Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King, Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2011, 384 pp, ISBN: 0385738590
Recap:
Vera Dietz has always been the keeper of Charlie's secrets. Even after his death. Whether they were best friends, a potential love connection, or - more recently - bitter enemies, Vera could always be counted on to keep quiet. But as it turns out, sometimes keeping a best friend's secrets is the absolute worst thing you can do.
Review:
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King is one of those books that I haven't heard a single negative word about. Every single review was absolutely glowing. And did I mention that it won a 2011 Printz Honor? When I found it on the "New Releases" shelf at the library, I snatched it right up.
My verdict? Please Ignore Vera Dietz is certainly a far cry from the dystopias, love triangles, and fantasy creatures that seem to fill the pages of most YA these days. Why was it so different? For one thing, one of the main characters spends the entire book... dead. For another, this book features a wide variety of narrators, including a pagoda. That's right, an inanimate object.
Much of the book was told in flashbacks, so that the reader could get a full picture of what Charlie and Vera's life together had been like, prior to Charlie's death. It was easy to see why Vera had loved Charlie for most of her life. He was strong and vulnerable at the same time, compassionate and adventurous while still managing to pull off that "rebel without a cause" vibe that girls always fall for.
But there was a darker side to Charlie. His family's history of domestic abuse and his own twisted money-making habits made him a figure who Vera wanted to protect, even after he betrayed her.
Even so... I spent most of Vera's story just feeling frustrated with her: with her denial of her family's history of alcoholism, with her mental belittling of her father, and with the exasperating way that she refused to tell the truth about Charlie's death. She had spent so much of her life trying to get the rest of the world to just ignore her, she couldn't see that it was finally time to step out and make herself heard.
Ultimately, the end of the book left me with hope for Vera's future, but I still can't see Vera Dietz climbing its way to the top of my favorites list. I just like to see a little more girl power in my female protagonists.
Recommendation:
I would recommend Please Ignore Vera Dietz to high school age (or older) readers who are looking for something a little different in their book bag. While it may not be one of my top picks, King's award winning novel is creative and thought provoking, one that a reader won't quickly forget.
Vera Dietz has always been the keeper of Charlie's secrets. Even after his death. Whether they were best friends, a potential love connection, or - more recently - bitter enemies, Vera could always be counted on to keep quiet. But as it turns out, sometimes keeping a best friend's secrets is the absolute worst thing you can do.
Review:
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King is one of those books that I haven't heard a single negative word about. Every single review was absolutely glowing. And did I mention that it won a 2011 Printz Honor? When I found it on the "New Releases" shelf at the library, I snatched it right up.
My verdict? Please Ignore Vera Dietz is certainly a far cry from the dystopias, love triangles, and fantasy creatures that seem to fill the pages of most YA these days. Why was it so different? For one thing, one of the main characters spends the entire book... dead. For another, this book features a wide variety of narrators, including a pagoda. That's right, an inanimate object.
Much of the book was told in flashbacks, so that the reader could get a full picture of what Charlie and Vera's life together had been like, prior to Charlie's death. It was easy to see why Vera had loved Charlie for most of her life. He was strong and vulnerable at the same time, compassionate and adventurous while still managing to pull off that "rebel without a cause" vibe that girls always fall for.
But there was a darker side to Charlie. His family's history of domestic abuse and his own twisted money-making habits made him a figure who Vera wanted to protect, even after he betrayed her.
Even so... I spent most of Vera's story just feeling frustrated with her: with her denial of her family's history of alcoholism, with her mental belittling of her father, and with the exasperating way that she refused to tell the truth about Charlie's death. She had spent so much of her life trying to get the rest of the world to just ignore her, she couldn't see that it was finally time to step out and make herself heard.
Ultimately, the end of the book left me with hope for Vera's future, but I still can't see Vera Dietz climbing its way to the top of my favorites list. I just like to see a little more girl power in my female protagonists.
Recommendation:
I would recommend Please Ignore Vera Dietz to high school age (or older) readers who are looking for something a little different in their book bag. While it may not be one of my top picks, King's award winning novel is creative and thought provoking, one that a reader won't quickly forget.
Posts
It does sound very different from the books currently flying off the shelves. I liked the book trailer. I'll have to keep this title on my radar.
ReplyDeleteI liked Vera Dietz, too, but it is not my favorite book this year either. I too found her denial of her ability to "tell" anyone what she was going through as very frustrating. I guess with both of us being teachers we like to think that someone at school should have been available to help. High school kids do like the book if I prod them to read it. But they won't pick it up otherwise.
ReplyDeleteAh, sad to say, for me, the Printz has become a sign that I WON'T like a book, more than anything else. I'm on the fence as to whether I should tackle this book or not. Thanks for your honest review.
ReplyDeleteI read this a few months ago and was also a little disappointed. I liked it okay, but honestly, the narration from the perspective of the Pagoda seemed like a stretch. The parts I enjoyed most were those narrated from the perspective of Vera's father. Good review, Katie. I'll have to pick up Trash.
ReplyDelete