13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson(HarperTeen, Paperback)
Rating:
Ginny's aunt dies and leaves behind 13 little blue envelopes. Ginny opens the first and finds $1000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London. The other envelopes start an adventure that will be full of laughter and tears and will bring Ginny closer to her aunt.
There were so many things that I liked about this book. Johnson's writing made even the most unbelievable schemes seem possible. Ginny is headstrong heroine who isn't afraid of being alone in foreign countries. That alone made me like her. Personally, I think I'd freak out if someone just plopped me down in Europe with no money and no friends. The ending also has a great twist that I totally wasn't expecting.
After a few weeks contemplating this book, I decided that I couldn't really get past the unbelievable plot. Whose parents would just let them buy a ticket to Europe with no destination in mind? I also wasn't a big fan of Keith, Ginny's romantic interest. He did have some good points, but I felt like overall he didn't treat her well enough.
I'm definitely going to pick up Maureen Johnson's other books because I really like her writing style. This one just wasn't for me.
Posts
That is basically exactly how I felt... but I do love her other books, so you should definitely check them out.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like this book as much as her other books but I still thought it was pretty good. When you read her other books, tell us what you think. :)
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm the odd man out on this one. I LOVED 13 Little Blue Envelopes. I didn't particularly like the other MJ book I read, Girl at Sea. But I'm reading Suite Scarlett now and am really enjoying it.
ReplyDelete-Mollie
I loved this book too, Mollie. You're not alone!
ReplyDeleteI think the stretch with her parents letting her go to Europe alone is the kind of thing you have to allow in books. Unless you're reading nonfiction, there is rarely a book where everything in it is 100% feasible.
i read this book in 6th grade so im not really sure if my opinion about it still stands but i really didn't like 13 little blue envelopes. i liked the middle and the beginning but the ending just pissed me off. ha ha i haven't read any of her other books but i will try them i think.
ReplyDeleteI liked this books a lot. It appealed to me in the sense that I wished something like that would happen to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, it's published by HarperTeen, not Razorbill! =)
I liked this book. :) The idea was unrealistic, I'll give you that, but I still liked it. I have read Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson, also, and this and that one are my two favorites. :)
ReplyDeleteI put this one on my list for the YA romance, just because I've heard a bunch about Maureen Johnson and needed somewhere to start. I'm still going to read it. I'm curious, now.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I tagged you for a meme.
i have this book waiting at the library. i'll see whether i like it or not, i suppose! lol
ReplyDelete~Ashley
You have the most amazing ability to be kind and honest about every book.
ReplyDeleteMy hat is STILL off to you.
Beth
www.beth-kephart.blogspot.com
I felt the same way about The Key to the Golden Firebird. I actually liked this one though. I think her other ones sound pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteHave you read P.S. I Love You (or seen the movie)? The plot reminds me a little bit of it. Of course, P.S. I Love You is about getting over a husband, not an aunt, but the whole notes leading to adventures after death is what reminded me of it.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the Keith bit... he was always so I don't know... but I feel exactly what you feel. This book was okay... just okay.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a really great book- smoetimes unbelievable plots are a good thing, right? Otherwise they'd be predictable, and who wants to read a book where they know exactly what happens?
ReplyDelete-Meggin
Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for unrealistic plots when I read it? :)
ReplyDelete