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Pink
The pink jumper was glowing in my grey bedroom like a tiny bit of Dorothy's Oz in boring black-and-white Kansas. Pink was for girls. Ava Simpson is trying on a whole new image. Stripping the black dye from her hair, leaving her uber-cool girlfriend, Chloe, behind. Ava is quickly taken under the wing of perky, popular Alexis who insists a) she's a perfect match for handsome Ethan; and b) she absolutely must audition for the school musical. But while she's busy trying to fit in - with Chloe, with Alexis and her Pastel friends, even with the misfits in the stage crew - Ava fails to notice that her shiny reinvented life is far more fragile than she imagined.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2009
About the author
Lili Wilkinson
28 books317 followersLili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eighteen books for young people, including The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it, establishing the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Her latest book is A Hunger of Thorns.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 503 reviews
September 12, 2011
It's really weird to not know how to rate a book. I don't normally use images in my reviews, but in this particular case, there's no better way to clearly explain the yo-yo-ing of my opinions as I was reading this novel.
See what the problem was?
The beginning of the story thrusts us into the unlikely scenario of Ava suddenly switching schools because she wants to go to a place where it's okay to wear pink. "Pink" is the code word for not only the freedom to wear girly clothes and sport your natural hair color, but also the freedom to date boys and to be a decent student. (!) Ava has a too-cool-for-school girlfriend named Chloe, but Ava thinks she wants to do some more exploring in other pastures. And apparently being cool and a liberal means that you're not supposed to care about anything and you're shunned for wanting to do well at academics.
Hmph.
Anyway, I've accepted many a more far-reaching scenario than this, so I just went along with it, primarily because the writing is admittedly very good and Ava's voice was extremely readable. But after awhile, I realized much to my dismay that Ava didn't really have much of a personality. It's true that the main theme of the book is about exploring options and deciding who you want to be, and there's a certain amount of confusion that goes along with that. But Ava subverted so much of her personality, made so many mistakes, and lied to so many people, that it became more and more difficult to feel any sympathy for her. Particularly when I had no idea who Ava really was.
The huge low point of this book, however, came about two-thirds of the way through when Ava does something really terrible to one of her friends--for no reason whatsoever except that she wants to fit in and to look cool. I really hate it when people are mean, especially in the guise of superiority, and I absolutely despise the fact that this was done in conjunction with a subject of great sensitivity. Ava had already exhibited lots of character traits I didn't like, including being a reactionary show-off, but after this I got really annoyed with her. If that weren't enough, she continues to make more and more stupid mistakes with not admitting what she did, hard-partying, and . She did redeem herself in the end in a way that surprisingly, did not feel emotionally manipulative, although it relied a great deal on one-note characters, a Hollywood-style grand gesture, and one character behaving in the complete opposite way than she'd been presented throughout the rest of the story.
I think overall, I just found it very hard to like a character who doesn't exhibit a very strong personality and who lies so much. She seemed very young for her age, and many of her actions seemed more like those of a juvenile or middle grade character than one in high school. I did like that the author did such a great job of showing how good Ava is in math, however, and I also liked the snappy dialogue, Sam (who has a great scene of putting Ava in her place by explaining the difference between Greek homo and Latin homo), and the many Battlestar Galactica and other nerdy references. It's a shame, because I liked the writing quite a bit and there were a number of quotes that tickled my fancy, including:
He just spread his arms, and gathered me into a warm embrace. It's what I imagined being hugged by a bear might feel like, giant and soft and utterly comforting, and smelling strangely of marshmallows.
In the end, though I tipped up the rating for the writing and for saving Ava somewhat, these two quotes sum up perfectly how I feel about Ava, and therefore about the book:
She became someone different when she was around those other girls--someone mean and aloof, her cool hardened into cold.
and
"No," said Sam. "I don't care if you're a lesbian or not. I don't want to know you anymore because you're a bitch."
See what the problem was?
The beginning of the story thrusts us into the unlikely scenario of Ava suddenly switching schools because she wants to go to a place where it's okay to wear pink. "Pink" is the code word for not only the freedom to wear girly clothes and sport your natural hair color, but also the freedom to date boys and to be a decent student. (!) Ava has a too-cool-for-school girlfriend named Chloe, but Ava thinks she wants to do some more exploring in other pastures. And apparently being cool and a liberal means that you're not supposed to care about anything and you're shunned for wanting to do well at academics.
Hmph.
Anyway, I've accepted many a more far-reaching scenario than this, so I just went along with it, primarily because the writing is admittedly very good and Ava's voice was extremely readable. But after awhile, I realized much to my dismay that Ava didn't really have much of a personality. It's true that the main theme of the book is about exploring options and deciding who you want to be, and there's a certain amount of confusion that goes along with that. But Ava subverted so much of her personality, made so many mistakes, and lied to so many people, that it became more and more difficult to feel any sympathy for her. Particularly when I had no idea who Ava really was.
The huge low point of this book, however, came about two-thirds of the way through when Ava does something really terrible to one of her friends--for no reason whatsoever except that she wants to fit in and to look cool. I really hate it when people are mean, especially in the guise of superiority, and I absolutely despise the fact that this was done in conjunction with a subject of great sensitivity. Ava had already exhibited lots of character traits I didn't like, including being a reactionary show-off, but after this I got really annoyed with her. If that weren't enough, she continues to make more and more stupid mistakes with not admitting what she did, hard-partying, and . She did redeem herself in the end in a way that surprisingly, did not feel emotionally manipulative, although it relied a great deal on one-note characters, a Hollywood-style grand gesture, and one character behaving in the complete opposite way than she'd been presented throughout the rest of the story.
I think overall, I just found it very hard to like a character who doesn't exhibit a very strong personality and who lies so much. She seemed very young for her age, and many of her actions seemed more like those of a juvenile or middle grade character than one in high school. I did like that the author did such a great job of showing how good Ava is in math, however, and I also liked the snappy dialogue, Sam (who has a great scene of putting Ava in her place by explaining the difference between Greek homo and Latin homo), and the many Battlestar Galactica and other nerdy references. It's a shame, because I liked the writing quite a bit and there were a number of quotes that tickled my fancy, including:
He just spread his arms, and gathered me into a warm embrace. It's what I imagined being hugged by a bear might feel like, giant and soft and utterly comforting, and smelling strangely of marshmallows.
In the end, though I tipped up the rating for the writing and for saving Ava somewhat, these two quotes sum up perfectly how I feel about Ava, and therefore about the book:
She became someone different when she was around those other girls--someone mean and aloof, her cool hardened into cold.
and
"No," said Sam. "I don't care if you're a lesbian or not. I don't want to know you anymore because you're a bitch."
March 30, 2012
I think the words "this book was written by an Australian author" would suffice. But then it just wouldn't be as fun for me :D
This book was on my mental TBR list long before I became a member of goodreads and before I had written a single review. It's taken me all this time to get around to reading it and I can honestly say: I was missing out! It covers all the issues that I'm interested in: feminism, femininity, individuality, sexuality and stereotyping. Plus, I like pink, regardless of whatever people say it symbolises - I always thought that was a load of twaddle anyway.
The story is about Ava, a girl who isn't quite sure who she is or where she belongs. She desperately wants to slot herself into a pre-defined category like emo, goth, straight, lesbian... and struggles with accepting the fact that she can be all kinds of combinations because the most important thing is to embrace who you are. This take on self-acceptance could have been cheesy and unoriginal but Lili Wilkinson's story is supported by a cast of quirky and imaginative characters that were what made the novel so enjoyable.
You have the uber-liberal parents, the feminazi "I-pretend-to-care-about-women's-rights-but-I-actually-just-hate-everyone-who-isn't-like-me" girlfriend, a 'Pastel' girl, and an old, grumpy misogynist who turns out to have more about him than meets the eye - resulting in a very short but pleasant surprise that I really liked.
The author has managed to find that perfect balance of easy-going, light, fun to read... and also thought-provoking scenarios that challenge the reader's views on what it means to be female or straight or gay or bi.
And then there's that fantastic quote, which for me just sums up perfectly a) what the novel is about and b) what I believe in. Here:
"You know, a very wise woman once gave this piece of advice to women everywhere: Be strong, believe in freedom, love yourself, understand your sexuality, have a sense of humour, masturbate, don't judge people by their religion, colour, or sexual habits, love life and your family."
October 19, 2011
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later: an Aussie YA novel I didn’t enjoy at all! In fact, if not for my two wonderful readalong partners who made the experience not only bearable, but extremely fun, I would have given up after a hundred pages or so.
Ava’s parents are supposedly very liberal, and her girlfriend Chloe has an owerpowering personality. Together they’re pushing Ava into an alternative lifestyle she secretly hates. Oddly enough, all Ava wants is to wear pink and sing in a musical. She decides to move to a new school, where she plans to find a way of joining the in crowd, or Pastels, as she calls them. However, that doesn’t turn out so well for Ava. Instead of getting the role she wanted in the school musical, she ends up working with the stage crew, a group of misfits led by a boy named Sam. She ends up balancing three different lives and three different personalities, none of which are compatible with the others.
Characterization is where Wilkinson failed spectacularly. Having read A Pocketful of Eyes first, I knew that she was more than capable of creating more interesting and complex characters, which is why I have to conclude that she did this on purpose. But why? Every character in Pink is a walking stereotype: we have Ava’s intellectually snobbish girlfriend Chloe, playing the role of a lesbian feminist; Ava’s parents, so obsessed with being tolerant that they end up not tolerating anything mainstream; Alexis, the shallow blonde, perfect in everything she does; a gay friend, a secretly gay friend, a friend embarrassed by his rich parents, and in the end, Ava herself, completely devoid of personality.
Ava is one of the most self-centered, infuriating characters I’ve ever stumbled upon. The series of disastrous decisions she made in such a short period of time nearly drove me insane. Stories about personal growth by definition introduce a character that makes poor choices at the beginning, but finds a way to redeem himself/herself by the end. After one particularly bad decision, I’m afraid Ava reached the point of no redemption in my eyes.
Unfortunately, I doubt that I’ll be reading any more of Wilkinson’s novels. After reading two of them, I can honestly say that she’s not an author whose work I enjoy.
Ava’s parents are supposedly very liberal, and her girlfriend Chloe has an owerpowering personality. Together they’re pushing Ava into an alternative lifestyle she secretly hates. Oddly enough, all Ava wants is to wear pink and sing in a musical. She decides to move to a new school, where she plans to find a way of joining the in crowd, or Pastels, as she calls them. However, that doesn’t turn out so well for Ava. Instead of getting the role she wanted in the school musical, she ends up working with the stage crew, a group of misfits led by a boy named Sam. She ends up balancing three different lives and three different personalities, none of which are compatible with the others.
Characterization is where Wilkinson failed spectacularly. Having read A Pocketful of Eyes first, I knew that she was more than capable of creating more interesting and complex characters, which is why I have to conclude that she did this on purpose. But why? Every character in Pink is a walking stereotype: we have Ava’s intellectually snobbish girlfriend Chloe, playing the role of a lesbian feminist; Ava’s parents, so obsessed with being tolerant that they end up not tolerating anything mainstream; Alexis, the shallow blonde, perfect in everything she does; a gay friend, a secretly gay friend, a friend embarrassed by his rich parents, and in the end, Ava herself, completely devoid of personality.
Ava is one of the most self-centered, infuriating characters I’ve ever stumbled upon. The series of disastrous decisions she made in such a short period of time nearly drove me insane. Stories about personal growth by definition introduce a character that makes poor choices at the beginning, but finds a way to redeem himself/herself by the end. After one particularly bad decision, I’m afraid Ava reached the point of no redemption in my eyes.
Unfortunately, I doubt that I’ll be reading any more of Wilkinson’s novels. After reading two of them, I can honestly say that she’s not an author whose work I enjoy.
May 14, 2011
Pink is one of those rare books that are both easy-breezy and fun to read and not shallow. For some reason I have a hard time finding them. On the other hand, good depressing books about death/drugs/abuse/disability are much easier to come across, for me anyway.
In a few words, it's a story about not worrying about what people think you are or should be, not boxing yourself into "approved" social niches and just embracing your own individuality.
Not a groundbreaking premise, but the amusing cast of characters and humor make this novel stand out. Ava is a 16-year girl who is reconsidering her current status of an emo-goth, anti-establishment, feminist lesbian and wants to explore other sides of her personality (including sexuality). Ava's feminazi/nihilist girlfriend and ultra-liberal parents are not too wild about pink sweater and sexy heels wearing new Ava...
In many ways Pink reminded me of Not That Kind Of Girl, talks about the same things - what it means to be a feminist, how to be happy with who you are. Only it is much better, more fun for sure. There are words of advice spoken by Ava's mother that I think convey the "moral" of this story the best:
"You know, a very wise woman once gave this piece of advice to women everywhere: Be strong, believe in freedom, love yourself, understand your sexuality, have a sense of humor, masturbate, don't judge people by their religion, color, or sexual habits, love life and your family."
Well said:)
P.S. People are correct, there must be something in the water in Australia. I am yet to read one bad Australian YA novel.
In a few words, it's a story about not worrying about what people think you are or should be, not boxing yourself into "approved" social niches and just embracing your own individuality.
Not a groundbreaking premise, but the amusing cast of characters and humor make this novel stand out. Ava is a 16-year girl who is reconsidering her current status of an emo-goth, anti-establishment, feminist lesbian and wants to explore other sides of her personality (including sexuality). Ava's feminazi/nihilist girlfriend and ultra-liberal parents are not too wild about pink sweater and sexy heels wearing new Ava...
In many ways Pink reminded me of Not That Kind Of Girl, talks about the same things - what it means to be a feminist, how to be happy with who you are. Only it is much better, more fun for sure. There are words of advice spoken by Ava's mother that I think convey the "moral" of this story the best:
"You know, a very wise woman once gave this piece of advice to women everywhere: Be strong, believe in freedom, love yourself, understand your sexuality, have a sense of humor, masturbate, don't judge people by their religion, color, or sexual habits, love life and your family."
Well said:)
P.S. People are correct, there must be something in the water in Australia. I am yet to read one bad Australian YA novel.
April 27, 2011
Are you in the mood to lose your bottle of oil? Are you looking for one more example of Australian literary brilliance? Well then I suggest you give Pink by Lili Wilkinson a try. This coming of age story is filled with moments of hilarity, chagrin, deep thought, huge let downs and rewarding endings. I truly enjoyed Ava’s journey of self discovery that was filled with the right amount of screw-ups.
Pink starts off with Ava deciding to switch schools and attend Billy Hughes academy. She’s on a quest to discover who she really is and at the same time challenge herself academically. Every route she attempts though leads her to believe she doesn’t quite fit in, not with the Screws, nor the Pastels or her girlfriend Chloe for that matter. She’s confused and looking for some answers, and the road down Discovery Lane is nothing but major suckage.
At the beginning of the story, Ava came across to me as awkward and well slightly pathetic if I’m being honest. I was having a hard time connecting with her character and not quite feeling the compassion, but then something happened and I can’t quite pinpoint when it occurred. It’s like the clarity of the story’s message became blazingly clear, and I suddenly appreciated Ava for telling her story honestly and unabashedly.
At its most basic level, this book tells the story of a girl who simply wants to know who she truly is before she has to make some huge decisions about life, love and all that fills the space between. Its narrative is raw and the characters play their parts to perfection. Giving it anything less than four stars would be criminal and I’m grateful I got a chance to read Pink. Again, my gratitude to Alexa for sharing this book with me. I loved it!
Pink starts off with Ava deciding to switch schools and attend Billy Hughes academy. She’s on a quest to discover who she really is and at the same time challenge herself academically. Every route she attempts though leads her to believe she doesn’t quite fit in, not with the Screws, nor the Pastels or her girlfriend Chloe for that matter. She’s confused and looking for some answers, and the road down Discovery Lane is nothing but major suckage.
At the beginning of the story, Ava came across to me as awkward and well slightly pathetic if I’m being honest. I was having a hard time connecting with her character and not quite feeling the compassion, but then something happened and I can’t quite pinpoint when it occurred. It’s like the clarity of the story’s message became blazingly clear, and I suddenly appreciated Ava for telling her story honestly and unabashedly.
At its most basic level, this book tells the story of a girl who simply wants to know who she truly is before she has to make some huge decisions about life, love and all that fills the space between. Its narrative is raw and the characters play their parts to perfection. Giving it anything less than four stars would be criminal and I’m grateful I got a chance to read Pink. Again, my gratitude to Alexa for sharing this book with me. I loved it!
March 20, 2011
THAT’S IT. Upon my college graduation this May, I am packing up my worldly possessions and moving to Australia, land of infinite YA talent. I have been fortunate enough to read a number of wonderful Aussie YA authors—Cath Crowley, Kathy Charles, Kirsty Eagar, Jaclyn Moriarty, Melina Marchetta—but Lili Wilkinson’s PINK raised in me the rare and wonderful feeling of wanting to walk up to everyone I see and go, “This book. Oh my word. It’s…words fail me in describing its awesome. READ IT.” I’m going to equate this feeling to the one I got when I finished Robin Brande’s Fat Cat, still one of my favorite books ever, and then gushed endlessly about it for years and years and tell people repeatedly that they need to read it.
So. *breath* Let’s begin to explain why PINK is the Holy Grail of YA Contemporary Awesome, at least probably for those who share my taste in contemporary fiction. First of all, it is important to note that this is the most elegantly casual portrayal of LGBT teens I have encountered in YA. “Elegantly casual” sounds like an oxymoron, but what I mean by that is that it is a lovely realistic presentation of the ambiguities of teen sexuality. Lili Wilkinson doesn’t try to fit Ava and the other characters into character types in LGBT fiction that have been done before. Instead, they are simply allowed to…exist as they are, and it’s not a big freaking deal. David Levithan didn’t quite do it for me with his utopian romance Boy Meets Boy, but I am enamored by PINK’s skillful and intelligent handling of sexual orientation and identity.
Speaking of intelligence, PINK has the type of smartness that will appeal to everyone, regardless of your IQ level. Ava and the Screw kids are, without a doubt, nerds—specifically of the sci-fi geek kind. This means that they constantly engage in the most entertaining of conversations regarding the strangest and most obscure topics everywhere. There’s nothing like using one’s excessive brainpower for nerdy humor, and as someone who goes to a nerdy-cool college, I adored the banter. The Screw kids are weird, but they’re cool-weird, and best of all, each of the five has his or her own distinct personality.
PINK has all of the essentials that I love in a contemporary novel: a strong-voiced protagonist who is still in the process of growing, wit, full characterization. Not to mention some delectable extras: the sci-fi geek details, musical theatre (!), a cute boy, and memorable side characters. Without a doubt, PINK is going on my favorites shelf, and I eagerly look forward to the next time I reread it, so that I can experience the joy of this wonderfully well-written book all over again.
So. *breath* Let’s begin to explain why PINK is the Holy Grail of YA Contemporary Awesome, at least probably for those who share my taste in contemporary fiction. First of all, it is important to note that this is the most elegantly casual portrayal of LGBT teens I have encountered in YA. “Elegantly casual” sounds like an oxymoron, but what I mean by that is that it is a lovely realistic presentation of the ambiguities of teen sexuality. Lili Wilkinson doesn’t try to fit Ava and the other characters into character types in LGBT fiction that have been done before. Instead, they are simply allowed to…exist as they are, and it’s not a big freaking deal. David Levithan didn’t quite do it for me with his utopian romance Boy Meets Boy, but I am enamored by PINK’s skillful and intelligent handling of sexual orientation and identity.
Speaking of intelligence, PINK has the type of smartness that will appeal to everyone, regardless of your IQ level. Ava and the Screw kids are, without a doubt, nerds—specifically of the sci-fi geek kind. This means that they constantly engage in the most entertaining of conversations regarding the strangest and most obscure topics everywhere. There’s nothing like using one’s excessive brainpower for nerdy humor, and as someone who goes to a nerdy-cool college, I adored the banter. The Screw kids are weird, but they’re cool-weird, and best of all, each of the five has his or her own distinct personality.
PINK has all of the essentials that I love in a contemporary novel: a strong-voiced protagonist who is still in the process of growing, wit, full characterization. Not to mention some delectable extras: the sci-fi geek details, musical theatre (!), a cute boy, and memorable side characters. Without a doubt, PINK is going on my favorites shelf, and I eagerly look forward to the next time I reread it, so that I can experience the joy of this wonderfully well-written book all over again.
September 12, 2011
2.5 stars
It all starts with a pink cashmere sweater.
That's what Ava wants to wear instead of her usual goth all-black attire. Because, you see, Ava is a lesbian and a feminist and does not wear pink. Or maybe she isn't. What is sure is that Ava is in the middle of a crisis, with her girlfriend, with her beliefs, with her sexual orientation.
By applying to a posh private school, she hopes to get a fresh start and be able to experiment being someone else from whom she is usually expected to be.
Things don't work out exactly as Ava expected though, and soon enough she is caught in a spiral of lies, betrayals and humiliations which she will have a hard time disentangling herself from.
Will Ava eventually find her true self?
There is one specific reason why I thought this book was just above ok but could not completely like it: it really, really goes against who I am.
I do NOT like parents (Ava's) who, under a faux intelligentsia liberalism, really mask their snobbish, compartmentalized elitism and constrict their children in this overachieving, supposedly progressive but really just... discriminating lifestyle.
I do NOT like supposedly emancipated lesbianbitches girlfriends (Chloe) who want to stand out so much from the flock, that they fall right back into it as a caricature.
Most of all I do not like a spineless MC, who not only is close to being devoid of personality - actually a natural result of being subjected to the pressure of my two above-mentioned dislikes - but who is unable to stand up for herself and needs to lie, hurt other people and just be hypocritical for a good part of the book.
Much less do I like to read about them.
These were my biggest problems with Pink.
Add to that the fact that the school Ava decides to move to is really a joke, populated by these unrealistically clichéd students such as Ethan and Alexis OR that I found the turn of events with Alexis and the moviethon fairly unbelievable and you got yourself the explanation for my rating.
What I did like though was the writing, smooth and effortless, and some of the characters, namely the Screws, who were the most likable and the most believable, in my opinion.
The dialogues between Ava and Sam were pretty brilliant and I liked Sam quite a lot. Actually, part of my enjoyment started when Ava's castle of lies began to miserably crash and, end in end, she got a - partial - redemption. In fact, I quite liked her closing speech. But it was way, way too late for me to take back my general annoyance.
I don't know if the author made all the characters purposefully so unlikable in order to build a climax and then give us a long-agonized happy ending, but if it is so, it was too stretched and too... agonized, for me at least.
But you know what? In retrospect, I should have known it wouldn't work for me. When I read the dedication at the beginning of the book to David Levithan and then the author pulls a musical in the plot, I should have suspected.
Book, are you Australian? Because I really didn't notice.
It all starts with a pink cashmere sweater.
That's what Ava wants to wear instead of her usual goth all-black attire. Because, you see, Ava is a lesbian and a feminist and does not wear pink. Or maybe she isn't. What is sure is that Ava is in the middle of a crisis, with her girlfriend, with her beliefs, with her sexual orientation.
By applying to a posh private school, she hopes to get a fresh start and be able to experiment being someone else from whom she is usually expected to be.
Things don't work out exactly as Ava expected though, and soon enough she is caught in a spiral of lies, betrayals and humiliations which she will have a hard time disentangling herself from.
Will Ava eventually find her true self?
There is one specific reason why I thought this book was just above ok but could not completely like it: it really, really goes against who I am.
I do NOT like parents (Ava's) who, under a faux intelligentsia liberalism, really mask their snobbish, compartmentalized elitism and constrict their children in this overachieving, supposedly progressive but really just... discriminating lifestyle.
I do NOT like supposedly emancipated lesbian
Most of all I do not like a spineless MC, who not only is close to being devoid of personality - actually a natural result of being subjected to the pressure of my two above-mentioned dislikes - but who is unable to stand up for herself and needs to lie, hurt other people and just be hypocritical for a good part of the book.
Much less do I like to read about them.
These were my biggest problems with Pink.
Add to that the fact that the school Ava decides to move to is really a joke, populated by these unrealistically clichéd students such as Ethan and Alexis OR that I found the turn of events with Alexis and the moviethon fairly unbelievable and you got yourself the explanation for my rating.
What I did like though was the writing, smooth and effortless, and some of the characters, namely the Screws, who were the most likable and the most believable, in my opinion.
The dialogues between Ava and Sam were pretty brilliant and I liked Sam quite a lot. Actually, part of my enjoyment started when Ava's castle of lies began to miserably crash and, end in end, she got a - partial - redemption. In fact, I quite liked her closing speech. But it was way, way too late for me to take back my general annoyance.
I don't know if the author made all the characters purposefully so unlikable in order to build a climax and then give us a long-agonized happy ending, but if it is so, it was too stretched and too... agonized, for me at least.
But you know what? In retrospect, I should have known it wouldn't work for me. When I read the dedication at the beginning of the book to David Levithan and then the author pulls a musical in the plot, I should have suspected.
Book, are you Australian? Because I really didn't notice.
May 14, 2022
2,5
Reseña completa http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com/...
Quiero empezar la reseña hablando de la edición de este libro porque es una pasada, la portada es preciosa, el formato súper ligero y cómodo y en su interior tenemos pequeñas ilustraciones para los inicios de capítulos, algunas otras como complemento a la historia y estrellas para las separaciones, me ha parecido preciosa en todos los sentidos.
En cuanto a la historia, no tengo tantas alabanzas 😥 la trama es muy sencilla, no hay grandes sorpresas, ni giros argumentales ni siquiera eventos significativos, solo seguimos el día a día de Ava, como duda de su sexualidad, hace nuevos amigos, sus sentimientos y pensamientos. Es un libro juvenil de instituto, con representación LGBTt+ y autodescubrimiento. Todo esto estaría muy bien, que además hacía mucho que no leía un libro juvenil de instituto, pero el problema es la protagonista que es insufrible, pretenciosa y odiosa y como todo se ve desde su óptica pues el libro se hace difícil. No aguantaba a Ava y sus pensamientos, ni su manera de tratar a todo el mundo, mentir y creerse superior, es que no hay nada que me guste de ella y tampoco entiendo muy bien el tipo de representación que hay en el libro, no me ha convencido porque creo que está muy mal llevado y plasmado. Ojalá los demás personajes hubieran tenido más peso en la historia porque la mayoría me han gustado mucho y me parecían más interesantes que Ava.
Y esa es otra, como la protagonista lleva absolutamente todo el peso de la historia los personajes secundarios quedan relegados a un segundo plano, sin que se les termine de conocer y siendo meros peones en la vida de Ava. Me han gustado mucho los Escenazos, los técnicos de teatro, Sam, Jen, Jules, Kobe y Jacob, que dan mucho juego y son un grupo muy unido y tienen una amistad muy saludable y bonita.
Una historia ligera y entretenida de autodescubrimiento, de amor y amistad.
Reseña completa http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com/...
Quiero empezar la reseña hablando de la edición de este libro porque es una pasada, la portada es preciosa, el formato súper ligero y cómodo y en su interior tenemos pequeñas ilustraciones para los inicios de capítulos, algunas otras como complemento a la historia y estrellas para las separaciones, me ha parecido preciosa en todos los sentidos.
En cuanto a la historia, no tengo tantas alabanzas 😥 la trama es muy sencilla, no hay grandes sorpresas, ni giros argumentales ni siquiera eventos significativos, solo seguimos el día a día de Ava, como duda de su sexualidad, hace nuevos amigos, sus sentimientos y pensamientos. Es un libro juvenil de instituto, con representación LGBTt+ y autodescubrimiento. Todo esto estaría muy bien, que además hacía mucho que no leía un libro juvenil de instituto, pero el problema es la protagonista que es insufrible, pretenciosa y odiosa y como todo se ve desde su óptica pues el libro se hace difícil. No aguantaba a Ava y sus pensamientos, ni su manera de tratar a todo el mundo, mentir y creerse superior, es que no hay nada que me guste de ella y tampoco entiendo muy bien el tipo de representación que hay en el libro, no me ha convencido porque creo que está muy mal llevado y plasmado. Ojalá los demás personajes hubieran tenido más peso en la historia porque la mayoría me han gustado mucho y me parecían más interesantes que Ava.
Y esa es otra, como la protagonista lleva absolutamente todo el peso de la historia los personajes secundarios quedan relegados a un segundo plano, sin que se les termine de conocer y siendo meros peones en la vida de Ava. Me han gustado mucho los Escenazos, los técnicos de teatro, Sam, Jen, Jules, Kobe y Jacob, que dan mucho juego y son un grupo muy unido y tienen una amistad muy saludable y bonita.
Una historia ligera y entretenida de autodescubrimiento, de amor y amistad.
December 26, 2011
There were moments when Ava went 'I'm ashamed of me' that I was nodding along… because I was ashamed of her too. This bright girl was prone to sticking her foot in it and saying the most awkward of things. Talk of normal versus common is likely to piss some one off... and I'm not the exception. But I’ll be frank, Ava on one hand endearing and on the other positively infuriating.
Endearing.
She’s unsure of what she wants, what she wants and who she is. She’s not a hundred percent on what makes her her. And I get that. I even respect the fact that she voices these things out, if not to others, then at least to herself. There’s a moment or two where she says what’s on her mind without really thinking things through. Sometimes, she says the most brilliant of things, other times not at all. I like that she sees herself doing things. She sees herself singing, dancing and doing all manner of things. I like that she sees possibility in herself. I respect her putting herself out there and going about it her way.
And it’s her way that had me laughing and screwing my eyes shut, hoping that what I knew was coming wouldn’t happen. Because dear me, some of the fixes she found herself were cringe-worthy at best, and disastrous at worst. Case in point: oh gods, her audition! How I cringed, I can not tell you. Or her sparring with Sam and Jules and the other Screws: simultaneously enlightening and hilarious. Or her molding herself to be less screwed up and just a little more run-of-the-mill. And then there’s her love of pink.
Infuriating.
Yet, a lot of her actions were infuriating too. While she’d voiced her concerns out early on, some of the thing she did just showed what little regard she had of others for Chloe in particular. Yes, Chloe had time and again proven how far from perfect she was, but Ava was far from perfect too.
As said, she's uncertain, she’d not really settled on who she liked and who she was. Again, I respect that she’d voiced the uncertainty out, but I didn’t like the direction she took it. Basically there's lying, hiding, pretending, and half-truths. All surprising, given that she was smart, and had in several moments shown the ability to put herself out there and be independent. Were the things that happened funny? Yes. But still, these same things brought things to a higher level of drama, higher than necessary.
Yet, despite my complaints, the ending that saved things for me. It’s another open ending that doesn’t put a definitive answer on It leaves her and things about her as open and flexible. There’s that possibility to her and her story that I like. She’s a person in the making and it's this fact that I might be what I like most of all.
Endearing.
She’s unsure of what she wants, what she wants and who she is. She’s not a hundred percent on what makes her her. And I get that. I even respect the fact that she voices these things out, if not to others, then at least to herself. There’s a moment or two where she says what’s on her mind without really thinking things through. Sometimes, she says the most brilliant of things, other times not at all. I like that she sees herself doing things. She sees herself singing, dancing and doing all manner of things. I like that she sees possibility in herself. I respect her putting herself out there and going about it her way.
And it’s her way that had me laughing and screwing my eyes shut, hoping that what I knew was coming wouldn’t happen. Because dear me, some of the fixes she found herself were cringe-worthy at best, and disastrous at worst. Case in point: oh gods, her audition! How I cringed, I can not tell you. Or her sparring with Sam and Jules and the other Screws: simultaneously enlightening and hilarious. Or her molding herself to be less screwed up and just a little more run-of-the-mill. And then there’s her love of pink.
Infuriating.
Yet, a lot of her actions were infuriating too. While she’d voiced her concerns out early on, some of the thing she did just showed what little regard she had of others for Chloe in particular. Yes, Chloe had time and again proven how far from perfect she was, but Ava was far from perfect too.
As said, she's uncertain, she’d not really settled on who she liked and who she was. Again, I respect that she’d voiced the uncertainty out, but I didn’t like the direction she took it. Basically there's lying, hiding, pretending, and half-truths. All surprising, given that she was smart, and had in several moments shown the ability to put herself out there and be independent. Were the things that happened funny? Yes. But still, these same things brought things to a higher level of drama, higher than necessary.
Yet, despite my complaints, the ending that saved things for me. It’s another open ending that doesn’t put a definitive answer on It leaves her and things about her as open and flexible. There’s that possibility to her and her story that I like. She’s a person in the making and it's this fact that I might be what I like most of all.
March 28, 2011
I can’t coo over this book enough. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but was blown away by what I got.
Ava is just an ordinary goth girl, born to liberal parents and possessing an ultra-hip, feminist crusading girl friend. Ava knows her role and it has served her well. Problem is Ava wants more. She’s tired of always wearing black, especially when she is nursing a secret love of Pink, and though her girl-friend is great and mega hot, Ava sort of wants a boyfriend, just to see what it’s like. Most importantly, Ava wants the chance to be herself, although at present, she has no idea who she really is, but she’s determined to find out.
Lili Wilkinson is nothing short of a genius. For the first time ever, I can say that a writer has truly expressed what it means to be a teenager. While I never went through some of the trials and experiences that Ava must journey through, her story came across as authentic. Pink beautifully displays all the screw-up’s, hang ups and misconceptions that are so often tied to youth, and let’s face it, adulthood too. Additionally, Wilkinson tackles some pretty touchy subjects with humor and grace.
Pink is a remarkable book that I can only hope many will read for themselves.
Ava is just an ordinary goth girl, born to liberal parents and possessing an ultra-hip, feminist crusading girl friend. Ava knows her role and it has served her well. Problem is Ava wants more. She’s tired of always wearing black, especially when she is nursing a secret love of Pink, and though her girl-friend is great and mega hot, Ava sort of wants a boyfriend, just to see what it’s like. Most importantly, Ava wants the chance to be herself, although at present, she has no idea who she really is, but she’s determined to find out.
Lili Wilkinson is nothing short of a genius. For the first time ever, I can say that a writer has truly expressed what it means to be a teenager. While I never went through some of the trials and experiences that Ava must journey through, her story came across as authentic. Pink beautifully displays all the screw-up’s, hang ups and misconceptions that are so often tied to youth, and let’s face it, adulthood too. Additionally, Wilkinson tackles some pretty touchy subjects with humor and grace.
Pink is a remarkable book that I can only hope many will read for themselves.
November 29, 2011
Original post at One More Page
Ava is sixteen, and she has a secret. No, her secret is not that she's gay and that she has a girlfriend. Her secret is this: she wants to be a normal girl. Ava is 16, and she has very liberal parents and she has an ultra-radical, ultra-feminist and ultra-cool girlfriend, Chloe, who she knows she loves. But Ava is tired of being ultra-cool and always wearing black. She wants to care about school. She wants to study. She wants to fit in. She wants to even try dating a guy. And, she wants to wear pink. So Ava works her butt off so she can get a scholarship to Billy Hughes School for Academic Excellence, so she can try to have a normal life without the knowledge of her girlfriend or her parents. She gets in, and she immediately wants to be a part of the popular crowd up until it was time for the audition for the school musical. Ava tried out for a part, but fails miserably, and ends up joining the stage crew, a group of "losers" according to the popular group. However, as Ava spends more time with her new friends -- she is not even sure who are the real friends, if it's with the stage crew or the popular kids -- she finds it harder and harder to keep her secrets.
I have this weird compulsion to acquire pink things. Some people I know in real life are often amused at the number of pink things I own. Would you believe that even in acquiring a gadget, the availability of the color pink is a factor in my decision? :p I used to deny that my favorite color is pink because I thought it was too girly, but as I grew older I cannot deny the fact that I kept on gravitating towards that color. But that's really not the reason why I wanted to read Pink by Lili Wilkinson. I borrowed this from my friend Celina after Chachic was done with it because I was curious with all the positive reviews that this book has been getting from other bloggers I know. That, and it was written by an Australian author, and based on experience, Australian YA books are always good reads. And so here we go.
I have to agree with almost everyone else that Pink was loads of fun. This book had all the ingredients of a typical contemporary novel: somewhat outrageous premise, popular and unpopular kids, parties and secrets, but I liked how the author made these elements more interesting with other details, such as the theater set up! I loved reading about Ava's experiences as part of the stage crew. Back in high school, we used to produce stage plays for one class and I have always loved that time of the year when we had to do rehearsals, find costume and music and then stay up late in school to set up our stage and props and fix the music. I've never been one to want to be onstage -- I tend to avoid that as much as possible. I love working backstage more. My favorite scenes in the book would have to be the ones when they were busy setting up the lights and their first run (their dress rehearsal, I think?), where Sam was in the main control room giving orders to everyone through their headsets. Our high school didn't have that, but we had a main control room for the sounds, and I can remember how cool I felt when I wore a headset for a production for my church community with that scene.
I generally liked all of the characters, although I felt a bit lost with Ava. Ava was definitely confused, and I have to be patient with her at times because I have to remember she's young and some stupid decisions are made when we do not know better. Some of her mistakes were not just stupid but downright mean, and I felt like sometimes I was just waiting for a car crash to happen. It's not that I had a hard time connecting with Ava . I just wished she would not keep on swinging everywhere to please people and just try to look at what she wants. I also thought some of the characters felt a little bit cardboard, although they did gain more dimension in the end. And I know I was supposed to be on the Ava-Chloe team but Chloe really annoyed me with all her feminist/liberal/I'm-too-cool-for-these-things talk. Seriously? I had to sympathize with Ava there -- it must be exhausting to keep up that kind of image if it does not come to you naturally.
I liked that the author did not go for a 100% happily ever after ending, although I felt like Ava did not really resolve all her own issues there. She seemed less confused in the end, but I'm afraid she ended up as one of those female protagonists that I would remember for that and not for her strength.
I also loved all the geeky Wikipedia talk, and the random facts that Sam blurts out in the conversations. I would definitely insert a character like that in my next novel. :P Despite my misgivings with some of the main character, I still thought Pink was still pretty entertaining read. And I'm not just saying that because my favorite color is pink. :)
Ava is sixteen, and she has a secret. No, her secret is not that she's gay and that she has a girlfriend. Her secret is this: she wants to be a normal girl. Ava is 16, and she has very liberal parents and she has an ultra-radical, ultra-feminist and ultra-cool girlfriend, Chloe, who she knows she loves. But Ava is tired of being ultra-cool and always wearing black. She wants to care about school. She wants to study. She wants to fit in. She wants to even try dating a guy. And, she wants to wear pink. So Ava works her butt off so she can get a scholarship to Billy Hughes School for Academic Excellence, so she can try to have a normal life without the knowledge of her girlfriend or her parents. She gets in, and she immediately wants to be a part of the popular crowd up until it was time for the audition for the school musical. Ava tried out for a part, but fails miserably, and ends up joining the stage crew, a group of "losers" according to the popular group. However, as Ava spends more time with her new friends -- she is not even sure who are the real friends, if it's with the stage crew or the popular kids -- she finds it harder and harder to keep her secrets.
I have this weird compulsion to acquire pink things. Some people I know in real life are often amused at the number of pink things I own. Would you believe that even in acquiring a gadget, the availability of the color pink is a factor in my decision? :p I used to deny that my favorite color is pink because I thought it was too girly, but as I grew older I cannot deny the fact that I kept on gravitating towards that color. But that's really not the reason why I wanted to read Pink by Lili Wilkinson. I borrowed this from my friend Celina after Chachic was done with it because I was curious with all the positive reviews that this book has been getting from other bloggers I know. That, and it was written by an Australian author, and based on experience, Australian YA books are always good reads. And so here we go.
I have to agree with almost everyone else that Pink was loads of fun. This book had all the ingredients of a typical contemporary novel: somewhat outrageous premise, popular and unpopular kids, parties and secrets, but I liked how the author made these elements more interesting with other details, such as the theater set up! I loved reading about Ava's experiences as part of the stage crew. Back in high school, we used to produce stage plays for one class and I have always loved that time of the year when we had to do rehearsals, find costume and music and then stay up late in school to set up our stage and props and fix the music. I've never been one to want to be onstage -- I tend to avoid that as much as possible. I love working backstage more. My favorite scenes in the book would have to be the ones when they were busy setting up the lights and their first run (their dress rehearsal, I think?), where Sam was in the main control room giving orders to everyone through their headsets. Our high school didn't have that, but we had a main control room for the sounds, and I can remember how cool I felt when I wore a headset for a production for my church community with that scene.
I generally liked all of the characters, although I felt a bit lost with Ava. Ava was definitely confused, and I have to be patient with her at times because I have to remember she's young and some stupid decisions are made when we do not know better. Some of her mistakes were not just stupid but downright mean, and I felt like sometimes I was just waiting for a car crash to happen. It's not that I had a hard time connecting with Ava . I just wished she would not keep on swinging everywhere to please people and just try to look at what she wants. I also thought some of the characters felt a little bit cardboard, although they did gain more dimension in the end. And I know I was supposed to be on the Ava-Chloe team but Chloe really annoyed me with all her feminist/liberal/I'm-too-cool-for-these-things talk. Seriously? I had to sympathize with Ava there -- it must be exhausting to keep up that kind of image if it does not come to you naturally.
I liked that the author did not go for a 100% happily ever after ending, although I felt like Ava did not really resolve all her own issues there. She seemed less confused in the end, but I'm afraid she ended up as one of those female protagonists that I would remember for that and not for her strength.
I also loved all the geeky Wikipedia talk, and the random facts that Sam blurts out in the conversations. I would definitely insert a character like that in my next novel. :P Despite my misgivings with some of the main character, I still thought Pink was still pretty entertaining read. And I'm not just saying that because my favorite color is pink. :)
July 21, 2011
Originally posted here.
I've been neglecting the Aussie YA Challenge the past few months because I still have the rest of the year to finish it and I only need two more books. But when my good friend Celina offered to let me borrow her copy of Pink by Lili Wilkinson, I decided to go ahead and read it. I've been hearing good things about this book. Also, that's one less book for me to buy. Thanks again, Celina, for lending your copy. :)
Pink is a delightful, contemporary Aussie read. It's all about how the main character, Ava, is confused about a lot of things in her life. She thinks her girlfriend Chloe is awesome and she feels lucky to be in a relationship but she also wants to explore and discover other things about herself. She's tired of always wearing black and trying not to care about school because that's what Chloe wants. So she transfers to Billy Hughes so she can wear pink, act all girly and maybe even date a guy. Ava just didn't realize that things aren't so simple. It's hard to form friendships when she's hiding so much about herself. She doesn't even know when she's just pretending and when she's being real. I think Pink's storyline is something that most teenagers will be able to relate to. I can remember being confused about so many things in my life back when I was that age so I could definitely understand where Ava is coming from. As Ava finds out for herself, it takes time for things to fall into place. You can't just magically be somebody else even when you transfer schools.
As with most novels set in high school, the characters are divided into the popular and unpopular groups - in this case, the actors vs. the stage crew. I've always liked theater settings in novels because there's so much that happens in preparation for a play or a musical (and also because I like watching theater productions in real life). The characters get to bond over rehearsals or while building sets. I've said this before and I'll say it again, Aussie YA rocks. Why can't Filipino YA be the same? :P Pink is funny and very easy to read. Ava is one smart girl but some of the things that she gets herself into are hilarious. I felt embarrassed for her several times. But I was always rooting for her, I wanted her to make sense of everything that was confusing in her life. Ava makes mistakes along the way but that's part of growing up. I think she did the best that she could and that's all that we can ever ask of anyone. I recommend this for fans of contemporary fiction and international readers should take advantage of the fact that this has been printed in the US so it's more accessible than other Aussie titles. I'm already looking forward to reading Lili Wilkinson's A Pocketful of Things.
I've been neglecting the Aussie YA Challenge the past few months because I still have the rest of the year to finish it and I only need two more books. But when my good friend Celina offered to let me borrow her copy of Pink by Lili Wilkinson, I decided to go ahead and read it. I've been hearing good things about this book. Also, that's one less book for me to buy. Thanks again, Celina, for lending your copy. :)
Pink is a delightful, contemporary Aussie read. It's all about how the main character, Ava, is confused about a lot of things in her life. She thinks her girlfriend Chloe is awesome and she feels lucky to be in a relationship but she also wants to explore and discover other things about herself. She's tired of always wearing black and trying not to care about school because that's what Chloe wants. So she transfers to Billy Hughes so she can wear pink, act all girly and maybe even date a guy. Ava just didn't realize that things aren't so simple. It's hard to form friendships when she's hiding so much about herself. She doesn't even know when she's just pretending and when she's being real. I think Pink's storyline is something that most teenagers will be able to relate to. I can remember being confused about so many things in my life back when I was that age so I could definitely understand where Ava is coming from. As Ava finds out for herself, it takes time for things to fall into place. You can't just magically be somebody else even when you transfer schools.
As with most novels set in high school, the characters are divided into the popular and unpopular groups - in this case, the actors vs. the stage crew. I've always liked theater settings in novels because there's so much that happens in preparation for a play or a musical (and also because I like watching theater productions in real life). The characters get to bond over rehearsals or while building sets. I've said this before and I'll say it again, Aussie YA rocks. Why can't Filipino YA be the same? :P Pink is funny and very easy to read. Ava is one smart girl but some of the things that she gets herself into are hilarious. I felt embarrassed for her several times. But I was always rooting for her, I wanted her to make sense of everything that was confusing in her life. Ava makes mistakes along the way but that's part of growing up. I think she did the best that she could and that's all that we can ever ask of anyone. I recommend this for fans of contemporary fiction and international readers should take advantage of the fact that this has been printed in the US so it's more accessible than other Aussie titles. I'm already looking forward to reading Lili Wilkinson's A Pocketful of Things.
February 9, 2010
When I started reading this, I pleasantly surprised to discover that Chloe was really Ava's girlfriend and not just a friend-that's-a-girl. But the further I got into it, the more I worried that Wilkinson was going to whip around and get Ava onto the straight-and-straight track. And in a way, that's what Wilkinson does. Ava and Chloe break up (and let me note here that Chloe sounds more like a friend I have who is in her early twenties than someone who is sixteen), Ava finds herself in bed with a boy but doesn't get any peen action, and then she finds herself briefly falling for her nerdy friend but nothing much happens.
I wouldn't call Ava bisexual. It's possible that's what Wilkinson was going for, but it just rang false withe me. Honestly, I found Ava's relationship with Chloe to be more along the lines of trying to conform to her parents (oh no, conformity!), and her attraction was more to Chloe's bizarre young-twenties act and her oh so gawth nature.
I found Alexis to be grating. Maybe that was the point early on, but it just ran through the whole book.
I liked the theatre geek stuff, but I kept wondering- where were the teachers the whole time? Dennis is mentioned, but then he dies and there's no mention of a replacement. And I find it hard to believe that the kids were allowed to build everything. I've worked in school theatre, as a student and as a teacher, and it's nothing like that. Honestly, the whole plot reminded me of Fame-meets-High-School-Musical.
Look, it was fun, and a light read, but don't expect anything deep out of it. Seriously.
(And what well-meaning parent drives their child to Flinders Station at 10:30 PM?)
I wouldn't call Ava bisexual. It's possible that's what Wilkinson was going for, but it just rang false withe me. Honestly, I found Ava's relationship with Chloe to be more along the lines of trying to conform to her parents (oh no, conformity!), and her attraction was more to Chloe's bizarre young-twenties act and her oh so gawth nature.
I found Alexis to be grating. Maybe that was the point early on, but it just ran through the whole book.
I liked the theatre geek stuff, but I kept wondering- where were the teachers the whole time? Dennis is mentioned, but then he dies and there's no mention of a replacement. And I find it hard to believe that the kids were allowed to build everything. I've worked in school theatre, as a student and as a teacher, and it's nothing like that. Honestly, the whole plot reminded me of Fame-meets-High-School-Musical.
Look, it was fun, and a light read, but don't expect anything deep out of it. Seriously.
(And what well-meaning parent drives their child to Flinders Station at 10:30 PM?)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 25, 2020I honestly feel like this entire theme month has been me like cyberly grabbing hold of you guys by the shoulders and jumping up and down like crazy, chanting READ THIS READ THIS OMG READ THIS READ IT OMGGGGG!!!!!!!! So picture that in your mind eye, because that is PRECISELY what I am doing now. I am grabbing you and shouting right in ur face. And you love it.
Because Pink is a book that ur going to want to read. Srsly. This is like contemporary fiction at its absolute best, and Wilkinson is a gangsta, sat in the corner with her brandy and smokes, laughing a gravely evil laugh because she just KNOWS ur going to read this book and fall in love. Then next thing you know, ur living a life of crime; stealing books off’a peoples shelves, skulking in corners of bookstores, holding the library at ransom because YOU NEED ANOTHER CONTEMPORARY FIX AND SHE’S TURNED YOU INTO A JUNKIE.
I literally have no idea where this review is headed or why I just called Fiona a gangsta. I’m actually pretty sure she’s a real nice lady.
Ava is like srsly, what the heck is happening. Her gf Chloe is super duper amaze and all that shit, and it’s tres amazing to be in a fun relationship with someone you like. But can you really be happy in a relationship if you don’t truly know who YOU are. So, she decides that transferring to Billy Hughes is the way to go. Because there she can wear something that’s not black and y’know, join in and stop pretending she is too cool for school. So she transfers! And starts wearing PINK and dating BOYS! (penis alert!) But things go decidedly jacked up, because as easy as it sounds to forge a new identity in a new place, when ur hiding bits of urself away, the line between who you are and who you are pretending to be gets a little blurred. And you can only be you. The you that you are.
You know, a lot of books that feature LGBT teens really don’t quite hit the spot, y’know? Like you feel happy because YAY equality and YAY real life things are happening!! Because people aren’t all white and straight. I KNOW, SHOCKER! But then you just realize they don’t even add to the story, they’re just thrown in to be the “token gay character” and guess what? THAT REALLY PISSES ME OFF. And then in saunters Wilkinson, like BITCH PLEASE. Stand back and watch how it’s done. AND SHE HAS SERIOUS BOOK GAME Y’ALL. SHE BRINGS IT. In such an understated way, like its normal, which it TOTALLY IS!! It doesn’t feel forced, it’s just this perfectly beautiful representation of how ambiguous teenage sexuality can be. Because Ava doesn’t know if she’s gay or not. (which I love, because I hate that people need to put labels on things, why can’t you simply just *be*)
Also, Ava is a total dork. Like complete and utter nerd face. JUST LIKE US. Well, I can only speak for myself, but I think we are all nerds just a little right? I mean, we have friends inside our computers. That’s definitely nergasm worthy. So the banter was right up my street – so far up my street in fact, that it almost banged on my front door like YAY I AM SO WITTY WITH MY BANTER LETS BANTER IT UP. And guess what? THIS BOOK IS NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT.
And theatre. THEATRE. OMG REALLY I LOVE BOOKS THAT HAVE A THEATRE SETTING! The crew! The drama! Off stage and on stage dilemmas! The bright lights! The roaring crowd. I LOVE IT.
I mean, with a title like that, I was expecting fluff and cuddles and all the sloppy disgusting stuff that comes with the visual representation of said colour. Except, its ironic how it is NOTHING like its title. It’s not sweet as candy or soft and fluffy like gooey marshmallows. If I could describe this book in a word, it would be BAZINGA or you know SPUNK.
Because Pink is a book that ur going to want to read. Srsly. This is like contemporary fiction at its absolute best, and Wilkinson is a gangsta, sat in the corner with her brandy and smokes, laughing a gravely evil laugh because she just KNOWS ur going to read this book and fall in love. Then next thing you know, ur living a life of crime; stealing books off’a peoples shelves, skulking in corners of bookstores, holding the library at ransom because YOU NEED ANOTHER CONTEMPORARY FIX AND SHE’S TURNED YOU INTO A JUNKIE.
I literally have no idea where this review is headed or why I just called Fiona a gangsta. I’m actually pretty sure she’s a real nice lady.
Ava is like srsly, what the heck is happening. Her gf Chloe is super duper amaze and all that shit, and it’s tres amazing to be in a fun relationship with someone you like. But can you really be happy in a relationship if you don’t truly know who YOU are. So, she decides that transferring to Billy Hughes is the way to go. Because there she can wear something that’s not black and y’know, join in and stop pretending she is too cool for school. So she transfers! And starts wearing PINK and dating BOYS! (penis alert!) But things go decidedly jacked up, because as easy as it sounds to forge a new identity in a new place, when ur hiding bits of urself away, the line between who you are and who you are pretending to be gets a little blurred. And you can only be you. The you that you are.
You know, a lot of books that feature LGBT teens really don’t quite hit the spot, y’know? Like you feel happy because YAY equality and YAY real life things are happening!! Because people aren’t all white and straight. I KNOW, SHOCKER! But then you just realize they don’t even add to the story, they’re just thrown in to be the “token gay character” and guess what? THAT REALLY PISSES ME OFF. And then in saunters Wilkinson, like BITCH PLEASE. Stand back and watch how it’s done. AND SHE HAS SERIOUS BOOK GAME Y’ALL. SHE BRINGS IT. In such an understated way, like its normal, which it TOTALLY IS!! It doesn’t feel forced, it’s just this perfectly beautiful representation of how ambiguous teenage sexuality can be. Because Ava doesn’t know if she’s gay or not. (which I love, because I hate that people need to put labels on things, why can’t you simply just *be*)
Also, Ava is a total dork. Like complete and utter nerd face. JUST LIKE US. Well, I can only speak for myself, but I think we are all nerds just a little right? I mean, we have friends inside our computers. That’s definitely nergasm worthy. So the banter was right up my street – so far up my street in fact, that it almost banged on my front door like YAY I AM SO WITTY WITH MY BANTER LETS BANTER IT UP. And guess what? THIS BOOK IS NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT.
And theatre. THEATRE. OMG REALLY I LOVE BOOKS THAT HAVE A THEATRE SETTING! The crew! The drama! Off stage and on stage dilemmas! The bright lights! The roaring crowd. I LOVE IT.
I mean, with a title like that, I was expecting fluff and cuddles and all the sloppy disgusting stuff that comes with the visual representation of said colour. Except, its ironic how it is NOTHING like its title. It’s not sweet as candy or soft and fluffy like gooey marshmallows. If I could describe this book in a word, it would be BAZINGA or you know SPUNK.
July 13, 2018
No. Just ... no. I'm sorry but this was one of the most annoying books I've ever read. The characters were all infuriating and absolutely nothing made sense. The main character is supposed to be in high school but I've seen 5 year olds with better reasoning and priorities than her. And don't even get me started on the "representation"; it felt like the author wrote a "normal" story about a girl who wants to be popular, complete with a love triangle between her, the popular guy, and the nerdy guy, but then the author decided this had been done too many times before and so, in a misguided attempt at giving it some edge, threw in the girl's girlfriend at the last moment. There's no representation here, it's all just ... a mess.
December 31, 2020
3.5 stars. ✌🏻
There was deliberate miscommunication which is something that just rubs me the wrong way. The fact that miscommunication contributed to the ending, rather than being resolved when it was initially recognised by the protagonist, frustrated me. This did capture that selfishness and naivety of being a teenager as well, though.
I did like the friendships in here, I got a bit emotional here and there. A thing or two seemed a bit too clean but who cares when it’s cute and emotive.
I do wish the word ‘bisexual’ was used in here. It was very clear just not labelled but that’s also likely a personal preference! I’m happy I finally picked this one up. :)
There was deliberate miscommunication which is something that just rubs me the wrong way. The fact that miscommunication contributed to the ending, rather than being resolved when it was initially recognised by the protagonist, frustrated me. This did capture that selfishness and naivety of being a teenager as well, though.
I did like the friendships in here, I got a bit emotional here and there. A thing or two seemed a bit too clean but who cares when it’s cute and emotive.
I do wish the word ‘bisexual’ was used in here. It was very clear just not labelled but that’s also likely a personal preference! I’m happy I finally picked this one up. :)
August 3, 2016
This review can also be found at http://fortheloveofbooksreviews.blogs...
Ava has come out as a lesbian and is dating Chloe, who prides herself on not being like others her age, and who encourages Ava to do the same. However, Ava wants to try new things, to go to a new school, and maybe even to wear pink.
She tries to keep her school and personal lives separate, hiding her relationship with Chloe from her classmates, and not telling Chloe that she's signed up to help with the school play. But as Ava questions her sexual orientation, her relationship with Chloe, and what she wants for her future, her secrets catch up to her and she can't hide who she is, or who she thinks she may be, any longer.
I was impressed by this book because I often find it hard to get into YA contemporary novels, but I had no trouble getting into this one. While it felt a little bit slow at times, overall I found it quite fast-paced and I was never bored.
I thought it was interesting to see characters who were all so different compared to each other. There's Chloe, the rebel. Then there's Ava, who wants to fit in. Other characters included various outcasts, goths, theater kids and the popular crowd. However, while these groups are often found to be cliche, they didn't feel that way in this book. The presence of characters from these cliques seemed, to me, to mirror real life through a portrayal of the way that high school and life in general is often divided up, including prejudices, secrets and all.
I liked the way that real-life issues, such as sexuality, school, and the future were addressed and discussed through Ava's thoughts and experiences. I understood a lot of Ava's confusions, worries, and hopes, which helped me to care about Ava, and kept me reading on. I found her to be an interesting and relatable character.
However, I feel that a few things were missing from this book. For example, I wish there had been more discussion and scenes considering Ava's relationship with her parents. I wanted to know about her past with them, maybe about less happy times, or when they disagreed. I feel that this would have made for some interesting dialogue.
I also wish that this book hadn't completely skipped over multi-sexual identities such as bisexual and pansexual. When Ava is exploring her sexuality, it would make sense that these words would come up at least once somehow, whether in conversation or Ava's own research. Considering Ava's struggle, and the context of much of her dilemmas and thoughts expressed throughout the novel, the idea that people don't actually have to "choose" between feeling attraction towards men, women, or nonbinary people would probably have crossed her mind at some point. And yet, I don't feel like this idea was present, in any significant way, throughout the book.
I found it interesting how the author approached the theme of belonging, whether belonging to a social group, a clique, or a relationship. Usually when this theme is addressed, I've noticed more of a trend towards the protagonist wanting to be different, wanting to escape the clutches of normalcy and venture into the unknown. Ava's story was the opposite. She wanted to fit in, to be like everyone else and to be "normal". This was a nice change and made for a refreshing read.
This was an enjoyable, quick read. I recommend this to readers who enjoy YA contemporary, and to those looking for books with themes such as sexuality and belonging.
Ava has come out as a lesbian and is dating Chloe, who prides herself on not being like others her age, and who encourages Ava to do the same. However, Ava wants to try new things, to go to a new school, and maybe even to wear pink.
She tries to keep her school and personal lives separate, hiding her relationship with Chloe from her classmates, and not telling Chloe that she's signed up to help with the school play. But as Ava questions her sexual orientation, her relationship with Chloe, and what she wants for her future, her secrets catch up to her and she can't hide who she is, or who she thinks she may be, any longer.
I was impressed by this book because I often find it hard to get into YA contemporary novels, but I had no trouble getting into this one. While it felt a little bit slow at times, overall I found it quite fast-paced and I was never bored.
I thought it was interesting to see characters who were all so different compared to each other. There's Chloe, the rebel. Then there's Ava, who wants to fit in. Other characters included various outcasts, goths, theater kids and the popular crowd. However, while these groups are often found to be cliche, they didn't feel that way in this book. The presence of characters from these cliques seemed, to me, to mirror real life through a portrayal of the way that high school and life in general is often divided up, including prejudices, secrets and all.
I liked the way that real-life issues, such as sexuality, school, and the future were addressed and discussed through Ava's thoughts and experiences. I understood a lot of Ava's confusions, worries, and hopes, which helped me to care about Ava, and kept me reading on. I found her to be an interesting and relatable character.
However, I feel that a few things were missing from this book. For example, I wish there had been more discussion and scenes considering Ava's relationship with her parents. I wanted to know about her past with them, maybe about less happy times, or when they disagreed. I feel that this would have made for some interesting dialogue.
I also wish that this book hadn't completely skipped over multi-sexual identities such as bisexual and pansexual. When Ava is exploring her sexuality, it would make sense that these words would come up at least once somehow, whether in conversation or Ava's own research. Considering Ava's struggle, and the context of much of her dilemmas and thoughts expressed throughout the novel, the idea that people don't actually have to "choose" between feeling attraction towards men, women, or nonbinary people would probably have crossed her mind at some point. And yet, I don't feel like this idea was present, in any significant way, throughout the book.
I found it interesting how the author approached the theme of belonging, whether belonging to a social group, a clique, or a relationship. Usually when this theme is addressed, I've noticed more of a trend towards the protagonist wanting to be different, wanting to escape the clutches of normalcy and venture into the unknown. Ava's story was the opposite. She wanted to fit in, to be like everyone else and to be "normal". This was a nice change and made for a refreshing read.
This was an enjoyable, quick read. I recommend this to readers who enjoy YA contemporary, and to those looking for books with themes such as sexuality and belonging.
March 14, 2011
PINK is probably the best novel that I've read all year--the humor, the plot, the characters are so refreshing and realistic and I just want to hug this book because it's so. freaking. good.
Ava is a quasi-goth emo lesbian that applies to Billy Hughes to reinvent herself. New friends, new wardrobe--she's going to date boys and be pretty and popular and most importantly: be pink. But it's diffecult to be all of these things and continue to see her girlfriend Chloe and get along with the school's pack of misfits, Screw, all at the same time. Pretty soon, all of Ava's neatly constructed lives are beginning to clash...
The thing that I love about this book (okay, ONE of the things that I love about this book) is that the cliched plotline: girl gets a makeover and some new friends, past eventually catches up with her--never makes an appearence in this book. Never once does it sneak into the plotline, nor do any of the characters reflect the sterotypes that usually tag along with it.
I'm usually one to call out the cliched mean girl right off the bat, but Alexis and her friends were different. They acted like their brains had been transplanted with air, sure, but their nastiness (when it did sneak up, and it only did occasionally) it was under the surface and that is definitely something that is recognizable in real life. Not blatant cruelty, but their deliberate manner of cutting down someone's character for their own enjoyment. They were shallow and petty but never outright manipulative. So the reader is not scowling in disgust when Ava joins the group or tries to earn their approval.
But oh my God, Screw (Stage Crew? Screw? Do ya get it?) is the heart and soul and pulse of PINK. Sam is my new YA crush (Move over Ron Weasley, there's a new redhead in town)and he's smart and witty and just...himself. If that makes sense? He's comfortable with who he is and what his interests are, and he's not afraid to be a screw-up or a mess or a complete geek. At one point of the book he says, "You gotta own it. Be a screw-up. Live it." It's what every single middle-schooler and high-schooler in the world is frightened of, to do something wrong or not follow The Life Plan. One of the running themes in PINK, not just about deciding on your sexulity, is that it's okay to not be sure. And that theme plays out wonderfully, with the meaning behind the color of Pink playing a part in Ava's growth along the way.
PINK is my first Lili Wilkinson book (but it certainly won't be my last) and it's an absolute success. The writing is simple and beautiful and I have a lot to learn from it, the characters are honest and intelligent and fully fleshed out, and the theme is something that speaks straight to my heart.
PINK is quite simply lovely.
Ava is a quasi-goth emo lesbian that applies to Billy Hughes to reinvent herself. New friends, new wardrobe--she's going to date boys and be pretty and popular and most importantly: be pink. But it's diffecult to be all of these things and continue to see her girlfriend Chloe and get along with the school's pack of misfits, Screw, all at the same time. Pretty soon, all of Ava's neatly constructed lives are beginning to clash...
The thing that I love about this book (okay, ONE of the things that I love about this book) is that the cliched plotline: girl gets a makeover and some new friends, past eventually catches up with her--never makes an appearence in this book. Never once does it sneak into the plotline, nor do any of the characters reflect the sterotypes that usually tag along with it.
I'm usually one to call out the cliched mean girl right off the bat, but Alexis and her friends were different. They acted like their brains had been transplanted with air, sure, but their nastiness (when it did sneak up, and it only did occasionally) it was under the surface and that is definitely something that is recognizable in real life. Not blatant cruelty, but their deliberate manner of cutting down someone's character for their own enjoyment. They were shallow and petty but never outright manipulative. So the reader is not scowling in disgust when Ava joins the group or tries to earn their approval.
But oh my God, Screw (Stage Crew? Screw? Do ya get it?) is the heart and soul and pulse of PINK. Sam is my new YA crush (Move over Ron Weasley, there's a new redhead in town)and he's smart and witty and just...himself. If that makes sense? He's comfortable with who he is and what his interests are, and he's not afraid to be a screw-up or a mess or a complete geek. At one point of the book he says, "You gotta own it. Be a screw-up. Live it." It's what every single middle-schooler and high-schooler in the world is frightened of, to do something wrong or not follow The Life Plan. One of the running themes in PINK, not just about deciding on your sexulity, is that it's okay to not be sure. And that theme plays out wonderfully, with the meaning behind the color of Pink playing a part in Ava's growth along the way.
PINK is my first Lili Wilkinson book (but it certainly won't be my last) and it's an absolute success. The writing is simple and beautiful and I have a lot to learn from it, the characters are honest and intelligent and fully fleshed out, and the theme is something that speaks straight to my heart.
PINK is quite simply lovely.
April 2, 2017
Ohhhhhh my God.
Such a good premise. So much potential.
Too bad every single character was a total caricature. And they were all...pretty awful.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it ended with no grand romantic gesture. I'm glad there was a lot of talking about stereotypes and being open and honest with yourself, especially in regards to sexuality. But every character was so awful. They were either mean, or vain, or shallow, or stupid, or some combination of all of them. The only two exceptions seemed to be Jen and Sam. And everyone's issues just seemed so blown out of proportion. The hot stud is actually a virgin? The gay guy hates all other gay guys, until he makes out with one at a party? Ava doesn't want to tell her girlfriend that she likes school because that makes her...uncool? Ava's parents want her to be a feminist so bad they...don't want her liking pink? That's not how feminism works. Like, at all. Not even a little bit. The parents, the schools, Chloe-it all bordered on the ridiculous.
I tried really hard to suspend my disbelief, but it got to the point where I finally couldn't. Honestly, if I met any of these characters in real life, I'd probably punch them in the face. The pretentiousness was overwhelming, like Augustus Waters on crack.
But what really killed this book for me--what made me throw it down 3 pages before I ended it--was the gross biphobia.
The whole premise is that Ava doesn't know if she likes girls enough to consider herself a lesbian. Maybe she likes guys! Maybe she should try it out! So how does she do this? She cheats on her girlfriend--twice--and, later, when everything is out in the open, finally tells someone she's not sure if she is a lesbian.
When I read the summary of the book, my immediate thought was "Oh, she's bi." I kept waiting for her to say it. I kept waiting for someone to say it. Instead, we get this:
"'I like you, too," I said, 'And I don't know whether that means I'm straight or gay, or gay with a twist of straight or what. And I have to figure it out.'
'I hear it's okay to be both,' he said. 'All the kids are doing it.'
'I know.'"
Um, no, they're not. Also, there's a word for that, and if you did literally any research, you would know that.
And:
"I thought about what Chloe had said: You have to choose. It's all or nothing. Did I? Was it?
'I don't think it would be fair,' I said. 'To...to the other person. If I wasn't sure.'
'Why not?'
'Well, what if I change my mind?'"
So...that's not how it works. But I'm not going into a whole sexuality discussion here. This book mentally exhausted me, and I feel so bad for the people picking it up thinking it'll be have good feminist characters or quality LGBTQ+ representation.
Basically, *screw* this book.
Such a good premise. So much potential.
Too bad every single character was a total caricature. And they were all...pretty awful.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it ended with no grand romantic gesture. I'm glad there was a lot of talking about stereotypes and being open and honest with yourself, especially in regards to sexuality. But every character was so awful. They were either mean, or vain, or shallow, or stupid, or some combination of all of them. The only two exceptions seemed to be Jen and Sam. And everyone's issues just seemed so blown out of proportion. The hot stud is actually a virgin? The gay guy hates all other gay guys, until he makes out with one at a party? Ava doesn't want to tell her girlfriend that she likes school because that makes her...uncool? Ava's parents want her to be a feminist so bad they...don't want her liking pink? That's not how feminism works. Like, at all. Not even a little bit. The parents, the schools, Chloe-it all bordered on the ridiculous.
I tried really hard to suspend my disbelief, but it got to the point where I finally couldn't. Honestly, if I met any of these characters in real life, I'd probably punch them in the face. The pretentiousness was overwhelming, like Augustus Waters on crack.
But what really killed this book for me--what made me throw it down 3 pages before I ended it--was the gross biphobia.
The whole premise is that Ava doesn't know if she likes girls enough to consider herself a lesbian. Maybe she likes guys! Maybe she should try it out! So how does she do this? She cheats on her girlfriend--twice--and, later, when everything is out in the open, finally tells someone she's not sure if she is a lesbian.
When I read the summary of the book, my immediate thought was "Oh, she's bi." I kept waiting for her to say it. I kept waiting for someone to say it. Instead, we get this:
"'I like you, too," I said, 'And I don't know whether that means I'm straight or gay, or gay with a twist of straight or what. And I have to figure it out.'
'I hear it's okay to be both,' he said. 'All the kids are doing it.'
'I know.'"
Um, no, they're not. Also, there's a word for that, and if you did literally any research, you would know that.
And:
"I thought about what Chloe had said: You have to choose. It's all or nothing. Did I? Was it?
'I don't think it would be fair,' I said. 'To...to the other person. If I wasn't sure.'
'Why not?'
'Well, what if I change my mind?'"
So...that's not how it works. But I'm not going into a whole sexuality discussion here. This book mentally exhausted me, and I feel so bad for the people picking it up thinking it'll be have good feminist characters or quality LGBTQ+ representation.
Basically, *screw* this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2021
Tengo que dejar de crearme expectativas: mensaje para mí de mí misma.
A ver, iba con muchísimas ganas de leer esta novela. La premisa de comedia romántica protagonizada por una chica bisexual a la que le gustan los musicales y el rosa me sonó fantástica. Ahora cuál fue mi desilusión al leer la novela y encontrarme con que se usaban términos como "neohippies", "ultraprocesados" "anticapitalista" y demás, pero a la palabra bisexual parecía tenerle alergia porque no ha salido ni una vez en toda la historia. Y esto, siendo la protagonista principal claramente bisexual.
Que sí, que es una historia sobre el autodescubrimiento y la chica vive en un entorno que aunque parezca muy abierto de mente, no deja de ser tan adoctrinado como uno conservador. Sinceramente, esto es lo único que me ha gustado del libro: la contraposición de la cultura de masas y la indie. El entorno de Ava, la protagonista, se rechaza absolutamente toda la cultura pop y de tendencias y tienen un pensamiento muy progresista llevado al extremo, que resulta tan opresor como uno extremadamente conservador. Esta novela critica que no porque te guste la cultura popular como Marvel o el reggaeton estás alienado, ni porque te gusten las películas de la posguerra y cantantes alemanes alternativos eres más inteligente y especial. Cada uno tiene que ser fiel a uno mismo y a sus gustos, pertenezcan a lo que pertenezcan.
Una de las cosas que más me ha molestado es que todos los personajes, no solo la protagonista, son odiosos y estereotípicos. El único con el que conseguía conectar es Sam y hacia el final con Jen. Hay mensajes feministas y LGBT+ metidos con calzador y que se usan como argumento en contra de comentarios misóginos, machistas y homófobos, cuando no tienen ni pies ni cabeza. Demuestra que hay incluso homofobia y demás dentro del colectivo LGBT+ pero en ningún momento se critica, sino que se excusa al personaje que los está haciendo.
En definitiva, tenía muchas ganas de leer esta novela desde que se anunció y me he llevado un chasco total. Desde luego y sintiéndolo mucho, es de mis peores lecturas de este año.
A ver, iba con muchísimas ganas de leer esta novela. La premisa de comedia romántica protagonizada por una chica bisexual a la que le gustan los musicales y el rosa me sonó fantástica. Ahora cuál fue mi desilusión al leer la novela y encontrarme con que se usaban términos como "neohippies", "ultraprocesados" "anticapitalista" y demás, pero a la palabra bisexual parecía tenerle alergia porque no ha salido ni una vez en toda la historia. Y esto, siendo la protagonista principal claramente bisexual.
Que sí, que es una historia sobre el autodescubrimiento y la chica vive en un entorno que aunque parezca muy abierto de mente, no deja de ser tan adoctrinado como uno conservador. Sinceramente, esto es lo único que me ha gustado del libro: la contraposición de la cultura de masas y la indie. El entorno de Ava, la protagonista, se rechaza absolutamente toda la cultura pop y de tendencias y tienen un pensamiento muy progresista llevado al extremo, que resulta tan opresor como uno extremadamente conservador. Esta novela critica que no porque te guste la cultura popular como Marvel o el reggaeton estás alienado, ni porque te gusten las películas de la posguerra y cantantes alemanes alternativos eres más inteligente y especial. Cada uno tiene que ser fiel a uno mismo y a sus gustos, pertenezcan a lo que pertenezcan.
Una de las cosas que más me ha molestado es que todos los personajes, no solo la protagonista, son odiosos y estereotípicos. El único con el que conseguía conectar es Sam y hacia el final con Jen. Hay mensajes feministas y LGBT+ metidos con calzador y que se usan como argumento en contra de comentarios misóginos, machistas y homófobos, cuando no tienen ni pies ni cabeza. Demuestra que hay incluso homofobia y demás dentro del colectivo LGBT+ pero en ningún momento se critica, sino que se excusa al personaje que los está haciendo.
En definitiva, tenía muchas ganas de leer esta novela desde que se anunció y me he llevado un chasco total. Desde luego y sintiéndolo mucho, es de mis peores lecturas de este año.
November 6, 2010
Fun and cozy, with heart. Semi-goth emo lesbian Ava has a few deep dark secrets: she loves school, wants to wear pink, and is curious about kissing boys. But when she tries to lead a double life, things get crazy and she manages to hurt a lot of people she loves.
Ava never comes to life quite as much as the people around her, who comprise one of the best secondary casts ever, and it's not always clear what others see in her-- which may reflect Ava's own insecurity, since she's narrating, and she's not sure what anyone sees in her either.
I love that there are no easy answers here: Ava is searching for answers to very big questions (who am I and where do I fit in this crazy world?) and it makes sense that the answers prove elusive, and the search itself might be part of the answer.
Ava never comes to life quite as much as the people around her, who comprise one of the best secondary casts ever, and it's not always clear what others see in her-- which may reflect Ava's own insecurity, since she's narrating, and she's not sure what anyone sees in her either.
I love that there are no easy answers here: Ava is searching for answers to very big questions (who am I and where do I fit in this crazy world?) and it makes sense that the answers prove elusive, and the search itself might be part of the answer.
June 11, 2011
What?! Say again? I'm having trouble hearing your moralizing with all these offensive stereotypes and tired cliches in the way! I was going to bump it up to two stars for featuring the underrepresented bisexual, but then I got to the bisexuality-is-really-just-an-excuse-to-date-a-man-and-a-woman-at-the-same-time part and took it back.
If any of my book-friends are thinking of reading this, ask me for the full diatribe, but otherwise, I'm not going to spend more time on a review with so many good books waiting on my shelf. The characters were painfully caricatured, the school is a liberal fairy tale, the banter was full of arrogant inside-joke witticisms, but real feminist arguments were shallowly laughed off in the next lines, and the ending was very awkwardly unrealistic.
If any of my book-friends are thinking of reading this, ask me for the full diatribe, but otherwise, I'm not going to spend more time on a review with so many good books waiting on my shelf. The characters were painfully caricatured, the school is a liberal fairy tale, the banter was full of arrogant inside-joke witticisms, but real feminist arguments were shallowly laughed off in the next lines, and the ending was very awkwardly unrealistic.
August 9, 2009
Set in Melbourne, this is the story of Ava, who has a girlfriend, and bohemian parents, and black-dyed hair and a secret desire to wear pink. So she transfers to another school and falls in with the Pastels and is set up with a boy, my goodness, and it is awesome and smart and hilarious and sweet and absolutely drenched in geek aesthetic. It is one hella sharp and entertaining read.
Oh, and there's a school musical! And she's on crew! Therein lie SHENANIGANS. Techies forever, amirite?
Oh, and there's a school musical! And she's on crew! Therein lie SHENANIGANS. Techies forever, amirite?
April 30, 2022
No me gusta nada como este tipo de libros mantienen los mismos clichés, tópicos y comportamientos tóxicos que tanto llevamos criticando 😅
December 30, 2015
Review copy provided by publisher
Why I Read this Book: The first thing that caught my attention is that cover. I love it! It really stands out and catches your eye. The premise sounded interesting enough however, the book didn’t live up to my expectations.
What I Liked: The writing was good in that it flowed well and was easy to read without any hang-ups. And the title and the cover are a good fit for this book.
The people in the stage crew were a fun group. I love the camaraderie between them. Sam was my favorite character in the book. I was more interested with what was going on with his character than I was with Ava, the protagonist.
What I Didn’t Like: My biggest problem with Pink was that I couldn’t connect with Ava, at all. She was trying to fit in by pleasing everyone that she never did anything for herself. She likes Ethan because Alexis tells her to like Ethan. She tries out for the school musical because Alexis tells her it will get her closer to Ethan. Ava got the opportunity to re-invent herself and I thought she would amount to more. That just didn’t happen. She goes through an identity crisis and I feel like she really didn’t know who she was at the end of the book any more than she did in the beginning.
I did get a small case of the warm and fuzzies (probably because it involved Sam) at the end but other than that the story fell flat. I was surprised to see that the story had ended when it did; I was expecting a little more.
Overall Impression: Pink was a miss for me. I didn’t connect with the story or the main character. I could have easily put this one down except the author’s fluid writing style made Pink as easy read. If you enjoy reading about high school drama, clichés, and don’t mind a bland, meek protagonist, then Pink might be for you. Maybe this book would be a fun read for a young reader. Pink is told in 1st person narrative from Ava’s POV. There’s a little bit of over thinking and analyzing, which I think is to be expected in a YA novel. I like reading YA but it has to have some substance – either a good romance/love triangle or a coming of age experience. There has to be something to reel my inner 17-year old self in, which unfortunately didn’t happen with Pink.
Why I Read this Book: The first thing that caught my attention is that cover. I love it! It really stands out and catches your eye. The premise sounded interesting enough however, the book didn’t live up to my expectations.
What I Liked: The writing was good in that it flowed well and was easy to read without any hang-ups. And the title and the cover are a good fit for this book.
The people in the stage crew were a fun group. I love the camaraderie between them. Sam was my favorite character in the book. I was more interested with what was going on with his character than I was with Ava, the protagonist.
What I Didn’t Like: My biggest problem with Pink was that I couldn’t connect with Ava, at all. She was trying to fit in by pleasing everyone that she never did anything for herself. She likes Ethan because Alexis tells her to like Ethan. She tries out for the school musical because Alexis tells her it will get her closer to Ethan. Ava got the opportunity to re-invent herself and I thought she would amount to more. That just didn’t happen. She goes through an identity crisis and I feel like she really didn’t know who she was at the end of the book any more than she did in the beginning.
I did get a small case of the warm and fuzzies (probably because it involved Sam) at the end but other than that the story fell flat. I was surprised to see that the story had ended when it did; I was expecting a little more.
Overall Impression: Pink was a miss for me. I didn’t connect with the story or the main character. I could have easily put this one down except the author’s fluid writing style made Pink as easy read. If you enjoy reading about high school drama, clichés, and don’t mind a bland, meek protagonist, then Pink might be for you. Maybe this book would be a fun read for a young reader. Pink is told in 1st person narrative from Ava’s POV. There’s a little bit of over thinking and analyzing, which I think is to be expected in a YA novel. I like reading YA but it has to have some substance – either a good romance/love triangle or a coming of age experience. There has to be something to reel my inner 17-year old self in, which unfortunately didn’t happen with Pink.
April 12, 2017
3/5.
In this book we follow a teenage queer girl (is she gay? is she bi? WHO KNOWS. NOT HER ANYWAYS) called Ava who *gasps* likes girly stuff!! Like pink things and fashion and going shopping!!!! This proves not to go down well with her wannabe-goth, intellectual hipster of a girlfriend called Chloe. Ava changes schools to get away from Chloe so that she can ~be herself~ and starts hanging out with a gang that 1) really resembles the Plastics from Mean Girls 2) are just your stereotypical rude popular girls IDK nothing groundbreaking there. Ava auditions for the musical because that's what the cool girls do and due to her epic suckdom ends up in stage crew or "screws" as they call themselves, which basically is a band of random misfits mashed together in typical YA-book style.
While I did like this book well enough there's nothing super memorable about it. It's a solid young adult book (and also written by an Australian author yay!!) but it's not something I believe I will remember in time because it didn't really make much of an impression on me. It was a quick and light read, something I needed after battling Six of Crows for ages, and at times hilarious too making me laugh out loud but it simply wasn't very memorable.
I didn't really have that many problems with this book other than this story was way, way over the top and too dramatic and not really realistic. Because let's be real, the sort of drama taking up much of the plot in this book and the reactions of some characters is not how real life people would react. I don't think this book was intended to be realistic either, however; if it were I think I'd be rather disappointed in this book but since I don't perceive it that way I can laugh at it. I have a feeling it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek and too over the top because it wants to be entertaining in the same way as your average teenage movie. In that it definitely succeeds to, I think.
If you're looking for some light and rather funny reading that might not be too memorable but enjoyable nevertheless AND has female queer characters, I would definitely recommend 'Pink'.
In this book we follow a teenage queer girl (is she gay? is she bi? WHO KNOWS. NOT HER ANYWAYS) called Ava who *gasps* likes girly stuff!! Like pink things and fashion and going shopping!!!! This proves not to go down well with her wannabe-goth, intellectual hipster of a girlfriend called Chloe. Ava changes schools to get away from Chloe so that she can ~be herself~ and starts hanging out with a gang that 1) really resembles the Plastics from Mean Girls 2) are just your stereotypical rude popular girls IDK nothing groundbreaking there. Ava auditions for the musical because that's what the cool girls do and due to her epic suckdom ends up in stage crew or "screws" as they call themselves, which basically is a band of random misfits mashed together in typical YA-book style.
While I did like this book well enough there's nothing super memorable about it. It's a solid young adult book (and also written by an Australian author yay!!) but it's not something I believe I will remember in time because it didn't really make much of an impression on me. It was a quick and light read, something I needed after battling Six of Crows for ages, and at times hilarious too making me laugh out loud but it simply wasn't very memorable.
I didn't really have that many problems with this book other than this story was way, way over the top and too dramatic and not really realistic. Because let's be real, the sort of drama taking up much of the plot in this book and the reactions of some characters is not how real life people would react. I don't think this book was intended to be realistic either, however; if it were I think I'd be rather disappointed in this book but since I don't perceive it that way I can laugh at it. I have a feeling it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek and too over the top because it wants to be entertaining in the same way as your average teenage movie. In that it definitely succeeds to, I think.
If you're looking for some light and rather funny reading that might not be too memorable but enjoyable nevertheless AND has female queer characters, I would definitely recommend 'Pink'.
July 30, 2010
How can you be true to yourself, when you have no idea who you actually are? If you want to get to the centre of this pink-fetish delight, then that question is what you would find. Pink is fabulous because it's the antithesis of what it sounds like. There's nothing soft, fluffy or sweet about this novel. Wilkinson's slices, dices and shreds her way through dialogue to get to the real heart of the matter...and the characters. I mean that in the best way possible, teens don't cushion the truth and neither do the characters. In contrast there's are some lovely quiet moment. Pink was an immeslely funny and involving story that is populated with so many zingers that you'll think you're on a roller coaster while experiencing a sugar high. It's that good. But most importantly is possesses a heart.
Ava's gay but she's not a hundred percent sure. She wants to be normal and have the typical teen experience. Like all teenagers she has people all around her attempting to mould her into what they think she should be. In changing schools, Ava is working towards becoming what she feels she needs to be. She needs...to wear pink, to be with the "in" crowd and date boys. It's much, much more than the summary implies. Why? Because there are the amazingly obnoxious, whip-smart and adorable back stage crew of the musical that might have more in common with her than she'd like. I love this crew, particularly the wonderfully blunt Jules. I want to adopt that boy.
Wilkinson knows her demographic and she's got a mighty deft touch in writing witty repartee. Pink is a fun read but it delves into many themes that are true to the teen experience regardless of sexual orientation. Disconnected parents, sexuality, emotional neglect, betrayal, self-doubt and the struggle for independence are all here in a wonderfully witty, pink package. There's no bow tied ending here but the conclusion will greatly satisfy with it's realistic edge.
A great novel that shades the line between what is and what can be. Be who you want to be, even if that does involve wearing pink ;)
Ava's gay but she's not a hundred percent sure. She wants to be normal and have the typical teen experience. Like all teenagers she has people all around her attempting to mould her into what they think she should be. In changing schools, Ava is working towards becoming what she feels she needs to be. She needs...to wear pink, to be with the "in" crowd and date boys. It's much, much more than the summary implies. Why? Because there are the amazingly obnoxious, whip-smart and adorable back stage crew of the musical that might have more in common with her than she'd like. I love this crew, particularly the wonderfully blunt Jules. I want to adopt that boy.
Wilkinson knows her demographic and she's got a mighty deft touch in writing witty repartee. Pink is a fun read but it delves into many themes that are true to the teen experience regardless of sexual orientation. Disconnected parents, sexuality, emotional neglect, betrayal, self-doubt and the struggle for independence are all here in a wonderfully witty, pink package. There's no bow tied ending here but the conclusion will greatly satisfy with it's realistic edge.
A great novel that shades the line between what is and what can be. Be who you want to be, even if that does involve wearing pink ;)
March 26, 2011
This was a great book.
Ava has just gotten into Billy Hughes School for Academic Excellence. At Billy Hughes, Ava has the chance to be a pink-wearing, boy-liking, *girl*. She loves her girlfriend and doesn’t mind putting up with Chloe’s rants against the evil du jour. She appreciates and respects her progressive and outspoken parents. And, hey, she hates misogyny as much as the next woman. But she also likes pink. She wants to enjoy learning without persecution. She wants to ditch her all-black, quasi-goth emo lesbian persona and go to a school formal with a tuxedo-clad date (like in those old movies with Molly Ringwald). And as soon as she can figure out which shoes to wear with which pants and ignore the occasional homophobic remark, she’s sure these things are in her future.
For a while it read like a social and romantic comedy of errors. One of Ava’s attempts at fitting in is trying out for the school musical, but she screws that royal and ends up with the ragtag stage crew. She wears makeup and a bouncy ponytail at school, but changes at home before seeing Chloe. There are embarrassments and missteps, then pseudo-“realizations” on repeat. Her parents frown on what they see as conformation. Chloe senses change and angrily wants everything back to normal. The perfect Pastels at school are molding her to their image in the guise of friendship and the stage crew Screws are, against all appearances, the most fun. Poor Ava was all over the place.
But her confusion was real and I loved that she stayed confused. How often do we put ourselves in a box because it’s easier that way? She loves Chloe, but Chloe only seems to love a certain version of her. She’s bored and self-conscious when she hangs out as the girl she thought she wanted to be. She believes in what her parents stand for, but can’t be herself without disappointing them. And where does she even fit in when she’s with the nerdy, gay, academic, awkward Screws?
Fun conversations, heartfelt experiences, and real characters. A great book.
Ava has just gotten into Billy Hughes School for Academic Excellence. At Billy Hughes, Ava has the chance to be a pink-wearing, boy-liking, *girl*. She loves her girlfriend and doesn’t mind putting up with Chloe’s rants against the evil du jour. She appreciates and respects her progressive and outspoken parents. And, hey, she hates misogyny as much as the next woman. But she also likes pink. She wants to enjoy learning without persecution. She wants to ditch her all-black, quasi-goth emo lesbian persona and go to a school formal with a tuxedo-clad date (like in those old movies with Molly Ringwald). And as soon as she can figure out which shoes to wear with which pants and ignore the occasional homophobic remark, she’s sure these things are in her future.
For a while it read like a social and romantic comedy of errors. One of Ava’s attempts at fitting in is trying out for the school musical, but she screws that royal and ends up with the ragtag stage crew. She wears makeup and a bouncy ponytail at school, but changes at home before seeing Chloe. There are embarrassments and missteps, then pseudo-“realizations” on repeat. Her parents frown on what they see as conformation. Chloe senses change and angrily wants everything back to normal. The perfect Pastels at school are molding her to their image in the guise of friendship and the stage crew Screws are, against all appearances, the most fun. Poor Ava was all over the place.
But her confusion was real and I loved that she stayed confused. How often do we put ourselves in a box because it’s easier that way? She loves Chloe, but Chloe only seems to love a certain version of her. She’s bored and self-conscious when she hangs out as the girl she thought she wanted to be. She believes in what her parents stand for, but can’t be herself without disappointing them. And where does she even fit in when she’s with the nerdy, gay, academic, awkward Screws?
Fun conversations, heartfelt experiences, and real characters. A great book.
November 1, 2013
From my review at bisexual-books.tumblr.com:
This Austrialian YA novel may be one of the best books I’ve ever read about internalized biphobia. Yet it suffers from the same problem as other YA novels I’ve discussed in the past — it never uses the word bisexual.
The story starts when Ava transfers to another school so she can reinvent herself completely. Gone are the pretentious trappings and chic clothes of her ‘too cool for school’ girlfriend Chloe and her lesbian clique. She’s free to make herself over as a pink wearing boy-crazy book nerd who is passionate about the school musical. She is still in love with Chloe, but Chloe clearly only likes Ava when she is being who Claire wants her to be. And Ava isn’t sure who she wants to be. (Chloe also calls another unhip lesbian character retarted several times. It’s meant to show that she is cruel, but readers sensitive to ableistic slurs should be be aware.)
Ava’s story captured my interest right away. Like her, when I first came out I found a social group of queer people who were very judgmental. You had to dress the right way, listen to the right music, go to the right parties, read the right books, and be the right sexual orientation (ie not bi) in order to be accepted by the group. So I understand Ava’s desire to have it both ways - she wants to dress and act like herself and keep her queer community. Sam, her friend who clearly has feelings for her, is probably the only one willing to understand and accept her as the flawed creature she is….. if she wasn’t so busy lying to him. She needs to pick up the pieces of herself and her own shitty behavior before she can even begin to explore what this means.
Which is why it’s so weird that this book never uses the actual word bisexual. At all. You’d think that when an out lesbian starts to pursue boys that someone somewhere might use the b-word, but nope.
I can’t quite forgive that lack, but it still is a really good realistic fiction YA novel whose themes will resonate with bisexual people, even if the word isn’t used.
This Austrialian YA novel may be one of the best books I’ve ever read about internalized biphobia. Yet it suffers from the same problem as other YA novels I’ve discussed in the past — it never uses the word bisexual.
The story starts when Ava transfers to another school so she can reinvent herself completely. Gone are the pretentious trappings and chic clothes of her ‘too cool for school’ girlfriend Chloe and her lesbian clique. She’s free to make herself over as a pink wearing boy-crazy book nerd who is passionate about the school musical. She is still in love with Chloe, but Chloe clearly only likes Ava when she is being who Claire wants her to be. And Ava isn’t sure who she wants to be. (Chloe also calls another unhip lesbian character retarted several times. It’s meant to show that she is cruel, but readers sensitive to ableistic slurs should be be aware.)
Ava’s story captured my interest right away. Like her, when I first came out I found a social group of queer people who were very judgmental. You had to dress the right way, listen to the right music, go to the right parties, read the right books, and be the right sexual orientation (ie not bi) in order to be accepted by the group. So I understand Ava’s desire to have it both ways - she wants to dress and act like herself and keep her queer community. Sam, her friend who clearly has feelings for her, is probably the only one willing to understand and accept her as the flawed creature she is….. if she wasn’t so busy lying to him. She needs to pick up the pieces of herself and her own shitty behavior before she can even begin to explore what this means.
Which is why it’s so weird that this book never uses the actual word bisexual. At all. You’d think that when an out lesbian starts to pursue boys that someone somewhere might use the b-word, but nope.
I can’t quite forgive that lack, but it still is a really good realistic fiction YA novel whose themes will resonate with bisexual people, even if the word isn’t used.
July 31, 2009
Ava is a teenager trying to please everyone, by the grades she gets, the clothes she wears, even the food she eats. But is this really what she wants? Or who she is?
Ava isn't so sure, at least not anymore. She isn't sure about a lot of things in her life, but one thing she is sure about is that it's time for a change; new friends, new experiences, a new school, and maybe even a new Ava. But will she be able to hold on to her old life while creating a new one?
Confused and on a mission to find herself, to find who she really is, Ava strives to reinvent herself. All she wanted was to be normal, be like everyone else and to fit in, to belong. But was this too much to ask; was she so different that she couldn't fit in anywhere? and has she reinvented herself so much that instead of finding herself, she has lost who she is in a web of new clothes and lies? Or is it possible that through all the secrets shared and mistakes made that Ava is able to learn about life, love and herself.
This book is a great read for any teenager girl. It is both clever and humorous, and at times embarrassingly honest. It deals with the question of identity and show its alright to be unsure; that life is never simple and neat, but messy and screwed up. It is not afraid to show the important issues faced by teens; that of family, friendships, relationships, sexuality, peer pressure, drugs and the need for acceptance.
Ava isn't so sure, at least not anymore. She isn't sure about a lot of things in her life, but one thing she is sure about is that it's time for a change; new friends, new experiences, a new school, and maybe even a new Ava. But will she be able to hold on to her old life while creating a new one?
Confused and on a mission to find herself, to find who she really is, Ava strives to reinvent herself. All she wanted was to be normal, be like everyone else and to fit in, to belong. But was this too much to ask; was she so different that she couldn't fit in anywhere? and has she reinvented herself so much that instead of finding herself, she has lost who she is in a web of new clothes and lies? Or is it possible that through all the secrets shared and mistakes made that Ava is able to learn about life, love and herself.
This book is a great read for any teenager girl. It is both clever and humorous, and at times embarrassingly honest. It deals with the question of identity and show its alright to be unsure; that life is never simple and neat, but messy and screwed up. It is not afraid to show the important issues faced by teens; that of family, friendships, relationships, sexuality, peer pressure, drugs and the need for acceptance.
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