- Mass Market Paperback: 10 pages
- Publisher: Fawcett; Reprint edition (Mar 2 1996)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0449704521
- ISBN-13: 978-0449704523
- Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 10.2 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 113 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,183,757 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Laurie Greenspan thinks her hip friend Carla has "the coolest parents in the world," especially compared with Laurie's Russian emigree mother ("You only had to screw up once around Lena Greenspan to figure out which side of the Volga you'd landed on"). Her father, once a rising academic, is utterly ineffectual, a "shell of a man" since a traffic accident 10 years ago, and her geeky older brother, Murray, gets all the praise and attention. Rebelling, 15-year-old Laurie tries to act like the ever-wilder Carla, who hooks up with a group of drug-dealing bikers. First-novelist Fitch's dialogue can be pungent ("'You think I give a flying fuck if [my parents] CARE?' Carla shrieked....'Go take your sympathy and cram it up your ass'"). In contrast to, for example, Shelley Stoehr's graphic Weird on the Outside (reviewed Dec. 12, 1994), Fitch's use of explicit language and her close-up treatment of seamy scenarios serves a clear purpose: it demonstrates her understanding of teenage temptations. In this way Laurie's final rejection of the fast life seems part of the drama, not a cautionary message. True to its title, this accomplished work packs quite a kick. Ages 14-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10?Gritty and explicit, this novel of peer pressure explores the lure and false glamour of L.A. street life. Laurie, 15, spends her summer vacation caring for her brain-damaged father, while her strict Russian-emigre mother works grueling hours to support the family. A bright but sheltered teen, Laurie wishes that her life could be more like that of her hip friend Carla, whose psychologist parents give her lots of spending money and freedom, with no questions asked. Sneaking out in the afternoons, Laurie joins Carla and the two shoplift or hitchhike to the beach. Caught riding home with some boys, Laurie is grounded for the summer, but her mother helps her to get a job. She sneaks out to a party with Carla and her biker rock musician boyfriend. There, nearly raped while stoned out of her mind, she wakes up. When Carla ODs, it is Laurie and her mother who come to her aid because the girl's parents want to "let her make her own mistakes and experience the consequences of her choices." Teens will emphathize with Laurie's desire to be free from familial rules and responsibilities, and the realism of some scenes will horrify yet fascinate them. Fitch's writing doesn't match the humor or lyricism of L.A. street novels such as Ron Koertge's The Harmony Arms (Little, 1992) and Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat (HarperCollins, 1989), but it does capture the dark underside of growing up. It shows two kids teetering on the brink of disaster, at risk because their parents are too busy or too self-involved to supervise their activities.?Alice Casey Smith, Monmouth County Library Headquarters, Manalapan, NJ
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Overlooked by Newbury,
By
This review is from: Kicks (Mass Market Paperback)
Not your typical book for middle school girls. But perhaps it should be. There is much more to life than what is on the surface. Now I see where White Oleander came from. Before you decide to "go with the flow", its best to understand the flow. Don't miss this treasure. Make sure your daughter reads it by the end of 9th grade. Very well written. Excellent story. Plenty of surprizes and suspense. "All is often not what it seems" is the powerful message. Realistic characters, especially Carla's parents. RG
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Bad Book,
By
This review is from: Kicks (Hardcover)
This book isn`t telling a story about someone unreal, but not too real either. It`s just telling us a story of a girl we wish we could be like, but not really. This book inspires you, but in some ways it doesn`t. Though I`m not really telling you much about this book, you should read it. It gives you a whole new perspective on life.Sorry if you don`t understand what I`m saying, but if you read the book, you`ll truly understand.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews) 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!,
By Sherry Mauro "EVEN ANGELS FALL" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Kicks (Mass Market Paperback)
I have to admit, the ending makes this story. If you're looking for a light, easy read,then pick up this book. If you're looking for a story that will keep you turning pages to discover what secrets will be revealed next then this is definitely the story for you!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
DONT COMPARE...,
By idonottell - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Kicks (Mass Market Paperback)
This is not on the same level as 'White Oleander', it's a quick, light book, pretty good story. There isnt as much of the author's unique, poetic, metaphors etc. like in her other books, but the plot of this book is simple and nice.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Overlooked by Newbury,
By Chandler Gardiner "Russ" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Kicks (Mass Market Paperback)
Not your typical book for middle school girls. But perhaps it should be. There is much more to life than what is on the surface. Now I see where White Oleander came from. Before you decide to "go with the flow", its best to understand the flow. Don't miss this treasure. Make sure your daughter reads it by the end of 9th grade. Very well written. Excellent story. Plenty of surprizes and suspense. "All is often not what it seems" is the powerful message. Realistic characters, especially Carla's parents. RG
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