I Love You, Beth Cooper

Read October 2009.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

The Scoop: Written by Larry Doyle, a former writer for The Simpsons. Published by Ecco (HarperCollins) in 2007. Adapted as a Canadian/American film in 2009, directed by Chris Columbus, and starring Paul Rust and Hayden Panettiere in the lead roles.


The Ingredients: Debate team member and high school valedictorian Denis Cooverman, instead of sticking with his prepared speech for their graduation, ends up declaring his love for popular cheerleader Beth Cooper in front of the whole student body and their parents. He also singles out some other notable students in his speech, upsetting them. Beth ends up thinking Denis' profession is sweet, but off-duty soldier boyfriend doesn't. The rest of the novel follows the progression of the night as Denis and his best friend Rich end up joining forces with Beth and her gang, much to Denis' shock.

Serves: High-schoolers/teenagers. Or those who really want to relive high school shenanigans for some reason.

1. The Valedict: Denis Cooverman was sweating more than usual, and he usually sweat quite a bit. [1/5 The first line paints the picture, but not very creatively or eloquently.]

Result: I checked this out from the library on a whim. I just saw the spine and recalled that there had been a recent movie adapted from it, so I wanted to see what it was about. Despite some rather good reviews (the book, not the film), I didn't like it. I struggled to keep reading it and at the end I felt rather bummed that I had wasted time reading it. Admittedly, after reading some positive reviews, I could somewhat see where these readers were coming from, but it still didn't improve my overall feeling. Larry Doyle does have a way of expressing witty observations, but these mildly funny notes were few and far between. I felt the events of the night seemed a bit far-fetched or shocking (though who knows, because I was a very tame and mild-mannered high-schooler). One review also talked about Doyle's uncanny way of imitating the speak of teenagers, but I don't agree. And the plot line just seemed to drag on a bit and got redundant, like (spoiler alert...) how Denis got pummeled by Beth's boyfriend time and time again. And then there are the overdone high school stereotypes - the dorky awkward yet smart boy who has spent a lifetime secretly pining for the cheerleader, and of course the blond pretty popular cheerleader with the older boyfriend, the cheerleader's sidekicks, the closeted gay guy who relies on humor and his schtick of reciting movie lines to draw attention away from his homosexuality, the big jock bully who actually is just acting out on being hurt when he was younger, and so forth. [1/5 I would not recommend this book. Unless...I have no idea. It does seem like some people enjoy this book. Somehow it just was not my cup of tea, or the humor was beyond (or far too beneath) me. It could have been an interesting story, but it did not actualize the way I might've imagined it to. So a 1 for concept, I guess.]

Uglies

Read via free download offered by author & publisher, August 2009.
Photo courtesy Simon Pulse.


The Scoop: Part one of the New York Times bestselling "Uglies" series (a total of four novels now). Young adult science fiction novel by Scott Westerfeld (US). Published by Simon Pulse in 2005. Film rights bought by 20th Century Fox and Eragon producer John Davis in 2006, movie scheduled for 2011.

The Ingredients: Tally Youngblood is turning 16, which, in this dystopian society, means she must undergo a mandatory comprehensive plastic surgery to make her "Pretty". The "Pretties" seem to have perfect lives, but Tally meets some others her age who show her what exactly it means to be "pretty".

Serves: Young adult, preferably.

[Chapter 1] New Pretty Town: The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit. [2/5 While I appreciate the attempt at being descriptive with the use of 'color of cat vomit', this sentence doesn't draw you into the story much. It sounds like something any middle-schooler could write.]

Result: I saw the free download offer and had nothing else to do so I decided to give this a go. I read it in a few hours, as it's on a 'young adult' level, and it's actually very interesting. The premise is unique; the main characters and (future) technologies are well-described and developed; and there are enough twists and suspense to keep one intrigued. And if you take the time to think about it, the story delves into many modern-day issues that adolescents especially deal with - body image, conformity, emotional and physical change, individuality, peer pressure, authority, surveillance, and environmental issues. The end left me hanging and I was eager to check out the next in the series. [3/5 While I admit I couldn't really draw myself away from it, in the context of all literature, I can't rate it very high. I also don't think I would read it again. However, in the context of YA fiction (and had I read it in middle school or some years ago), it's definitely one of the better choices available with its sci-fi setting and rather adult (mostly positive) messages. So in that narrower scope, it would have a higher rating.]

Revolutionary Road

Read May 2009.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia.


The Scoop: First novel for Richard Yates (US). Published by Greenwood Press in 1961, adapted for film in 2008 (director Sam Mendes). Finalist for 1962 National Book Award, chosen by Time in the top 100 English-language novels from 1923-present.

The Ingredients: April and Frank Wheeler, a young married couple with kids, live a seemingly pleasant 1950s suburban life. Deal with work and the household, loneliness and friendship, disillusionment and pleasure, love/lust and lack thereof. Mistakes and life-changing decisions are made; relationships are forged (forced or otherwise); and minds, hearts, and spirits evolve and/or are broken.

Serves: Adult audience due to mature content including abortion, adultery, some strong language.

Part One, Chapter One: "The final dying sounds of their dress rehearsal left the Laurel Players with nothing to do but stand there, silent and helpless, blinking out over the footlights of an empty auditorium." [4/5 Creates quite a detailed image in one's mind.]

Result: I read this book because the movie (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) got such rave reviews. However, as I can see the value in this novel, the pace was a bit too slow for me (I found myself easily distracted from the text, and often had to reread passages to remember what was going on or try to absorb it) and I had trouble relating to the characters and issues at hand, which I feel has much to do with the 1950s setting and my lack of life experiences, one could say (for example, being married, raising children, the struggles both of those involve, etc.) I found the value in Yates' use of language in illustration, his solid character development, and ability to tie everything together in mood. Yates has been noted as saying, "If my work has a theme, I suspect it is a simple one: that most human beings are inescapably alone, and therein lies their tragedy," and this is definitely evident in Revolutionary Road, which can make it quite a depressing read. So clearly, if you want light-hearted reading with an uplifting message, this is not the book for you. After reading, I am still interested in viewing the film, not for the plot, but more in how they managed to portray and capture all the intricacies of the characters, their relationships, and secrets, and in a limited length of time. [3/5 Solid example of good classic writing, but not the easiest/most enjoyable to get through. But I might have to give it another chance later in my life.]

Running with Scissors

Read May 2009.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia.


The Scoop: A memoir by Augusten Burroughs (American). Published by Picador USA in 2002, adapted for film in 2006. Four weeks on New York Times bestseller list.

The Ingredients: Brief insight into childhood spent with dramatic mother (poetess and chain-smoker), aloof father (math professor at UMass and alcoholic), and dog named Cream. Turbulent adolescent period of divorced parents and kooky Dr. Finch (psychiatrist to Burroughs' mother). Bizarre lifestyle with the Finch household with minimal rules/structure, off-the-wall (some, literally) characters, and his mother's romantic escapades and psychotic episodes.

Serves: Adult audience. Contains detail of sexual encounters, both hetero- and homosexual, and other mature content. Occasional strong language.

Chapter 1 - Something Isn't Right: "My mother is standing in front of the bathroom mirror smelling polished and ready; like Jean Nate, Dippity Do and the waxy sweetness of lipstick." [4/5 An intriguing and vivid opening line.]

Result: I had wanted to read Running with Scissors for a long time because it got such rave reviews when it came out and it sounded intriguing, and admittedly, my review is not going to differ much. To risk sounding cheesy, Burroughs' memoir took me on an emotional roller-coaster as I attempted to put myself in his shoes and imagine experiencing all that he did (and his detailed writing makes it easy to do so). At times I was envious of all the adventure and disorder of his adolescence - it seems so romantic and glamorous in a way. But with every seeming upside to his life (running around in a household doing as he pleases, staying home from school, and a spontaneous best friend), there is a dramatic downside, making me grateful for the order and stability I had growing up and leaving me wondering how he dealt with all of it. But it's clear Burroughs dealt (and continues to deal) with the insanity that was his childhood with humor - twisted, unrestrained, and raucous. His ability to transport the reader into the heat of the action had me not just laughing, but also writhing and aching for this young teenager in his (numerous) moments of pain and discomfort. I read the majority of the book in a day - its momentum had a hold on my attention and imagination. After finishing, I had the urge to write my own memoir, and pondering what it'd be like, it simply paled in comparison to Running with Scissors and left me wishing I could recount memories with Burroughs' wicked sense of humor and honesty. [3.5/5 Might not read it again or purchase it for keeps, but piqued my interest enough to check out other works by Augusten Burroughs and possibly the movie, which he helped write and produce.]