written by Dominique Paul
I had read a favorable review by a blogger and decided I should really read this book as soon as I could. Now, upon reading it, I'm regretting that decision. This book has the most whiny, annoying, immature narrator who exists. She is your typical bratty kid who thinks the world is hers and she can get anything she wants. Her family life is a mess, and the book would have been a much better read if the focus had been on them since the very beginning, rather than cramming all the good stuff in the end. It was difficult to get into, difficult to read through, and a huge part of me didn't even want to try after some point. It's just a ridiculously shallow book with a shallow girl. There are some deeper parts, but they all occur in the last two chapters. Ellie gives girls everywhere a bad name. You know it's bad when a 14 year old decides that she is old enough to lose her virginity, and almost succeeds.
Rating: 1.5/5
Ew, yeah, I don't think I'll be adding this one to my list. Thanks.
ReplyDeletethis book is soo amazing i luvv it and reccomend it to every1
ReplyDeletei rly luvv dis book and i connected with the characters good job Dominique:)
ReplyDeleteI have never ever responded to one of my reviews, but couldn't help myself in this case. A dear friend once told me that people's opinions are about THEM and not to take them personally. Since my book elicited such a strong reaction from the reviewer (who also posted this on Amazon), I feel compelled to continue the dialogue.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator, Ellie, is caught in the middle of a bad family situation. She is wise and mature....for a 14-year-old that is... and does the best she can with her inherent gifts and limited life experience. I was not trying to write a social commentary with Fireflies, but rather to simply convey the emotional truth of being 14 and feeling alone. I think this is why my book resonates the way it does with my young readers. They feel I understand them, not as though I am preaching to them. And thus, from an honest place, a real dialogue can begin.
Shutting someone down because you deem them to be immoral, or judging someone as "shallow" when you have not walked in their shoes simply shuts the door. Now nothing real can happen. They are declared wrong, you are declared right and the conversation is over. I have never found this approach to life very interesting and would never choose to write from this point of view. Perhaps instead of bashing my book in a way that was personal, you could have examined yourself and your beliefs with curiosity: Why is this book irritating me? What is it bringing up for me as a woman? As a mother?
Thank you for taking the time to review my book, I hope that you will see my comments as an opportunity for growth. Maybe you will take the to examine your life and your judgements before bashing someone else's work on the internet.
Sincerely,
Dominique Paul