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Literary Friday: The Beginners

Friday, August 3, 2012

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While on our road trip, I read The Beginners by Rebecca Wolff.  I hated this book.  I think this is only the second book I have blogged about that I hate because I truly try to maintain a positive blog, but I feel the necessity to warn you about this one.

Several months ago when this book was first released there was TONS of hype!!!  I suppose that should have been my first red flag.  But the fact that Wolff earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop (a program my daughter so badly wants to join as a graduate student) made me buy it.

The book is basically about a fifteen year old girl named Ginger who lives in a small New England town.  She thinks and speaks *pretentious* which I refuse to learn.  No fifteen year old thinks like this, even geniuses.  And if she were that smart, she would not have found herself in a really stupid predicament. The cause of her trouble is a young couple: Theo and Raquel Motherwell. They are new to Wick, Massachusetts, and they are pathological liars. Ginger, if you speak pretentious so well, then you should recognize how disturbing your new friends are, lass.  They are definitely psychopathic enigmas wrapped in a mystery, and Ginger spends all of her free time with these adults.  Weird.  Also there is supposed to be a supernatural element to the story.  It isn't there, trust me.  I truly thought that Wick's creepy history might provide the structure for a story, but the story was never fully developed.

This is a coming of age novel that you can skip because it is confusing, offensive, and a complete waste of time.  I really want those hours of reading this book back because life is too short to read books like this one!  Consider yourself forewarned.

What are you reading?  Please share.  This is a link party!



Until next time...

Happy reading!
Ricki Jill



6 comments

  1. Thanks for the warning! I am amused by unrealistically witty banter from teens in movies (Scott Pilgrim, Juno, Easy A), but in books it's usually eye rolling. The best YA and coming-of-age novels I know are pitch-perfect with how teenagers think and communicate, and that's what makes them gems. Ah, well...they can't all be good!

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    1. P.S. Summer reading....well, I have "As Nature Made Him", and the City of Bones trilogy on my list....which they are making into a movie!

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  2. Wow! My curiosity is piqued as I am so surprised to hear of your disappointment, but your review totally makes sense! I am readin David Sedaris when you are engulfed in flames. I really enjoyed Cathy Lamb's the last time I was me...I should be more mindful of what you like to read before making suggestions, but I figured you. Are coming off a dislike so why not!

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  3. I appreciate the warning. I would hate wasting my time reading junk!! Do you have any good recommendations that you've read recently?

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  4. I am so glad that you did decide to blog about this as I believe it is important not to just post positive reviews! How can we all like everything all the time? Sorry I have not joined in this week, but busy with guests, hope you trip to get your daughter settled in goes well.

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  5. I'm glad you wrote this post, too. I can tell in the first few pages if I like a book....but I try to give them a chance. But life if too short to read books you don't enjoy!

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I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

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