Sarah Henstra
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I liked the idea of what this book was trying to be, but it just didn’t work. The letter writing format only made sense in the beginning when they didn’t know each other. But as they start to interact in real life, the letter writing felt far-fetched and wasn’t the best way to convey the story. It was also difficult to believe that teenagers were speaking and thinking that way. Beyond the believability aspect, it was a good story with good characters.
Recommended by Ari S.
Second-time high school senior and recently ex-football player Adam Kurlansky is paired up with sophomore Jonathan Hopkirk, a Walt Whitman fanboy who mainly hangs out with his older sister Shayna and her firebrand best friend Bron, for a letter-writing assignment for English class. "Kurl" and "Little Jo" begin writing more frequently than required, leading to an off-the-page relationship, although frequently their letters contain accounts of events they were both present for. Jo is surviving high school by looking ahead; Kurl is surviving each day keeping the secret of his abusive uncle/stepfather. Jonathan and Shayna's dad, Lyle, has been keeping a secret from them too, about their mom, Raphael, who became addicted to painkillers after an accident.
See also: Take Me With You When You Go by David Levithan and Jennifer Niven
Quotes
People can't really help themselves: They see a bubble, they want to pop it. (Kurl to Jo, 12)
The thing about heroes is that they ask without asking: What about you? What are you waiting for? (Kurl, 17)
It's easier to write what I'm thinking about if I actually have time to think. (Jonathan, 42)
People have no idea what I'm like. I mean the gap between what people see and what's actually in my head sort of shocks me when I read your letters. I guess everyone has this gap. It's just that they don't come face-to-face with it very often. (Kurl, 45)
If the disadvantage to a letter-writing relationship is an occasional period of suspense, then the upside is this joyful abundance when it commences again. (Jonathan, 89)
A person can never really know another person, I suppose. Not all the way through. (Jo, 131)
This is why I can't agree with your life-begins-after-high-school-so-just-wait-it-out philosophy....It's that now - right now, right this second - is the only actual time we're alive. (Kurl, 163)
Mark said all this has something to do with trauma. The flow of information gets interrupted somehow in your brain. (Kurl, 322)… (meer)
Second-time high school senior and recently ex-football player Adam Kurlansky is paired up with sophomore Jonathan Hopkirk, a Walt Whitman fanboy who mainly hangs out with his older sister Shayna and her firebrand best friend Bron, for a letter-writing assignment for English class. "Kurl" and "Little Jo" begin writing more frequently than required, leading to an off-the-page relationship, although frequently their letters contain accounts of events they were both present for. Jo is surviving high school by looking ahead; Kurl is surviving each day keeping the secret of his abusive uncle/stepfather. Jonathan and Shayna's dad, Lyle, has been keeping a secret from them too, about their mom, Raphael, who became addicted to painkillers after an accident.
See also: Take Me With You When You Go by David Levithan and Jennifer Niven
Quotes
People can't really help themselves: They see a bubble, they want to pop it. (Kurl to Jo, 12)
The thing about heroes is that they ask without asking: What about you? What are you waiting for? (Kurl, 17)
It's easier to write what I'm thinking about if I actually have time to think. (Jonathan, 42)
People have no idea what I'm like. I mean the gap between what people see and what's actually in my head sort of shocks me when I read your letters. I guess everyone has this gap. It's just that they don't come face-to-face with it very often. (Kurl, 45)
If the disadvantage to a letter-writing relationship is an occasional period of suspense, then the upside is this joyful abundance when it commences again. (Jonathan, 89)
A person can never really know another person, I suppose. Not all the way through. (Jo, 131)
This is why I can't agree with your life-begins-after-high-school-so-just-wait-it-out philosophy....It's that now - right now, right this second - is the only actual time we're alive. (Kurl, 163)
Mark said all this has something to do with trauma. The flow of information gets interrupted somehow in your brain. (Kurl, 322)… (meer)
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Statistieken
- Werken
- 4
- Leden
- 460
- Populariteit
- #53,419
- Waardering
- 3.8
- Besprekingen
- 35
- ISBNs
- 38
Selected as the Vermont READS Vermont Humanities 2021 book.