22. srp 2014.

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

Buy the book at
Author's

Book summary:
Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.
Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their love.
         Even though this book sat on my shelf for over a year and even though I felt pinch of guilt for not reading it, now when I finally read it I regret nothing! The day I picked up this book and started reading it was better than any before it.

        Reason for that lay in the fact that after a whole semester of reading and discussing Shakespeare I was ready to understand all the jokes here, together with all the concepts and themes presented in his works that could be found here too. We start from the sole idea of tragedy and how it was presented in his plays. It was something to discuss and think about and when the students of Irving School got their final task. It was so interesting when you get to read both Tim's and Duncan's story, which were intertwined but at the same time different.

        I loved the switch in narration and the change of the stories, which made me to read this story even faster as I was never bored with it. It was easy to understand Tim and his voice, his fears and troubles. Just the fact that he was albino made him different and he couldn't run away from it. But also I felt for Duncan. I could see that something really bothered him and that there is more to this story, that mysterious moment that hung in the air. It took some time to understand his uneasiness with Tim's story. But when you discover the connection you see why.

        Another great thing about this book was that it was not only a tragic story, it was much more. It was a story about ending one chapter in your life, finishing high school and understanding life. It was also a nice romantic story too. Both romantic stories felt real and what I liked the most slow-building.

        At the end it was writing and narration that really grabbed me here and kept me turn the pages. I really hope to experience it again someday.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Until the next time,

Broj komentara: 47:

  1. I remember when this one came out and the great reviews for it. I need to check it out too as I am curious about the narration.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  2. This sounds wonderful! :D I love the sound of the slow-burn romance and the beautiful writing. It's a rare author who can write a book with more than one POV and still make it distinguishable, so I'm glad to hear this one was able to accomplish that! Thanks for sharing Tanja, and, as always, BRILLIANT review! <3

    ~ Zoe @ The Infinite To-Read Shelf

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. Yes it's always nice to find books with dual POV where you ca distinguish them. Thanks, Zoe :))

      Izbriši
  3. I've had this one since it's release and every time I glance at it on my shelf I tell myself I need to fit it in. I'm so glad you loved it! Hopefully I really can read it soon!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. Yeah I've had it for a while. Hopefully you will. Thanks, Candace :)

      Izbriši
  4. I looove the cover of this one but hadn't heard too much about it and wasn't curious enough to give this a shot myself, but I'm glad to see you enjoyed it, Tanja! I'm definitely bumping this up my TBR and the narration is one I can't wait to experience myself. :)

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. I really hope you'll enjoy it. Thanks, Keertana :))

      Izbriši
  5. I think I might have picked this one up when it first came out but if not I think after reading your review I need to. I am so glad you enjoyed this so much.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. I really hope you'll give it a try. Thanks, Ali :)

      Izbriši
  6. I haven't heard about this book and it sounds so interesting. Slow-burn romance are my favorite and all the more, it's about understanding life, I'm definitely bumping it on my TBR. Thanks for putting it on my radar!! Beautiful review, Tanja!! (:

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. I really hope you'll get to it soon. Thanks, Ini :)

      Izbriši
  7. This was a different book the narration made it unique. I enjoyed it too , Tanja. It made quite an impression. I felt so bad for Tim and I wanted things to work out differently in the end, but I guess it was still open to something, right? Wonderful review. :)

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. I just read your review and I totally agree. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Yeah I guess it was. Thanks, Rachel :)

      Izbriši
  8. *looks at the cover* *thinks* Ok, this is def Tanja's book. *scrolls down* Ok, yep. It's Tanja. It has a good rating. PREDICTED IT. YAAAS. *reads the review* I regret nothing hahahaha. I'm glad. I'm not sure this is a book for me, but I'm so glad you enjoyed. So there's dual narrative? Romance too? Yay! The cover doesn't really hint at it so it's nice to hear :) I'm glad you really enjoyed this page-turner, hon :)

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. LOL You've got me in stitches!!!!!! It was really good. Thanks, fabulous! :)

      Izbriši
  9. I really cannot wait to see what you think of Shakespeare's plays :) Thank you, Lola :)

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  10. I've never heard of this and yet now, I'm hankering to check if we have this book available here. It sounds wonderful and something I'd enjoy. I'm looking forward to experiencing the narration and the romance in this book as well. Lovely review as always, Tanja! :)

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. I really hope you'll find it somewhere. Thank you, Sarah :)

      Izbriši
  11. Wait... when you say tragic, do you mean 'Shakespeare' tragic because that would indeed be.. tragic. I'd have to skip this one in that case :P

    I am glad that you enjoyed this though, Tanja!

    Lovely review, hon!! :)

    Rashika @ The Social Potato

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. It's a pun, in a way ;) But you'll have to read the book :P Thanks, dear :)

      Izbriši
  12. I recently read a book where the narration really captivated me, and The Tragedy Paper sounds like it might be another one of those. Thanks for bringing this novel to my attention! :)

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  13. Great to hear that you enjoyed the change in books and was much more than just a tragic story.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  14. This is the first time I'm hearing of this book, but I love this cover and an albino MC? I don't think I've ever read a book with a character like that and I'm incredibly curious. That is enough to make me want to read the book. The romances also sound lovely!
    Great review, Tanja! Thanks for introducing me to a new book. :)

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  15. Tanja this has been on my wishlist. I love the sound of the writing, voice and how it made things more intense.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  16. I haven't read this, but have been meaning to and totally forgot! I'm so happy you picked this up at the perfect time for you. Thank you for the review, Tanja!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  17. That's good you ended up liking this one. I remember liking but not LOVING it.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  18. I love when books keep you turning pages like mad! I love this cover too - so need to read it!
    Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  19. I tried to read this one when it first came out for the Debut Author Challenge and just couldn't get into it but then again I didn't give it much of a chance :/ I'll have to pick it up again, it really does sound great.

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  20. I hadn't heard of this one actually! But it sounds really good and that's great that you were able to use all that Shakespeare and study of Tragedy and use it to really appreciate this book. Great review Tanja!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  21. Oh girl, we discussed tragedies in our last semester as well, but we read the French ones of course. Wow. This book sounds so good. I've read a few of Shakespeare's works and even though I fail to comprehend most of it, I love his writing. It's nice to know we get to revisit him and his plays in this book. Also, I absolutely adore tragedies so this seems like a win-win. I'll keep my eye out for this one. Amazing review, girl!

    Sarika @ The Readdicts

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. His works are meant to be discussed not just read so I think you'd enjoy them more if you discussed it in class. Thanks, dear :)

      Izbriši
  22. Both of these look intense. Hope you get to read them soon!
    Jen @ YA Romantics

    OdgovoriIzbriši
  23. That's a very encouraging name to call a test. :P

    Not quite sure what to think of the book itself, though! I read the blurb and it sounds like there's most likely going to be a love triangle and -- the worst bit -- cheating. And while I know that cheating is a part of life, I don't like to read about it. :( All the same, I'm glad that you enjoyed this, Tanja!

    "Just the fact that he was albino made him different and he couldn't run away from it." -- I like the diversity here! I don't think I've ever read about or come across a single character that was albino, so that's one good thing. And it's always great when an author is able to make you relate to a character even though you don't have that many problems in common. If Duncan is the other guy on the other side of the love triangle, then wow, I'm impressed! I don't know, for me most love triangles make me want to claw my eyes out, so it's always a pleasant surprise whenever I find myself liking both love interests. It sounds like the author really is talented at writing about connectable characters -- love that!

    Glad that this wasn't just your typical tragic contemporary story, either. We have so many of those right now I can't even. So... I don't think I'll be reading this one despite your glowing review (it just doesn't sound up my alley ><), I'm still happy that this worked out so well for you. And as always, fabulous review, hon!

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. It is indeed :) I think that that pun was intended :P

      There is a kind of love triangle, but no cheating. So you might be safe with that. Thanks :)
      I was really surprised when I found out that he was albino. Also he was realistic and the author didn't sugarcoated it. Thanks, Meg :)

      Izbriši
  24. I've been wanting to read this book for ages. I think I started it, but put it aside after some time when I had to do some pressing matters in real life and then forgot about it *gives a sheepish grin*

    I like it that the MC is an albino. I don't think I've ever really read something with that kind of character, and I would like to know more about the struggles he face because of what he is. That's mainly why I wanna read it, honestly.

    Faye at The Social Potato

    OdgovoriIzbriši
    Odgovori
    1. Yeah life really can get in your way. I really hope you'll get back to it. Yes, his struggle is really nicely shown here.

      Izbriši

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...