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Mira Levenson #1
Artichoke Hearts
Twelve-year-old Mira comes from a chaotic, artistic and outspoken family where it’s not always easy to be heard. As her beloved Nana Josie's health declines, Mira begins to discover the secrets of those around her, and also starts to keep some of her own. She is drawn to mysterious Jidé, a boy who is clearly hiding a troubled past and has grown hardened layers - like those of an artichoke - around his heart. As Mira is experiencing grief for the first time, she is also discovering the wondrous and often mystical world around her.
321 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2011
47 people are currently reading
1217 people want to read
About the author
Sita Brahmachari
32 books97 followersSita was born in Derby in 1966, to an Indian doctor from Kolkata and an English nurse from the Lake District. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Arts Education. Her many projects and writing commissions have been produced in theatres, universities, schools and community groups throughout Britain and America. ARTICHOKE HEARTS is her first novel for young people. Sita lives and works in North London with her husband, three children and a temperamental cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
July 2, 2011
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Cute as a button.And I love buttons.
High Point.
A younger protagonist. Mira is only twelve and at first I thought it was going to be really difficult to relate to her, but she was such a glorious narrator…. But I’ll gush later on. Family! Hometown glory! First crushes. Best friends. Grief and morality. Learning. Writing. Diversity. Metaphors. Amazing teachers (I would stand on a chair for Pat Print). Cute siblings. Grandmas!
Low Points.
“The main thing about me is whenever I go to say something in class I blush up bright red so that before I’ve even opened my mouth, everyone knows how embarrassed I am, and after that I just clam up and lose the will to live.”
Seriously, it’s like Ms Brahmachari took that from my Year 7 memories- braces, bobs and over-sized rucksacks - and published it. It was so easy to relate to Mira and even though it was great writing… it did make me uneasy to remember how much of a loser I am. Um… was. How much of a loser I was.
I also would have liked to have Mira’s Indian and Jewish heritage explored a bit more. It would have been fascinating to really understand how this issue of multi-culturalism affected her day-to-day life. I respected how the book didn’t choose to focus completely on ethnicity because this book is all about dealing with grief and growing up, no matter what race you are.
But I would still have liked to find out more about it… because I’m nosey.
Heroine
I absolutely adored Mira. In real life she was so shy and bumbling and it was so endearing that my heart nearly broke every time she tried to say something in class but couldn’t find the words and/or confidence. BUT…. When she was writing her diary she was passionate. She was confident. She was funny. She was so sweet when it came to her crush on Jide (but more on that scamp later.) She was intelligent. She was full of sympathy. She wanted to understand what was happening to her grandma and she wasn’t afraid to ask questions that didn’t have simple actions.
So imagine my delight when the two sides of Mira merged into one and she remained humble and still a little shy but capable of standing up for herself and finding her own voice.
This was a true bildungsroman (Been looking for a chance to get that in one of these reviews sooner or later) and the characterisation of Mira was so perfect and honest and I loved that Brahmachari didn’t shy away from all the gory bits of a girl growing up (I’ll let you use your imagination.)
Love Interest.
Oh Jide. You little flirt. You are only twelve years old but I know you are going to break a few hearts when you grow up. Hopefully not Mira’s though…. Or else.
I liked to imagine that Jide is the mysterious loner boy in all these YA books only five years earlier. (Jide won’t become one of them though… I have faith he’ll see the light and remain awesome) . He’s a cheeky scamp who hides his intelligence and goofs around in class because it’s, like, totally lame to be clever in school, right?
But he has a sense of vulnerability about him, especially when you learn more about him and his history.
AND he goes to after-school writing classes and treats Mira with respect. YES.
These broody, mysterious loners have a lot to learn from Jide Jackson.
Nana.
I feel like Nana Josie needs a subtitle of her own, seeing as the book wouldn’t exist without her and she is that awesome. Nana is the coolest grandma ever.. well, except from mine. She is a hippy that never got over it. She wears vintage clothes. She’s spiritual. She’s sassy. She’s a flirt. She’s independent. She’s a twitcher. She doesn’t let the fact that she has cancer slow her down in the slightest. She is such an advocate for people to shake off their inhibitions, discover that their voice does need to be heard and to live life to the fullest.
And if that isn’t a message we should be teaching twelve year old girls, I don’t know what is.
Bravo Nana Josie!
Theme Tune.
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N- Noah and the Whale.
I was really struggling to find a song for this one… and I’m still not a hundred per cent I’ve made the right choice. (There was part of me that wanted to choose a poem instead because I was feeling CRAZY.)
But I love this song and if you ignore the verses, this song really conveys the message that Nana Josie has been trying to teach Mira at throughout the book.
Angst Scale.
8/10. This book doesn’t tread lightly around the inevitability of death and a lot of the passages are quite heavy going. But I think even though I think it’s important to not scare the living crap out of kids about things like this, it is of equal importance to not wrap them in cotton wool and dumb things down so they are condescending. For a book with such a young protagonist and a target audience that is much younger than the YA books I normally read, this book deals with death with a unique maturity and sensitivity that other books seriously lack. Really well-done.
There are so many other little side stories with the secondary characters that, even though subtle, are so heart-wrenching. But I’ll let you find out them yourselves.
Recommended For.
People who are on the ‘Y’ side of ‘YA’…but also people who don’t mind reading books with a younger protagonist. People who were always too shy to speak up in class. People who remember what first crushes were all about. People who wish more teachers set up writing-classes to get kids excited about literature. People who like books that deal with death and grief with maturity. People who have kick ass, fearless grandmas. People who like diversity. People who can draw. People who enjoy it when vegetables are used to convey a metaphor.
Cute as a button.And I love buttons.
High Point.
A younger protagonist. Mira is only twelve and at first I thought it was going to be really difficult to relate to her, but she was such a glorious narrator…. But I’ll gush later on. Family! Hometown glory! First crushes. Best friends. Grief and morality. Learning. Writing. Diversity. Metaphors. Amazing teachers (I would stand on a chair for Pat Print). Cute siblings. Grandmas!
Low Points.
“The main thing about me is whenever I go to say something in class I blush up bright red so that before I’ve even opened my mouth, everyone knows how embarrassed I am, and after that I just clam up and lose the will to live.”
Seriously, it’s like Ms Brahmachari took that from my Year 7 memories- braces, bobs and over-sized rucksacks - and published it. It was so easy to relate to Mira and even though it was great writing… it did make me uneasy to remember how much of a loser I am. Um… was. How much of a loser I was.
I also would have liked to have Mira’s Indian and Jewish heritage explored a bit more. It would have been fascinating to really understand how this issue of multi-culturalism affected her day-to-day life. I respected how the book didn’t choose to focus completely on ethnicity because this book is all about dealing with grief and growing up, no matter what race you are.
But I would still have liked to find out more about it… because I’m nosey.
Heroine
I absolutely adored Mira. In real life she was so shy and bumbling and it was so endearing that my heart nearly broke every time she tried to say something in class but couldn’t find the words and/or confidence. BUT…. When she was writing her diary she was passionate. She was confident. She was funny. She was so sweet when it came to her crush on Jide (but more on that scamp later.) She was intelligent. She was full of sympathy. She wanted to understand what was happening to her grandma and she wasn’t afraid to ask questions that didn’t have simple actions.
So imagine my delight when the two sides of Mira merged into one and she remained humble and still a little shy but capable of standing up for herself and finding her own voice.
This was a true bildungsroman (Been looking for a chance to get that in one of these reviews sooner or later) and the characterisation of Mira was so perfect and honest and I loved that Brahmachari didn’t shy away from all the gory bits of a girl growing up (I’ll let you use your imagination.)
Love Interest.
Oh Jide. You little flirt. You are only twelve years old but I know you are going to break a few hearts when you grow up. Hopefully not Mira’s though…. Or else.
I liked to imagine that Jide is the mysterious loner boy in all these YA books only five years earlier. (Jide won’t become one of them though… I have faith he’ll see the light and remain awesome) . He’s a cheeky scamp who hides his intelligence and goofs around in class because it’s, like, totally lame to be clever in school, right?
But he has a sense of vulnerability about him, especially when you learn more about him and his history.
AND he goes to after-school writing classes and treats Mira with respect. YES.
These broody, mysterious loners have a lot to learn from Jide Jackson.
Nana.
I feel like Nana Josie needs a subtitle of her own, seeing as the book wouldn’t exist without her and she is that awesome. Nana is the coolest grandma ever.. well, except from mine. She is a hippy that never got over it. She wears vintage clothes. She’s spiritual. She’s sassy. She’s a flirt. She’s independent. She’s a twitcher. She doesn’t let the fact that she has cancer slow her down in the slightest. She is such an advocate for people to shake off their inhibitions, discover that their voice does need to be heard and to live life to the fullest.
And if that isn’t a message we should be teaching twelve year old girls, I don’t know what is.
Bravo Nana Josie!
Theme Tune.
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N- Noah and the Whale.
I was really struggling to find a song for this one… and I’m still not a hundred per cent I’ve made the right choice. (There was part of me that wanted to choose a poem instead because I was feeling CRAZY.)
But I love this song and if you ignore the verses, this song really conveys the message that Nana Josie has been trying to teach Mira at throughout the book.
Angst Scale.
8/10. This book doesn’t tread lightly around the inevitability of death and a lot of the passages are quite heavy going. But I think even though I think it’s important to not scare the living crap out of kids about things like this, it is of equal importance to not wrap them in cotton wool and dumb things down so they are condescending. For a book with such a young protagonist and a target audience that is much younger than the YA books I normally read, this book deals with death with a unique maturity and sensitivity that other books seriously lack. Really well-done.
There are so many other little side stories with the secondary characters that, even though subtle, are so heart-wrenching. But I’ll let you find out them yourselves.
Recommended For.
People who are on the ‘Y’ side of ‘YA’…but also people who don’t mind reading books with a younger protagonist. People who were always too shy to speak up in class. People who remember what first crushes were all about. People who wish more teachers set up writing-classes to get kids excited about literature. People who like books that deal with death and grief with maturity. People who have kick ass, fearless grandmas. People who like diversity. People who can draw. People who enjoy it when vegetables are used to convey a metaphor.
December 15, 2012
Artichoke Hearts is a book that I had been meaning to get around to reading since I heard about it (which was quite a long time ago!). To be honest, at first look I wasn't expecting all that much - the cover seemed a little 'young' and the blurb just sounded average. However, once I saw the amount of positive attention that the book was receiving, I really wanted to check it out. This book was still much better than expected!
This story is not only about our protagonist, 12 year old Mira, but also about everyone around her. Though I would say that this is probably aimed towards teenagers or the younger group of YA readers, it actually deals with a huge amount of issues There are a lot of typical teenage worries explored in this book, in a very connectable way - younger teens may be able to relate with some of Mira's problems, where as the slightly older readers will probably look back with some sort of memory of what it was like to be a Mira's age. Brahmachari has been very successful with her portrayal of a twelve year old girl and it was great to read about an Indian/Jewish character, someone with a cultural history, without that being the main subject of the book. Whoever you are and wherever you live, I think that a lot of people will be able to connect with her. Our protagonist does seem like a real, tangible person, her thoughts and feelings are very realistic. Alongside these usual teen worries, the author also included some more serious problems - such as grief and the loss of loved ones, subjects that are really hard hitting.
We do go on a 'journey' with Mira as she experiences new feelings and goes through a major life event, losing one of the most important people to her, her Nana Josie. We're introduced to a lot of different characters in this book and all of them seem authentic and likeable. I became truly immersed in Mira's world and found myself caring for everyone through their troubles, wishing I could give them a hug! I honestly felt as though I could read a separate book for each character - they all had such substance and history, especially the fantastically intriguing Nana Josie who we get to learn so much about.
I wasn't expecting this to be such a coming of age novel, but I'm so glad that it was - I was very impressed and will certainly be reading more by the very talented Brahmachari in the future. This is one of the best 'younger' young adult books that I have read and would certainly recommend it to any teenager.
This story is not only about our protagonist, 12 year old Mira, but also about everyone around her. Though I would say that this is probably aimed towards teenagers or the younger group of YA readers, it actually deals with a huge amount of issues There are a lot of typical teenage worries explored in this book, in a very connectable way - younger teens may be able to relate with some of Mira's problems, where as the slightly older readers will probably look back with some sort of memory of what it was like to be a Mira's age. Brahmachari has been very successful with her portrayal of a twelve year old girl and it was great to read about an Indian/Jewish character, someone with a cultural history, without that being the main subject of the book. Whoever you are and wherever you live, I think that a lot of people will be able to connect with her. Our protagonist does seem like a real, tangible person, her thoughts and feelings are very realistic. Alongside these usual teen worries, the author also included some more serious problems - such as grief and the loss of loved ones, subjects that are really hard hitting.
We do go on a 'journey' with Mira as she experiences new feelings and goes through a major life event, losing one of the most important people to her, her Nana Josie. We're introduced to a lot of different characters in this book and all of them seem authentic and likeable. I became truly immersed in Mira's world and found myself caring for everyone through their troubles, wishing I could give them a hug! I honestly felt as though I could read a separate book for each character - they all had such substance and history, especially the fantastically intriguing Nana Josie who we get to learn so much about.
I wasn't expecting this to be such a coming of age novel, but I'm so glad that it was - I was very impressed and will certainly be reading more by the very talented Brahmachari in the future. This is one of the best 'younger' young adult books that I have read and would certainly recommend it to any teenager.
January 3, 2021
A beautiful ending, words can't describe how splendid this book was, it'll take me a lot of time to come out of it,
This book is perfect for girls, who are young but don't come in the YA category, all teens and pre-teens will love this, dealing with issues like periods, this book is a must read :D
This book is perfect for girls, who are young but don't come in the YA category, all teens and pre-teens will love this, dealing with issues like periods, this book is a must read :D
March 20, 2018
"Everything's spinning out of control..."
We follow the life of Mira Levenson as she tries to avoid spreading a simple secret about her mysterious love interest and the rest of her problems that every single woman had encountered throughout the whole book.
January 17, 2011
The story is told from 12 year old Mira’s POV. Before starting to read this one, I was a little unsure about what I was going to think seeing as the main character is younger than most of the characters that I prefer to read about. Artichoke Hearts was a little slow to get started and it took me a couple of chapters until I was really immersed in the story and then, I didn’t want to put it down.
Mira was a lovely character and I found myself liking her so much more than I thought I would. The majority of the book is told from entries in Mira’s diary, part of the writing class that she is a part of at school. The only chapter that isn’t is the first and that gives a quick run through of what is happening. For a 12 year old, Mira was extremely articulate and I found her beautifully written voice wonderful to follow. At times, it was like a young adult was writing this diary and I found myself forgetting that she was 12 years old at some points. What I really liked about Mira was that she was very in touch with who she was, even though she really didn’t show it to many people. You could tell when Mira was really comfortable with someone, like her Nana, because then you got to see a really special side to her.
Knowing that her Nana Josie is dying, Mira has quite a lot to deal with to begin with. Being 12, she has hormones all over the place, crushes on boys (or one boy in this case) and is trying to find the confidence to be who she really is around everyone else. I really enjoyed the way that Mira expressed herself in her diary and lets the reader deep into her life. Her interactions with family and friends was entertaining but also gives a look into different family dynamics and how people cope with an ill relative. I loved Nana Josie. Even though she knew she was dying, she wanted to make the most of the last of her days. She wasn’t about to let anyone tell her no when she wanted to do something and had such a strong personality. It was also good to be able to see how she acted around other people, especially family members who knew how ill she was. I wasn’t expecting this to be a coming of age story but as well as that, Artichoke Hearts is sad, funny and heart-warming all at the same time.
The younger characters in Artichoke Hearts were all very interesting and different. Mira’s best friend Millie isn’t really like her at all but she is always there no matter what. I did find a couple of things about their friendship strange and maybe you will feel the same if you read this book, until then though, I don’t want to give too much away about why. Jidé and Ben, the two boys in the writing class, who are also best friends were great characters. I loved how different they were and how they managed to add a lot of humour to the story. Also, I could see something really special in both boys, making them really adorable and likable.
Artichoke Hearts is so much more than I could have ever imagined. Apart from the initial slow start, I really enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it!
Mira was a lovely character and I found myself liking her so much more than I thought I would. The majority of the book is told from entries in Mira’s diary, part of the writing class that she is a part of at school. The only chapter that isn’t is the first and that gives a quick run through of what is happening. For a 12 year old, Mira was extremely articulate and I found her beautifully written voice wonderful to follow. At times, it was like a young adult was writing this diary and I found myself forgetting that she was 12 years old at some points. What I really liked about Mira was that she was very in touch with who she was, even though she really didn’t show it to many people. You could tell when Mira was really comfortable with someone, like her Nana, because then you got to see a really special side to her.
Knowing that her Nana Josie is dying, Mira has quite a lot to deal with to begin with. Being 12, she has hormones all over the place, crushes on boys (or one boy in this case) and is trying to find the confidence to be who she really is around everyone else. I really enjoyed the way that Mira expressed herself in her diary and lets the reader deep into her life. Her interactions with family and friends was entertaining but also gives a look into different family dynamics and how people cope with an ill relative. I loved Nana Josie. Even though she knew she was dying, she wanted to make the most of the last of her days. She wasn’t about to let anyone tell her no when she wanted to do something and had such a strong personality. It was also good to be able to see how she acted around other people, especially family members who knew how ill she was. I wasn’t expecting this to be a coming of age story but as well as that, Artichoke Hearts is sad, funny and heart-warming all at the same time.
The younger characters in Artichoke Hearts were all very interesting and different. Mira’s best friend Millie isn’t really like her at all but she is always there no matter what. I did find a couple of things about their friendship strange and maybe you will feel the same if you read this book, until then though, I don’t want to give too much away about why. Jidé and Ben, the two boys in the writing class, who are also best friends were great characters. I loved how different they were and how they managed to add a lot of humour to the story. Also, I could see something really special in both boys, making them really adorable and likable.
Artichoke Hearts is so much more than I could have ever imagined. Apart from the initial slow start, I really enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it!
September 12, 2016
Artichoke Hearts centres around the life of 12-year-old Mira Levenson as she reaches the point in her young adult life where she suddenly has to face up to a lot of changes - from her family, her love life and even her own body. Mira narrates her own dealings with facing up to the loss of her dying grandmother, her first period, her first crush and much more.
I will start off by saying I loved the audiobook for this. The narrator was Tania Rodrigues and she did such a great job with each character and she was really, really nice to listen to. She had the excited adolescent voice of Mira, the childish voice of Krish and then the gravelled, older voice of Mira's gran Josie down to a tee. She was great!
This book is diverse with many of its characters from Mira and her family who are Indian-Jewish and range from Mira's dark skin and brown hair to Krish's blonde hair and blue eyes. There's also boys in her class who become friends - Ben who is Nigerian/Irish and then Jide who was adopted from Rwanda after the genocide. There was a huge range in the types of people with this book and I really felt like it showed what living in England and particularly near London is like today with multicultural societies.
I loved hearing about how Mira dealt with her first period and that it wasn't just skimmed over. There were a few chapters over the course of a couple of days where she obviously still had and was still dealing with it - I particularly loved when she was in school and had to go to the bathroom between every class to make sure she wasn't leaking - so realistic and relatable, I was the exact same.
Mira's blossoming relationship with Jide is literally the cutest thing ever. It's total innocence and they are both SO cute around each other - particularly when they sent all the text kisses to each other. Cute cute cute!!!!
I would totally recommend this book for anyone looking for something cute to read and something really relatable to your own pre-teen life. I love Mira and can't wait to continue on with her story.
I will start off by saying I loved the audiobook for this. The narrator was Tania Rodrigues and she did such a great job with each character and she was really, really nice to listen to. She had the excited adolescent voice of Mira, the childish voice of Krish and then the gravelled, older voice of Mira's gran Josie down to a tee. She was great!
This book is diverse with many of its characters from Mira and her family who are Indian-Jewish and range from Mira's dark skin and brown hair to Krish's blonde hair and blue eyes. There's also boys in her class who become friends - Ben who is Nigerian/Irish and then Jide who was adopted from Rwanda after the genocide. There was a huge range in the types of people with this book and I really felt like it showed what living in England and particularly near London is like today with multicultural societies.
I loved hearing about how Mira dealt with her first period and that it wasn't just skimmed over. There were a few chapters over the course of a couple of days where she obviously still had and was still dealing with it - I particularly loved when she was in school and had to go to the bathroom between every class to make sure she wasn't leaking - so realistic and relatable, I was the exact same.
Mira's blossoming relationship with Jide is literally the cutest thing ever. It's total innocence and they are both SO cute around each other - particularly when they sent all the text kisses to each other. Cute cute cute!!!!
I would totally recommend this book for anyone looking for something cute to read and something really relatable to your own pre-teen life. I love Mira and can't wait to continue on with her story.
January 3, 2021
Téma vyrovnávania sa so smrťou, vzťahu medzi vnučkou a starou mamou - veľmi fajn.
Celkovo však pomerne priemerná YA, na ktorú človek aj napriek naliehavejšej téme rýchlo zabudne.
Celkovo však pomerne priemerná YA, na ktorú človek aj napriek naliehavejšej téme rýchlo zabudne.
July 22, 2011
I didn't really like this book; not that it wasn't well-written or anything, it's just...well, let me put it this way: I received it in December, read halfway through, got bored, put it down and have only just finished it. I think it was mainly because I didn't like Mira all that much (at least at first) and I get the feeling that had I read it when I was the same age as Mira it would be one of my favourite, most touching books. But I didn't and it wasn't, although I would strongly recommend it for girls Mira’s age – 10-13 year olds – as they will be going through the same experiences of starting secondary school, having their first period, experiencing their first love (though I really feel she was a bit too young to have a boyfriend and felt uncomfortable reading about snogging between two twelve year olds, even if they acted much older and you often forget that they are only in Year 7).
However, when I recently picked it back up, the story grew on me, quite a bit. It’s still not my favourite book, but for me, it definitely improved a great deal and I warmed to Mira a lot more – at first I thought she moaned a bit too much about her life and that it wasn't really ‘spinning out of control’ as proclaimed, but I soon warmed to her, and began to appreciate what she was going through, especially having gone through similar experiences myself. By the end, I saw why it won the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2011, though it still isn't my 'cup of tea'.
There were some very good things about it - the cover, for instance is literally stunning and there were parts of the story that I loved, like the subtle symbolisms - Pat Print as a guardian angel - and the impressive insight featured in the book. It was an extremely poignant novel, delicately handling (though perhaps a bit too delicately - the characters don't tend to show a lot of emotion) the death of Nana Josie, with the lovely underlying message that death is a time for hope and celebration, not sorrow and grief; and you could really feel Mira’s pain at having to watch her beloved grandma slip away more and more each day. I also began to see why Josie was so beloved by all - she was fun, wise and extraordinary, someone I would be privileged to know in real life. This is a inspirational, touching and thought-provoking novel that will really stay with you after you turn the last page, whether you liked it or not.
However, when I recently picked it back up, the story grew on me, quite a bit. It’s still not my favourite book, but for me, it definitely improved a great deal and I warmed to Mira a lot more – at first I thought she moaned a bit too much about her life and that it wasn't really ‘spinning out of control’ as proclaimed, but I soon warmed to her, and began to appreciate what she was going through, especially having gone through similar experiences myself. By the end, I saw why it won the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2011, though it still isn't my 'cup of tea'.
There were some very good things about it - the cover, for instance is literally stunning and there were parts of the story that I loved, like the subtle symbolisms - Pat Print as a guardian angel - and the impressive insight featured in the book. It was an extremely poignant novel, delicately handling (though perhaps a bit too delicately - the characters don't tend to show a lot of emotion) the death of Nana Josie, with the lovely underlying message that death is a time for hope and celebration, not sorrow and grief; and you could really feel Mira’s pain at having to watch her beloved grandma slip away more and more each day. I also began to see why Josie was so beloved by all - she was fun, wise and extraordinary, someone I would be privileged to know in real life. This is a inspirational, touching and thought-provoking novel that will really stay with you after you turn the last page, whether you liked it or not.
March 14, 2012
A beautiful, elegant tribute to love, difference and life; Artichoke Hearts is something really rather special. The debut novel of Sita Brahmachari, narrated by young Mira Levenson, is one of those quietly stunning books that sidles into your heart and won't leave easily.
Told in a first person narrative, we join Mira just as she's about to start attending Literature Club. If that weren't enough to deal with, things are a bit awkward with her best friend, she's getting bullied at school, she's about to have her first period, and her beloved Nana is dying. It is, to put it simply, a fairly difficult time.
Artichoke Hearts covers some hard topics and it's harrowing at points. But what it is, even during those moments when your heart breaks, is a very very beautiful book. Mira is adorable. She's warm, bright, and ridiculously engaging. It's hard to not fall in love with her.
If I sound like I'm gushing, I am. It's a brilliantly good coming-of-age novel. There's a level of simplicity to Brahmachari's prose that is refreshing and ridiculously gorgeous. She writes with a very beautiful precision that, when it comes to the more painful moments, the text can do nothing but cut straight through you. She's not afraid about discussing the issues that matter to teenage girls - periods! boys! spots! - and she's able to present these in such a lovely, warm, empathic manner that you can't help but engage with the characters and will them through the darkness.
I loved this. I loved this so much. Artichoke Hearts is a rarity, such a beautiful and brilliant rarity, and Brahmachari is superb. Nothing more needs to be said.
Told in a first person narrative, we join Mira just as she's about to start attending Literature Club. If that weren't enough to deal with, things are a bit awkward with her best friend, she's getting bullied at school, she's about to have her first period, and her beloved Nana is dying. It is, to put it simply, a fairly difficult time.
Artichoke Hearts covers some hard topics and it's harrowing at points. But what it is, even during those moments when your heart breaks, is a very very beautiful book. Mira is adorable. She's warm, bright, and ridiculously engaging. It's hard to not fall in love with her.
If I sound like I'm gushing, I am. It's a brilliantly good coming-of-age novel. There's a level of simplicity to Brahmachari's prose that is refreshing and ridiculously gorgeous. She writes with a very beautiful precision that, when it comes to the more painful moments, the text can do nothing but cut straight through you. She's not afraid about discussing the issues that matter to teenage girls - periods! boys! spots! - and she's able to present these in such a lovely, warm, empathic manner that you can't help but engage with the characters and will them through the darkness.
I loved this. I loved this so much. Artichoke Hearts is a rarity, such a beautiful and brilliant rarity, and Brahmachari is superb. Nothing more needs to be said.
September 13, 2012
This book won the Waterstone’s Children’s book prize for 2011, and in my opinion it was well deserved. This book is about two wonderful love stories, that of Mira Levenson and her grandmother Josie (very much the heart and strength of this book), and a boy-girl romance. Mira is from a mixed ethic background her father is English and her mother is Indian, and her beloved grandmother Josie is dying of cancer.
Mira’s grandmother is a colourful and well travelled artist, and in preparation for her death is painting her own coffin! Mira has inherited her grandmother's gift for painting and will help with this last exuberant and irreverent work of art.
One of Mira’s teachers asks her, her best friend and the two boys they like to write a journal. Mira certainly has a lot to write about, in addition to her grandmother’s imminent death, she starts her period and starts to fall in love with Jide, one of her friends.
This is a really fresh current look at a child from a diverse background, dealing with the death of a loved one, being a girl and, of course, young love. A great read for children in KS2!
Mira’s grandmother is a colourful and well travelled artist, and in preparation for her death is painting her own coffin! Mira has inherited her grandmother's gift for painting and will help with this last exuberant and irreverent work of art.
One of Mira’s teachers asks her, her best friend and the two boys they like to write a journal. Mira certainly has a lot to write about, in addition to her grandmother’s imminent death, she starts her period and starts to fall in love with Jide, one of her friends.
This is a really fresh current look at a child from a diverse background, dealing with the death of a loved one, being a girl and, of course, young love. A great read for children in KS2!
August 11, 2011
This is the first novel by this author. The book deals with many issues: death, love, friendship, loyalty, bullying and family life.
The book lacked a real storyline and I found myself losing interest at times. I felt that the author introduced many issues (see above) and in doing this did not develop the story.
However it was a brave attempt to deal with many sensitive issues and I think many teenagers will enjoy the book. I particularly liked the Grandmother who has cancer and is dying as I liked her enthusiasms for life. I thought the teacher who was giving extra lessons to some of the children at the school was a good attempt at showing how important it is to listen and support teenagers. By providing a more supportive environment one pupil Jide felt able to tell the group about the death of his parents.
The book lacked a real storyline and I found myself losing interest at times. I felt that the author introduced many issues (see above) and in doing this did not develop the story.
However it was a brave attempt to deal with many sensitive issues and I think many teenagers will enjoy the book. I particularly liked the Grandmother who has cancer and is dying as I liked her enthusiasms for life. I thought the teacher who was giving extra lessons to some of the children at the school was a good attempt at showing how important it is to listen and support teenagers. By providing a more supportive environment one pupil Jide felt able to tell the group about the death of his parents.
January 13, 2017
I liked this book a lot. I think that it was very genuine in expressing the troubles of Mira's family as her Nana Josie fights her illness.
I believe that this book shows that everyone has their secrets and that some of those secrets have been bottled up inside of them for as long as they remember. Jidé is my absolute favourite character, along with Laila, which is such a sweet name.
The artichoke heart that Nana Josie gives Mira is the central concept of the book. It fits into everyone's lives. If something bad happens, you shed one of the leaves. I wonder if you do something splendid, you can get the leaf back?
I loved reading this heart warming story and Highly Recommend this book to all Young Adult readers.
I believe that this book shows that everyone has their secrets and that some of those secrets have been bottled up inside of them for as long as they remember. Jidé is my absolute favourite character, along with Laila, which is such a sweet name.
The artichoke heart that Nana Josie gives Mira is the central concept of the book. It fits into everyone's lives. If something bad happens, you shed one of the leaves. I wonder if you do something splendid, you can get the leaf back?
I loved reading this heart warming story and Highly Recommend this book to all Young Adult readers.
October 11, 2016
http://malousesvetknih.blogspot.cz/20...
Tak nějak jsem přemýšlela, proč mě kniha neoslnila na plný počet hvězd.
1. zajímavý příběh
2. dobře se četla
3. celkem dobré myšlenky..
hmhm
Já jsem totiž na ni asi stará! :D Vypravěčce je o 11 let méně než mě, tak asi proto. Chvílema jsem si připadala, že nechápu, co řeší :D Ale celkově to nebylo zlé, jen sem tam moc zdlouhavé s pasážemi o ničem :/
Tak nějak jsem přemýšlela, proč mě kniha neoslnila na plný počet hvězd.
1. zajímavý příběh
2. dobře se četla
3. celkem dobré myšlenky..
hmhm
Já jsem totiž na ni asi stará! :D Vypravěčce je o 11 let méně než mě, tak asi proto. Chvílema jsem si připadala, že nechápu, co řeší :D Ale celkově to nebylo zlé, jen sem tam moc zdlouhavé s pasážemi o ničem :/
April 3, 2016
Nejprve jsem si myslela, že to bude obyčejná knížka o dvanáctileté holce, která řeší takové ty typické problémy dospívajících, které sice nechci zlehčovat, ale číst o nich mě až tolik nebere. Jenomže pak mě to nějak začalo bavit, najednou to mělo myšlenku a zanechalo to ve mně pár otisků, což by knížka měla udělat. Není to tak oddechové, jak by mělo být, ale čte se to dobře. Trochu smutně. :)
February 12, 2012
Those of you who have read my book Words That Start With B and its follow up, Love is a Four-Letter Word will understand why I love Artichoke Hearts. Narrator Mira Levenson could be my narrator Clarissa Louise Delaney’s English cousin. Both of them are wry, funny, grown up in some ways, and very young in others. Exactly what I want in my contemporary middle grade fiction.
Mira Levenson starts a journal after signing up for a writing class with the appropriately named Miss Print. Her best friend Millie, who she feels has been drifting away from her, along with loud-mouthed Ben and mysterious Jidé are also in the class. The journal turns out to be the perfect place for Mira to work out her feelings about Jidé, Millie, and the impending death of her beloved Nana Josie.
It is easy to see why Mira will miss her grandmother. Nana Josie is a warm, vibrant character who is just as fun as she is wise. She is the kind of person who orders her coffin in advance so she can paint a mural on it. The relationship between Mira and Nana Josie is touching and realistic, in fact all of the relationships in this book feel that way. This is one of the reasons Nana Josie’s death, and the varied reactions of each of the Levensons, is so heartbreaking and rich.
On one hand this is a book about death. Author Sita Brahmachari has created an honest portrayal of a family preparing for the death of a loved one. Because the reader is made aware early on that Nana Josie is dying and will die by the end of the book, her death is less traumatic. Kids with questions about death (or are grieving themselves) will get a lot out of this book, including how hospices work, the different ways people deal with death, and how to celebrate a life. This being said, readers who are just looking for a good story will be equally satisfied.
More than anything else, this is a book about life going on in spite of death. Mira gets her period, discovers first love, flexes her wings as a writer, all while her grandmother prepares to die. I loved this about the book- the world doesn’t stop when someone dies, though it might feel that way at times. You can be happy and in love even while you are grieving. This is often something that is missed in books that deal with similar subjects. Not so in Artichoke Hearts.
Something else I love about English books is the inventive vocabulary. British children’s fiction, particularly contemporary realistic fiction, is full of amazing slang that I wish I could adopt in my life without my roommates looking at me funny. Every time I use words like splodgy, one of my friends will ask with a pained expression on their face, “Are you reading British kids books again?”
Artichoke Hearts is a funny, tender and realistic book for readers 9-14 who enjoy real stories about real kids. Fans of Judy Blume, Kit Pearson, Susin Nielsen, Sharon Creech, and my books (if I can be so bold as to include my name on this list) will love dipping into Mira’s world. Though the issues may seem heavy, this is a warm, delightful read. I am eagerly anticipating the follow up, Jasmine Skies
Mira Levenson starts a journal after signing up for a writing class with the appropriately named Miss Print. Her best friend Millie, who she feels has been drifting away from her, along with loud-mouthed Ben and mysterious Jidé are also in the class. The journal turns out to be the perfect place for Mira to work out her feelings about Jidé, Millie, and the impending death of her beloved Nana Josie.
It is easy to see why Mira will miss her grandmother. Nana Josie is a warm, vibrant character who is just as fun as she is wise. She is the kind of person who orders her coffin in advance so she can paint a mural on it. The relationship between Mira and Nana Josie is touching and realistic, in fact all of the relationships in this book feel that way. This is one of the reasons Nana Josie’s death, and the varied reactions of each of the Levensons, is so heartbreaking and rich.
On one hand this is a book about death. Author Sita Brahmachari has created an honest portrayal of a family preparing for the death of a loved one. Because the reader is made aware early on that Nana Josie is dying and will die by the end of the book, her death is less traumatic. Kids with questions about death (or are grieving themselves) will get a lot out of this book, including how hospices work, the different ways people deal with death, and how to celebrate a life. This being said, readers who are just looking for a good story will be equally satisfied.
More than anything else, this is a book about life going on in spite of death. Mira gets her period, discovers first love, flexes her wings as a writer, all while her grandmother prepares to die. I loved this about the book- the world doesn’t stop when someone dies, though it might feel that way at times. You can be happy and in love even while you are grieving. This is often something that is missed in books that deal with similar subjects. Not so in Artichoke Hearts.
Something else I love about English books is the inventive vocabulary. British children’s fiction, particularly contemporary realistic fiction, is full of amazing slang that I wish I could adopt in my life without my roommates looking at me funny. Every time I use words like splodgy, one of my friends will ask with a pained expression on their face, “Are you reading British kids books again?”
Artichoke Hearts is a funny, tender and realistic book for readers 9-14 who enjoy real stories about real kids. Fans of Judy Blume, Kit Pearson, Susin Nielsen, Sharon Creech, and my books (if I can be so bold as to include my name on this list) will love dipping into Mira’s world. Though the issues may seem heavy, this is a warm, delightful read. I am eagerly anticipating the follow up, Jasmine Skies
April 21, 2014
argh where do i start? there are so many 'bads' in this book i could name lots but I'm going to keep this short
1. First of all it felt like the WHOLE book was about Mira Levenson's grandma, Nana Josie dying (actually it was) even though the book's blurb states that mira has other people in her life our than her grandma (omg enough about the old lady already) like the mysterious Jidé Jackson. But you see when Jidé and Mira talk and all ITs jUSt CHEESY and BORING its almost like a fake love conversation. And to make things more frustrating Mira keeps on lying to her parents and friends aND FOR GOD SAKE HER FRICKEN HALF DEAD GRANDMA!! who in their right mind does that just because she feels like nothing in her life is private and i mean aT LEAST TELL NANA JOSIE BOUT THE LOVE NOTES ITS NOT LIKE SHES GOING TO TO PEOPLE AT YOUR SCHOOL YOUR DAMN SECRETS. LIKE COME ON!! SHE IS GOING TO DIE! ajdhgkdksljksdhfd. okay that was only my first point. yes there is more!
2. Now to the artichoke heart charm. to be honest it was a good i idea/symbol, that was probably the smartest thing the Author came up with throught the 321 boring pages. It represents how people build up layers and layers of hard shells to protect ourselves from being hurt by others. When Nana Josie was dying from cancer she gave the charm to Mira for her birthday for her to wear all her life just like she had but of course just when Josie was hanging onto dear life Mira had to come along and lose the charm. Turn out her bugger brother had stolen it because he never got anything from her, but technically she did give him something as he was aloud to keep something of hers, instead he chose not to and wanted to sulk and feel sorry for himself (I have no sympathy!!)
3. Another annoying thing in the book was the text messages!! fkkkkkkkk get a life!! like who writes like this: ( pages from the book)
Mira, sorry you're ill
Hope you're in tomorrow
See you
JJ X
Jidé, im much better thanks.
I'll be back tomorrow
See you.
Mira X
Great!
JJ XX
That was brave.
See you later.
JJ XXX
Thank you.
Mira XXXX
Missing You.
JJ XXXXX
Missing you too.
Mira XXXXXX
THE FKING XXXXXXXXXXX ARE PATHETIC! ITS A CHEESY,CORNY, BORING, WEIRD ASS BOOK. I DONT RECOMMEND IT TO A SOUL AND WOULD RATHER READ TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN FOR THE 6TH TIME AND THATS SAYING SOMETHING.
1. First of all it felt like the WHOLE book was about Mira Levenson's grandma, Nana Josie dying (actually it was) even though the book's blurb states that mira has other people in her life our than her grandma (omg enough about the old lady already) like the mysterious Jidé Jackson. But you see when Jidé and Mira talk and all ITs jUSt CHEESY and BORING its almost like a fake love conversation. And to make things more frustrating Mira keeps on lying to her parents and friends aND FOR GOD SAKE HER FRICKEN HALF DEAD GRANDMA!! who in their right mind does that just because she feels like nothing in her life is private and i mean aT LEAST TELL NANA JOSIE BOUT THE LOVE NOTES ITS NOT LIKE SHES GOING TO TO PEOPLE AT YOUR SCHOOL YOUR DAMN SECRETS. LIKE COME ON!! SHE IS GOING TO DIE! ajdhgkdksljksdhfd. okay that was only my first point. yes there is more!
2. Now to the artichoke heart charm. to be honest it was a good i idea/symbol, that was probably the smartest thing the Author came up with throught the 321 boring pages. It represents how people build up layers and layers of hard shells to protect ourselves from being hurt by others. When Nana Josie was dying from cancer she gave the charm to Mira for her birthday for her to wear all her life just like she had but of course just when Josie was hanging onto dear life Mira had to come along and lose the charm. Turn out her bugger brother had stolen it because he never got anything from her, but technically she did give him something as he was aloud to keep something of hers, instead he chose not to and wanted to sulk and feel sorry for himself (I have no sympathy!!)
3. Another annoying thing in the book was the text messages!! fkkkkkkkk get a life!! like who writes like this: ( pages from the book)
Mira, sorry you're ill
Hope you're in tomorrow
See you
JJ X
Jidé, im much better thanks.
I'll be back tomorrow
See you.
Mira X
Great!
JJ XX
That was brave.
See you later.
JJ XXX
Thank you.
Mira XXXX
Missing You.
JJ XXXXX
Missing you too.
Mira XXXXXX
THE FKING XXXXXXXXXXX ARE PATHETIC! ITS A CHEESY,CORNY, BORING, WEIRD ASS BOOK. I DONT RECOMMEND IT TO A SOUL AND WOULD RATHER READ TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN FOR THE 6TH TIME AND THATS SAYING SOMETHING.
April 29, 2012
There were so many things that I liked about this book . . . where to start?
This is a classic "coming of age" book, in which various rites-of-passage are experienced by Mira, the 12 year old protagonist. In a short and intense space of time she gets her first period, has her first real crush on a boy, loses a beloved grandparent and finds her true voice.
First of all, the grandmother (whose death of cancer is one of the major plot-points) is one of most endearing, most colourful characters in contemporary children's fiction. I adored her! I loved that the book didn't shy away from portraying her gradual diminishment, either. The grandmother's illness and death were handled very realistically, and the author didn't shy away from some intimate details, but it was always age-appropriate -- and somehow, even when depressing, also uplifting and life-affirming. When Mira has the courage to speak at her grandmother's funeral, her words about her grandmother's legacy had me weeping.
But for all of that, it isn't a grim book -- and there is always the sense that there are all of these other things going on and that they all make up "the rich tapestry" of life. Throughout the book, Mira attends a writing workshop with a wonderfully eccentric and sensitive woman called Pat Print. Brahmachari does such a great job of using these lessons to reveal the character of Mira -- both to the reader, and to herself.
This is a classic "coming of age" book, in which various rites-of-passage are experienced by Mira, the 12 year old protagonist. In a short and intense space of time she gets her first period, has her first real crush on a boy, loses a beloved grandparent and finds her true voice.
First of all, the grandmother (whose death of cancer is one of the major plot-points) is one of most endearing, most colourful characters in contemporary children's fiction. I adored her! I loved that the book didn't shy away from portraying her gradual diminishment, either. The grandmother's illness and death were handled very realistically, and the author didn't shy away from some intimate details, but it was always age-appropriate -- and somehow, even when depressing, also uplifting and life-affirming. When Mira has the courage to speak at her grandmother's funeral, her words about her grandmother's legacy had me weeping.
But for all of that, it isn't a grim book -- and there is always the sense that there are all of these other things going on and that they all make up "the rich tapestry" of life. Throughout the book, Mira attends a writing workshop with a wonderfully eccentric and sensitive woman called Pat Print. Brahmachari does such a great job of using these lessons to reveal the character of Mira -- both to the reader, and to herself.
July 31, 2014
I was super excited to read this book, mainly because the author (being a British born Indian) stood out from the usual authors that reside on my book shelf.
Artichoke Hearts was a humorous read and although it pulled on my heart strings in places, the laughs that surround the book stop it from being a depressive granny's dying read. Mira has an eccentric Nana, which was lovely to read since I do have a special space in my heart for the elderly and I really delighted in the fact that Sita focused on Nana's interests and personality rather than her impending death.
What I loved about this story wasn't necessarily the plot: searching for love, gaining confidence, dealing with loss etc... it was the fact that the book was bursting with multiculturalism. Mira being from Indian and British heritage and her love interest Jide being African. It was exciting and something I don't often come across in literature. Being brought up in Central London and surrounded by so many different cultures and languages I really connected with this aspect of the book. The only thing I found slightly annoying was the fact that the 12 year old's dialect wasn't believable. I felt like I was reading Sita trying to be a 12 year old, rather than being swept away solely by Mira's thoughts. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I will be purchasing Sita's new book Jasmine Skies with anticipation!
Artichoke Hearts was a humorous read and although it pulled on my heart strings in places, the laughs that surround the book stop it from being a depressive granny's dying read. Mira has an eccentric Nana, which was lovely to read since I do have a special space in my heart for the elderly and I really delighted in the fact that Sita focused on Nana's interests and personality rather than her impending death.
What I loved about this story wasn't necessarily the plot: searching for love, gaining confidence, dealing with loss etc... it was the fact that the book was bursting with multiculturalism. Mira being from Indian and British heritage and her love interest Jide being African. It was exciting and something I don't often come across in literature. Being brought up in Central London and surrounded by so many different cultures and languages I really connected with this aspect of the book. The only thing I found slightly annoying was the fact that the 12 year old's dialect wasn't believable. I felt like I was reading Sita trying to be a 12 year old, rather than being swept away solely by Mira's thoughts. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I will be purchasing Sita's new book Jasmine Skies with anticipation!
December 2, 2013
Just couldn't get into this. The young love had me rolling my eyes. The attempts to go deep so frequently felt like listening to a speech over and over. The writing was frustrating and several times slipped into basically third person even though it was written in first present (I'm just saying, I don't think a 12 year old girl could read so deeply into adults' unspoken thoughts). The framework of the book being a diary felt unnecessary to me and having the characters in a writing class seemed like a device just to get in some metanarrative. I admit I was scanning by the end.
Another thing that annoyed me was the portrayal of Nana's death, which was frankly pretty. She got to say goodbye to EVERYONE (several times, in a few cases). She was lucid to the very end. The only parts that tugged my heartstrings were parts when I compared the ugliness of my various grandparents' deaths with this idealized grandmother.
Maybe I am too old or too jaded to appreciate the book, but it just didn't do it for me.
Another thing that annoyed me was the portrayal of Nana's death, which was frankly pretty. She got to say goodbye to EVERYONE (several times, in a few cases). She was lucid to the very end. The only parts that tugged my heartstrings were parts when I compared the ugliness of my various grandparents' deaths with this idealized grandmother.
Maybe I am too old or too jaded to appreciate the book, but it just didn't do it for me.
January 8, 2015
I was thinking before I got to the sad part (don't want to spoilt it for anyone) that I give this book 2.5 stars but after, it made me cry and a book that does that deserves more stars. However, I still feel that 3 stars is enough because although the book is great and the characters are well thought out, it doesn't stand out to me as one of the best books I've read, and it was only really moving in a few parts. Mira and Jide's relationship was adorable, though at times unrealistic but I couldn't help feeling Mira's character was too young for how she acted, but I suppose the intention was to prove that what she has been through matured her. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes an easy but slightly emotional, quick read.
March 20, 2015
Definitely a middle school book about a half Indian-half Jewish 12-year-old girl growing up in England with her dying free-spirited grandmother. Lots of coming-of-age issues: first love, puberty, family issues. Mira is in a writing group with a supportive teacher. There we meet a small group of equally diverse characters include Jide, an orphan whose parents were killed in the Rwandan genocide.
I liked this book although I thought it moved slowly. I appreciated the diverse stories of Mira's friends and Mira's mixed background (although the cover is incorrect. Mira is described with having dark skin like her mother and the girl's skin on the cover is not even close). This is a gentle book for gentle readers.
I liked this book although I thought it moved slowly. I appreciated the diverse stories of Mira's friends and Mira's mixed background (although the cover is incorrect. Mira is described with having dark skin like her mother and the girl's skin on the cover is not even close). This is a gentle book for gentle readers.
July 11, 2015
Rating: 3 (+--)
Book Warnings: There's a death in it, and a bit of 'universe' sort of thing
I think I am the wrong age to read this book. Because I think that if I had read it when I was about the age of the protagonist I would've enjoyed it a lot more, and we do need books aimed at that age group (esp ones that deal with death).
Anyway, it was a sweet story and the relationship between her and her grandmother was very nice (and I liked seeing a sympathetic representation of a hospice in a kids story). The bits I didn't like were to do with the romance (because I really can't see a twelve year old boy being that romantic, not because there was anything wrong with how it was written) and there was just a lot going on. But, as said before, a nice story.
Book Warnings: There's a death in it, and a bit of 'universe' sort of thing
I think I am the wrong age to read this book. Because I think that if I had read it when I was about the age of the protagonist I would've enjoyed it a lot more, and we do need books aimed at that age group (esp ones that deal with death).
Anyway, it was a sweet story and the relationship between her and her grandmother was very nice (and I liked seeing a sympathetic representation of a hospice in a kids story). The bits I didn't like were to do with the romance (because I really can't see a twelve year old boy being that romantic, not because there was anything wrong with how it was written) and there was just a lot going on. But, as said before, a nice story.
August 31, 2015
Another book recommended by a Bookclub member. heard of it before but reserved in ln library after being told it was a best read for someone. This book is the authors first and I hope she continues to write. Really good book that I struggled to put down and will definitely pick up any more that gets written by her xx
July 27, 2023
NOTA: 3,5
Um livro simples, fofo, fácil e rápido perfeito para garotas que estão entrando na puberdade. O romance é uma gracinha, a ingenuidade entre eles é um amor!
Dá para ver que a autora usou muito de sua vida para escrever o livro.
O plot é bem simples, não espere nenhuma reviravolta. Também não acho que houve crescimento da protagonista, mas Mira é uma garota muito simpática e boazinha, então não havia que evoluir mesmo.
Encontrei este livro num sebo por 10 reais, levei 4 anos para pegá-lo para ler, mas não me arrependo. Foi muito gostoso acompanhar as visões de uma garota de 12 anos sobre mudanças, amores e perdas ocorrendo ao seu redor por causa da pureza de Mira e da escrita, a união da família dela, a gentileza dos pais dela com os filhos e a ligação de Mira com a avó.
Um livro simples, fofo, fácil e rápido perfeito para garotas que estão entrando na puberdade. O romance é uma gracinha, a ingenuidade entre eles é um amor!
Dá para ver que a autora usou muito de sua vida para escrever o livro.
O plot é bem simples, não espere nenhuma reviravolta. Também não acho que houve crescimento da protagonista, mas Mira é uma garota muito simpática e boazinha, então não havia que evoluir mesmo.
Encontrei este livro num sebo por 10 reais, levei 4 anos para pegá-lo para ler, mas não me arrependo. Foi muito gostoso acompanhar as visões de uma garota de 12 anos sobre mudanças, amores e perdas ocorrendo ao seu redor por causa da pureza de Mira e da escrita, a união da família dela, a gentileza dos pais dela com os filhos e a ligação de Mira com a avó.
January 3, 2020
More youth fiction - loved the multi-cultural aspects of this story as well as the typical teen issues faced. Recommend
September 2, 2020
Absolutely love this! Reading this book is like coming home. Every time I open it, I discover a part of me. I think the author has tried to portray many feelings in this story and it kept me hooked. I can read this a thousand times, and I'll continue getting the same goosebumps when Mira cries.
August 5, 2022
An uplifting and relatable YA novel about a year 7 navigating life as she grows from a child into a teenager. Really informative and portrays life in a realistic way.
I really enjoyed Sita's writing style and would definitely read another of her books.
I really enjoyed Sita's writing style and would definitely read another of her books.
September 7, 2017
This was such a warm and lovable story about a young girl beginning to figure out her place in the world and the kind of person she wants to be. I loved Mira – she’s shy, anxious and a deep thinker who watches the world carefully. Over the course of the book her courage and confidence grows, as does her understanding of her place in the world. I loved her positive but complex relationship with her art. Nana Josie was a wonderful, warm character and I loved her closeness with Mira. I also really enjoyed Mira’s friendship with her wise, kind writing teacher Pat Print, and her relationships with her siblings, parents and best friend Millie. Mira’s romance with Jidé was incredibly sweet. I loved the rich, believable family dynamics and the threads of kindness and optimism running through the whole book. I couldn’t put this down and I cried more than once, from both sadness and happiness. Can’t wait to read the rest of this series.
March 14, 2011
Winner of Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize 2011, Artichoke Hearts is a very impressive debut novel. It’s a coming of age novel with an array of big themes including first love, bereavement, family relationships, friendship and bullying.
Our narrator, twelve year old Mira Levenson, takes us through a month in her life via a diary project for her creative writing class at school – a month in which she has her first period, her first love in the shape of Jide Jackson, her first bereavement as her beloved Nana Josie enters a hospice for her final days. Mira lacks confidence and finds it difficult to make herself heard amid the chaos of her family life and the hierarchy imposed by her more extroverted classmates.
I loved the relationship between Mira and Nana Josie, who still dresses in a hippy style as it suits her and who has spent a lifetime protesting against injustice. Josie is so full of life, even as her days draw to an end, painting her own coffin in bright colours in preparation for her funeral. The whole concept of bereavement and loss is handled very sensitively, yes there is sadness but it’s offset by Josie’s positivity the ripples of which affect all her loved ones.
“Aren’t you frightened for her?” asks Jide.
Frightened? I think it’s a strange question. It has never crossed my mind to be frightened of Nana dying.
“No, I’m not. I think it’s because she’s not frightened and she’s got everyone around her who loves her.”
Also the growing relationship between Jide and Mira is presented beautifully – you can almost hear Mira’s shrieks of delight when Jide sends her a text ending with an “x”. He has experienced loss too as he was orphaned in the Rwandan Civil War and eventually opens up to Mira about his feelings about the past, his identity and anxieties about the future.
Artichoke Hearts is an ideal read for 11+ girls and indeed, older girls like me, tackling serious themes in a grounded way without ever feeling preachy or pompous and having the added bonus of being very well written. Sita Brahmachari has certainly made her mark in children’s fiction and I look forward to reading her next book.
Our narrator, twelve year old Mira Levenson, takes us through a month in her life via a diary project for her creative writing class at school – a month in which she has her first period, her first love in the shape of Jide Jackson, her first bereavement as her beloved Nana Josie enters a hospice for her final days. Mira lacks confidence and finds it difficult to make herself heard amid the chaos of her family life and the hierarchy imposed by her more extroverted classmates.
I loved the relationship between Mira and Nana Josie, who still dresses in a hippy style as it suits her and who has spent a lifetime protesting against injustice. Josie is so full of life, even as her days draw to an end, painting her own coffin in bright colours in preparation for her funeral. The whole concept of bereavement and loss is handled very sensitively, yes there is sadness but it’s offset by Josie’s positivity the ripples of which affect all her loved ones.
“Aren’t you frightened for her?” asks Jide.
Frightened? I think it’s a strange question. It has never crossed my mind to be frightened of Nana dying.
“No, I’m not. I think it’s because she’s not frightened and she’s got everyone around her who loves her.”
Also the growing relationship between Jide and Mira is presented beautifully – you can almost hear Mira’s shrieks of delight when Jide sends her a text ending with an “x”. He has experienced loss too as he was orphaned in the Rwandan Civil War and eventually opens up to Mira about his feelings about the past, his identity and anxieties about the future.
Artichoke Hearts is an ideal read for 11+ girls and indeed, older girls like me, tackling serious themes in a grounded way without ever feeling preachy or pompous and having the added bonus of being very well written. Sita Brahmachari has certainly made her mark in children’s fiction and I look forward to reading her next book.
December 4, 2016
Full review up on the blog: http://gloriousbooks.blogspot.com/201...
Told from 12 year old Mira's point of view, Artichoke Hearts is a coming of age story focusing on a young girl's thoughts and feelings as she waits for her grandmother to die.
I don't usually read books like this one. I was a little apprehensive when I saw that the main character is so much younger than me. Not that I don't read books with teens as the protagonists, it is in most YA, but Mira is young even for most YA. I was unsure, but I just decided to give it a go anyway.
As the book went on I liked Mira more and more. She was very down to earth, especially with what her character was going through, and her thoughts about her experiences were something every reader should relate to in some way. I loved how realistic the character's reactions to everything were - there were no huge breakdowns and 'how will I live after this' kind of attitude, it was all reasonable reactions that would happen to everyone. In a way, that made it all the more emotional.
I thought the book had a pretty slow start. It seemed so different in the beginning too, there was so much focus on art and all that good stuff and then things suddenly took a depressing turn. I realise that's how it should be, but I thought there wasn't really a transition in between. It kind of jumped from Nana Josie still being so enthusiastic to do whatever she needs to, and then next thing you know she's in a hospice. Yes, things can happen that quickly, but the way it read just didn't sit right with me.
There was a huge variation in characters which I adored. Every character, whether they played a huge part or not, made a really big difference to the story. There were characters that were only mentioned once or twice and they still managed to make my heart hurt. Whether I enjoyed the story or not, an author who can give a character that depth is very talented.
All in all I really liked this read. It was a little slow at times but the characters were wonderful and the plot was very touching. I would definitely recommend it.
Told from 12 year old Mira's point of view, Artichoke Hearts is a coming of age story focusing on a young girl's thoughts and feelings as she waits for her grandmother to die.
I don't usually read books like this one. I was a little apprehensive when I saw that the main character is so much younger than me. Not that I don't read books with teens as the protagonists, it is in most YA, but Mira is young even for most YA. I was unsure, but I just decided to give it a go anyway.
As the book went on I liked Mira more and more. She was very down to earth, especially with what her character was going through, and her thoughts about her experiences were something every reader should relate to in some way. I loved how realistic the character's reactions to everything were - there were no huge breakdowns and 'how will I live after this' kind of attitude, it was all reasonable reactions that would happen to everyone. In a way, that made it all the more emotional.
I thought the book had a pretty slow start. It seemed so different in the beginning too, there was so much focus on art and all that good stuff and then things suddenly took a depressing turn. I realise that's how it should be, but I thought there wasn't really a transition in between. It kind of jumped from Nana Josie still being so enthusiastic to do whatever she needs to, and then next thing you know she's in a hospice. Yes, things can happen that quickly, but the way it read just didn't sit right with me.
There was a huge variation in characters which I adored. Every character, whether they played a huge part or not, made a really big difference to the story. There were characters that were only mentioned once or twice and they still managed to make my heart hurt. Whether I enjoyed the story or not, an author who can give a character that depth is very talented.
All in all I really liked this read. It was a little slow at times but the characters were wonderful and the plot was very touching. I would definitely recommend it.
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