makes you think about the way you interact with the people around you.
Carrie Pilby is a genius. She skipped three grades in elementary school and graduated from Harvard with a degree in phliosophy at the age of 19. Although her mental development is outstanding, as with many super smart people, her social development is severely lacking. She is living in an apartment her dad pays for, with no job, she spends most of her time sleeping and reading with no real interaction with others. She is, as everyone in New York City is (according to her), seeing a therapist. Her therapist makes her write up a list of things she will do to be more socially active. This list has items on it like "join a group" and "go on a date". Carrie, who is not used to failing an assignment, sets out to fulfill this list and finds out a lot about the people around her and even more about herself.
This book is very funny and very heartfelt. Carrie is the type of person who has a direct line from her brain to her mouth and it makes for hilarious situations. She is a great character, someone you can really care about but she is also kind of a jerk sometimes and has her faults. Carrie has a serious chip on her shoulder about humanity; everyone is too dumb to be friends with, no one gets her, and there is no one out there that she should waste her precious intelligence getting to know. I think a lot of people will relate to Carrie, especially those that are a bit more introverted. I know I remember going through some of the things that Carrie goes through, for example walking into a room full of people and feeling completely alone or having a brain to mouth moment where everyone looks at you like "Oh My God, where did she come up with that."
Carrie also deals with a lot of moral issues. She is a late bloomer sexually and has never seen the appeal of the over-drinking, sex-obsessiveness, and drug use that (supposedly) comes with the college experience. It has always left her feeling a bit morally superior, yet left out. I also related to this, and I am sure other people will. I didn't drink in college and wasn't all that interested in boys in high school; there were just so many other interesting things to learn. Carrie captures the awkwardness of being this type of person yet trying to fit in with "normal" people in their 20's really well. She also has some interesting relationship baggage. She got involved in a relationship with one of her professors in college and questions the rightness of that. At one point she also gets involved with a guy who is seeing her even though he is engaged to someone else. This really makes her question the morality of humans in general and question what is actually right.
Carrie changes throughout the book; although she still has a lot of things to work on by the end of the book. I thought the overall message delivered was a good one and a vaild one; people need to remember that no matter how different we all are most people have something good and interesting about themselves to share, you just need to give them a chance. The characterization in the book was excellent (very realistic people) and the plot well organized; making for a wonderful read that was hard to put down.
Overall I absolutely loved this book. I related to what Carrie went through as a character and enjoyed watching her make the journey to a better socialized nineteen year old. I loved the message that we, as humans, should be a bit more tolerant and accepting of each other. I really enjoyed Lissner's writing style; it was fun, witty, very readable, and engaging. I will be keeping an eye out for future books from her.
Carrie Pilby is a genius. She skipped three grades in elementary school and graduated from Harvard with a degree in phliosophy at the age of 19. Although her mental development is outstanding, as with many super smart people, her social development is severely lacking. She is living in an apartment her dad pays for, with no job, she spends most of her time sleeping and reading with no real interaction with others. She is, as everyone in New York City is (according to her), seeing a therapist. Her therapist makes her write up a list of things she will do to be more socially active. This list has items on it like "join a group" and "go on a date". Carrie, who is not used to failing an assignment, sets out to fulfill this list and finds out a lot about the people around her and even more about herself.
This book is very funny and very heartfelt. Carrie is the type of person who has a direct line from her brain to her mouth and it makes for hilarious situations. She is a great character, someone you can really care about but she is also kind of a jerk sometimes and has her faults. Carrie has a serious chip on her shoulder about humanity; everyone is too dumb to be friends with, no one gets her, and there is no one out there that she should waste her precious intelligence getting to know. I think a lot of people will relate to Carrie, especially those that are a bit more introverted. I know I remember going through some of the things that Carrie goes through, for example walking into a room full of people and feeling completely alone or having a brain to mouth moment where everyone looks at you like "Oh My God, where did she come up with that."
Carrie also deals with a lot of moral issues. She is a late bloomer sexually and has never seen the appeal of the over-drinking, sex-obsessiveness, and drug use that (supposedly) comes with the college experience. It has always left her feeling a bit morally superior, yet left out. I also related to this, and I am sure other people will. I didn't drink in college and wasn't all that interested in boys in high school; there were just so many other interesting things to learn. Carrie captures the awkwardness of being this type of person yet trying to fit in with "normal" people in their 20's really well. She also has some interesting relationship baggage. She got involved in a relationship with one of her professors in college and questions the rightness of that. At one point she also gets involved with a guy who is seeing her even though he is engaged to someone else. This really makes her question the morality of humans in general and question what is actually right.
Carrie changes throughout the book; although she still has a lot of things to work on by the end of the book. I thought the overall message delivered was a good one and a vaild one; people need to remember that no matter how different we all are most people have something good and interesting about themselves to share, you just need to give them a chance. The characterization in the book was excellent (very realistic people) and the plot well organized; making for a wonderful read that was hard to put down.
Overall I absolutely loved this book. I related to what Carrie went through as a character and enjoyed watching her make the journey to a better socialized nineteen year old. I loved the message that we, as humans, should be a bit more tolerant and accepting of each other. I really enjoyed Lissner's writing style; it was fun, witty, very readable, and engaging. I will be keeping an eye out for future books from her.
June 14, 2015
Carrie Pilby, a nineteen-year-old prodigy and Harvard graduate, is socially awkward and having a very hard time meeting people that she can befriend or even relate to on a basic level. She consistently looks down on others when they come across as hypocrites based on her moral code or unintelligent based on her search for fellow genius'.
At first I had a very hard time getting into the book, because I found Carrie to be annoying with her constant judgment of others. She has strict ideals of what people should be like and when someone fails to follow her holier-than-thou code, she judges them instantly and puts them in the immoral/hypocrite pile never be spoken to again.
After you reach the middle of the book, Carrie soars! The one thing that made me continue reading was the list that her psychiatrist, Dr. Petrov, makes for her to complete. I was intrigued by the list and wanted to see if she could overcome her outcast status and finally make some friends.
Following Carrie through the list is the fun part. She finally learns to just try things and that everything isn't truly black and white or good and bad, that there are things she can experience that don't completely break her code. I think the most interesting things to see her try are; joining a church because she feels she can expose them as a cult and she finally gets a temp job where she meets people that accept her for her intelligence and unorthodox behavior.
In the end, following Carrie through her self discovery is amusing and intriguing. She is witty, sarcastic and charming in her social awkwardness. I think in the end you will fall in love with her quirkiness – I know I did.
I think Carrie grew up too fast and was too serious about life at a young age, so she did not have the same youthful experiences that others her age have had. Once she finally works on this list, she truly sees what is it like to live. And well, her Dad was right, “You're cursed. Cursed with a mind. Use it. Don't fear it. But don't let all of your thinking destroy you.”
Reviewed for Aurora Reviews (to be published shortly)
At first I had a very hard time getting into the book, because I found Carrie to be annoying with her constant judgment of others. She has strict ideals of what people should be like and when someone fails to follow her holier-than-thou code, she judges them instantly and puts them in the immoral/hypocrite pile never be spoken to again.
After you reach the middle of the book, Carrie soars! The one thing that made me continue reading was the list that her psychiatrist, Dr. Petrov, makes for her to complete. I was intrigued by the list and wanted to see if she could overcome her outcast status and finally make some friends.
Following Carrie through the list is the fun part. She finally learns to just try things and that everything isn't truly black and white or good and bad, that there are things she can experience that don't completely break her code. I think the most interesting things to see her try are; joining a church because she feels she can expose them as a cult and she finally gets a temp job where she meets people that accept her for her intelligence and unorthodox behavior.
In the end, following Carrie through her self discovery is amusing and intriguing. She is witty, sarcastic and charming in her social awkwardness. I think in the end you will fall in love with her quirkiness – I know I did.
I think Carrie grew up too fast and was too serious about life at a young age, so she did not have the same youthful experiences that others her age have had. Once she finally works on this list, she truly sees what is it like to live. And well, her Dad was right, “You're cursed. Cursed with a mind. Use it. Don't fear it. But don't let all of your thinking destroy you.”
Reviewed for Aurora Reviews (to be published shortly)
Read
January 14, 2012DNF.
It sounds pretty quirky and fun but when I got into it, all I got was an irredeemable character that was too good for everyone else and really wasn't willing to change.
I wanted to like Carrie. I really did. But I hated being in her head. I just can't empathize with someone that's genius enough to give Stephen Hawking a run for his money but can't figure out how or why she needs to NOT be a douche to people. Maybe it's because I'm not smart enough to understand that kind of smart. Or maybe I refuse to believe that someone that smart is so lacking in common sense. I've heard the notion that people that smart are void of street smarts and common sense. Maybe I'd like to think a person's parents would do a better job of raising their kid to not be such a prick despite their intelligence. I don't know.
Just her entire perspective on life, how she viewed other people, how she treated other people, how she felt it was her mission to right people and put them in their places, it really bothered me. I can guess that she sees the light at the end of the book but I couldn't stick around to find out. Maybe if the book were in third person it would be a little more tolerable but actually being in first, and being inside her head, I just couldn't get over how crappy of a person she was.
Of course there are multiple sides to a story and I liked the way this story was told; just not who it was about. If you can hang in there long enough you might just like it. You're going to have to put up with a pretty lame person, though. And it's not someone that's lovably lame. Carrie's just ick. I couldn't relate in the slightest. I couldn't see redemption for her and I couldn't hold out any longer.
It sounds pretty quirky and fun but when I got into it, all I got was an irredeemable character that was too good for everyone else and really wasn't willing to change.
I wanted to like Carrie. I really did. But I hated being in her head. I just can't empathize with someone that's genius enough to give Stephen Hawking a run for his money but can't figure out how or why she needs to NOT be a douche to people. Maybe it's because I'm not smart enough to understand that kind of smart. Or maybe I refuse to believe that someone that smart is so lacking in common sense. I've heard the notion that people that smart are void of street smarts and common sense. Maybe I'd like to think a person's parents would do a better job of raising their kid to not be such a prick despite their intelligence. I don't know.
Just her entire perspective on life, how she viewed other people, how she treated other people, how she felt it was her mission to right people and put them in their places, it really bothered me. I can guess that she sees the light at the end of the book but I couldn't stick around to find out. Maybe if the book were in third person it would be a little more tolerable but actually being in first, and being inside her head, I just couldn't get over how crappy of a person she was.
Of course there are multiple sides to a story and I liked the way this story was told; just not who it was about. If you can hang in there long enough you might just like it. You're going to have to put up with a pretty lame person, though. And it's not someone that's lovably lame. Carrie's just ick. I couldn't relate in the slightest. I couldn't see redemption for her and I couldn't hold out any longer.
September 12, 2017
Goed boek! Niet luchtig en hilarisch zoals de flaptekst en titel (en cover) doen vermoeden, maar juist filosofisch en diepgaand, en ook nog eens herkenbaar voor iedereen die heel slim en/of sociaal onzeker is. Het is een boek waardoor je als lezer een beetje uitgedaagd wordt, en dat vind ik tof! Uitgebreide recensie: http://thebookreview.nl/recensies/con...
April 7, 2017
All right! First things first:
• Carrie Pilby is hilarious – I’m not talking beach read mild chortles here, I’m talking ‘Gilbert Gottfried roasting your best friend after you’ve had the optimal glasses of wine’ funny. It really makes you laugh, and has a P.G. Wodehouse level of consistency throughout. It reminds me also of Josh Wolf's book It Takes Balls: Dating Single Moms and Other Confessions from an Unprepared Single Dad - much of its humor hits you when you least expect it, and that gives it a strange power.
• Carrie Pilby is insightful – I read this slower than I should because I didn’t want to miss any of Carrie’s trenchant insights. It reminds me of John Updike’s Couples: yes the character here is somewhat dysfunctional, but she sees through the cracks of existence, and lends her knowledge to us, the reader. Caren Lissner puts her insights in every paragraph, so like Updike, you have to slow down because you don’t want to miss anything.
• Carrie Pilby is a page turner – Though the subject matter is vastly different, it reminds me of Gillian Flynn’s three books – you can’t put it down. Considering that there is no underlying murder or twists waiting around every corner, props to Lissner for finding a way to bring the reader in without having to rely on heavy plot tropes.
So, I got into this book after seeing the trailer for the movie. I thought ‘I want to see the movie. I identify with the character, even though I am not a prodigy myself. I identify so much I must read the book first and then see the movie.’
So I got the book from the library, and it’s great. I needed a five star level book after reading the brutally effective The North Water and then the heartrending When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
Note – both those books are incredible. You should read them. My point is that Carrie Pilby is just as good, and just as insightful, but a lot lighter in tone.
I’m not a prodigy myself, but I’ve known a few in my day, and like Carrie Pilby, they’re not without problems. Carrie’s problem is ‘what happens when the tests run out?’ Life stagnates a bit, and what's next for her? She's left in New York as a 19-year old adult with no friends, no ability to make friends, and - that's about it.
But she’s likeable all right. Though she’s not without flaws, she’s supremely self-aware, and self-awareness is the shortcut to likeability. It’s what separates flawed characters like Marc Maron (self-aware, self-effacing, likeability off the charts) and the Kardashians of the world (or at least the non-self-aware characters they are deliberately playing), and what separates some of the prodigies I’ve known (hard to like at times) and Carrie Pilby (likeable from page 1).
All right parenthetical run-on sentence over, and we can continue.
Great book, and I especially loved the scene where she is trying to make friends at the Harvard Club. We’ve all been there, socially-clueless prodigy or not.
Great book, and though it might appeal to YA audiences, it’s more than that. If the movie is half as good (and judging from the trailer it will be) – it’s sure to be 5 stars as well!
Hilarious, insightful, and a page-turner,Caren Lissner's Carrie Pilby is a winner!
January 6, 2018
Honestly, I can't with this book. I have so much love for the book and the main character. "Carrie Pilby" by Caren Lissner is one of those book that has quickly made it onto my all-time favorites list. I think I've highlighted at least one third of the book if not more.
This story as well as the Carrie resonated so much with me and I recognized so much of myself in Carrie's slightly awkward social behavior as well as in her way of thinking. It's what has drawn me to the book in the first place after watching the movie and in a weird way I do think it'll help me in my own quest to become a more outgoing and less socially awkward person. Because I could identify so well with Carrie (well, maybe not with the part of being a genius and having graduated from Harvard at the age of 17), it was like reading a diary or talking to a best friend. It was moving in a way I didn't expect it to be. I laughed, I cried, I nodded my head a lot and I cheered for her when she started coming out of her shell.
I loved reading her philosophical inner monologues, I adored her witty banter with her therapist and I admired her goodness and strength.
Carrie isn't the type of girl to change for anyone except for herself and that totally rocked. It's the kind of heroine I want to read more about. Someone who might not fully know yet who she is, but she knows what is important to her and what is right and wrong and she sticks by it.
But she isn't afraid to grow and to learn and to figure out where she can get better.
Simply said: Carrie Pilby rocked.
5+ forever-a-favorite stars.
This story as well as the Carrie resonated so much with me and I recognized so much of myself in Carrie's slightly awkward social behavior as well as in her way of thinking. It's what has drawn me to the book in the first place after watching the movie and in a weird way I do think it'll help me in my own quest to become a more outgoing and less socially awkward person. Because I could identify so well with Carrie (well, maybe not with the part of being a genius and having graduated from Harvard at the age of 17), it was like reading a diary or talking to a best friend. It was moving in a way I didn't expect it to be. I laughed, I cried, I nodded my head a lot and I cheered for her when she started coming out of her shell.
I loved reading her philosophical inner monologues, I adored her witty banter with her therapist and I admired her goodness and strength.
Carrie isn't the type of girl to change for anyone except for herself and that totally rocked. It's the kind of heroine I want to read more about. Someone who might not fully know yet who she is, but she knows what is important to her and what is right and wrong and she sticks by it.
But she isn't afraid to grow and to learn and to figure out where she can get better.
Simply said: Carrie Pilby rocked.
5+ forever-a-favorite stars.
June 10, 2017
ik zeg het niet vaak, maar het omslag van dit boek past echt totaal *niet* bij het verhaal.
het verhaal is filosofisch, en treurig. Carrie Pilby heeft echt totaal geen makkelijk leven. ik snap werkelijk niet waarom Harper Collins "hilarisch" op het omslag heeft gezet, want er valt echt niks te lachen. ik wilde Carrie het liefst als een verloren asielkatje adopteren en voor haar zorgen.
echt bizar, hoe slecht gekozen dit omslag is. what a mindfck.
overigens vind ik het verhaal wel erg mooi. de schrijfster moet wel mega slim zijn om dit op papier te kunnen zetten.
het verhaal is filosofisch, en treurig. Carrie Pilby heeft echt totaal geen makkelijk leven. ik snap werkelijk niet waarom Harper Collins "hilarisch" op het omslag heeft gezet, want er valt echt niks te lachen. ik wilde Carrie het liefst als een verloren asielkatje adopteren en voor haar zorgen.
echt bizar, hoe slecht gekozen dit omslag is. what a mindfck.
overigens vind ik het verhaal wel erg mooi. de schrijfster moet wel mega slim zijn om dit op papier te kunnen zetten.
September 12, 2010
Carrie Pilby has become officially one of my favourite books of 2010. I adored the character and the story kept me hooked to the pages from beginning till the end.
Carrie is a 19 year old teenager who is very intelligent. She doesn’t understands the world completely and in her eyes the world doesn’t completely understands her. She lives in an apartment in New York City, and daddy is paying everything for her. She got no motivation whatsoever to find a job and one of her favourite things to do is sleep. Even with this description that sounds like she is a total brat, I loved this character. She’s also very sarcastic, socially awkward, but just so cool.
Her therapist is another great character in this book. He felt like a honest man who wanted to help his friend daughter with her social skills. Even though she feels like she doesn’t really need him, I felt that without him she would be a lost puppy. I mean to whom could she talk too and tell all her weird thoughts.
The next best thing was that the writing flows easily and that a lot, well almost everything is relatable to everyday life. The problems that Carrie has are problems that not only a teenager but also an adult could have. And with the humor and the natural flow it does not feel like a heavy read.
And talk about cover love! I love this cover, it’s adorable and it truly stands out. I don’t think the girl is really Carrie, because she would never wear such a cute girly dress. But that’s not that important.
Carrie Pilby is a wonderful coming of age novel about a 19 year old girl who has to learn that being smart does not means your immediately are on top of the world. Carrie Pilby has everything I look for, great characters, originality and a plot that keeps you turning pages.
Carrie is a 19 year old teenager who is very intelligent. She doesn’t understands the world completely and in her eyes the world doesn’t completely understands her. She lives in an apartment in New York City, and daddy is paying everything for her. She got no motivation whatsoever to find a job and one of her favourite things to do is sleep. Even with this description that sounds like she is a total brat, I loved this character. She’s also very sarcastic, socially awkward, but just so cool.
Her therapist is another great character in this book. He felt like a honest man who wanted to help his friend daughter with her social skills. Even though she feels like she doesn’t really need him, I felt that without him she would be a lost puppy. I mean to whom could she talk too and tell all her weird thoughts.
The next best thing was that the writing flows easily and that a lot, well almost everything is relatable to everyday life. The problems that Carrie has are problems that not only a teenager but also an adult could have. And with the humor and the natural flow it does not feel like a heavy read.
And talk about cover love! I love this cover, it’s adorable and it truly stands out. I don’t think the girl is really Carrie, because she would never wear such a cute girly dress. But that’s not that important.
Carrie Pilby is a wonderful coming of age novel about a 19 year old girl who has to learn that being smart does not means your immediately are on top of the world. Carrie Pilby has everything I look for, great characters, originality and a plot that keeps you turning pages.
August 24, 2017
Καλογραμμένο, αλλά αποτυχημένη προσπάθεια τελικά. Το θεμα οταν γράφεις σε πρώτο πρόσωπο είναι ότι ο ήρωας πρέπει να είναι πειστικός και να γίνεται έστω και λίγο συμπαθής, αλλιώς δεν πετυχαίνει. Εν προκειμένω, η ηρωίδα υποτίθεται ότι είναι μια ασυμβίβαστη ιδιοφυΐα, όμως οι συλλογιστικές της θυμίζουν ανώριμο δωδεκάχρονο και οι υποτιθέμενες αρχές της λάμπουν δια της απουσίας τους. Γενικά δεν πείθει ούτε ως ιδιαίτερα έξυπνο ατομο, ούτε ως ώριμη προσωπικότητα, ούτε ως αδέκαστος κριτής των πάντων. Η ιστορία είναι ενδιαφέρουσα, αλλά με έναν τόσο "λίγο" πρωταγωνιστή δεν μπορεί να λειτουργήσει.
June 7, 2008
I'm perplexed why this was a Red Dress Ink imprint, because the only thing "chick lit" about it is the fact that the protagonist is a 19 yo female who lives in NYC. Really an excellent novel.
November 4, 2024
Vandaag een recensie van een boek waarvan sinds kort ook de verfilming op Netflix staat. Ik koos het boek omdat ik zin had in een luchtig boek. Een boek met humor. Een boek over sociale onhandigheid en datingperikelen. Ik koos voor Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby door Caren Lissner.
Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby - Caren Lissner
Niet wat ik had verwacht
Laat me je zeggen, dat je als je met die overtuiging Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby oppakt, hij vies tegenvalt. Ik zal er later nog op terugkomen dat dit niet betekent dat het een slecht boek is. Maar letterlijk álles aan dit boek schreeuwt dat het een soort humoristische young adult chicklit is. De flaptekst oogt humoristisch, de cover is opgemaakt uit vrolijke kleurtjes en oogt luchtig en grappig, en het lettertype gebruikt op de cover en de bij de flaptekst oogt jong. Op de voorkant staat zelfs een quote “Hilarisch”. Ik heb welgeteld twee keer hardop gelachen… En ik vond het vooral een boek waar je je aandacht bij moest houden.
Filosofeer er op los
Filosofie is namelijk het hoofdonderwerp van dit boek. Carrie Pilby is een wonderkind, dat drie klassen heeft overgeslagen, en op haar negentiende al een jaar is afgestudeerd van Harvard. Het vraagteken zie je in dit boek meer dan gemiddeld voor komen. Carrie trekt alles in het leven in twijfel, zoekt overal een betekenis achter. Er wordt gekeken naar wat goed is, wat kwaad is, het grijze gebied ertussen. Naar moraliteit, normen en waarden, religie, principes en overtuigingen, absolute waarheden, en hoe het is om als wonderkind rond te lopen tussen zowel jongeren als volwassenen. Af en toe stelt Carrie ook wel vragen waar ik zelf wel eens over na heb gedacht.
Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby - Caren Lissner
Geen slecht verhaal
Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby is zeker interessant, al vond ik Carrie zelf in het begin een beetje irritant. En misschien als ikzelf filosoof was geweest, of intelligenter in bepaalde vakgebieden, had ik dit boek wel hilarisch gevonden. Misschien vatte ik de grapjes gewoon niet, net zoals diverse personen die Carrie in dit boek tegenkomt. Waar het boek eigenlijk relatief makkelijk leest, vond ik het soms wat te langzaam gaan. Of juist vermoeiend door de grote lap tekst met vragen. Toch bleef ik nieuwsgierig naar het einde. Vooral ook omdat ik geen idee had wat ik kon verwachten. Uiteindelijk bevat Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby een goede boodschap. Maar ik werd helaas niet in het verhaal gezogen. Gezien ikzelf niet zo ben van de filosofie, vind ik het einde niet bevredigend, en ik had meer van sommige personages willen zien.
Conclusie
Als je dit boek ingaat met het idee dat het een luchtig boek zal zijn, vol hilariteit, en een beetje chicklitachtig, dan zal dit boek je mogelijk tegenvallen. Ga je dit boek echter in omdat je houdt van filosoferen, dan verwacht ik dat je dit boek erg leuk zal vinden. Ik had echter voor mij – als niet-filosoof – graag een bevredigender einde gezien. Het boek is wat betreft vraagstelling wel rond, maar ik had graag nog wat meer gezien van bepaalde personages en hoe bepaalde situaties zouden aflopen. Al met al vind ik het geen slecht boek en is de schrijfstijl prettig leesbaar.
Deze recensie verscheen eerst op mijn blog Reviews & Roses. Per 1 november 2024 bestaat dit blog niet meer.
Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby - Caren Lissner
Niet wat ik had verwacht
Laat me je zeggen, dat je als je met die overtuiging Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby oppakt, hij vies tegenvalt. Ik zal er later nog op terugkomen dat dit niet betekent dat het een slecht boek is. Maar letterlijk álles aan dit boek schreeuwt dat het een soort humoristische young adult chicklit is. De flaptekst oogt humoristisch, de cover is opgemaakt uit vrolijke kleurtjes en oogt luchtig en grappig, en het lettertype gebruikt op de cover en de bij de flaptekst oogt jong. Op de voorkant staat zelfs een quote “Hilarisch”. Ik heb welgeteld twee keer hardop gelachen… En ik vond het vooral een boek waar je je aandacht bij moest houden.
Filosofeer er op los
Filosofie is namelijk het hoofdonderwerp van dit boek. Carrie Pilby is een wonderkind, dat drie klassen heeft overgeslagen, en op haar negentiende al een jaar is afgestudeerd van Harvard. Het vraagteken zie je in dit boek meer dan gemiddeld voor komen. Carrie trekt alles in het leven in twijfel, zoekt overal een betekenis achter. Er wordt gekeken naar wat goed is, wat kwaad is, het grijze gebied ertussen. Naar moraliteit, normen en waarden, religie, principes en overtuigingen, absolute waarheden, en hoe het is om als wonderkind rond te lopen tussen zowel jongeren als volwassenen. Af en toe stelt Carrie ook wel vragen waar ik zelf wel eens over na heb gedacht.
Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby - Caren Lissner
Geen slecht verhaal
Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby is zeker interessant, al vond ik Carrie zelf in het begin een beetje irritant. En misschien als ikzelf filosoof was geweest, of intelligenter in bepaalde vakgebieden, had ik dit boek wel hilarisch gevonden. Misschien vatte ik de grapjes gewoon niet, net zoals diverse personen die Carrie in dit boek tegenkomt. Waar het boek eigenlijk relatief makkelijk leest, vond ik het soms wat te langzaam gaan. Of juist vermoeiend door de grote lap tekst met vragen. Toch bleef ik nieuwsgierig naar het einde. Vooral ook omdat ik geen idee had wat ik kon verwachten. Uiteindelijk bevat Het (niet zo) coole leven van Carrie Pilby een goede boodschap. Maar ik werd helaas niet in het verhaal gezogen. Gezien ikzelf niet zo ben van de filosofie, vind ik het einde niet bevredigend, en ik had meer van sommige personages willen zien.
Conclusie
Als je dit boek ingaat met het idee dat het een luchtig boek zal zijn, vol hilariteit, en een beetje chicklitachtig, dan zal dit boek je mogelijk tegenvallen. Ga je dit boek echter in omdat je houdt van filosoferen, dan verwacht ik dat je dit boek erg leuk zal vinden. Ik had echter voor mij – als niet-filosoof – graag een bevredigender einde gezien. Het boek is wat betreft vraagstelling wel rond, maar ik had graag nog wat meer gezien van bepaalde personages en hoe bepaalde situaties zouden aflopen. Al met al vind ik het geen slecht boek en is de schrijfstijl prettig leesbaar.
Deze recensie verscheen eerst op mijn blog Reviews & Roses. Per 1 november 2024 bestaat dit blog niet meer.
December 4, 2011
I have the red dress ink version. I'm rereading it. I hated Carrie the first time I read this book. One of the reasons is because the author Caren Lissner can't seem to write someone who is smart. Show don't tell Caren!
Another thing is that Carrie had sex with her English Prof. Now, normally I wouldn't care but she was 15/16 and he was in his 40's. How creepy is that. The Prof plowed her with wine at a restaurant. (She looked about 12 or rather very young for her age) No one said anything. The age of consent in 1995 (which this book probably took place based on the versions of Word Perfect Carrie has used) is 18. Second in 1985 the drinking age in New York was 21. No, way could Carrie drink or not get carded.
Now I'm rereading to see if it still is a horrible book. Yes, it is. I just wish the author did some freaking research. Is it too late to get my money back?
Another thing is that Carrie had sex with her English Prof. Now, normally I wouldn't care but she was 15/16 and he was in his 40's. How creepy is that. The Prof plowed her with wine at a restaurant. (She looked about 12 or rather very young for her age) No one said anything. The age of consent in 1995 (which this book probably took place based on the versions of Word Perfect Carrie has used) is 18. Second in 1985 the drinking age in New York was 21. No, way could Carrie drink or not get carded.
Now I'm rereading to see if it still is a horrible book. Yes, it is. I just wish the author did some freaking research. Is it too late to get my money back?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2017
This was a fourth or fifth read. I get Carrie Pilby.
May 7, 2018
Not terrible, but kinda dumb.
March 22, 2020
Absolutely loved this one. Both book and movie were excellent. I look forward to reading the follow up novella.
December 19, 2015
As the title itself implies, ‘Carrie Pilby’ is about Carrie who is a nineteen-year-old prodigy. Her intelligence and maturity make her feel very different from others, hence the only person she talks to is her therapist. When he comes up with a list of things for her to accomplish, she takes on the challenge and this process broadens her horizons.
Carrie is an incredibly engaging character. Right from the start, it’s evident that she’s smart. She thinks a lot, she’s analytical and she can be judgmental towards people. She sticks to a set of moral values and beliefs, some of which would lead people to think she’s too uptight or strict. For instance, she believes that people are too obsessed with sex and she doesn’t agree with doing drugs. I found Carrie to be likeable as she’s perspicacious, serious, mature and straightforward. I enjoyed reading her thoughts and unexpected words to people. She really speaks her mind and doesn’t care much about what others think of her.
There’s also plenty of background information on Carrie such as her relationship with her college professor. It was detailed, completely believable and showed the other side of her. It gave a glimpse into how she can be different when she meets someone who truly understands her or someone who’s like her. Ultimately, the conclusion of the relationship was sort of sad but I liked that Carrie refused to change herself for someone else or to give in. Besides that, the therapy sessions were interesting especially because Carrie has the tendency to make jokes (in a deadpanned manner) and turn the tables on her therapist.
Being part of Carrie’s quest to fulfil everything on the list was great. This process depicted how Carrie began questioning her beliefs and how it can be so easy to change your mind and make up excuses for just about anything. The other characters featured in the story were interesting and had discernable personality. I particularly liked Kara who’s upfront about her sexual orientation and isn’t afraid to say what she thinks. Then there’s Matt, the guy who isn’t ashamed about cheating on his fiancée. That fact itself made him repulsive but I enjoyed his conversations with Carrie as they’re both clearly on the same wavelength.
Overall, ‘Carrie Pilby’ is one hell of a memorable book. It’s indescribably unique, coupled with a fascinating lead character and meaningful messages – definitely worth reading.
Carrie is an incredibly engaging character. Right from the start, it’s evident that she’s smart. She thinks a lot, she’s analytical and she can be judgmental towards people. She sticks to a set of moral values and beliefs, some of which would lead people to think she’s too uptight or strict. For instance, she believes that people are too obsessed with sex and she doesn’t agree with doing drugs. I found Carrie to be likeable as she’s perspicacious, serious, mature and straightforward. I enjoyed reading her thoughts and unexpected words to people. She really speaks her mind and doesn’t care much about what others think of her.
There’s also plenty of background information on Carrie such as her relationship with her college professor. It was detailed, completely believable and showed the other side of her. It gave a glimpse into how she can be different when she meets someone who truly understands her or someone who’s like her. Ultimately, the conclusion of the relationship was sort of sad but I liked that Carrie refused to change herself for someone else or to give in. Besides that, the therapy sessions were interesting especially because Carrie has the tendency to make jokes (in a deadpanned manner) and turn the tables on her therapist.
Being part of Carrie’s quest to fulfil everything on the list was great. This process depicted how Carrie began questioning her beliefs and how it can be so easy to change your mind and make up excuses for just about anything. The other characters featured in the story were interesting and had discernable personality. I particularly liked Kara who’s upfront about her sexual orientation and isn’t afraid to say what she thinks. Then there’s Matt, the guy who isn’t ashamed about cheating on his fiancée. That fact itself made him repulsive but I enjoyed his conversations with Carrie as they’re both clearly on the same wavelength.
Overall, ‘Carrie Pilby’ is one hell of a memorable book. It’s indescribably unique, coupled with a fascinating lead character and meaningful messages – definitely worth reading.
March 17, 2016
I related a lot to this book and to Carrie. The fact she is attracted to people based on their mind and how alone she feels in a sex-obsessed world where people only want to have sex and not actually KNOW a person... It was like reading myself. I also felt a kinship with her depression and anxiety. The overthinking and overanalysing were soooo me.
I enjoyed that this book wasn't so much focused on romance as it was about a girl struggling with belonging in a world where she felt she didn't. Again, I could very much relate even though she's 19 and I'm nearing 34.
However, a few things did bother me about the book.
Overweight people were ALWAYS described as such, but I don't recall anyone ever being described as thin. Why is that? Why are fat people defined by their size but no one else is? Reflection of our society, I get it, but it would be nice to not have read it here. Things like, "He was sitting next to a fat woman." Why was she described bodily but he wasn't? I'm guessing because he's thin and we're supposed to read "lazy, ugly, unwanted, etc" between the lines regarding the woman? Things like that crawl under my skin.
Carrie would always describe minorities by saying Asian, Hispanic, Italian, etc. For example, "I smiled at an Asian girl." But never was "Caucasian" pointed out so bluntly. White people got to have interesting descriptions with adjectives describing their appearance (hair colour, etc) and quirks and traits, but not minorities. It's annoying as hell. If you wouldn't say "the Caucasian girl" don't say "the Asian girl."
Also, Carrie was well-aware of the racist meaning behind the word "gyp," (she mused on it for an entire paragraph) and she still continued to use it throughout the book. I get it, she's 19; we all made mistakes at that age but it was frustrating to see nonetheless.
It's for these reasons that I dock a star from the rating.
I enjoyed that this book wasn't so much focused on romance as it was about a girl struggling with belonging in a world where she felt she didn't. Again, I could very much relate even though she's 19 and I'm nearing 34.
However, a few things did bother me about the book.
Overweight people were ALWAYS described as such, but I don't recall anyone ever being described as thin. Why is that? Why are fat people defined by their size but no one else is? Reflection of our society, I get it, but it would be nice to not have read it here. Things like, "He was sitting next to a fat woman." Why was she described bodily but he wasn't? I'm guessing because he's thin and we're supposed to read "lazy, ugly, unwanted, etc" between the lines regarding the woman? Things like that crawl under my skin.
Carrie would always describe minorities by saying Asian, Hispanic, Italian, etc. For example, "I smiled at an Asian girl." But never was "Caucasian" pointed out so bluntly. White people got to have interesting descriptions with adjectives describing their appearance (hair colour, etc) and quirks and traits, but not minorities. It's annoying as hell. If you wouldn't say "the Caucasian girl" don't say "the Asian girl."
Also, Carrie was well-aware of the racist meaning behind the word "gyp," (she mused on it for an entire paragraph) and she still continued to use it throughout the book. I get it, she's 19; we all made mistakes at that age but it was frustrating to see nonetheless.
It's for these reasons that I dock a star from the rating.
June 6, 2011
Carrie Pilby has always been a bit different. She is a child prodigy that graduated college before most of us would even start it. Her hobbies include reading the dictionary, debating morals with herself (and others if she can), and sleeping in her New York apartment. Carrie has a hard time relating to the people around her. She just doesn't get them, and they just don't get her. She's unhappy and alone, although good luck trying to get her to admit it.
Carrie is a fantastic character. She readily admits that she just doesn't understand people. She knows it's because of her childhood and intelligence. With the help of her psychologist, she sets up a list of things to do by New Year's that will help her open up to other people and relate to them better.
I was a bit surprised to see this was a Harlequin. There is a bit of romance in the story, but it is definitely on the back burner of the story. At center stage is Carrie and the odd group of people she ends up finding herself involved with. They are all very unique and I could see the good, as well as the bad, in all of them. They were the perfect characters to contrast the various aspects of Carrie's personality.
There were no fast paced action sequences or sudden turns of events, but the story moved along like a gentle stream that was very relaxing with just enough ripples to keep things interesting. Carrie's struggles were written in a way that anyone could find a piece of her to relate to.
5/5
Carrie is a fantastic character. She readily admits that she just doesn't understand people. She knows it's because of her childhood and intelligence. With the help of her psychologist, she sets up a list of things to do by New Year's that will help her open up to other people and relate to them better.
I was a bit surprised to see this was a Harlequin. There is a bit of romance in the story, but it is definitely on the back burner of the story. At center stage is Carrie and the odd group of people she ends up finding herself involved with. They are all very unique and I could see the good, as well as the bad, in all of them. They were the perfect characters to contrast the various aspects of Carrie's personality.
There were no fast paced action sequences or sudden turns of events, but the story moved along like a gentle stream that was very relaxing with just enough ripples to keep things interesting. Carrie's struggles were written in a way that anyone could find a piece of her to relate to.
5/5
July 29, 2010
Wow, this book was startlingly good. it caught me completely be surprise. it had that boring thing to it that makes me skip over several details in most other books but in this one, i read every detail and i liked it. it's so philosophical and asks the hard questions. carrie is cynical and closed off but really she is open in most every situation, she likes to see where things will go, she doesn't ever stop things before bad things can happen, she gets right into the thick of it and then makes the decision to stay or to go. i like that about her. she tries and she doesn't limit herself. i was confused about ronald/cy in which one she was going to date. i think ronald was more of a friend things but i'm not actually sure. the cy thing was kinda wierd how they just see each other on new years and act like they are the best of frends and end up hooking up in his apartment. also whats with the pastor, was he asking carrie on a date, if so, she seemed into it.... i thought she liked cy? weird. i like that her therapist gave her a list and she fulfilled every task. i try to do that for myself and it's more difficult than it seems. she really did good. in the end i feel like carrie is gonna be okay. her therapist...not so much.lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2017
Quote from the book:
“I think that this is a beautiful world. You just have to find the small things in it to love”
Carrie Pilby is a smart, cynical 19-year old and like the rest of the world she is just trying to find her place in it albeit quite slowly. She is trying to be a social butterfly in a place where she more than often feels like the odd-moth. Carrie feels misunderstood because of her smarts and because of her attitude towards immorality. I liked her as a main character because her attitude was so biting. She was not afraid to say things that were downright mean and yet exposed the thoughts that go through many of people’s heads. The author goes big with trying to make some memorable quotes, which were simultaneously impressive as they were overused. The vocabulary was good though, learned a few new words, which I love. The story starts out slow-paced and for a while, you start to wonder whether Carrie will actually make progress or if she will be stuck in this perpetual cycle of hating the world and wanting to be a part of it at the same time.
“I think that this is a beautiful world. You just have to find the small things in it to love”
Carrie Pilby is a smart, cynical 19-year old and like the rest of the world she is just trying to find her place in it albeit quite slowly. She is trying to be a social butterfly in a place where she more than often feels like the odd-moth. Carrie feels misunderstood because of her smarts and because of her attitude towards immorality. I liked her as a main character because her attitude was so biting. She was not afraid to say things that were downright mean and yet exposed the thoughts that go through many of people’s heads. The author goes big with trying to make some memorable quotes, which were simultaneously impressive as they were overused. The vocabulary was good though, learned a few new words, which I love. The story starts out slow-paced and for a while, you start to wonder whether Carrie will actually make progress or if she will be stuck in this perpetual cycle of hating the world and wanting to be a part of it at the same time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2010
On a whim I picked up a book by Caren Lissner (an author I've never heard of and never read before) called Carrie Pilby at the library. (I generally stick to titles or authors I recognize.)
It hooked me, however, I found myself reading it not because I adored the story but because I couldn't stop.
The title character, Carrie, is extremely intelligent (skipped three grades in high school and attended Harvard), obviously clinically depressed and has suffered trauma as a child.
It was actually depressing to read about her life, yet I read on.
But in the end? deh, it felt like a venue for the author to spout her philosophical outlook on modern life, not a bad thing, but for this author ... a boring story to tell.
It hooked me, however, I found myself reading it not because I adored the story but because I couldn't stop.
The title character, Carrie, is extremely intelligent (skipped three grades in high school and attended Harvard), obviously clinically depressed and has suffered trauma as a child.
It was actually depressing to read about her life, yet I read on.
But in the end? deh, it felt like a venue for the author to spout her philosophical outlook on modern life, not a bad thing, but for this author ... a boring story to tell.
December 30, 2017
I loved the movie version, Carrie Pilby, and loved this book. I took my time reading this, and am so glad I purposefully waited until nearly New Year’s Eve to finish it. Of the 90 books I read this year, this was by far my favorite fiction novel. In fact, I plan to give my worn copy to a close friend and just last night ordered a new copy for my library.
You’ll see excellent book synopses from other reviewers, so I won’t leave one here. Suffice it to say this novel gave me the feeling of truly reading something new, something I deeply connected with, and am thrilled at the happenstance that led me to it. :)
You’ll see excellent book synopses from other reviewers, so I won’t leave one here. Suffice it to say this novel gave me the feeling of truly reading something new, something I deeply connected with, and am thrilled at the happenstance that led me to it. :)
January 19, 2014
4.5 stars. Eccentric but likeable heroine. Lots of philosophical questions and ideas to ponder. I could tell this book was written before 2010 (actually in 2003) due to the lack of mention of social media and that smoking was allowed in bars/restaurants. I appreciated Carrie's relationship with her psychologist.
October 26, 2017
I really liked this novel. Even if at times, I wished Carrie would just relax, a liiittle biiiiiiit, but I guess the whole novel was about how she is trying to come to terms with her perception of the world.
At the end, Carrie realises that the world is not always either black or white, though it does not mean that one should be easily deviated from beliefs, etc.
At the end, Carrie realises that the world is not always either black or white, though it does not mean that one should be easily deviated from beliefs, etc.
June 5, 2019
At times this reminded me of The Rosie Project au feminin. The main character is awkward and endearing, and generally searingly insightful. I greatly enjoyed her philosophical or ethical rants and musings and gobbled this up in almost one fell swoop. This is here thanks to a bookcrossing ring, and yet again I am grateful to discover an author and a book I was unfamiliar with before.
April 5, 2017
For what it is, I really enjoyed this. Loved Carrie as a character, agreed with most of her thoughts and was glad she isn't too changed by her journey.
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