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So Shelly
Until now, high school junior John Keats has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.
After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think. As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.
After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think. As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 8, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
July 7, 2018
just because you can knit a sweater for a chicken, doesn't mean you should.
just because you can write a YA novel about keats, byron, and some mash-up of percy and mary shelley set in modern times doesn't mean you should.
from the afterword:
just as it would be a mistake to study shakespeare's history plays for an understanding of the succession of english monarchs from the thirteenth through much of the sixteenth century, one should not read so shelly for its dogged adherence to historical accuracy. like shakespeare, i would never let historical facts get in the way of telling a good story.
and i don't want to be the obvious asshole here and point out that "you ain't shakespeare, buddy," because i think this was a well-intentioned project: the author is a professor of english lit, and there were actual books consulted in the writing of this one - research was done, hallelujah!
my concern is that no one took a moment to consider who, exactly, the audience for a project like this would be.
because even though this book is called so shelly and is "written" by keats, it is, naturally, all about byron.
byron.
and i don't know who sits around thinking, "byron, now there was a life worthy of presenting to a YA audience. what an inspiration!"
this book has a little something for every young teen: incest, teen pregnancy, indecent exposure, rape, abortion, drugs, death, skinny-dipping, strippers, group gropes, terrorist activity,teacher-seduction, adultery, pedophilia, homoerotic subtext, and REM.
it goes into way more lurid detail than the typical YA fare, even the edgier ones, but it is tame compared to a lot of adult fiction.
so who is this for?
die-hard fans of second-generation romantic poets?
hmmm, well, as a byron-girl, i can tell you that while some of the little winks are greatly appreciated, a lot of the time i could feel the story straining to make connections to the life of byron, like those button gaps on a too-small sweater.the plot seemed to be there solely to tie one reference to another, to retell byron's life and accomplishments in modern times.
at times, the liberties were astonishing: byron's most stable relationship; teresa guicciolo reduced to a fling with an athletics secretary? caro lamb a strip-club waitress turned denny's waitress who barely makes a peep, much less the roars she really should have made? byron's writing career reduced to some vampire novels?
and i still don't understand the smooshing of the shelleys into one, female, person, who is an intensely irritating character. well, at least he got that right. hahahhaa. sorry, shelley fans. i do not care for the (male) shelley.
and i know next to nothing about keats, except that he never ever met byron, much less was pals with him. keats isn't given much to do here - he gets to be obsessed with mortality and his inevitably short lifespan, and he has a real "make the most of every passing day" kind of thing that leads him to write... this novel. hhmph. i would think that someone so obsessed about leaving a lasting mark could have done better than to write what is essentially a gossip rag about some high school cassanova.
Who alive can say,
'Thou art no Poet may'st not tell thy dreams?'
Since every man whose soul is not a clod
Hath visions, and would speak, if he had loved
And been well nurtured in his mother tongue.
Whether the dream now purpos'd to rehearse
Be poet's or fanatic's will be known
When this warm scribe my hand is in the grave.
"if i'm a woman, stacy, how do you explain this?" gordon pulled his junk through his open zipper and waved it at her.
a near-perfect imitation, that.
but i'm being a bitch again. and i don't mean to be, it's not like i haven't read a zillion bizarre interpretations of the life of byron.
i just genuinely do not understand the impulse that would lead someone to write this. is it supposed to give an appreciation of the work of these poets, to show their relevance today? if so - giant failure. the mere fact that our narrator introduces himself to the reader: "i'm keats (rhymes with sheets)" makes me believe this is meant to be directed towards an audience never exposed to these "characters" before. and too young to ever have heard a smiths song. this does not inspire awe - it would not make me want to go out and read any actual works by these people. especially shelley. so annoying of a character, jeez. and i loved shelley when i was twelve. i really got into that whole "poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world" business.then i grew up a little.
but for readers who know nothing about these people, the story must be so boring without all the sly jokes and clever twistings. without the gimmick, i don;t know what this story has left. unpleasant characters who only care about themselves. narrated by a guy who can't stop spouting death-statistics. not fun.
this is just creative wanking; weirdly misplaced fanfic. and that's fine - i am just amazed that it got to the publication stage.
i will keep reading these byron books, even though they are so frequently underwhelming, and someday i am bound to find a perfectly told, thoughtful story.
come to my blog!
April 4, 2011
You know, I'm not sure what scares me most: that this novel is a spot-on representation of teenagers today or that it might actually influence them. In what can only be called an insult to young adults the world over, Mr. Roth delivers a literary travesty. In fact, the author manages in one fell swoop to: disgrace the names of three beloved poets, murder any/all depth and seriousness to issues facing teens today, and create a cast of characters that are so vapid, annoying, unrealistic, and utterly repugnant they made me appreciate the Twilight series.
And that, friends, is only the beginning.
The dialog appears to be taken almost word for word from episodes of Beverly Hills 90210 and Dawson's Creek; and before you ask, no, it's not an homage. The plot - what little that exist - started as a good idea, but completely derailed into a shallow reconstruction of history for an under-appreciated school outcast. The writing, while skilled and at times beautiful in construction, is completely devoid of feeling and movement. It's as if the writer is relaying a story that has been told so many times even he's bored with it. Finally, in what you can only laugh at for fear of crying, Mr. Roth's sloppy mistreatment of 80's pop culture references is an egregious example of why this trend needs to end.
And that, friends, is only the beginning.
The dialog appears to be taken almost word for word from episodes of Beverly Hills 90210 and Dawson's Creek; and before you ask, no, it's not an homage. The plot - what little that exist - started as a good idea, but completely derailed into a shallow reconstruction of history for an under-appreciated school outcast. The writing, while skilled and at times beautiful in construction, is completely devoid of feeling and movement. It's as if the writer is relaying a story that has been told so many times even he's bored with it. Finally, in what you can only laugh at for fear of crying, Mr. Roth's sloppy mistreatment of 80's pop culture references is an egregious example of why this trend needs to end.
March 30, 2011
It's hard to review SO SHELLY without using expletives. Because it's that effing good. But I'm going to try. Yes, it's a reimagining of the lives of the major romantic poets, Byron, Keats and a mishmash of Shelleys. Sometimes when reading it something happens and you think, "ooh! I wonder if that's historically accurate." It's fascinating, and the author explains the majority in an equally interesting afterword.
But that's not the thing about this book. Don't care about the romantic poets? Doesn't matter. This book is beautiful. It's tragic, melancholy, hole in your soul stuff. So intensely atmospheric, and the great lake hovers constantly in the background. Looking to discuss setting as character? Check out Lake Erie in So Shelly.
Love, death, obsession and flawed people are the order of the day, wrapped up in a layered, literary package. It took me forever to finish this book, because Keats dragged me along with my heels dug in all the way. You see the end from the beginning and I just didn't want to get there.
But that's not the thing about this book. Don't care about the romantic poets? Doesn't matter. This book is beautiful. It's tragic, melancholy, hole in your soul stuff. So intensely atmospheric, and the great lake hovers constantly in the background. Looking to discuss setting as character? Check out Lake Erie in So Shelly.
Love, death, obsession and flawed people are the order of the day, wrapped up in a layered, literary package. It took me forever to finish this book, because Keats dragged me along with my heels dug in all the way. You see the end from the beginning and I just didn't want to get there.
March 10, 2016
So Shelly revolves around the lives of three character based off long dead poetic greats. Anticipating how John Keats, Lord Byron, and Percy Shelly might live and interact if they were teens living in modern day. Shelly is dead, and Keats and Gordon have swiped her ashes from her memorial service. Armed with an urn, a boom box, and an REM CD they set out to spread Shelly’s ashes in a location she chose before her passing. Along the way Gordon and Keats get to know each other better, and take us down memory lane via flashbacks of their lives with a living and breathing Shelly.
I wanted to love this one. I really did. I think the premise of the novel is brilliant, but I found the characters seriously lacking. I couldn’t relate to or sympathize with them. Even Keats who I should have felt sorry for didn’t leave an impression. Gordon is horribly selfish and self-centered. Shelly’s obsession with the narcissistic Gordon was pathetic. Keats was just there, and didn’t appear to serve a purpose beyond that of narrator.
The plot moved slower than I would have liked, and honestly I spent most of this book in a state of depression. Avoid this one if you’re looking for happy because this is a dark and deep read. I do appreciate the idea behind the novel, but unfortunately it didn’t win me over. History buffs and poetry fans might enjoy this one more than I did. I encourage you to read the author’s notes at the end of the novel before reading. They are very informative if you aren’t familiar with the background of these poets.
I also have to slap a content warning on this one. It contains colorful language, references to drugs, sex, incest, and other heavy topics that some younger teens might not be ready for.
Cover notes: The cover is absolutely stunning, and the reason this book garnered my attention in the first place.
I wanted to love this one. I really did. I think the premise of the novel is brilliant, but I found the characters seriously lacking. I couldn’t relate to or sympathize with them. Even Keats who I should have felt sorry for didn’t leave an impression. Gordon is horribly selfish and self-centered. Shelly’s obsession with the narcissistic Gordon was pathetic. Keats was just there, and didn’t appear to serve a purpose beyond that of narrator.
The plot moved slower than I would have liked, and honestly I spent most of this book in a state of depression. Avoid this one if you’re looking for happy because this is a dark and deep read. I do appreciate the idea behind the novel, but unfortunately it didn’t win me over. History buffs and poetry fans might enjoy this one more than I did. I encourage you to read the author’s notes at the end of the novel before reading. They are very informative if you aren’t familiar with the background of these poets.
I also have to slap a content warning on this one. It contains colorful language, references to drugs, sex, incest, and other heavy topics that some younger teens might not be ready for.
Cover notes: The cover is absolutely stunning, and the reason this book garnered my attention in the first place.
February 23, 2011
When I first saw the cover for So Shelly, I knew I wanted to read it even without knowing anything about it. Yes, I'm that superficial when it comes to gorgeous book covers. Sue me. :P
It wasn't until I stumbled upon an interview with author Ty Roth on Teens Read and Write that I actually took the time to read what the novel was about and realize the connection to literary legends, Percy and Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Keats.
You can't deny that a book like So Shelly leaves a lasting impression, but as I try to piece together why, I'm find myself unable to pinpoint a single answer. Resisting the urge to spew metaphorical bullshit, I will say that the morbid much concept of bringing historical figures into modern day contemporary fiction was not only genius but absolutely mesmerizing.
Like all mortals, John Keats is dying, and like most, because he believes his time will end sooner rather than later, he is desperate to leave a lasting impression. So begins his retelling of tales that his friend Shelly shared with him before her own untimely death. And as her life often did, many of her stories revolve around her childhood friend, the unrequited love of her life, George Gordon Byron.
Powered by humorous musings and homogeneous ties to history, romanticism, and death, I thought the book started off much stronger than it ended. While reading, I frequently noted many quotes and passages I simply adored. Though I did reach a point where I noticed my interest wavering a bit, at about the middle, and it never really picked back up. I can't help but blame Gordon, at least partly.
Self conscious as he was about his clubfoot, Gordon did everything possible to prove he was just was worthy as normal boys. He easily excelled in anything he tried, much to the dismay of his friends and family. What others struggled to master, Gordon naturally shined at.
What I found myself most astonished to realize was that Gordon really is the type of flawed character you can't help but initially succumb to because of his charms only to feel completely repelled by once to get to know him better. Yet, even when his more untoward side was revealed, you realize his disposition to be self-centered is not malicious, it is simply who he is, and somehow he manages to make that quality enviable while simultaneously causing you to marvel at the pureness to his simple philosophies.
Shelly was a much more spirited character. The girl you secretly admire because she doesn't care to follow social norms. Marching to her own beat, Shelly was an idealist, a hopeless romantic, and an independent thinker. She impressed upon me that the world could do a lot worse than produce more of her kind. And because I never got the sense from her that she'd want to chose death over life for any reason, her end surprised and saddened me.
John, though very intelligent, didn't really inspire much thought on his character. I wouldn't say he lacked motivation to do anything other than to tell another person's story, but absent was the conviction needed to make him remarkable.
Though the Afterward by Roth warns that you should not read So Shelly as a historical accurate account of the lives of the Shelleys, Byron and Keats, you can't help but notice the parallels, and I found it all quite enchanting. Though So Shelly is marketed as a YA novel, I'd have to say that I'd only recommend it to more mature audiences because of the frequent references to sexual situations and crude language.
So Shelly was more than a haunting, entrancing tale of love and loss. It was a quiet yet thought provoking exploration of self; a novel I will undoubtedly share with many to offer a different kind of reflection on life and living.
I'm really looking forward to reading more by debut author Ty Roth.
http://www.theunreadreader.com/2011/0...
It wasn't until I stumbled upon an interview with author Ty Roth on Teens Read and Write that I actually took the time to read what the novel was about and realize the connection to literary legends, Percy and Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Keats.
You can't deny that a book like So Shelly leaves a lasting impression, but as I try to piece together why, I'm find myself unable to pinpoint a single answer. Resisting the urge to spew metaphorical bullshit, I will say that the morbid much concept of bringing historical figures into modern day contemporary fiction was not only genius but absolutely mesmerizing.
Like all mortals, John Keats is dying, and like most, because he believes his time will end sooner rather than later, he is desperate to leave a lasting impression. So begins his retelling of tales that his friend Shelly shared with him before her own untimely death. And as her life often did, many of her stories revolve around her childhood friend, the unrequited love of her life, George Gordon Byron.
Powered by humorous musings and homogeneous ties to history, romanticism, and death, I thought the book started off much stronger than it ended. While reading, I frequently noted many quotes and passages I simply adored. Though I did reach a point where I noticed my interest wavering a bit, at about the middle, and it never really picked back up. I can't help but blame Gordon, at least partly.
Self conscious as he was about his clubfoot, Gordon did everything possible to prove he was just was worthy as normal boys. He easily excelled in anything he tried, much to the dismay of his friends and family. What others struggled to master, Gordon naturally shined at.
What I found myself most astonished to realize was that Gordon really is the type of flawed character you can't help but initially succumb to because of his charms only to feel completely repelled by once to get to know him better. Yet, even when his more untoward side was revealed, you realize his disposition to be self-centered is not malicious, it is simply who he is, and somehow he manages to make that quality enviable while simultaneously causing you to marvel at the pureness to his simple philosophies.
Shelly was a much more spirited character. The girl you secretly admire because she doesn't care to follow social norms. Marching to her own beat, Shelly was an idealist, a hopeless romantic, and an independent thinker. She impressed upon me that the world could do a lot worse than produce more of her kind. And because I never got the sense from her that she'd want to chose death over life for any reason, her end surprised and saddened me.
John, though very intelligent, didn't really inspire much thought on his character. I wouldn't say he lacked motivation to do anything other than to tell another person's story, but absent was the conviction needed to make him remarkable.
Though the Afterward by Roth warns that you should not read So Shelly as a historical accurate account of the lives of the Shelleys, Byron and Keats, you can't help but notice the parallels, and I found it all quite enchanting. Though So Shelly is marketed as a YA novel, I'd have to say that I'd only recommend it to more mature audiences because of the frequent references to sexual situations and crude language.
So Shelly was more than a haunting, entrancing tale of love and loss. It was a quiet yet thought provoking exploration of self; a novel I will undoubtedly share with many to offer a different kind of reflection on life and living.
I'm really looking forward to reading more by debut author Ty Roth.
http://www.theunreadreader.com/2011/0...
March 1, 2011
My Cover Thoughts: When this book arrived in the mail I was intrigued because it shows a girl in a long white dress walking off a boat dock. The dock is rickety and looks like it is about to fall apart and the girl is going to fall through it. The girl looks like she is walking right into the water. After looking at the cover I knew I needed to read this book because I needed to know wether or not she walked into that water and drowned.
My Thoughts/Review: From the very beginning I knew I was not going to be able to put this book down. The opening line goes like this “Most of us like to believe that we are born to do great things, maybe even to be famous. Truth is, we aren’t and we won’t.”
This book is about three people who have a huge impact on one another’s lives. Shelly grows up with Gordon who is her neighbour and best friend. She loves him so much that it hurts because he does not reciprocate her love. Gordon is a self centred spoiled boy who gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants, wherever he wants. He has no boundaries and is given everything to him by his mother. Then you have Keats who has jumped up in a grade because he is smart but he is also awkward so he shies away from people. But when you bring the three of them together you get a great story about finding true love and true friendships.
This book made me laugh and cry. Shelly loved Gordon but he loved himself so he did some not so nice things to other people. But the one constant in his life was Shelly. She loved him in spite of what he did or how he acted. Gordon on the other hand slept with a lot of women drank alcohol and only thought about what would benefit him. Keats comes along and becomes friends with Shelly because they have the same passion for writing. Keats and Shelly start their own school newsletter and write about their passions and other stories for the school. With their passion for writing ignited they get the school paper published and on-line.
While all this is going on at school Shelly is feeling depressed because Gordon will not give her the time of day and he is busy setting out a name for himself. So Shelly is feeling lonely and a little awkward at school because every time she tries to have some type of happiness Gordon ruins it by telling her he loves her so she will back away from the other person. She finally has had enough and decides to be friends with Keats because Gordon doesn’t deem him a threat. As the story goes on Shelly has her ups and downs and she finally decides she is going to up the ante by doing something drastic which Gordon calls “So Shelly” moments.
This book has so many ups and downs that I can not tell you because I will spoil the book. It is a must read. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. Ty has done an excellent job of spinning the old with the new. This book leaves you breathless and wanting more from the characters. I have read a lot of books but this one captured my heart and soul. Ty weeded a story so good you did not want to put this book down. Who can resist true love and true hatred all at the same time by the same person?
Memorable Quotes: Page 319 Shelly says to Keats “He (Gordon) ignores me because he loves me”
Advice: This is a must read! I am going to buy this book and keep it on my favourite book shelf.
March 10, 2017
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2.5 Stars
This book is a loose retelling of three dead poets lives if they were teens in modern day society. Shelly has died and her final wish was for Keats and Gordon to spread her ashes on a beach while playing her REM CD from her old boom box. While travelling to the beach, Keats and Gordon get to know each other and reminisce on the times spent with Shelly.
I found all the characters to be lack lustre and a bit boring to me. Gordon was extremely self-centred and Shelly's obsession with him was a bit pathetic. The book started off great and I thought I was really going to enjoy it. Unfortunately no real plot developed and what did come of the story was very slow.
2.5 Stars
This book is a loose retelling of three dead poets lives if they were teens in modern day society. Shelly has died and her final wish was for Keats and Gordon to spread her ashes on a beach while playing her REM CD from her old boom box. While travelling to the beach, Keats and Gordon get to know each other and reminisce on the times spent with Shelly.
I found all the characters to be lack lustre and a bit boring to me. Gordon was extremely self-centred and Shelly's obsession with him was a bit pathetic. The book started off great and I thought I was really going to enjoy it. Unfortunately no real plot developed and what did come of the story was very slow.
April 6, 2011
Many times I've been told I should write a book. I assume that the people who suggest this are thinking much along these lines. She teaches English so must know something about books. She knows a lot about a handful of authors. She loves literature and has an understanding of its mechanics. She manages to write pretty decent academic prose.
Yet I've always suspected these simple factors wouldn't be quite enough to write a (really) good novel. And if I ever need to offer proof as to why my literary endeavors could very well suck, I'm going to suggest that those people try reading So Shelly.
Because, basically, I fear that if I decided to write a book it would come out sounding a lot like this one. I'd be super tempted to take some authors I loved, bastardize the truly amazing events of their lives by offering them moronic contemporary equivalencies, and then present the whole mess in stilted prose more suited to the most basic college freshman argumentative English essay.
I had high hopes for this book. Hopes that the writer would tackle these problems of authorship more skillfully than I could/would. I had hoped, even, to try teaching this book in future courses--to give my students a nifty new look into my beloved Romantics. And I might still consider assigning this book to a future classroom of my students. In the eventuality that I truly hate them.
Hopefully, I'll continue to be slightly more self-aware than this misguided author and avoid inflicting a novel that is "So Shitty" on future generations.
Yet I've always suspected these simple factors wouldn't be quite enough to write a (really) good novel. And if I ever need to offer proof as to why my literary endeavors could very well suck, I'm going to suggest that those people try reading So Shelly.
Because, basically, I fear that if I decided to write a book it would come out sounding a lot like this one. I'd be super tempted to take some authors I loved, bastardize the truly amazing events of their lives by offering them moronic contemporary equivalencies, and then present the whole mess in stilted prose more suited to the most basic college freshman argumentative English essay.
I had high hopes for this book. Hopes that the writer would tackle these problems of authorship more skillfully than I could/would. I had hoped, even, to try teaching this book in future courses--to give my students a nifty new look into my beloved Romantics. And I might still consider assigning this book to a future classroom of my students. In the eventuality that I truly hate them.
Hopefully, I'll continue to be slightly more self-aware than this misguided author and avoid inflicting a novel that is "So Shitty" on future generations.
January 9, 2013
I honestly went into this anticipating to either 1. hate it, 2. enjoy it for the schlocky high school AU cheese its premise is; and while it is as schlocky and trashy as anyone can anticipate out of a privileged high school YA novel, what makes So Shelly incredible as a book is its self-awareness and its criticisms of the genre it models and of the persons it has appropriated to fit its respective roles. Ty Roth clearly knows his Romantics beyond the superficial read-throughs of their works and the wikipedia blurbs of their biographies. There's some deep, probing considerations, a lot of what-ifs and a lot of bold conjectures about the Romantics and their environment. I could see my own academic theories in practice, masquerading as plot fodder for a Francesca Lia Block-esque narrative climax. Super intense--super invigorating. I'm wholly impressed.
As for the reviewers actively complaining about how Roth has supposedly "defaced" the names of poets and authors literally infamous for fucking the system and defying the norm while wrestling with the conflicts and comforts of their privileged stations--well, I'm pretty sure that actually states it.
&& As for the reviewers actively complaining about the explicit content and how they wouldn't recommend this book to teens--the lack of faith they have in young readers is completely disturbing, and the insult to their intelligence and their ability to recognize how the characters suffer because of their lifestyles is even more atrocious.
As for the reviewers actively complaining about how Roth has supposedly "defaced" the names of poets and authors literally infamous for fucking the system and defying the norm while wrestling with the conflicts and comforts of their privileged stations--well, I'm pretty sure that actually states it.
&& As for the reviewers actively complaining about the explicit content and how they wouldn't recommend this book to teens--the lack of faith they have in young readers is completely disturbing, and the insult to their intelligence and their ability to recognize how the characters suffer because of their lifestyles is even more atrocious.
August 6, 2011
A fanfic in which Lord Byron, John Keats, and an amalgamation of Percy and Mary Shelley are teens with cellphones and ipods, living in the Midwest. At times I thought the story worked, but most of the time it didn't. How do you bring the second generation of Romantics to the present? To Ohio? In many respects Ty Roth was pretty faithful to the scandalous biographical details, especially involving Byron. Augusta, Claire, Caroline Lamb - they're all there. But the author couldn't get too smutty because it is supposed to be for teenagers, not adults. Thus the book vacillated between being either an unusually debauched YA novel or a tepid version of Less Than Zero.
Overall So Shelly was an interesting exercise. I didn't feel it was bad, but it was not good either.
Overall So Shelly was an interesting exercise. I didn't feel it was bad, but it was not good either.
September 22, 2011
Things I liked about this book:
The cover -- it's gorgeous
The idea - the poets John Keats, Lord Byron and Shelley reborn as American teenagers.
The voice - as the narrator, Keats has a really powerful personality that shines through the text.
What I didn't like:
All the sex. This is YA, not some heavy duty bondage novel in an erotica line.
The focus on Byron and his sexual conquests and this in a book titled "So Shelley".
Overall, this book was a disappointment. Ty Roth can write well, but he should find some better ideas to use his talent on.
The cover -- it's gorgeous
The idea - the poets John Keats, Lord Byron and Shelley reborn as American teenagers.
The voice - as the narrator, Keats has a really powerful personality that shines through the text.
What I didn't like:
All the sex. This is YA, not some heavy duty bondage novel in an erotica line.
The focus on Byron and his sexual conquests and this in a book titled "So Shelley".
Overall, this book was a disappointment. Ty Roth can write well, but he should find some better ideas to use his talent on.
February 16, 2011
Why I read this: Cover lust really. I was like ooo pretty. And I really cannot resist a debut novel, for sure. :)
Plot: So, some of you may not know, but this basically throws the famous poets Keats, Shelley, and Byron into a high school setting and well, it makes for quite the interesting story. This book was exactly what I needed after drudging through some "typical" paranormal romance. Ty's writing is like poetry compared to what I've been reading lately and I probably am not the first to say this, but I can see Literature teachers teaching this book in the future (most likely High School or College though..). It's that good.
Back to the plot, the book is told from the point of view of John Keats, who is in love with Shelly, who is in love with Gordon. Ty does a fantastic job of melding the history of the three with the current situation - which is the two boys stealing Shelly's ashes (after her 'accidental' drowning) to grant her last wishes. Weaving the colorful pasts of Gordon and Shelly into the story, you really get a feel for the characters in this book. That being said, there is a lot of sex in this book. Younger YA readers beware, Gordon certainly has some infamy with the opposite sex.
Characters: Keats may be the least mentioned character in this book, but you get a feel for his voice, you get enough information about it, but he is definitely shadowed when it comes to Shelly and Gordon. Gordon is such a colorful character, one that you try really hard to hate, but you really can't - because his character is so warped and so Byron-like you simply understand him and keep watching him for his next insane move.
Shelly reminds me of John Green's female characters all mixed in one - overdramatic, overloving, and never falling for the right guy. And always with a mission in mind. The clues she leaves also remind me of Paper Towns (a novel I highly suggest if you loved this one). I couldn't help but love her and her undying love for Gordon, the unattainable male that actually does love Shelly in a way that really cannot be described.
Relatability: Lovers of John Green will fall in love with this novel. I think Gordon will have more fans than us readers would like to admit and is easily the most insanely likable scoundrel I've ever read.
Cover Commentary: Gorgeous, like I said, it's probably the main reason I picked this one up.
Plot: So, some of you may not know, but this basically throws the famous poets Keats, Shelley, and Byron into a high school setting and well, it makes for quite the interesting story. This book was exactly what I needed after drudging through some "typical" paranormal romance. Ty's writing is like poetry compared to what I've been reading lately and I probably am not the first to say this, but I can see Literature teachers teaching this book in the future (most likely High School or College though..). It's that good.
Back to the plot, the book is told from the point of view of John Keats, who is in love with Shelly, who is in love with Gordon. Ty does a fantastic job of melding the history of the three with the current situation - which is the two boys stealing Shelly's ashes (after her 'accidental' drowning) to grant her last wishes. Weaving the colorful pasts of Gordon and Shelly into the story, you really get a feel for the characters in this book. That being said, there is a lot of sex in this book. Younger YA readers beware, Gordon certainly has some infamy with the opposite sex.
Characters: Keats may be the least mentioned character in this book, but you get a feel for his voice, you get enough information about it, but he is definitely shadowed when it comes to Shelly and Gordon. Gordon is such a colorful character, one that you try really hard to hate, but you really can't - because his character is so warped and so Byron-like you simply understand him and keep watching him for his next insane move.
Shelly reminds me of John Green's female characters all mixed in one - overdramatic, overloving, and never falling for the right guy. And always with a mission in mind. The clues she leaves also remind me of Paper Towns (a novel I highly suggest if you loved this one). I couldn't help but love her and her undying love for Gordon, the unattainable male that actually does love Shelly in a way that really cannot be described.
Relatability: Lovers of John Green will fall in love with this novel. I think Gordon will have more fans than us readers would like to admit and is easily the most insanely likable scoundrel I've ever read.
Cover Commentary: Gorgeous, like I said, it's probably the main reason I picked this one up.
March 25, 2011
This book would make one heck of a life time movie. It was written beautifully. The characters were well describe and the plot... well the plot is not only graphic but destructive. It was a type of plot that pulls you in drowning you in the characters life and sorrows. I will do my best to write this review without revealing any spoilers. Bare with me, cause this is the first time I found myself loss for words.
I enjoyed this book even though for me was hard to read. I found myself shaking my head a lot wondering why on earth were they doing what they were doing. Shelly. Poor Shelly. I love her character. Shelly is a girl who puts up with anything. Her emotions show clearly in her actions. Shelly did what she had to do to keep Gordon in her life. Either he was at a distance or next to her. They had what I call a very destructive relationship. One they were tied down to and could not let go.
Gordon, was a well written beautifully describe character. I can understand the way that he is because of what he went through, but I can't help but dislike him for what he did. He is selfish and will never learn.
John is the third wheel caught in the middle between all this drama. I like how he didn't take sides and saw everything for what it is. Now, how this guy ever learn love from watching this relationship is beyond me. I think, he learned more about love from seeing its opportunity that is lost. Love that was never given a chance because of selfish people not letting go and seeing the good that was always in front of them.
This book overall is great. I loved reading it. It does have some very graphic things in it. There was drugs, sex, incest, suicide, and every kind of hurt you ever felt. Good book.
I enjoyed this book even though for me was hard to read. I found myself shaking my head a lot wondering why on earth were they doing what they were doing. Shelly. Poor Shelly. I love her character. Shelly is a girl who puts up with anything. Her emotions show clearly in her actions. Shelly did what she had to do to keep Gordon in her life. Either he was at a distance or next to her. They had what I call a very destructive relationship. One they were tied down to and could not let go.
Gordon, was a well written beautifully describe character. I can understand the way that he is because of what he went through, but I can't help but dislike him for what he did. He is selfish and will never learn.
John is the third wheel caught in the middle between all this drama. I like how he didn't take sides and saw everything for what it is. Now, how this guy ever learn love from watching this relationship is beyond me. I think, he learned more about love from seeing its opportunity that is lost. Love that was never given a chance because of selfish people not letting go and seeing the good that was always in front of them.
This book overall is great. I loved reading it. It does have some very graphic things in it. There was drugs, sex, incest, suicide, and every kind of hurt you ever felt. Good book.
October 8, 2011
Ok, so if I had known this the book wouldn't have seemed so crazy to me! "If Lord Byron, John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley were living adolescents today, how would their literary talents, notorious personas and known fates collide?"
I was warned that the story might squick me out. It did. This is most definitely for the older teens, if for teens at all. There's death, drugs, sex, rape, incest, abortion and a variety of other shadowy things gonig on.
To truly appreciate the book, you need to know about the lives of these people. There is a quite a bit of historical fact mixed in with the fiction. Go read about them before you read this, you'll appreciate it more.
As for the story, here's what we have:
Shelly - goes by her last name, her mom died, her dad behaved poorly then got remarried, they're wealthy, she's radical and writes great stories while she pines for Gordon Byron who is her neighbor and best friend.
Gordon Byron - rich spoiled kid, first novel published in eighth grade, full of himself, athletic, club foot, debauched behavior with women in general (maybe men) and with relatives in particular, divorced parents, some sexual abuse possible in younger years.
John Keats - poor, parents died, brother dying, short and skinny, writes poetry, fear of death, narrator of story.
It's worth reading, just take your time and soak it all up.
I was warned that the story might squick me out. It did. This is most definitely for the older teens, if for teens at all. There's death, drugs, sex, rape, incest, abortion and a variety of other shadowy things gonig on.
To truly appreciate the book, you need to know about the lives of these people. There is a quite a bit of historical fact mixed in with the fiction. Go read about them before you read this, you'll appreciate it more.
As for the story, here's what we have:
Shelly - goes by her last name, her mom died, her dad behaved poorly then got remarried, they're wealthy, she's radical and writes great stories while she pines for Gordon Byron who is her neighbor and best friend.
Gordon Byron - rich spoiled kid, first novel published in eighth grade, full of himself, athletic, club foot, debauched behavior with women in general (maybe men) and with relatives in particular, divorced parents, some sexual abuse possible in younger years.
John Keats - poor, parents died, brother dying, short and skinny, writes poetry, fear of death, narrator of story.
It's worth reading, just take your time and soak it all up.
March 17, 2011
I thought this was a great concept. So Shelly is a story that is loosely based on the lives of poets, John Keats, Lord Byron, and Percy Shelley - with a modern-day twist. Told through the voice of a modern day John Keats - we learn of Gordon and his recently deceased BFF Shelly. The boys set out to complete Shelly's final wish of scattering her ashes in a desired location - while in the process getting to know each other better and through flashbacks reminiscing on the life of their friend Shelly.
I truly tried to get into this story... and while the writing is beautiful and the concept is brilliant, the story itself just fell flat for me. Maybe it was just too dark, or too deep or the fact that I honestly felt depressed while reading it. But in the end, it just didn't work for me. I wouldn't recommend this one for younger teens since it does broach some heavy topics (i.e. sex, drugs, death and even incest). My final say "enter at your own risk."
I truly tried to get into this story... and while the writing is beautiful and the concept is brilliant, the story itself just fell flat for me. Maybe it was just too dark, or too deep or the fact that I honestly felt depressed while reading it. But in the end, it just didn't work for me. I wouldn't recommend this one for younger teens since it does broach some heavy topics (i.e. sex, drugs, death and even incest). My final say "enter at your own risk."
June 6, 2015
This was one book I was very interested in reading. I adore classic novels, and I have read some Byron, Keats, and both the Shelleys (the Shelly in the novel is based on both Mary and Percy). So when I heard about the concept and the idea of So Shelly I was immediatly hooked. I checked out the book from my local library, read some promotional things from the publisher -- Random House -- on the novel, and scoured around Ty Roth's website. I put it at the top of my to-read list and stayed up until eleven thirty reading the book.
So what did I think? Though I had a few complaints and concerns, I found So Shelly to be a novel that was pretty darn good.
The story transposes the lives of Keats, Byron, and Mary and Percy Shelley both combined into one character (the Shelly of the title) and puts them into modern day. Many of the characters and events remain, as the author explains in a note, and most of the changes were only to make the characters seem more modern and not, well, 18th-century writers.
John Keats, our narrator, has stayed away from Gordon Byron his entire high school career. Gordon is brave, crooning, and all the women love him. Keats finds him terrifying and prefers to stay home and write. The two share one connection, though: both being friends with Michelle "Shelly" Shelley. Shelly has recently drowned in a sailboat accident, and the two recconect at her funeral. Gordon hatches a plan to steal her ashes, and with the container in hand they head towards the lake where Shelly drowned. As they drive, the two remember their memories of each other and Shelly and try to decide what led her to drown herself.
The book isn't about Shelly, though. It's about Gordon. At least 50% of the book is about him. And everything about him is his sexual conquests. Roth heaps on conquest after conquests, telling of Gordon's many affairs, infatuations with girls, and more. Some of it seems a bit unrealistic -- his writing a YA vampire novel as a jab to the current YA industry and the fact that Gordon was on a Greek terrorist squad -- but I had one major concern with the focus on him. It essentially was the same sexual situation over and over. He met a girl, seduced her, they had sex, and then the girl/teacher/friend was either suspended from school, fired, or dumped as quickly as her relationship with Gordon ignited. It was basically the same sexual conquest in every chapter, only with a different setting and time (the book jumps from Gordon and Shelly's childhood until their senior year in high school). He was an interesting character, but I think the author could have shown his many sexual conquests -- which were true to life of the real Lord Byron -- in different ways.
Keats is barely in the story. He narrates and explains things, adding in small little quirks that the readers will smirk at. He "writes" the story as it is explained in the prologue, but other than that is barely in the story. Most of the scenes are about Shelly, Gordon, and Gordon's many women. He barely has a purpose in the story other than to tell it, and his resource for getting the information is contrived. He supposedly got the information from a drunk Shelly over ten hours(!) and the event is mentioned once in the story and then dropped, like the author didn't care. He could have probably been dropped from the story and not much would have changed, or the author could have used third person instead.
I liked the historical details behind the book, and after you read the author's note the events seem much better. The writing is quite fluid and goregous, and I rarely see books about classic novelists in YA. I think that Roth has a chance to improve and when he publishes his next novel I'll be interested in reading it. (It might not be soon, though; he posted on his blog that he had sent a draft to Random House and they had rejected it.)
So some flaws, but a pretty interesting romp through the Romantic Era, with quite a few ties with Romanticism that will remain with readers. I'd recommend it more for history lovers; people less interested in history may get bored, specifically those that know little about Romantic poets (I reccommend reading the author's note first if you don't know much about the Shelleys, Keats, and Byron).
So what did I think? Though I had a few complaints and concerns, I found So Shelly to be a novel that was pretty darn good.
The story transposes the lives of Keats, Byron, and Mary and Percy Shelley both combined into one character (the Shelly of the title) and puts them into modern day. Many of the characters and events remain, as the author explains in a note, and most of the changes were only to make the characters seem more modern and not, well, 18th-century writers.
John Keats, our narrator, has stayed away from Gordon Byron his entire high school career. Gordon is brave, crooning, and all the women love him. Keats finds him terrifying and prefers to stay home and write. The two share one connection, though: both being friends with Michelle "Shelly" Shelley. Shelly has recently drowned in a sailboat accident, and the two recconect at her funeral. Gordon hatches a plan to steal her ashes, and with the container in hand they head towards the lake where Shelly drowned. As they drive, the two remember their memories of each other and Shelly and try to decide what led her to drown herself.
The book isn't about Shelly, though. It's about Gordon. At least 50% of the book is about him. And everything about him is his sexual conquests. Roth heaps on conquest after conquests, telling of Gordon's many affairs, infatuations with girls, and more. Some of it seems a bit unrealistic -- his writing a YA vampire novel as a jab to the current YA industry and the fact that Gordon was on a Greek terrorist squad -- but I had one major concern with the focus on him. It essentially was the same sexual situation over and over. He met a girl, seduced her, they had sex, and then the girl/teacher/friend was either suspended from school, fired, or dumped as quickly as her relationship with Gordon ignited. It was basically the same sexual conquest in every chapter, only with a different setting and time (the book jumps from Gordon and Shelly's childhood until their senior year in high school). He was an interesting character, but I think the author could have shown his many sexual conquests -- which were true to life of the real Lord Byron -- in different ways.
Keats is barely in the story. He narrates and explains things, adding in small little quirks that the readers will smirk at. He "writes" the story as it is explained in the prologue, but other than that is barely in the story. Most of the scenes are about Shelly, Gordon, and Gordon's many women. He barely has a purpose in the story other than to tell it, and his resource for getting the information is contrived. He supposedly got the information from a drunk Shelly over ten hours(!) and the event is mentioned once in the story and then dropped, like the author didn't care. He could have probably been dropped from the story and not much would have changed, or the author could have used third person instead.
I liked the historical details behind the book, and after you read the author's note the events seem much better. The writing is quite fluid and goregous, and I rarely see books about classic novelists in YA. I think that Roth has a chance to improve and when he publishes his next novel I'll be interested in reading it. (It might not be soon, though; he posted on his blog that he had sent a draft to Random House and they had rejected it.)
So some flaws, but a pretty interesting romp through the Romantic Era, with quite a few ties with Romanticism that will remain with readers. I'd recommend it more for history lovers; people less interested in history may get bored, specifically those that know little about Romantic poets (I reccommend reading the author's note first if you don't know much about the Shelleys, Keats, and Byron).
July 18, 2011
I picked this up at the library because this places Byron, Shelley, and Keats in a modern high school, which reminded me of my friend Janina's work-in-progress.
Keats narrates this tale about the friendship between Gordon Byron, a studly, popular high school student, and Shelly (Michelle Shelly), a beautiful outcast. At the beginning of the story, Byron and Keats are attending Shelly's funeral and stealing the urn of her ashes for purposes yet unknown. Keats then takes us through the entire length of Byron and Shelly's lives to get to how Shelly is dead.
First of all, I was taken aback within the first few pages at how adult the content and writing style of this book was. Byron's sexual escapades are described in such a way that I (a more liberal reader of YA novels) thought this really shouldn't be a young adult book. Byron's nanny, for example, is caught on film masturbating her young charge, but the nanny is fired and the incident hushed up for the family to save face. This sexual abuse, based on the real Byron's life, is never brought up again in the story, and Byron simply moves on to visiting a strip club at age 14 while on a school trip and thus begins his series of sexual conquests. Byron, Shelly, and Byron's half-sister Augusta go skinny dipping several times, as children and as teenagers, and relationships between Byron and several of his female relatives are described without any kind of reason or feeling. Shelly is raped by her drunk father and aborts the resulting pregnancy, and this too is hushed up. All of the sexual relationships are fairly screwed up, and yet the story never delves into any psychological consequences.
Second, I am not sure how familiar a YA audience would be with these figures of literary history. There is a brief biography of the real people the characters are based on, but aside from Frankenstein, I don't think too many teens will be familiar with the works of Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, or Keats.
Third, there is entirely too much telling and not enough showing in this story. The author states in the biography that Keats is the perfect narrator because he is impartial, but this Keats takes impartial to a whole new level - only involved, really, in the storyline where he and Byron steal Shelly's ashes and bring them to a specific place. All the rest is a summary of Byron and Shelly's lives, with absolutely no insight into why the characters behave the way they do, some fairly unbelievable events (for example, Byron becoming an internationally bestselling author at age 15, Byron becoming involved with a Greek terrorist organization, and Shelly becoming involved in a Native American protest) that honestly had little bearing on the characters or plot.
Fans of Byron, Shelley, and Keats might enjoy this one, but I honestly only finished because I feel guilty if I don't finish a book.
Keats narrates this tale about the friendship between Gordon Byron, a studly, popular high school student, and Shelly (Michelle Shelly), a beautiful outcast. At the beginning of the story, Byron and Keats are attending Shelly's funeral and stealing the urn of her ashes for purposes yet unknown. Keats then takes us through the entire length of Byron and Shelly's lives to get to how Shelly is dead.
First of all, I was taken aback within the first few pages at how adult the content and writing style of this book was. Byron's sexual escapades are described in such a way that I (a more liberal reader of YA novels) thought this really shouldn't be a young adult book. Byron's nanny, for example, is caught on film masturbating her young charge, but the nanny is fired and the incident hushed up for the family to save face. This sexual abuse, based on the real Byron's life, is never brought up again in the story, and Byron simply moves on to visiting a strip club at age 14 while on a school trip and thus begins his series of sexual conquests. Byron, Shelly, and Byron's half-sister Augusta go skinny dipping several times, as children and as teenagers, and relationships between Byron and several of his female relatives are described without any kind of reason or feeling. Shelly is raped by her drunk father and aborts the resulting pregnancy, and this too is hushed up. All of the sexual relationships are fairly screwed up, and yet the story never delves into any psychological consequences.
Second, I am not sure how familiar a YA audience would be with these figures of literary history. There is a brief biography of the real people the characters are based on, but aside from Frankenstein, I don't think too many teens will be familiar with the works of Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, or Keats.
Third, there is entirely too much telling and not enough showing in this story. The author states in the biography that Keats is the perfect narrator because he is impartial, but this Keats takes impartial to a whole new level - only involved, really, in the storyline where he and Byron steal Shelly's ashes and bring them to a specific place. All the rest is a summary of Byron and Shelly's lives, with absolutely no insight into why the characters behave the way they do, some fairly unbelievable events (for example, Byron becoming an internationally bestselling author at age 15, Byron becoming involved with a Greek terrorist organization, and Shelly becoming involved in a Native American protest) that honestly had little bearing on the characters or plot.
Fans of Byron, Shelley, and Keats might enjoy this one, but I honestly only finished because I feel guilty if I don't finish a book.
June 5, 2011
If a reader is looking for a book that has it all, this is the one. It's full of consensual incest (brother/sister, cousins), molestation, reckless and crude sexual acts, incestuous rape, porn, and enough sexual experimentation to make me wonder if some of those acts are even possible. Oddly, that wouldn't have annoyed me so much if there was a point. Somewhere within all of this, there was supposed to be a plot. I've finished the book, and I still haven't found it. As a result, I feel like the author simply threw in as much taboo material as possible in hopes that it would carry the entire novel, which is simply poor writing and poor taste. He needs to give his readers (young adult, especially) more credit.
I picked up this book because 1.) I love Byron, Keats, and Shelly, 2.) I found the teenage twist advertised on the book jacket clever, and 3.) it seemed like the plot would have a lot of fun allusions that would keep it moving. Well, the only thing from the book jacket that was true was 1.) Shelly drowns and 2.) Byron and Keats fulfill her last wish by spreading her ashes. Otherwise, this is a book about Gordon Byron, his narcissism and sociopathic tendencies, and his sexual conquests. That's about it. And, those three characteristics are presented so randomly that I found myself wondering on multiple occassions what the point of the story was.
Would I suggest this novel to someone? No. I'm pretty open-minded, and I couldn't even find redeeming value in it. The basic premise of the story is a great idea, but it gets overshadowed with Keats' hidden attraction to Byron as well as the fact that the reader doesn't feel any connection to the three characters - Keats, Byron, and Shelly.
I picked up this book because 1.) I love Byron, Keats, and Shelly, 2.) I found the teenage twist advertised on the book jacket clever, and 3.) it seemed like the plot would have a lot of fun allusions that would keep it moving. Well, the only thing from the book jacket that was true was 1.) Shelly drowns and 2.) Byron and Keats fulfill her last wish by spreading her ashes. Otherwise, this is a book about Gordon Byron, his narcissism and sociopathic tendencies, and his sexual conquests. That's about it. And, those three characteristics are presented so randomly that I found myself wondering on multiple occassions what the point of the story was.
Would I suggest this novel to someone? No. I'm pretty open-minded, and I couldn't even find redeeming value in it. The basic premise of the story is a great idea, but it gets overshadowed with Keats' hidden attraction to Byron as well as the fact that the reader doesn't feel any connection to the three characters - Keats, Byron, and Shelly.
August 26, 2016
I love Romantic poetry. I have always thought that the lives of the Romantic poets would make a good soap opera, or at least a good dramatic novel. So Shelly is a young adult novel written in the spirit of the Romantics that deals with the main ideas of life and death. Instead of anticipating a reenactment of the Romantic poets' lives, just imagine their personalities and characteristics reincarnated in modern day teenagers. True, some of the background of those teenagers and poets are similar, but it's their human personalities and flaws that come out the most in this book. I quite enjoyed the characters. Byron is such a Lord Byron in personality and the story seems to mainly focus on him. The focus is on him mainly because Shelly, his next door neighbor and childhood friend loves him. Byron is a narcissistic playboy with a history and a club foot that he keeps hidden. Byron and Shelly's story is told through Keats, a kind of Nick Caraway of this novel. Keats is poor and aware that he is going to die, just like his parents did and his brother will. It is through his romantic style that the story is told, which makes it all the more interesting for someone who loves Romantic poetry. The story covers some tough topics, which overshadow the characters' lives. There is resolution in the end, though. I enjoyed So Shelly.
April 29, 2011
I love this cover. John Keats and Gordon Byron have little in common. Keats is academic, sensitive and comes from modest means. Bryon is wealthy, suave and his charismatic charm seduces women in abundance. What Keats and Byron share is a friendship with Shelly, a loudspoken, determined, and fiesty young woman. Shelly drowns in a sailing "accident," and these two unlikely teens have been called upon to fulfill Shelly's last wishes. Their adventure begins when they steal Shelly's ashes from her memorial service. As they embark on this journey, they each share their stories of Shelly and her lasting impact. A pseudo love triangle emerges and each guy becomes privy to her secrets she safely guarded. This book's characters are supposedly based on the writers' John Keats, Mary & Percy Shelley, and Lord Byron. I did not realize this until the end of the book. The book is somber, the characters decently developed, and it has an interesting premise. However, I think some parts of this novel could have been omitted, as the path they wandered took away from the overall congruency. Abortion, incest and drug use are included, best for mature teens.
March 3, 2012
I wanted to love this one. I really did, and I liked it...but I didn't love it.
I loved the Romantic Poets and this was an interesting way to spin the lives of historical figures (John Keats, Lord Byron and Percy Shelley) into modern times. Their transformation into three high school students was just amazing and very well done.
So Shelly definitely brings back the spirit of Romanticism. The characters were well describe and the plot... well the plot is not only graphic but destructive (and a bit boring sometimes, sorry Mr Roth).
There was drugs, sex, pedophilia, incest, suicide, teen pregnancy, abortion and every kind of hurt you ever felt.
I think that this book would be a great movie.
If you like the Romantic Poets, give this one a try.
"...Learn to deal with the truth of dying, and you´ll experience the awesomeness of living. Death and love are real. That´s all I know on earth, and all I need to know.
I loved the Romantic Poets and this was an interesting way to spin the lives of historical figures (John Keats, Lord Byron and Percy Shelley) into modern times. Their transformation into three high school students was just amazing and very well done.
So Shelly definitely brings back the spirit of Romanticism. The characters were well describe and the plot... well the plot is not only graphic but destructive (and a bit boring sometimes, sorry Mr Roth).
There was drugs, sex, pedophilia, incest, suicide, teen pregnancy, abortion and every kind of hurt you ever felt.
I think that this book would be a great movie.
If you like the Romantic Poets, give this one a try.
"...Learn to deal with the truth of dying, and you´ll experience the awesomeness of living. Death and love are real. That´s all I know on earth, and all I need to know.
March 11, 2011
This book mingled the lives of the poets of Romanticism--Keats, Byron and Shelley--and remade them into modern-day highschool students. The writing was good, but I never wanted to know that much about their lives. Lots of abuse, mainly of the sexual sort, and every variety of that.
Please understand that this is a personal reaction, not literary criticism. I am sure that there will be many readers who have no problem with the actions and situations depicted in this book, but I'm not one of them. In fact, the only reason I finished skimming the book was because I received it through an ARC sharing blog, and I agree to review all the books I sign up for. I won't be recommending this book to anyone, but I doubt the people that come to me for book reviews will feel they've missed out. *Shrugs* That's just how it goes.
Please understand that this is a personal reaction, not literary criticism. I am sure that there will be many readers who have no problem with the actions and situations depicted in this book, but I'm not one of them. In fact, the only reason I finished skimming the book was because I received it through an ARC sharing blog, and I agree to review all the books I sign up for. I won't be recommending this book to anyone, but I doubt the people that come to me for book reviews will feel they've missed out. *Shrugs* That's just how it goes.
June 4, 2011
The story was interesting, and there was some great potential, but an overall lack of connection really plagued it from being a great read. All of the incest, frank looks at sex, and the writing set it up for something literary - and indeed, I'd say fans of literary fiction may possibly enjoy this more - but it ultimately felt disconnected. Keats as a narrator doesn't have much emotional purchase behind the story. Byron is an utter douche canoe that you hate and you hate hating him, too. Shelly is tragic and interesting, but her Byron obsession just goes off the walls. There was so much stuff that was off-the-walls and could have made for a stunning and emotionally taxing read...but it just didn't connect enough to do that. I'll be interested to see what Ty Roth tries to do next.
May 4, 2011
I just did not like the melodramatic mood that this was written with. And I'm sorry but if the creative reproductions of some of literature's famous poets are going to be portrayed in some overly dramatic sulky way, I don't think I'm going to enjoy this.
Sorry.
Sorry.
April 21, 2011
Wow. What a smart and evocative book. Not for you if you want a fluffy read (which I sometimes want), but perfect if you are ready to dig into a well-written, well-researched, inventive book that doesn't shy away from tough stuff. Well done!
May 7, 2011
So I'm just gonna get this out of the way right now. This entire book felt familiar to me because of a song by a band called Better than Ezra entitled "A Lifetime." Lyrics go like this:
So, this book isn't a complete portrait of those lyrics but the basic storyline is rather similar. I love this author because when I looked in the acknowledgements he credited Better than Ezra and REM as inspiration for the book. Ty Roth is just that cool! So, this book is a modernization of the relationship between John Keats, Mary/Percy Shelly (who has been condensed into one character, Michelle 'Shelly' Shelley) and George Gordon Byron. At the beginning of the novel (which is narrated by Keats) we first meet Keats and Byron after Shelly has committed suicide and they are attempting to steal her ashes to carry out her final wish. Shelly wanted her ashes spread on the beach of an island where she used to play as a kid, with an REM song playing on her boombox while they did it. Keats and Byron were only connected through Shelly and were NOT friends on their own. Keats is poor, Byron is rich. Keats is conservative and Byron is extremely debaucherous. If they weren't doing this for Shelly they'd have no reason to hang out at all. As the novel progresses we find out a lot of Byron and Shelly's backstory because it seems that she told Keats almost everything that ever happened to them - he was a confidante. Further into the book you find out that there was one very important thing that she DID NOT tell Keats. This book is all about coming to terms with death and the consequences of living the way they have chosen to live. I really liked this book and it was extremely well written. I admire that the author was able to take such firmly established real-life literary personalities and make them modern in a believable way. I gave this four stars because at times I felt majorly detached from the characters and unable to care for them - I'm unsure if that was because of Keats' narration or because of the way they were written. I would recommend this to anyone that loves literature or a good mystery/journey book.
I had to cast this one, so here it goes:
Nina Dobrev as Michelle 'Shelly' Shelley
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Jeremy Sumpter as George 'Gordon' Byron
Brendan Robinson as John Keats
Nicolas Cage as Mr. Shelley (mainly cause I don't like him!)
Victoria Principal as Catherine Byron (Gordon's Mother)
Evan Rachel Wood as Augusta Byron (Gordon's Sister)
Michelle Pfeiffer as Mary Jane Clairmont Shelley (Shelly's Stepmother)
Camilla Belle as Claire Clairmont
Hayley Hasselhoff as Tammy Jo "Hogg"
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Cody Gomes as Neolin
Vanessa Hudgens as Zoe
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These are the only ones I really thought were important enough to cast because there were SO MANY CHARACTERS!!! So please read the book and enjoy! Any comments you can leave below.
Allie woke up 8AM
Graduation day.
Got into a car,
And crashed along the way.
When we arrived late to the wake,
Stole the urn while they
Looked away,
And drove to the beach
'Cause I knew you'd want it
That way.
And you were standing
On the hood of the car
Singing out loud
When the sun came up.
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes
Felt like a lifetime
It felt like a lifetime
And you move like water
I could drown in you.
And I fell so deep once,
Till you pulled me through
You would tell me
"No one is allowed to be so proud
They never reach out
When they're giving up."
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes
Felt like a lifetime
Are you sitting in the lights?
Or combing your hair again,
And talking in rhymes?
Are you sitting in the lights?
When I got home, heard the phone,
Your parents had arrived.
And your dad set his jaw
Your mom just smiled and sighed.
But they left soon
And I went to my room.
Played that disc that you'd given me,
And I shut my eyes
Swear I could hear the sea.
When we were standing
On the hood of your car
Singing out loud when the sun came up.
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes,
Three and a half minutes,
Felt like a lifetime.
So, this book isn't a complete portrait of those lyrics but the basic storyline is rather similar. I love this author because when I looked in the acknowledgements he credited Better than Ezra and REM as inspiration for the book. Ty Roth is just that cool! So, this book is a modernization of the relationship between John Keats, Mary/Percy Shelly (who has been condensed into one character, Michelle 'Shelly' Shelley) and George Gordon Byron. At the beginning of the novel (which is narrated by Keats) we first meet Keats and Byron after Shelly has committed suicide and they are attempting to steal her ashes to carry out her final wish. Shelly wanted her ashes spread on the beach of an island where she used to play as a kid, with an REM song playing on her boombox while they did it. Keats and Byron were only connected through Shelly and were NOT friends on their own. Keats is poor, Byron is rich. Keats is conservative and Byron is extremely debaucherous. If they weren't doing this for Shelly they'd have no reason to hang out at all. As the novel progresses we find out a lot of Byron and Shelly's backstory because it seems that she told Keats almost everything that ever happened to them - he was a confidante. Further into the book you find out that there was one very important thing that she DID NOT tell Keats. This book is all about coming to terms with death and the consequences of living the way they have chosen to live. I really liked this book and it was extremely well written. I admire that the author was able to take such firmly established real-life literary personalities and make them modern in a believable way. I gave this four stars because at times I felt majorly detached from the characters and unable to care for them - I'm unsure if that was because of Keats' narration or because of the way they were written. I would recommend this to anyone that loves literature or a good mystery/journey book.
I had to cast this one, so here it goes:
Nina Dobrev as Michelle 'Shelly' Shelley
Jeremy Sumpter as George 'Gordon' Byron
Brendan Robinson as John Keats
Nicolas Cage as Mr. Shelley (mainly cause I don't like him!)
Victoria Principal as Catherine Byron (Gordon's Mother)
Evan Rachel Wood as Augusta Byron (Gordon's Sister)
Michelle Pfeiffer as Mary Jane Clairmont Shelley (Shelly's Stepmother)
Camilla Belle as Claire Clairmont
Hayley Hasselhoff as Tammy Jo "Hogg"
Cody Gomes as Neolin
Vanessa Hudgens as Zoe
[image error]
These are the only ones I really thought were important enough to cast because there were SO MANY CHARACTERS!!! So please read the book and enjoy! Any comments you can leave below.
September 6, 2022
lo sentí un poco lento pero en si la trama me gustó y el final fue algo agradable. Me costó un poco terminarlo porque sentía que la historia iba medio lenta
Pero dentro de lo que cabe, estuvo bien
Pero dentro de lo que cabe, estuvo bien
Read
July 21, 2012From my blog refutingtheintolerablystupid.wordpress.com...
Romantic poets have regaled readers with their enchanting words for ages. But I think that some of their most intriguing stories are the ones they don't tell- the ones about the lives that these poets led outside of their poetry.
Ty Roth’s novel, So Shelly, takes the lives of the Shelley, Byron and Keats and recreates them as modern day teenagers living on the shores of Lake Erie.
Narrated by one John Keats, a quietly talented writer preoccupied with his inevitable and looming death, So Shelly follows the romantic adventure that Keats finds himself amidst, along side George Gordon Byron, or more simply, Gordon. Held up on the highest pedestal that I’ve ever heard of is Gordon Byron, a young, fit, talented and too-beautiful-for-his-own-good teenaged writing prodigy. Keats has never come anywhere close to understanding the tsunami that is Gordon. That is, until the death of their mutual friend Michelle "Shelly" Shelley, who suddenly dies on a mysterious boating accident.
In an effort to grant Shelly's last wishes, Keats and Gordon steal her ashes and begin their journey to the island on Lake Erie where she passed away. All at once, Keats dives head first into secrets of Shelley's uncommon and sometimes scary past. He learns things about Shelley that only Gordon knows, while Gordon learns things that only Keats knows. Together, they attempt to piece together the broken fragments of Shelly's short life, all the while trying to make sense of it.
If I were to see this book sitting on a shelf at a bookstore, I almost certainly would not have picked it up. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover (which I try very hard not to do) but, alas, my subconscious is unaware of this bookish rule. Anyways, I probably would not have chosen it, but thank God for Amazon because I am oh so glad I did.
So Shelly is one of those keen reads that makes you think a lot about what you are reading and its implications. It is not exactly easy to read, like many Young Adult novels. Rather, it challenges you to think about family and life, and how nothing is always easy. It opened up my mind to beautiful things, and to awful things. But that's what life is made up of, right? The Beautiful and the Awful and everything in between. So it wasn't always fun to read, but it was important and essential. Sometimes you can read a book and absorb it without thinking too much. It's simple, in that way. This is not that book. You have to think, and contemplate, and remember, and figure things out. So much thinking.
And that is why I love it! It forces you outside of your thinking comfort zone, making you confront aggressive topics that the average teenager shouldn't have to face, but sometimes must.
The characters are both attractive and upsetting, and it's hard to decide whether or not you like them. The story is constant and always developing and full of surprises and twists. So Shelly lacks the lightheartedness of some Young Adult novels, but it more than makes up for it due to the precise and beautiful storytelling and the intriguing journey of its characters. While Keats and Gordon strive to discover more about Shelley and themselves, you learn about yourself.
And I think that's what reading a book should be about. It should be about discovering who you are.
Romantic poets have regaled readers with their enchanting words for ages. But I think that some of their most intriguing stories are the ones they don't tell- the ones about the lives that these poets led outside of their poetry.
Ty Roth’s novel, So Shelly, takes the lives of the Shelley, Byron and Keats and recreates them as modern day teenagers living on the shores of Lake Erie.
Narrated by one John Keats, a quietly talented writer preoccupied with his inevitable and looming death, So Shelly follows the romantic adventure that Keats finds himself amidst, along side George Gordon Byron, or more simply, Gordon. Held up on the highest pedestal that I’ve ever heard of is Gordon Byron, a young, fit, talented and too-beautiful-for-his-own-good teenaged writing prodigy. Keats has never come anywhere close to understanding the tsunami that is Gordon. That is, until the death of their mutual friend Michelle "Shelly" Shelley, who suddenly dies on a mysterious boating accident.
In an effort to grant Shelly's last wishes, Keats and Gordon steal her ashes and begin their journey to the island on Lake Erie where she passed away. All at once, Keats dives head first into secrets of Shelley's uncommon and sometimes scary past. He learns things about Shelley that only Gordon knows, while Gordon learns things that only Keats knows. Together, they attempt to piece together the broken fragments of Shelly's short life, all the while trying to make sense of it.
If I were to see this book sitting on a shelf at a bookstore, I almost certainly would not have picked it up. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover (which I try very hard not to do) but, alas, my subconscious is unaware of this bookish rule. Anyways, I probably would not have chosen it, but thank God for Amazon because I am oh so glad I did.
So Shelly is one of those keen reads that makes you think a lot about what you are reading and its implications. It is not exactly easy to read, like many Young Adult novels. Rather, it challenges you to think about family and life, and how nothing is always easy. It opened up my mind to beautiful things, and to awful things. But that's what life is made up of, right? The Beautiful and the Awful and everything in between. So it wasn't always fun to read, but it was important and essential. Sometimes you can read a book and absorb it without thinking too much. It's simple, in that way. This is not that book. You have to think, and contemplate, and remember, and figure things out. So much thinking.
And that is why I love it! It forces you outside of your thinking comfort zone, making you confront aggressive topics that the average teenager shouldn't have to face, but sometimes must.
The characters are both attractive and upsetting, and it's hard to decide whether or not you like them. The story is constant and always developing and full of surprises and twists. So Shelly lacks the lightheartedness of some Young Adult novels, but it more than makes up for it due to the precise and beautiful storytelling and the intriguing journey of its characters. While Keats and Gordon strive to discover more about Shelley and themselves, you learn about yourself.
And I think that's what reading a book should be about. It should be about discovering who you are.
September 7, 2012
I wish there was a 1.5 star option. I saw this in the library and remembered it was an option that I considered when I won a free book a while back, so I picked it up. Cool cover (though I think the lettering was trying to play off another Roth's current popularity), the use of Romantic poets Byron, Shelley, and Keats sounded interesting, and the prologue was well written; I checked it out.
The first third was relatively interesting--in fact, the prologue has the two best lines I've read in a novel thus far this year. We meet Shelly (an amalgam of Percy Shelley and his wife, Mary Shelley), Gordon Byron, and John Keats at Shelly's memorial. Byron and Keats are i nthe process of stealing Shelly's ashes in order to dispose of them in a manner she pre-dictated to Byron (the love of her life). The rest of the book takes us on a journey to discover the past relationship between Shelly and Byron, the genesis of her friendship with Keats, and the twisted pasts they individually faced, all very looslly tied together with the narrative string of Byron and Keats' Excellent Adventure.
Except it wasn't. I enjoyed the fatalistic Keats' interjected data on the facts and figures of death and disfigurement (lol), and found some of Roth's writing to be absolutely lovely and lyrical, particularly in the first third of the book. It's too bad that the writing is so irregular in the last two thirds. One thing that piqued my interest initially was wondering how Roth could possibly make the debauched life of Byron anywhere near appropriate for a YA audience. The answer is: he couldn't. My library does not have this book in the YA section, despite the ages of the (nominal) protagonists, and with good reason. These characters are kids much like John Irving's characters were kids in THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE, meaning not at all. They're jaded forty year olds in kids' clothing, and I found them wholly unbelievable. Their dialogue was stilted and skewed too far to either their elders way of speech, platitudes, or narrative stream. The life of Lord Byron was scandalous and ugly, laced with incest, pedophilia, borderline rape, drug use... you name the debauch and he tried it, as does the Byron of this story. I have kids 18, 16, and 13; I'm not a prudish parent by any means, but I would not consider this appropriate for the youngest, and would barely recommend it to the sixteen year old. It's ugly, and not for kids--can't stress this enough. My hunch is that the author started with an idea to bring the life of Byron et al into the modern world, and probably conceived of this for adults, but YA exploded and that's all she wrote.
More importantly, he gives us as readers absolutely no reason to care whether these kids live or die. We see what they do, but very little of who they are--character development is nearly nil. I can sort of see where he was going by naming this book SO SHELLY and then focusing the narrative on Byron; it's not su much that he is larger than life (which he is), but it's a sort of subtle way of stressing how Byron and Shelly shaped each other. Each created the other in very bad ways (This is not historically accurate, by the way; nor is Keats' relationship with Byron).
I can see Roth's talent, but it's wasted in this book.
The first third was relatively interesting--in fact, the prologue has the two best lines I've read in a novel thus far this year. We meet Shelly (an amalgam of Percy Shelley and his wife, Mary Shelley), Gordon Byron, and John Keats at Shelly's memorial. Byron and Keats are i nthe process of stealing Shelly's ashes in order to dispose of them in a manner she pre-dictated to Byron (the love of her life). The rest of the book takes us on a journey to discover the past relationship between Shelly and Byron, the genesis of her friendship with Keats, and the twisted pasts they individually faced, all very looslly tied together with the narrative string of Byron and Keats' Excellent Adventure.
Except it wasn't. I enjoyed the fatalistic Keats' interjected data on the facts and figures of death and disfigurement (lol), and found some of Roth's writing to be absolutely lovely and lyrical, particularly in the first third of the book. It's too bad that the writing is so irregular in the last two thirds. One thing that piqued my interest initially was wondering how Roth could possibly make the debauched life of Byron anywhere near appropriate for a YA audience. The answer is: he couldn't. My library does not have this book in the YA section, despite the ages of the (nominal) protagonists, and with good reason. These characters are kids much like John Irving's characters were kids in THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE, meaning not at all. They're jaded forty year olds in kids' clothing, and I found them wholly unbelievable. Their dialogue was stilted and skewed too far to either their elders way of speech, platitudes, or narrative stream. The life of Lord Byron was scandalous and ugly, laced with incest, pedophilia, borderline rape, drug use... you name the debauch and he tried it, as does the Byron of this story. I have kids 18, 16, and 13; I'm not a prudish parent by any means, but I would not consider this appropriate for the youngest, and would barely recommend it to the sixteen year old. It's ugly, and not for kids--can't stress this enough. My hunch is that the author started with an idea to bring the life of Byron et al into the modern world, and probably conceived of this for adults, but YA exploded and that's all she wrote.
More importantly, he gives us as readers absolutely no reason to care whether these kids live or die. We see what they do, but very little of who they are--character development is nearly nil. I can sort of see where he was going by naming this book SO SHELLY and then focusing the narrative on Byron; it's not su much that he is larger than life (which he is), but it's a sort of subtle way of stressing how Byron and Shelly shaped each other. Each created the other in very bad ways (This is not historically accurate, by the way; nor is Keats' relationship with Byron).
I can see Roth's talent, but it's wasted in this book.
April 6, 2011
I just wrote like five paragraphs of a review for this book and my computer decided to jump to another website so you can imagine how pissed off I am right now...I refuse to try and rewrite all of that again. So I'm going to keep this short....
The book was beautifully written, but, took me a very long time to complete, not because it was bad but because it was one of those books that I had to keep going back and re-reading parts when I'd put the book down and pick it back up at a later date to keep reading...It's tragic and definately not a book to read if you are looking for happy, happy, joy, joy...the tone is somber and downright heartbreaking in places....The characters of Shelly & Gordan will haunt me for a long time to come...
The premise to make a book about these literary giants and bring it into the 21 century and have them as teens, was, brilliant and I can totally see this book being examined and studied and debated in upper level English classes as well as first and second year college students English/Literature classes...It's just that type of book....I couldn't have rushed through it if I had wanted too though I must admit that several times I wanted to set it on fire and spread the ashes of the book over the Atlantic Ocean because it was just taking me so long to finish...But, I'm glad I did...The only thing I would caution is that there is a lot of explicit material in it for a YA book and definately not a feel good story...The setting and mood is somber and depressing sprinkled with Gordon's narcissism, Shelly's unstable emotions because of what life had presented her with to be so young and anbiguity within the character of Keats...
I really wish that Shelly didn't end her life though I can see why she felt see needed to in order to find some solace within the hurricane that had been her life...It also proved a lesson that just because people are wealthy i.e. Gordon and Shelly doesn't make them have flawless lives...In some ways their lives were more screwed than Keats, despite the illnesses that plagied his family...
I always thought that if only I were wealthy all of my problems would vanish, but, after reading this I see that money can give you freedom to do whatever you want, but, it certainly does not make one happy at all...
Would I recommend this to others, sure, if you are ready to take on a deep, dark, moody and serious read...If that's not your thing than you probably won't enjoy this book...
Would I read another novel by Mr. Roth...IDK...I would have to actually read what exactly the book was about....if his next book, should he choose to write another, is more optimistic maybe I would try it, but, if it's just as dark as this one...I do not think that I would...I am glad that I finished it because it feels like the darkness and despair of this book is gone now...And other than characters haunting me I feel like I have found light at the end ot the darkness of this read...However, I still want to throw it into the ocean now that I've completed it...
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