Big Mouth and Ugly Girl
£1.68
Big Mouth and Ugly Girl - It was kind of interesting. I wouldn t say it was one of her better books. Maybe it was directed toward a younger audience. I guess I ll just stick to her older books.
Just as good as her adult novels, maybe even better - When I read this novel, I had already finished Blonde , the author s adult meditation on Marilyn Monroe, what made her tick, what made that ticking stop. I liked it, but came away feeling rather dazed from the density of the language and the sheer pain in the writing. Big Mouth and Ugly Girl is not like Blonde . It s very easy to read. It starts off with one of the two protagonists toppled from his perch whilst the other contemplates whether she even wants a perch. The way Matt and Ursula meet, back away, then meet again is carefully detailed, and very enjoyable to read, although Oates is such a good writer that she makes you want to shove them together sometimes.Matt and Ursula are part of what makes the story work, as they are so easy to understand. Matt is the joker, but underneath his carefree persona lies a deeply intelligent, sensitive boy. Ursula is a non-conformist female athlete, tall and muscular, an Amazon in every sense of the word, loving yet hating her isolation, yet refusing to compromise. It is Ursula s determination to stand up for justice that causes her path to collide with Matt s, and her determination to live life that saves him from suicide. She tells him the truth even when he doesn t want to hear it, as the lawsuit which Matt s parents file causes huge tension in the town.However, the supporting characters are also great. Ursula s little sister Lisa, suffering the double pressures of ballet and the fashion world... Matt s dog Pumpkin, an innocent victim... the two sets of parents, both anxious to protect their children in their own ways from what is happening.Like the previous reviewer, I would agree that Big Mouth and Ugly Girl is not just a story about trust, friendship and justice but also a sharp critique of the times, of how people refuse to take responsibility, of what needs to be done in order to ensure the safety of young people all over the world, not just America.I would recommend this to anyone.
More than a story - Before reading this, I was unaware that Joyce Carol Oates is in fact a Pulitzer Prize winning author. I expected a provocative story of friendship and family, loyalty and betrayal , which it is. However it is also a moralistic fable and social critique exploring what is fundamentally responsible for the present messy state of the world. First published in the US last year - and set in a post-Columbine, pre-9/11 high school - Oates succinctly highlights valid issues within our lives, societies and selves which might culminate in certain tragedies. This book s merit is accentuated by its strong character portraits, which are beautifully flawed and human, and the tone of Oates writing, which forces the reader to admire/pity/suspect the integrity of each person simultaneously.I think I ve found a highly readable gem.
big mouth and ugly girl - the review - this is a great book about a friendship between 2 interesting teenagers who appear as complete opposites but prove to be quite similar and how it develops into more than a simple friendship. the book is written in a flowing, funny style and keeps you wanting more till the end. i recommend it to teenagers interested in friendship and romantic stories between the ages of 12 and 15.