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36th out of 387 books
—
1,119 voters
What Happened to Lani Garver
The close-knit residents of Hackett Island have never seen anyone quite like Lani Garver. Everything about this new kid is a mystery: Where does Lani come from? How old is Lani? And most disturbing of all, is Lani a boy or a girl?
Claire McKenzie isn't up to tormenting Lani with the rest of the high school elite. Instead, she befriends the intriguing outcast. But within day...more
Claire McKenzie isn't up to tormenting Lani with the rest of the high school elite. Instead, she befriends the intriguing outcast. But within day...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
May 1st 2004
by Graphia
(first published September 1st 2002)
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What Happened To Lani Garver By Carol Plum-Ucci
This book time the book takes place in is unknown but it is set in recent times, and it is set in the small town of Hackett Island.
Sixteen-year-old Claire is unable to face her fears about a recurrence of her leukemia, her eating disorder, her need to fit in with the popular crowd on Hackett Island, and her mother's alcoholism until the enigmatic Lani Garver helps her get control of her life at the risk of his own. Instead of enjoying her high schoo...more
This book time the book takes place in is unknown but it is set in recent times, and it is set in the small town of Hackett Island.
Sixteen-year-old Claire is unable to face her fears about a recurrence of her leukemia, her eating disorder, her need to fit in with the popular crowd on Hackett Island, and her mother's alcoholism until the enigmatic Lani Garver helps her get control of her life at the risk of his own. Instead of enjoying her high schoo...more
An "issues" book to the extreme, there are quite a few valuable topics covered in this book. The title is a question that runs through the whole book, and while there is no definitive answer to the question, I couldn't help but read it as another typical Queer Kid Bites the Dust story that helps the main straight character become a Better Person.
What I'm the most angry about with this book, though, isn't really its fault. I went into a kids' bookstore asking for a book with a queer character, an...more
What I'm the most angry about with this book, though, isn't really its fault. I went into a kids' bookstore asking for a book with a queer character, an...more
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What happened to Lani Garver is a really good book about a cancer survivor and a really bad book about a gender variant individual. I will give this book the highest praise I possible can, I didn't write yesterday because I was so wrapped up in finishing this book.
First the good part. The main character, Claire missed a year and half of junior high because she was battling Leukemia. She's in remission and back on Hackett Island for high school. She hopes to put the past behind her and just be a...more
First the good part. The main character, Claire missed a year and half of junior high because she was battling Leukemia. She's in remission and back on Hackett Island for high school. She hopes to put the past behind her and just be a...more
Honestly, the novel started off slow dealing with typical teen girl drama, but after Claire meets Lani Garver and is introduced to a world bigger than her Hackett Island cliques, the story takes off. The high school is puzzled by Lani’s gender identity, but what’s more puzzling for Claire is whether Lani could really be an angel or not. This novel busts down the doors of so many issues (bullying, sexuality, drinking problems, eating disorders, etc.) that are relevant with today’s teens. Lani’s o...more
Carol Plum-Ucci’s novel What happened to Lani Garver is an introspective look at the social stigma’s that serve as the law of the high school wasteland as the female protagonist Claire’s, a cancer survivor, cookie cutter existence of shallow friends, prospective teenage romance, and fears of social expulsion due to her past history of cancer and her obsession with creating dark music is challenged by Lani Garver, a person of no social of physical definable features of gender yet contains and rec...more
A very engaging, surprisingly fast-paced book about fitting in, the reality of truth, and the difficulties of high school in a small town. Oh, and title character defies social expectations by avoiding gender labels and its usual cues like hairstyle, speech, mannerisms.
While i can't speak to whether it accurately represents contemporary high school life in New Jersey, i did find the characters mostly believable. I had a hard time differentiating some of them at first, but i realized later that t...more
While i can't speak to whether it accurately represents contemporary high school life in New Jersey, i did find the characters mostly believable. I had a hard time differentiating some of them at first, but i realized later that t...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Lexile:720
Generally, I liked this one but would have to say it took a long time for it to get exciting. I'd say the best things about the book would be Lani's intelligence and insight.
Words of Wisdom:
"If you can understand human behavior, it can't hurt you nearly as much" (47).
"I could have winked or smiled or something just to be a jerk -- but what's the point? People create their own little hells. They don't need my help" (80).
"I would complain to my dad about finding new definitions to 'lonel...more
Generally, I liked this one but would have to say it took a long time for it to get exciting. I'd say the best things about the book would be Lani's intelligence and insight.
Words of Wisdom:
"If you can understand human behavior, it can't hurt you nearly as much" (47).
"I could have winked or smiled or something just to be a jerk -- but what's the point? People create their own little hells. They don't need my help" (80).
"I would complain to my dad about finding new definitions to 'lonel...more
I really liked this book, though parts of it (basically 26-end) were difficult for me to read (though, the final chapter was better). I'm not sure I actually breathed until I got to the last four or five pages.
The language is beautiful, and it definitely makes you think about what is real and important in life...as well as how you treat and interact with other people. The main character's voice is whiny, but then, it's first person limited, so the writing is definitely in-character. My only majo...more
The language is beautiful, and it definitely makes you think about what is real and important in life...as well as how you treat and interact with other people. The main character's voice is whiny, but then, it's first person limited, so the writing is definitely in-character. My only majo...more
I started reading this for my 8th grade book club. Making a long story short, we ended up not using it after I pre-read the first few chapters. I can imagine the angry parents even now as I type this.
I didn't love the book, but I do think it is somewhat original and well written. One of the biggest things I've noticed with "young adult" literature is that the plots always seem to falter after the climax. This book had too much explaining and not enough doing at the end. It bored me. I was disapp...more
I didn't love the book, but I do think it is somewhat original and well written. One of the biggest things I've noticed with "young adult" literature is that the plots always seem to falter after the climax. This book had too much explaining and not enough doing at the end. It bored me. I was disapp...more
In What Happened to Lani Garver Claire is a tall, popular cheerleader whose life seems “perfect” to her friends, but in reality, her life is really messed up. She has just returned to her high school after going through chemotherapy for leukemia and has bloody nightmares. Her parents are divorced and her mother is an alcoholic. She is constantly around the wrong people and has an eating disorder. Then, one day, there is a new kid in her extremely small high school. The kid’s name is Lani Garver;...more
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overall this book was disappointing, it started off good and followed a slow decline from there. the suspense was what got me to read the book but ultimitely fizzled out.
The other bad point is if you have ever heard of the Brandon Teena tragedy you read on with the sinking feeling you know how this story is going to play out
and personally,the idea that Claire could spend to much time with Lani and still have so many questions is ridiculous, I admit Lani was a vague kind of person but still.
I did...more
The other bad point is if you have ever heard of the Brandon Teena tragedy you read on with the sinking feeling you know how this story is going to play out
and personally,the idea that Claire could spend to much time with Lani and still have so many questions is ridiculous, I admit Lani was a vague kind of person but still.
I did...more
There’s a powerful buildup of suspense here. The plot skids and shakes and rams into walls, and the bloodier gashes made me recoil.
Plum-Ucci aims to reveal the violent extremes of homophobia and mental breakdown. Claire, the teenage narrator, is primed for trauma, with a history of leukemia and razor-blade nightmares. Her friends accept her, as long as she doesn’t openly deviate from their small-town norms. Claire’s divorced mom has a similar sense of self-preservation: she’s scarily immature a...more
Plum-Ucci aims to reveal the violent extremes of homophobia and mental breakdown. Claire, the teenage narrator, is primed for trauma, with a history of leukemia and razor-blade nightmares. Her friends accept her, as long as she doesn’t openly deviate from their small-town norms. Claire’s divorced mom has a similar sense of self-preservation: she’s scarily immature a...more
What Happened to Lani Garver is about our desire to categorize people and our impulse to fear those we cannot define. The story is told from the perspective of Claire McKenzie, a popular cheerleader who lives with her mother on Hackett Island. Claire spent most of her Middle School years battling leukemia. She now battles violent nightmares, a possible eating disorder, and a fear that her leukemia has returned. Though all of these issues provide a backdrop to the story, the primary focus of the...more
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This book runs quite the gamut; it tackles every issue from cancer to homophobia to eating disorders to alcoholism to angels. The concept is interesting, though I found the dialogue of the teenagers to be pretty unrealistic. (On that note, if the author had used the word "spew" just ONE MORE TIME, I wouldn't have been able to finish the book. Seriously, Plum-Ucci, come up with a new verb.) It's still, however, an engaging read.
One of the best LGBTQ youth books I've read, aside from RAGE. The story starts off a bit slow but picks up quickly once Lani appears in Clair's life.
clair's this simple girl who recovered from cancer and believed she should always be nice to people no matter what. Her best friend macy is a big time gossiper and everybody believes what ever comes out her mouth. Once lani comes into the picture he immediatley stands out for the simple fact no one can tell if he's a girl or a boy.
Clair and Lani b...more
clair's this simple girl who recovered from cancer and believed she should always be nice to people no matter what. Her best friend macy is a big time gossiper and everybody believes what ever comes out her mouth. Once lani comes into the picture he immediatley stands out for the simple fact no one can tell if he's a girl or a boy.
Clair and Lani b...more
This book was one of the most inspiring I've ever read. Claire and Lani are both searching for acceptance, and they are some of the most entirely human characters I've ever read about. They're not idealized at all, but manage to be completely awe-inspiring anyways. The way Lani deals with the troubles in his life so gracefully, but can't stop fighting back. He's so wise, but he still makes mistakes because he's vulnerable. His view of humanity is just essentially beautiful. And Claire, Claire is...more
The book opens by telling you the main character is going to die.
You'd think that would prepare you for it. You'd be wrong.
On my copy, the last two chapters are literally tearstained. I had to stop reading it and put it away because the action became too heartwrenchingly intense. I didn't pick it up and finish it until six months later, and even with that pause, the intensity remained.
"What Happened to Lani Garver" is also notable for its realistic and sympathetic portrayal of queer, physically...more
You'd think that would prepare you for it. You'd be wrong.
On my copy, the last two chapters are literally tearstained. I had to stop reading it and put it away because the action became too heartwrenchingly intense. I didn't pick it up and finish it until six months later, and even with that pause, the intensity remained.
"What Happened to Lani Garver" is also notable for its realistic and sympathetic portrayal of queer, physically...more
An amazing story that leaves enough in doubt to keep most readers engaged all the way to the finish. Claire is a high school girl recovering from Leukemia when she meets Lani. Lani is an enigma from the start. Though referred to as a boy, Lani's features are both feminine and masculine at the same time. The two become friends, much to the displeasure of Claire's earlier clique. The story that unfolds is told from Claire's perspective and even she, of all the townsfolk, is not completely certain...more
I wish I could just produce one word to condense every single emotion I felt when I read this book. My friend recommended it when we lived in Central America together and I still believed in God and angels.
I think I read it to see if it was really as good as she'd said, to see if I was as conflicted as she had been when she read it. I think I read it to find some of the girl I used to be when I really did think angels could come down and bless us.
I loved Claire. It took me a while to like her,...more
I think I read it to see if it was really as good as she'd said, to see if I was as conflicted as she had been when she read it. I think I read it to find some of the girl I used to be when I really did think angels could come down and bless us.
I loved Claire. It took me a while to like her,...more
One of the more enjoyable books I've read in a long time, which surprised me. It contains a lot of topics I usually dislike, such as pretentious teens, spoilt girls getting sick, ignorant characters, that sort of thing, but the more I read, the more I enjoyed it.
I'm not sure if I enjoyed Lani Garver, but I actually felt myself getting increasingly angry at the 'fish frat' as the book continued, and at points, I wanted to punch Macy in the face. This sort of reaction doesn't usually occur to me...more
I'm not sure if I enjoyed Lani Garver, but I actually felt myself getting increasingly angry at the 'fish frat' as the book continued, and at points, I wanted to punch Macy in the face. This sort of reaction doesn't usually occur to me...more
I've been reading a lot of GLBTQI YA lately, and I was just complaining to my roommate that while it has all been decent, a lot of the books have been pretty shallow.
This one almost goes too far in the opposite direction- it is quite in depth on a lot of serious topics, and is even a little metaphysical at times.
I'd like to say that the situations were overly dramatized, but the truth is a lot of people deal with bullying and mob mentality and reactions that are even more crazy, so it is more...more
This one almost goes too far in the opposite direction- it is quite in depth on a lot of serious topics, and is even a little metaphysical at times.
I'd like to say that the situations were overly dramatized, but the truth is a lot of people deal with bullying and mob mentality and reactions that are even more crazy, so it is more...more
Disclaimer: If you are a judgmental person, who likes everything and everyone to fit into nice little categories, do not read What Happened to Lani Garver.
Claire was getting along fine in school since she'd been in remission from leukemia. Sure, her mom was still drinking too much, but she had some great times with her cheerleading friends, and her guitar playing was good enough to get her a steady gig. Then Lani Garver came to town and her whole world began to crumble. Lani refused to be categ...more
Claire was getting along fine in school since she'd been in remission from leukemia. Sure, her mom was still drinking too much, but she had some great times with her cheerleading friends, and her guitar playing was good enough to get her a steady gig. Then Lani Garver came to town and her whole world began to crumble. Lani refused to be categ...more
Seriously, all I can say about this book is OH......MY...........God! it was insanely amazing and the story behind it was a beautiful thing. It is inspiring and written really greatly. I loved it! everyone must read it!!!!
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So you think you are leading a great life with your best friends and a boyfriend? That is what Claire Mackenzie believes until a new kid shows up at school & changes her life. Who/what is this he/she person. A boy, a girl, gay or not? The classmates at this touristy island high school know this Lani(Lonny) doesn't fit into their mold of normal. As Claire drifts away from her friends, and befriends Lani & things become threatening for Lani and Claire by the island teens. Claire discovers...more
When I was a child, I read this book. I was probably in the eighth grade or so. This book has for some reason, made a life-long impact on me.
This book takes the gender issue and stretches it in a very interesting way. I'd have to say that I wish there was more explanation at the end, but in some ways, it's perfect the way it is. I usually dislike sequels, but I would have liked to seen one for this (although not sure how it would happen).
This book was a fast read for me, as I remember finishin...more
This book takes the gender issue and stretches it in a very interesting way. I'd have to say that I wish there was more explanation at the end, but in some ways, it's perfect the way it is. I usually dislike sequels, but I would have liked to seen one for this (although not sure how it would happen).
This book was a fast read for me, as I remember finishin...more
What Happened to Lani Garver by Carol Plum-Ucci is an interesting novel. From the first few pages the reader gains insight in what kind of town Hackett Island is. It is obvious that Hackett Island has never encountered someone like Lani Garver. From the moment Lani is introduced a lot of questions surround the character. Seemingly, the most disturbing is, is Lani Garver a boy or a girl? Plum-Ucci’s writing style is easy to follow and understand. The novel is a page-turner, and at times I was una...more
I have read this book at least ten times, maybe even more. With every read, my heart broke for Lani and Claire. Two teenagers stuck in a world of peer pressure and misunderstanding. Incredibly fast paced, with witty dialogue, and realistic character development.
As a recent high school graduate, I've seen what can happen to teenagers when people try to box them in. This book covers that, and it is simply heart breaking. I took so much away from it, it gave me a lot to think about. Like I explain...more
As a recent high school graduate, I've seen what can happen to teenagers when people try to box them in. This book covers that, and it is simply heart breaking. I took so much away from it, it gave me a lot to think about. Like I explain...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Are there actually angels? Is Lani an angel? | 4 | 10 | Jun 17, 2013 01:24pm |
Carol Plum-Ucci is a young adult novelist and essayist. Plum-Ucci’s most famous work to date is The Body of Christopher Creed, for which she won a Michael L. Printz Award in 2002 and was named a Finalist to the Edgar Allan Poe Award. Describing her subjects as «the most common, timeless, and most heart-felt teenagers,» Plum-Ucci is widely recognized for her use of the South Jersey shore to set sce...more
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“Complete happiness can look so much like complete terror that its hard to tell them apart.”
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30 people liked it
“You're supposed to be kind to everyone, because you never know when you're meeting an angel.”
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21 people liked it
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