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Gregory Baird's Reviews > Elsewhere
Elsewhere
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Maybe if I were still thirteen I would think differently, but Elsewhere reads like a Hallmark movie of the week. It's sappy and hopelessly predictable. While Zevin's depiction of the afterlife is kind of creative, it's mostly confounding (turns out death is just as routine and dull as everyday life ... except that dogs talk). Her jokes either fall flat or induce a lengthy groan, but are never really amusing. And while Zevin can occasionally turn a phrase in an interesting way, for the most part her prose is awkward and downright clunky: "Although she tries to be very quiet, she loses her grip on the last drawer and it slams shut. This has the unfortunate effect of waking the sleeping girl again." Man, I hate when a drawer slams shut because I lost my grip on it! In the end, Elsewhere falls very flat.
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Reading Progress
March 5, 2009
– Shelved
March 5, 2009
– Shelved as:
2009-booklist
Started Reading
March 9, 2009
–
Finished Reading
November 26, 2012
– Shelved as:
young-adult
December 29, 2014
– Shelved as:
death-and-dying
Comments Showing 1-9 of 9 (9 new)
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Candice
(new)
Mar 10, 2009 08:36AM
I have never read this book, but our school gave it out to students last year in 8th grade as "gift" around winter break. I have heard good things, but I am curious now that you gave it two stars...
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Candice, I have posted a review to fully explain. Hope that helps!:-)
This was on my list of books to read.The quoted passage, however, will save me a couple hours of wasted time. Also, if you're going to do present tense writing, do it right, not "this has the unfortunate effect..." Ridiculous.
Thanks for the heads up, Gregory.
Dear Gabrielle Zevin,I am reading lots of awkward phrases. This has the unfortunate effect of making me hate your book.
Give my love to your dogs!
Greg
Gregory wrote: "Dear Gabrielle Zevin,I am reading lots of awkward phrases. This has the unfortunate effect of making me hate your book.
Give my love to your dogs!
Greg"
This is why you're my favorite, Gregory. Hilarious.
I'm sorry but I have to disagree I felt that "Elsewhere" was a good book, it's one of my favorites by Gabrielle Zevin
I liked it but there were some inconsistencies in the writing that were kind of annoying. For instance, when Curtis Jest is asking Liz about Betty. He speaks like an old man, not like a fairly young, hip rockstar. It seemed dumb to me.
I agree. This book was an award nominee at my high school, but I do not think it deserved the nomination at all.
Hilarious review! I don't know why, but the talking dogs and "Canine language" just made me cringe. Zevin is making up rules as she goes along, and that was one of the many ridiculous parts about this book.
