My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park
by Steve Kluger
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
who interested in deaf characters
My Most Excellent Year is an epistolary tale (letters, emails, instant messages, journal entries and English writing assignments) of three high school students who are writing about their "Most Excellent Year". The three main characters include: Anthony/T.C./Tick who attempts to win the heart of Alejandra; Alejandra, the strong-willed young woman who tries to balance being a diplomat's daughter while sharing a love for the stage with Augie; and, Augie, the "adopted" brother o...more
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Read in May, 2008
Three teens keep journals through their junior year, covering their intersecting lives and interests, and the people important to them. There is Ale(jandra) new, privileged, trying to figure out how to fit in at public school; Anthony (aka TC) who has a serious crush on her; and Augie, TC's "adopted" brother since TC's mother died many years ago and no one else knew what to say to him (they have their own beds and sets of belongings at each other's houses.
Interspersed are emails b...more
Interspersed are emails b...more
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
everyone ages 12 and up!
Here is what I loved about this book:
1. It was told in alternating chapters [a style I usually appreciate] by 3 different characters
2. It was funny - I laughed out loud
3. It was heartwarming - I cried, but happy tears
4. Even though I started this book 2 weeks ago [I usually read books much more quickly! but i was busy with grad school], and read the first 1/3 of it here and there, I always remembered the characters and events from where I had left off. They were memorable.
5. ...more
1. It was told in alternating chapters [a style I usually appreciate] by 3 different characters
2. It was funny - I laughed out loud
3. It was heartwarming - I cried, but happy tears
4. Even though I started this book 2 weeks ago [I usually read books much more quickly! but i was busy with grad school], and read the first 1/3 of it here and there, I always remembered the characters and events from where I had left off. They were memorable.
5. ...more
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2 comments
Read in May, 2008
I know I'm in the minority on this book. Lots of people I know and admire love it, and I wanted to like it, but I had a hard time believing anything that happened in it, and it didn't work as a fantasy for me in the way "Boy Meets Boy." did.
I found the voices of the three teen characters to be the same (I was constantly having to look up at the chapter heading to see who was talking), and they all sounded like middle-aged gay men to me. The whole subplot with the deaf six-year-ol...more
I found the voices of the three teen characters to be the same (I was constantly having to look up at the chapter heading to see who was talking), and they all sounded like middle-aged gay men to me. The whole subplot with the deaf six-year-ol...more
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Read in April, 2008
I loved the characters and the way they created their own version of a family. I originally thought this would be a teen read but when you throw in the parents it's not.
Kluger is not afraid of making boys/men be people that are dreamers, that are nurturing, and their own people. This is also the first book I read that treated the gay character as natural. There was no freak out moment for anybody, it was just the way things were.
I loved Kluger's Last Days of Summer and look for...more
Kluger is not afraid of making boys/men be people that are dreamers, that are nurturing, and their own people. This is also the first book I read that treated the gay character as natural. There was no freak out moment for anybody, it was just the way things were.
I loved Kluger's Last Days of Summer and look for...more
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Read in April, 2008
This was a decent book by Steve Kluger. It wasn't as engaging as his Last Days of Summer, but it was in a similar very easy to read format... this one was told via IM exchanges, and diary type letters. I enjoyed the story overall, but had a hard time with his characterization. I felt that I had a hard time keeping it straight in my mind WHEN the story was happening... as I mentioned, they used IM but talked as though it was 1960. The kids also seemed to be much younger than they actually w...more
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Read in April, 2008
Loved it. I don't like baseball and I loved it. I'm not terribly fond of Mary Poppins and I loved it. Hated the cover and I loved it. Even the use of email/im conversations wasn't nearly as annoying as it is when most books use them. I wanted to be 15 again and hanging out with these kids. I wanted to be 35 and hanging out with these parents. I picked it up on a whim, fully expecting to promptly set it down again...but no. Instead I fell in love.
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Read in January, 2008
What I liked best about this book was that nothing tragic happens. So many books for YA's have a terrible event as a catalyst, but this book avoids that. It is predictable, but well done and I think teens will really like it. I also appreciated that the issues surrounding the gay character and the hearing-impaired character are not the focus of the book, but taken in stride by all the characters as everyday events.
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Chose to read this because of the title. Such a satisfying read! The format took a little getting used to (series of school assignments, diary entries, emails, conversations, etc.), but the story fairly flew along. I read it in one sitting. What I liked most about it was that it was full of hope. There's not enough of that in today's teen literature.
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Read in September, 2007
This is my feel-good read of the year. Now I want to learn sign language and dance like Mary Poppins while saving the world and singing a Broadway tune dressed like Kay Thompson. If you love silly, fabulous, over-the-top touching stories with hearts of gold and characters you want as YOUR friends, read this one!
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Read in April, 2008
Utterly charming YA novel. It's got good kids who are going through difficult things and handling it fine. Strong friendships and social consciousness and musical theater.
And, with all that, it's not sickly sweet or even vaguely insipid. In fact, it's funny.
And, with all that, it's not sickly sweet or even vaguely insipid. In fact, it's funny.
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Michelle by:
Faithrecommends it for: Teens and adults
Wow. This really was fantastic! Funny and sweet and smart. A "feel-good" book! I looked forward to escaping into it. When it ended beautifully and tears streaked down my face (it was that good!) I kept turning the blank pages hoping for more. Bravo!
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Read in April, 2008
Can't write anything coherent about this yet, but I absolutely loved this, the story, the characters, the combination of diary format and email, and IM. These 9th graders learning about love, life and growing up and I wish I had friends like these.
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This is one of the better high school-esque books I've read recently! The format is really fun and it is a really sweet story in terms of watching these high school kids figure out who they are. especially loved it being set in Brookline.
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recommends it for:
Sasha, with whom I've already left it.
This book is almost exactly the same book as Almost Like Being in Love. It's really cute, Kluger's message is really positive, but he's kinda a one note singer. I'm still only a little bit disappointed I paid hardcover price for this.
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to ex.libris by:
Susierecommends it for: Extreme Optimists
I had a lot of issues reading this book until I decided to pretend all the teenagers were thirty-somethings and that the plot took place in the future. At least, I hope people are this accepting of homosexuality in the future.
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Read in January, 2008
This is what a young adult novel ought to be about...kids who genuinely like each other and have real life issues. Penguin has done it again; I hope we see many more from this author.
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Read in May, 2008
recommended to Robin by:
read a reviewrecommends it for: those who like magical realism
This is the most touching and fun book I've read so far this year!
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