Simone’s starting her junior year in high school. Her mom’s a lawyer for the ACLU, her dad’s a political cartoonist, so she’...
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reviews
Mar 12, 2009
Claudia
rated it: 
Oh, my! What looked like a cute little YA coming-of-age book turned on me about half way through...Simone always knew she was adopted. She doesn't look like the rest of her family, but that's okay. She's at peace with it. But are her parents? They give her the phone number of her birth mother, and keep pushing her to call, to contact the woman who gave her up for adoption at the age of 16 -- just a little younger than Simone is now. She doesn't understand the urgency in her parents' voices as th
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Oct 05, 2011
Rachel
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Going into the book A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt, I was expecting it to be about the normal high school problems. The cliché things like being popular, or boys, but instead Simone went through a really hard situation in her life. Reinhardt did include best friend and boy drama, but the main conflict that Simone was going through would be rough on any person, young or old. After being adopted and not knowing her birth mother for over sixteen years, Simone accepts her pa
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Aug 26, 2011
Knitme23
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Well, THIS was an excellent novel, and I blazed through it, wishing it were longer all the way, just because I enjoyed it so much. The voice is wonderful--funny, smart, insightful, but not heavily preachy or unrealistically wise (cf the narrator in "Does My Head Look Big", earlier review). The one wrinkle is that the male characters are a little undeveloped--a little TOO good or TOO bad--but the depth and interest in the book comes from its grappling with deep ideas: religion, belief,
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Nov 30, 2010
Hannah
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ok, the title makes you think, "woah, somebodies got stress issues".. yet no, the title doesn't speak for this outstanding book. I mean, i just love books like these. It's about a girl whos a junior in high school (11th grade) and finds herself caught in a situation with her "birth-mother" (weird...) you see, her mom was a teenager and had had her and hid it from her dad, who is the ruler of this Jewish company thing, and the teenager gives the baby to a friend, which becomes
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May 31, 2010
elissa
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Can someone please explain the hardback cover to me? This book never made it on to my to-read list, even though I've vaguely thought of reading it ever since it was published. Possibly that had something to do with the cover, which really has nothing to do with the story. I can't imagine the main character, Simone, (or any other character) wearing such a dress. This story ended up being a lovely Memorial Day treat, and I have a friend's cousin and L.K. Madigan to thank. I finished Flash Bur
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Jan 11, 2010
Ruhama
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Simone is an adopted sixteen year old who has lived a happy atheist life up until now—her birth mother wants to meet her. Suddenly Simone’s world is turned upside down when she agrees to get to know her birth mother. Rivkah is Jewish (originally an Orthodox Jew) and is dying from cancer, but Simone is enjoying (mostly) getting to know her anyway. Simone also is dealing with changing friendships (one friend is dating a guy no good for her, another is pining for a guy he met at camp and her you
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May 20, 2011
CeCe
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First things first: The cover. Is. HIDEOUS. Had I not already read Reinhardt's more recent novel, "How to Build a House" I never would have touched this book. That's how shallow and superficial I am when it comes to reading. That being said, between the badly covered spine of this book lies a gorgeous story. Sweet, but not diabetic. Humorous, but only when necessary. Serious, but not morbidly so. Romantic, but not in an in-your-face sloppily mushy kind of way. Reinhardt has the right a
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Jun 27, 2010
Hannah
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I had picked this book up out of sheer boredom while manning a desk at my local library. I didn't really have much to do but wait at the desk for little kids to come up to me, so I passed the time reading this book. I quickly wandered into the young adult section, and grabbed the first book that looked slightly appealing. I'd heard of it before, but didn't expect much.
I have four words for you, however. I. Love. This. Book. It always seems to be the books that I read on impulse that tu More...
I have four words for you, however. I. Love. This. Book. It always seems to be the books that I read on impulse that tu More...
May 30, 2011
Fish
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Sometimes there are books i can't relate too. Books abour sisters (although I have one) is one of them. Books about dogs (altough i also have one) is another. But when it comes to books about being Adopted and being okay with it? I can relate to that.
See, i don't expect my birth mom to walk into my life ever. And i am totally okay with that. But sometimes it's nice to fantasize about too. I read this book a while a go and when i relaized I didn't add it or anything I imediatly did, b More...
See, i don't expect my birth mom to walk into my life ever. And i am totally okay with that. But sometimes it's nice to fantasize about too. I read this book a while a go and when i relaized I didn't add it or anything I imediatly did, b More...
Jun 24, 2011
Sofia G.
rated it:
Book Review
We all have problems in our lives, whether there small problems or big problems. Dana Reinhardt the author of the book A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life gives Simone a huge problem to deal with throughout the whole book. Since Simone is adopted, ever since she was born, she hasn’t met her biological mother. Simone doesn’t want to meet her or know anything about her past, but there is still something inside of her that sort of does want to know. Then o More...
We all have problems in our lives, whether there small problems or big problems. Dana Reinhardt the author of the book A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life gives Simone a huge problem to deal with throughout the whole book. Since Simone is adopted, ever since she was born, she hasn’t met her biological mother. Simone doesn’t want to meet her or know anything about her past, but there is still something inside of her that sort of does want to know. Then o More...
Mar 11, 2011
Linda
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This is a wonderful story, very touching, funny in places, and a delight to read. Dana Reinhardt's writing comes across with enviable ease. The story centers around Simone, a teen who knows she was adopted, knows nothing about her birth mother, and wants to keep it that way.
During her junior year of high school, her birth mother suddenly iniatiates contact. Simone's parents encourage her to follow through with the contact, but Simone is fighting the subtle arguments. As with all tee More...
During her junior year of high school, her birth mother suddenly iniatiates contact. Simone's parents encourage her to follow through with the contact, but Simone is fighting the subtle arguments. As with all tee More...
Nov 23, 2009
Anne
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As somebody who is absolutely obsessed with any account of life in a religious sectarian community (Gideon's People, The Yiddish Policeman's Union, Under the Banner of Heaven, The Rapture of Canaan, etc.), this account of a young girl realizing that the birthmother who gave her up became pregnant at 16 and thus had to leave her Hassidic community definitely scratched that itch.
I like Dana Reinhardt. I previously read Harmless (which any fan of 13 Reasons Why will love), and, even tho More...
I like Dana Reinhardt. I previously read Harmless (which any fan of 13 Reasons Why will love), and, even tho More...
Nov 21, 2008
AnnaBnana
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Hmmm...I had high expectations for this book. I'd read some good reviews and thought I was going to love it. I didn't.
I read it quickly; I wanted to know how things turned out.
My number one complaint was that I thought the instruction on Hasidic Judaism often got in the way of the story. There is no doubt that religious details were important to the plot, but it made the novel come off like Reinhardt had a mission to teach me something concrete and factual. This isn't oft More...
I read it quickly; I wanted to know how things turned out.
My number one complaint was that I thought the instruction on Hasidic Judaism often got in the way of the story. There is no doubt that religious details were important to the plot, but it made the novel come off like Reinhardt had a mission to teach me something concrete and factual. This isn't oft More...
Feb 03, 2009
Kristy
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I've been reading many YA books these days and, while I've enjoyed a good many of them, few have really inspired me. A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt changed that pattern, and left me feeling truly happy and fulfilled...I would even go so far as to say that it filled me with a kind of peace. It's a simple story about a Simone, teenage girl whose life is interrupted when she is given the opportunity to meet the woman who gave her up for adoption, 16 years earlier. As a libe
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May 12, 2011
Laura
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A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life covers a lot of ground in a single book. Simone, the main character, has always know that she is adopted. In the course of a year, she meets her mother for the first time, explores her ideas about God, develops a relationship with a cute guy, and lives the ups and downs that every teen experiences. While the plot focuses on Simone's relationship with her mother, the theme is more about Simone's developing maturity and compassion. Reinhardt creates a real
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Jul 31, 2009
Elizabeth
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This is a YA problem novel in the very best sense of the term. Simone is a high school student with a nice family that spends time helping her mother with various ACLU activities. She has always known she was adopted but wasn't especially curious about it until she is contacted by her birth mother, who, as it turns out, is from a Hasidic community. Also, Simone likes a cute boy. The problem with problem novels is that the mediocre ones are so cringy and quickly dated. I think this is one of the
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Dec 20, 2011
Caitlin
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Simone is an adopted child who never much cared to know about her birth mother-- her adopted family was supportive, and felt like home. So when her birth mother contacts her when she's 16, she's understandably thrown for a loop. After all those years, now is the time when she chooses to break her silence? Tangled up in her already confused feelings about family and what it means to be a mother, Simone's concept of God and religion also get turned upside down as she goes on a journey to find hers
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Jan 10, 2011
Marija
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Sep 19, 2009
Iwishiwasesme
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Very inspiring book. Simone is the main character. She is adopted, but she doesn't feel like she's adopted. She is close to her family. They are atheists. She's always known she was adopted and what her mothers name was, Rifka, but never had an urge to meet her. Her parents have been pressuring her to meet her mother for a while. When she finally dicides to meet her mother, her life changes in ways very unexpected. Her mother is a conservative Jewish women and has had a troubled past. It is a wo
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Jul 08, 2011
Katie
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A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt is the story of Simone, a high school junior in a suburb of Boston. Simone has known since she was able to understand words that she was adopted. Her mother is a lawyer with the ACLU and her father is a cartoonist who spends most of his time at home trying out new recipes on his family. Simone has never felt a reason to meet her birth mother. Her history is here with her mother, father, and brother who look nothing like her. Simone has acce
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Jan 06, 2009
Sandi
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This is the story of Simone, a 16 year old girl who was adopted at birth by a young couple in Boston. In the midst of her typical teenage angst, her parents encourage her to develop a relationship with her birth mother, Rivka. Reluctantly, Simone begins learning about (as she puts it) the other branches of her family tree. She struggles at first but slowly begins to appreciate the complexity of adoption. I tend to be overly critical of books/movies that deal with adoption, however I think the au
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Sep 15, 2008
Nian
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For years, she has known that she was adopted—but she wasn’t at all interested in her family background or why her mother abandoned her sixteen and a half years ago. Now, Rivka is calling and she wants to meet her while she’s still alive and struggling with a losing battle of ovarian cancer. At first, she is adamant about not wanting to know Rivka and her past, but curiosity and sleepless nights finally brings her to make the dreaded call. From that moment on, it’s a tale of family, secrets, fri
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Aug 13, 2008
Diana
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Lately I've been on a young adult fiction kick, trying to get the most use out of my free one-month membership to All Ears (an Audiobook rental subscription) and find decent books to recommend to my teenage students.
I almost immediately regretted having chosen this book when I first started, because it sounded SO similar to the book I'd just completed (Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson). Turns out the reason is sounded so similar was because it was read by the exact same narrator. Oops More...
I almost immediately regretted having chosen this book when I first started, because it sounded SO similar to the book I'd just completed (Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson). Turns out the reason is sounded so similar was because it was read by the exact same narrator. Oops More...
May 21, 2008
Marisa
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I really really really liked this book.
Simone is adopted. She's always known this, and she's always been at peace with it. At least, she thought she was before her biological mother suddenly tried to become a part of her life. Why does Rivka suddenly need to meet Simone so badly, so urgently? Simone discovers there's a very good reason, and that things are about to get a lot more complicated.
Throughout the book all of these very heavy issues, as well as the normal t More...
Simone is adopted. She's always known this, and she's always been at peace with it. At least, she thought she was before her biological mother suddenly tried to become a part of her life. Why does Rivka suddenly need to meet Simone so badly, so urgently? Simone discovers there's a very good reason, and that things are about to get a lot more complicated.
Throughout the book all of these very heavy issues, as well as the normal t More...
Jan 24, 2008
Samantha
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I just finished reading "A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life" and i have to say that it was a very good story. This book is about a teenage girl in high school named Simone, who is adopted and lives with two parents and a brother who are her adopted family. Throughout the book, Simone finds out about her birth mother, Rivka, who gave her up at age 16 when she got pregnant. The book describes Simone meeting Rivka for the first time and developing a mother- daughter bond/ relationship
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Apr 29, 2007
Erin
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Simone has been an atheist as far back as she can remember. Her mother is a lawyer for the ACLU, and her father and brother are there to support her as well. At the age of sixteen, however, Simone learns that her birth mother, Rivka, wants to get in contact with her.
Simone has always known she was adopted, but cannot understand why Rivka waited so long to get to know her. After her parents nag her to call Rivka, Simone finally makes the phone call. Shortly after meeting her birth More...
Simone has always known she was adopted, but cannot understand why Rivka waited so long to get to know her. After her parents nag her to call Rivka, Simone finally makes the phone call. Shortly after meeting her birth More...
Aug 03, 2011
Kimberly
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Simone's family is perfect. Her father is a political cartoonist, her mother is an ACLU attorney, her brother is a high school freshman with great hair, and she's a math whiz. Sure, she has dark hair, olive skin, and almond-shaped eyes while the rest of the family is blonde all over. But they're still a family. And that's what matters, right?
Simone's known since early in her life that she's adopted. She doesn't know anything about her biological family, though, and what's more, More...
Simone's known since early in her life that she's adopted. She doesn't know anything about her biological family, though, and what's more, More...
Dec 02, 2011
Love love loved this book. Had me both laughing out loud, at times, and also really crying at times. I think I freaked my family out a bit. The scene where her parents are cooking latkes cracked me up. I was totally moved by aspects of the story. Thought it was well written, great storyline, characters, etc. Don't really think it was teachable, but, just a wonderful read, which I'd recommend to almost anyone.
Found the main character/narrator to be a really interesting and likea More...
Found the main character/narrator to be a really interesting and likea More...
Dec 28, 2009
laaaaames
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I would have liked this book a lot more if I hadn't felt like so much was summarized. And then this, and then that, and then a month later, and here I am feeling like I missed out on so much. I also never really fully grasped who Simone was; she'd make a joke and I'd be convinced it was out of character except maybe I didn't entirely understand who her character was in the first place.
That said - lots of good stuff here about family and faith and love.
(read: 249 - I'm nea
That said - lots of good stuff here about family and faith and love.
(read: 249 - I'm nea
Apr 09, 2009
narajaponesa
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What started as a generic "I'm adopted and I'm about to meet my biological mother" story turned into something... quite eloquent. Is it because I have a soft spot for stories about mothers? I felt the storyline was well-done and that the author made some interesting choices in regards to dialogue about sex and religion. One scene in particular-- I'm not telling, for fear of spoiling anything-- was done with such beautiful simplicity that I ended up quite tearful. A surprising read.
