See You at Harry's - Jo Knowles
Good Read Summary: "Starting middle school brings all the usual challenges - until the unthinkable happens, and Fern and her family must find a way to heal.
Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible. It seems as though everyone in her family has better things to do than pay attention to her: Mom (when she's not meditating) helps Dad run the family restaurant; Sarah is taking a gap year after high school; and Holden pretends that Mom and Dad and everyone else doesn't know he's gay, even as he fends off bullies at school. Then there's Charlie: three years old, a "surprise" baby, the center of everyone's world. He's devoted to Fern, but he's annoying, too, always getting his way, always dirty, always commanding attention. If it wasn't for Ran, Fern's calm and positive best friend, there'd be nowhere to turn. Ran's mantra, "All will be well," is soothing in a way that nothing else seems to be. And when Ran says it, Fern can almost believe it's true. But then tragedy strikes- and Fern feels not only more alone than ever, but also responsible for the accident that has wrenched her family apart. All will not be well. Or at least all will never be the same."
Another YA book that Michelle recommended. Preteen and middle school are (I think) one of the most difficult periods in a child's life. This book hit all aspects of growing up as the 3rd child with a much younger sibling. I could understand Fern's feelings toward her younger brother and how she felt that she was "neglected" by her parents. For the most part, I felt it was well written, but I thought the author added too many characters and their problems. The book would have been more believable without Holden's homosexuality and Sarah's problems being thrown into the plot.
Finished: June, 2012
Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible. It seems as though everyone in her family has better things to do than pay attention to her: Mom (when she's not meditating) helps Dad run the family restaurant; Sarah is taking a gap year after high school; and Holden pretends that Mom and Dad and everyone else doesn't know he's gay, even as he fends off bullies at school. Then there's Charlie: three years old, a "surprise" baby, the center of everyone's world. He's devoted to Fern, but he's annoying, too, always getting his way, always dirty, always commanding attention. If it wasn't for Ran, Fern's calm and positive best friend, there'd be nowhere to turn. Ran's mantra, "All will be well," is soothing in a way that nothing else seems to be. And when Ran says it, Fern can almost believe it's true. But then tragedy strikes- and Fern feels not only more alone than ever, but also responsible for the accident that has wrenched her family apart. All will not be well. Or at least all will never be the same."
Another YA book that Michelle recommended. Preteen and middle school are (I think) one of the most difficult periods in a child's life. This book hit all aspects of growing up as the 3rd child with a much younger sibling. I could understand Fern's feelings toward her younger brother and how she felt that she was "neglected" by her parents. For the most part, I felt it was well written, but I thought the author added too many characters and their problems. The book would have been more believable without Holden's homosexuality and Sarah's problems being thrown into the plot.
Finished: June, 2012
There was so much hype about this book, but I felt the author tried to do way too much with all the characters. It was a good read, but didn't make me cry.
ReplyDelete