Author: Melissa Kantor
Publication date: February 18, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for an honest review.
Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.
Even when she isn't sure what to say.
Even when Olivia misses months of school.
Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.
The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.
In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.
Thoughts:
I really wanted to like this one. I loved the cover, the publisher, and was feeling the premise. How could I not like this?
Top Three Reasons Why I DNF'd:
- Boredom. I was so bored. It was entirely forgettable and the only time I did remember it was when I was filled with dread because I knew I had to read it. I couldn't connect with the main character, I couldn't feel invested into the situation or the cancer, I couldn't feel the emotions. I felt as if all the emotions the characters supposedly possessed were stilted. I couldn't feel anything. Not a thing, except for...
- Annoyance. Kantor might have been trying the risky route of having an unlikable main character. It's very possible. I, however, felt the vibe that we should be sympathizing with
whatever her name isZoe and I couldn't. Not. One. Bit. Pretentious, self-centered, and stupid were the first three adjectives that popped up in my mind. She stuck her nose up at the cheerleaders, who were horribly stereotyped, and behaved like a self-centered brat when she found out her best friend had cancer, and oh yeah! She wished her best friend's brother had cancer instead. Okay, I understand there's shock happening and I can't say 100% for sure that I wouldn't have the same thought BRIEFLY if it was me, but she rationalized it. She came to a point that she thought she was correct in her thinking. WRONG. - Realism. This goes back to Zoe's stupidity. What high school student doesn't know what leukemia is? Anybody? That's right, everyone knows...except Zoe. Then Olivia finds out she has cancer after an unrealistically short time, the doctor makes a special trip just to talk to explain to Zoe, and remember, Zoe doesn't even know what leukemia is. I can't stop groaning.
There are many, many other bloggers who have loved this book. They were hit in the gut with feels or experienced something more pleasant than I did. I salute them and wish I was them, but alas, I didn't enjoy it. I kept telling myself that maybe one day I'd finish (get it? Maybe one day I'll finish Maybe One Day? Ha, so punny).
I have seen a lot of bloggers talk about why they don't DNF or how their resolutions are to DNF more. I'm not saying that I go on a DNFing spree, but especially lately, I've realized the importance of my time. Reading is supposed to be fun. I should be able to look forward to my reading time instead of looking for something else to do so that I could avoid a book (yes, that actually happened). I want to enjoy reading and utilize my time so that I don't waste it on a book that I dread. So I have no regrets for my decision here.
Verdict: Well, this is awkward since it's a DNF.
I have been weary about reading this one for a while now. I've seen a ton of positive reviews on it, but I'm just feeling ehhh about reading it. First I read another book by this author and the m/c was super annoying and I didn't think the writing was that sophisticated in it either. 2nd I think John Green already done laid down the cancer book gauntlet and there's nobody that's going to top that... so what's the point?? Your review has definitely reinforced what I was already thinking about this book, so I think I'm going to pass on it for sure now.
ReplyDeletePS- I've also recently started DNFing a lot more now and it really is making my reading more enjoyable :)
I should've checked the author out first! I scoffed when I saw that it relates to John Green on the synopsis. Of course they would say that, but Green does it a LOT better.
DeleteThat's great!
It's a shame this didn't work for you, Summer! I've been hearing mostly good things, but your thoughts on Zoe's character makes me think I'll probably have issues with her too. Plus I don't usually gravitate towards cancer stories (if anything, I avoid them), so I might wait a while before making a decision to pick this up. I used to hate DNFing, by the way, but like you, I've realised how crucial my spare time is at the moment, so I feel far less guilty about it now. Reading shouldn't feel like a chore, after all. :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI'm wary about cancer stories since Morgan Matson and John Green did them BEAUTIFULLY. Man, I loved both of their books. Exactly!
DeleteMy expectations for this book just went way down. I've enjoyed all the other Melissa Kantor novels I've read, but I'm doubting my ability to deal with the protagonist in this one. She sounds so ignorant and selfish! Although having to DNF is never fun, it's infinitely more pleasant than forcing yourself to finish something you're dreading. Thanks for letting us know that this book isn't as great as it sounds. :/
ReplyDeleteYou might enjoy it! My sister, who doesn't like contemporary all that much, gave it a much higher rating than I did (hey, she FINISHED it) so who knows.
DeleteSounds like perhaps a case of relying on the emotional subject matter to heavily? Like "oh, it's a book about your friend getting cancer, everyone will cry and love it".
ReplyDeleteThat's probably the case!
DeleteI finished this one -- but you didn't miss much. It didn't have the emotional punch that TFiOS had...I didn't feel much for the characters at all.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's good. Good to know I made the right decision :)
DeleteSee, I have this for review, too, but I've been wary of starting it. The fact that it's stated right there in the premise that this girl has designs on her SICK best friend's crush makes her unlikeable to start with. I'm okay with unlikeable characters, I really am, but for better reasons than this. I just read Side Effects May Vary, which is also a CANCER book, and the MC in that story is also pretty unlikeable, but she's actually the character that has cancer, so I understood why she was behaving in the manner that she was. (I liked that book a lot, in case you were wondering. Has the emotional impact of TFiOS but in an entirely different way.) I don't know why, but for some reason, I thought this story was about sisters. Either way, I'm not sure it's a good book for me. The fact that you DNF'd alone makes me less likely to pick it up. I don't DNF often, but I feel like it's entirely called for when I do, and I believe you're probably the same way. So, I'd likely have problems with this story, too. Thanks for the supremely honest review, Summer.
ReplyDeleteYeah, THAT should've been my clue that it wasn't right for me. To suddenly like your dying best friend's crush...no. I'm so glad that you liked SEMV! I did too and one of the reasons was, like you said, the MC was unlikable, but it was understandable and I think it was handled well. I do. I really don't like DNFing, but I realized that I should not have to be put through misery while reading.
DeleteOh, this book! I didn't fall in love with it, as many others have. But I did like MAYBE ONE DAY. I haven't finished it yet (I'm only 50 pages away, but my e-copy expired so I'm waiting on my library copy!), but I'm very curious to see how it ends. I'm sorry to hear that you had to DNF this one!
ReplyDeleteAh, only 50 pages?! That's torturous. I hope you like the ending!
DeleteI only read a couple of chapters before putting this one aside, Sunny--like you, I was kind of bored, didn't care one way or the next about what was going on or any of the characters, and I also felt like the writing was kind of flat and the story a little jumbled. Since you've DNFd, that's not a good sign...maybe I will give this away to someone else. Doesn't sound like I'll love it. And that's what I want, books to LOVE.
ReplyDeleteWendy @ The Midnight Garden
I couldn't agree more, Wendy!
DeleteI had to DNF this one, too. I think your review of it was the only review I read before I started reading it, and as I was reading, I kept nodding my head at the things you had said (especially about Zoe not knowing what leukemia is). And then when Zoe made the joke about football players teaching kids how to rape, I had to stop. I know a lot of people loved this book, but I'm with you--my reading time is too precious for me to pick this one up again.
ReplyDeleteThat's great to hear! Well, not that you had the same experience because I want people to love books, but that you thought of my review and I'm not alone in this ;) SHE WHAT? That's horrible.
Delete