REVIEW--Darius & Twig

Today I'm bringing you a review of Walter Dean Myers' Darius & Twig.  This was a quick read for me (it's a fairly short book) since I kind of knew what to expect with Myers.  So enough chit chat...let's jump right in!

• Realistic/Urban fiction
• Standalone novel

The Gist:
Twig is a competitive and skilled long-distance runner.  Darius is a writer who creates Fury, his peregrine alter ego.  Both want to pursue their passions but are growing up in the dangerous, unpredictable Harlem.  And that setting doesn't make it easy to go after their dreams.

What I Loved:

• This book gets to the heart of the characters.  It sends a message that there is so much more to a person than the outside.  

What I Didn't Love:

•  I wanted more from the minor characters--Darius' mom, Twig's uncle, Herb, Sammy.  Maybe because the book was so short it just didn't go past a surface level characterization.   
• I couldn't understand what Twig wanted.  Did he want to be a runner?  Did he want to give up?  Confusing. 
• The mom's advice seemed hard to follow.    

Favorite quote:
"Idiots don't know they're idiots, which is unfortunate."

As you can see, this was not a favorite of mine.  I just felt that overall it was lacking.  Which is too bad, because Walter Dean Myers is a renowned author, and I just wasn't invested in the story.  Only 3 stars for me.

 
I'll be designing an outfit for Twig tomorrow--catch you then!

REVIEW: All the Right Stuff

Happy Thursday, readers and fashionistas!  Only a few days left before my Christmas break begins and I CAN'T WAIT!  A few weeks off to spend with family sounds fantastic!

But today I'm reviewing Walter Dean Myers' book All the Right Stuff.  So let's get right into it, shall we?

 

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction

The Gist:

Paul DuPree's father was killed in an accidental shooting.  Paul didn't have much of a relationship with him, so he's struggling through his feelings (sure, he's sad that his father was killed, but yet it doesn't bother him so much since he wasn't often around his father).  Paul gets a job for the summer at a soup kitchen with Elijah, an older man who wants to teach him about living better by the social contract of our lives.  Others in Paul's life, like Keisha (a teen mom who wants to play basketball) and Sly (a street guy requiring a bodyguard) don't agree with Elijah's theories, making Paul question everything.

What I Loved:

• The concept was nice--Paul is struggling through feelings and works with a mentor-type figure.
• I loved the soup emporium idea; Elijah would feed the elderly through a set-up resembling a soup kitchen. 

What I Didn't Love:

• I did not find this book realistic at all.  Harlem guys are going to sit down EVERY DAY and talk about the "social contract" in our lives?  Way too Cosby Show for it to be realistic.  *Don't get me wrong, I LOVE "The Cosby Show!"  It just didn't need to fit so much into this book!
• And speaking of this "social contract" that Elijah is so obsessed with--it was discussed on practically EVERY PAGE of this book.  I felt like I was reading a social contract lecture over and over and over.
• There wasn't a very strong character development in this book...just a lot of talking.  I wanted so much more. 

My favorite quote:  "You never heard of anybody doing anything really bad while they were having a bowl of soup," he said..."You ever see a headline taht said Crazed Killer Shoots Five People While Eating a Bowl of Mock Turtle Soup?  Nope, you have not."

Unfortunately, I just did not enjoy this book.  It's a pretty short book but was nevertheless a long read.  Sorry--just not a fan.

 

 

I'll be back tomorrow with a little twist--instead of an outfit, I'll be sharing with you one of my favorite soup recipes!  

See you tomorrow!