Pink by Lili Wilkinson - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

Sep 12, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussies, heroines-wimpy, lgbt, read-2011, young-adult, huge-disappointments, readalong

It's really weird to not know how to rate a book. I don't normally use images in my reviews, but in this particular case, there's no better way to clearly explain the yo-yo-ing of my opinions as I was reading this novel.

description

See what the problem was?

The beginning of the story thrusts us into the unlikely scenario of Ava suddenly switching schools because she wants to go to a place where it's okay to wear pink. "Pink" is the code word for not only the freedom to wear girly clothes and sport your nat...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Maja rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-a-dtb, readalong, annoying-love-triangle, contemporary-fiction, cover-lust, incredibly-stupid-choices, lgbt, moments-of-great-frustration, superbitch, ya, wonders-from-down-under, reviewed-in-2011

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later: an Aussie YA novel I didn’t enjoy at all! In fact, if not for my two wonderful readalong partners who made the experience not only bearable, but extremely fun, I would have given up after a hundred pages or so.

Ava’s parents are supposedly very liberal, and her girlfriend Chloe has an owerpowering personality. Together they’re pushing Ava into an alternative lifestyle she secretly hates. Oddly enough, all Ava wants is to wear pink and sing in a music...more Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later: an Aussie YA novel I didn’t enjoy at all! In fact, if not for my two wonderful readalong partners who made the experience not only bearable, but extremely fun, I would have given up after a hundred pages or so.

Ava’s parents are supposedly very liberal, and her girlfriend Chloe has an owerpowering personality. Together they’re pushing Ava into an alternative lifestyle she secretly hates. Oddly enough, all Ava wants is to wear pink and sing in a musical. She decides to move to a new school, where she plans to find a way of joining the in crowd, or Pastels, as she calls them. However, that doesn’t turn out so well for Ava. Instead of getting the role she wanted in the school musical, she ends up working with the stage crew, a group of misfits led by a boy named Sam. She ends up balancing three different lives and three different personalities, none of which are compatible with the others.

Characterization is where Wilkinson failed spectacularly. Having read A Pocketful of Eyes first, I knew that she was more than capable of creating more interesting and complex characters, which is why I have to conclude that she did this on purpose. But why? Every character in Pink is a walking stereotype: we have Ava’s intellectually snobbish girlfriend Chloe, playing the role of a lesbian feminist; Ava’s parents, so obsessed with being tolerant that they end up not tolerating anything mainstream; Alexis, the shallow blonde, perfect in everything she does; a gay friend, a secretly gay friend, a friend embarrassed by his rich parents, and in the end, Ava herself, completely devoid of personality.

Ava is one of the most self-centered, infuriating characters I’ve ever stumbled upon. The series of disastrous decisions she made in such a short period of time nearly drove me insane. Stories about personal growth by definition introduce a character that makes poor choices at the beginning, but finds a way to redeem himself/herself by the end. After one particularly bad decision, I’m afraid Ava reached the point of no redemption in my eyes.

Unfortunately, I doubt that I’ll be reading any more of Wilkinson’s novels. After reading two of them, I can honestly say that she’s not an author whose work I enjoy.
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Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-na, 2011

I think the words "this book was written by an Australian author" would suffice. But then it just wouldn't be as fun for me :D

This book was on my mental TBR list long before I became a member of goodreads and before I had written a single review. It's taken me all this time to get around to reading it and I can honestly say: I was missing out! It covers all the issues that I'm interested in: feminism, femininity, individuality, sexuality and stereotyping. Plus, I like pink, regardless of whatev...more

I think the words "this book was written by an Australian author" would suffice. But then it just wouldn't be as fun for me :D

This book was on my mental TBR list long before I became a member of goodreads and before I had written a single review. It's taken me all this time to get around to reading it and I can honestly say: I was missing out! It covers all the issues that I'm interested in: feminism, femininity, individuality, sexuality and stereotyping. Plus, I like pink, regardless of whatever people say it symbolises - I always thought that was a load of twaddle anyway.

The story is about Ava, a girl who isn't quite sure who she is or where she belongs. She desperately wants to slot herself into a pre-defined category like emo, goth, straight, lesbian... and struggles with accepting the fact that she can be all kinds of combinations because the most important thing is to embrace who you are. This take on self-acceptance could have been cheesy and unoriginal but Lili Wilkinson's story is supported by a cast of quirky and imaginative characters that were what made the novel so enjoyable.

You have the uber-liberal parents, the feminazi "I-pretend-to-care-about-women's-rights-but-I-actually-just-hate-everyone-who-isn't-like-me" girlfriend, a 'Pastel' girl, and an old, grumpy misogynist who turns out to have more about him than meets the eye - resulting in a very short but pleasant surprise that I really liked.

The author has managed to find that perfect balance of easy-going, light, fun to read... and also thought-provoking scenarios that challenge the reader's views on what it means to be female or straight or gay or bi.

And then there's that fantastic quote, which for me just sums up perfectly a) what the novel is about and b) what I believe in. Here:

"You know, a very wise woman once gave this piece of advice to women everywhere: Be strong, believe in freedom, love yourself, understand your sexuality, have a sense of humour, masturbate, don't judge people by their religion, colour, or sexual habits, love life and your family."
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Mar 19, 2011 Steph Su rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, best-of-11, aussie-ya, signed, favorites-2

THAT’S IT. Upon my college graduation this May, I am packing up my worldly possessions and moving to Australia, land of infinite YA talent. I have been fortunate enough to read a number of wonderful Aussie YA authors—Cath Crowley, Kathy Charles, Kirsty Eagar, Jaclyn Moriarty, Melina Marchetta—but Lili Wilkinson’s PINK raised in me the rare and wonderful feeling of wanting to walk up to everyone I see and go, “This book. Oh my word. It’s…words fail me in describing its awesome. READ IT.” I’m goin...more THAT’S IT. Upon my college graduation this May, I am packing up my worldly possessions and moving to Australia, land of infinite YA talent. I have been fortunate enough to read a number of wonderful Aussie YA authors—Cath Crowley, Kathy Charles, Kirsty Eagar, Jaclyn Moriarty, Melina Marchetta—but Lili Wilkinson’s PINK raised in me the rare and wonderful feeling of wanting to walk up to everyone I see and go, “This book. Oh my word. It’s…words fail me in describing its awesome. READ IT.” I’m going to equate this feeling to the one I got when I finished Robin Brande’s Fat Cat, still one of my favorite books ever, and then gushed endlessly about it for years and years and tell people repeatedly that they need to read it.

So. *breath* Let’s begin to explain why PINK is the Holy Grail of YA Contemporary Awesome, at least probably for those who share my taste in contemporary fiction. First of all, it is important to note that this is the most elegantly casual portrayal of LGBT teens I have encountered in YA. “Elegantly casual” sounds like an oxymoron, but what I mean by that is that it is a lovely realistic presentation of the ambiguities of teen sexuality. Lili Wilkinson doesn’t try to fit Ava and the other characters into character types in LGBT fiction that have been done before. Instead, they are simply allowed to…exist as they are, and it’s not a big freaking deal. David Levithan didn’t quite do it for me with his utopian romance Boy Meets Boy, but I am enamored by PINK’s skillful and intelligent handling of sexual orientation and identity.

Speaking of intelligence, PINK has the type of smartness that will appeal to everyone, regardless of your IQ level. Ava and the Screw kids are, without a doubt, nerds—specifically of the sci-fi geek kind. This means that they constantly engage in the most entertaining of conversations regarding the strangest and most obscure topics everywhere. There’s nothing like using one’s excessive brainpower for nerdy humor, and as someone who goes to a nerdy-cool college, I adored the banter. The Screw kids are weird, but they’re cool-weird, and best of all, each of the five has his or her own distinct personality.

PINK has all of the essentials that I love in a contemporary novel: a strong-voiced protagonist who is still in the process of growing, wit, full characterization. Not to mention some delectable extras: the sci-fi geek details, musical theatre (!), a cute boy, and memorable side characters. Without a doubt, PINK is going on my favorites shelf, and I eagerly look forward to the next time I reread it, so that I can experience the joy of this wonderfully well-written book all over again.(less)

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May 14, 2011 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of E. Lockhart

Recommended to Tatiana by: Flannery

Shelves: ya, 2011, chick-lit, aus-nz

Pink is one of those rare books that are both easy-breezy and fun to read and not shallow. For some reason I have a hard time finding them. On the other hand, good depressing books about death/drugs/abuse/disability are much easier to come across, for me anyway.

In a few words, it's a story about not worrying about what people think you are or should be, not boxing yourself into "approved" social niches and just embracing your own individuality.

Not a groundbreaking premise, but the amusing cast...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya, ala-s-best-books

I can’t coo over this book enough. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but was blown away by what I got.

Ava is just an ordinary goth girl, born to liberal parents and possessing an ultra-hip, feminist crusading girl friend. Ava knows her role and it has served her well. Problem is Ava wants more. She’s tired of always wearing black, especially when she is nursing a secret love of Pink, and though her girl-friend is great and mega hot, Ava sort of wants a boyfriend, just to see what it’s like....more

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Sep 12, 2011 Lisa O. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, chick-lit, fantasy, ya-lit

2.5 stars

It all starts with a pink cashmere sweater.
That's what Ava wants to wear instead of her usual goth all-black attire. Because, you see, Ava is a lesbian and a feminist and does not wear pink. Or maybe she isn't. What is sure is that Ava is in the middle of a crisis, with her girlfriend, with her beliefs, with her sexual orientation.
By applying to a posh private school, she hopes to get a fresh start and be able to experiment being someone else from whom she is usually expected to be....more

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Mar 15, 2012 Patricia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary, romance

The cover put me off a little. Well, just being honest. But the blurb got my attention - that's what really matters, yeah?

Reading Pink was a breeze. It was sharp, funny and full of witty dialogues. I kept turning page after page even though it was already wee hours into the night. So far there are only two kinds of books that can make me this hooked - either there's lots of action and adrenaline-rush going on, or it's comedic enough to spur me on. Obviously, Pink was the latter.

I loved how the...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Kailia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was a little hesitant to pick up this book when I first got asked if I wanted to review it. I liked the cover, the summary got to me, and it was blurbed by John Green. I took a leap of faith and read this book. I’m very sorry to say that I had any doubts about this book. Lili Wilkinson wrote a heartwarming tale of a girl’s quest to figure out who she is and who she wants to be.

All Ava wants is to be normal. This is the very broad plot of this story. Delving deeply into this story, though, we f...more I was a little hesitant to pick up this book when I first got asked if I wanted to review it. I liked the cover, the summary got to me, and it was blurbed by John Green. I took a leap of faith and read this book. I’m very sorry to say that I had any doubts about this book. Lili Wilkinson wrote a heartwarming tale of a girl’s quest to figure out who she is and who she wants to be.

All Ava wants is to be normal. This is the very broad plot of this story. Delving deeply into this story, though, we find so much more. She changes schools and gets a wardrobe makeover. She wants to be a normal girl who wears pink and likes guys. Along the way, Ava realizes that some things aren’t all they seem and people aren’t as amazing as we first realize. A lot of the plot for this story is accepting who you are and not trying to change that.

I loved Wilkinson’s quick dialogue, the “would you rather” and just her writing. She wrote quick sentences that carried a lot of meaning and changed the way we saw things. Each of her characters had a different way of speaking and Wilkinson really did a great job in the writing of their story and who they were.

Ava was such a great protagonist. She wasn’t perfect, but rather far from it and she accepted that. Through her journey to change herself, she hurt the people she loved and made many mistakes. She owned up to each and every one of them and made them write. Not many people would do that so I loved that she did. Wilkinson’s other characters were just as much fun to read about as Ava. I especially loved the Screws and I loved how each of them had their own story and personality. All of them helped change Ava and helped her find who she was.

I loved this book. I read it in about a day and I wanted to re-read it! I had anticipated a chick lit book, full of bubbly girls who had boy problems but this book turned out to be so much more. It was a heartwarming, funny journey of friendship and romance, and exactly how hard is it to figure out who we are. I loved the ending especially because of what happens. I won’t say what it is but let’s just say that it is very accurate!
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Jan 23, 2012 elissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011favorites, australianauthors, youngadult, glbtq, my_10s_reads, capitol_choices_2012

Another excellent Australian YA author! This was a super quick read for me, with a likeable (teen emo lesbian) main character. I passed it off to my 13-yr old son as soon as I was done, and he read almost half of it before going to sleep last night, even though he told me recently that he was really only interested in reading new science fiction novels. I told him yesterday that this one was at least new, and it has an SF film festival toward the end. It's also blurbed by John Green (and mention...more

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Nov 06, 2010 Karyn Silverman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, z2010-reads, ya

Fun and cozy, with heart. Semi-goth emo lesbian Ava has a few deep dark secrets: she loves school, wants to wear pink, and is curious about kissing boys. But when she tries to lead a double life, things get crazy and she manages to hurt a lot of people she loves.
Ava never comes to life quite as much as the people around her, who comprise one of the best secondary casts ever, and it's not always clear what others see in her-- which may reflect Ava's own insecurity, since she's narrating, and she...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Overall, the novel Pink is outstanding and it is interesting to read. I enjoyed every moment I was reading the novel and imagining the thoughts in depth of the characters. One thing I like about the novel is Lili Wilkinson’s writing style. However, I don’t like the last five chapters of the book, except for the ending.
The writing style of the novel is very conversational and casual; therefore, the book is easy to read and understand. The protagonist of the novel, Ava Simpson, is a lesbian girl...more Overall, the novel Pink is outstanding and it is interesting to read. I enjoyed every moment I was reading the novel and imagining the thoughts in depth of the characters. One thing I like about the novel is Lili Wilkinson’s writing style. However, I don’t like the last five chapters of the book, except for the ending.
The writing style of the novel is very conversational and casual; therefore, the book is easy to read and understand. The protagonist of the novel, Ava Simpson, is a lesbian girl who was on an adventure to figure out if she was straight or lesbian. When I was reading the parts of the book when she was talking to herself, I felt that she was sharing her struggles and thoughts with me and asking me for guide and help. Also, Wilkinson did a very good job on building the characters. Every character in the novel is just like real people in our own world, since we can’t judge any character as totally perfect or totally horrible. Every character has his or her hidden sides in life. For example, Alexis is a character in the novel that pretended to be someone who likes literature and art. But at the end of the novel, she admitted that she was actually a geek and she liked science fiction movies instead of literature and art. In the real world, most of the people living around us tend to pretend to be people who they are not. The reason why they pretend to be somebody else is because they want people to think they are “normal”, even perfect.
Even though the overall novel is very good, the last five chapters didn’t appear as good as the others. In these chapters, everyone found out that Ava was a lesbian and abandoned her, but two chapters later, Ava solved all the problems and she became good friends with everyone again. The reason why I don’t like these chapters is because everything changed too quickly and I wasn’t prepared for it. In real life, a problem like this would likely not be solved this quickly, so I feel that this wasn’t very realistic.
I totally fell in love with Pink, because it has the writing style that I enjoy the most. Even though the last five chapters didn’t bode well with me, it doesn’t affect my love for this story.
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Apr 16, 2013 Breanna Haynes rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: multicultural, young-adult

Pink is a very interesting young adult novel. It is about a girl named Ava who is struggling with her sexual identity. She goes from being goth and having a girlfriend at her old school, to being a total prep with very popular boyfriend at her new school. During the course of his book, Ava is struggling to discover who she really is, all while hiding her true self and feelings to her family, friends, and ex- girlfriend. In the end, Ava discovers that it is okay to now know exactly who you are, b...more

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Mar 12, 2013 MissingInAction rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book because Aspyn told me to. And It was actually a lot better than I expected. I mean, with a title like Pink There's a lot of ways it could go wrong...

Anyway Some casual observations:

- Jules was my absolute favorite. Perfection.
- Her parents are named 'Pat and David' Right? So, of course, I assumed Pat stood or patrick. Apparently it stood for patricia, because Pat is a female. Wow. Okay.
- Jen was actually me- down to the startrek shirt and the soylent green refrences. I spent my...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Tash rated it 4 of 5 stars

Pink is straight off the bat odd. Not fantasy or sci-fi odd, but odd in the fashion of expression. Pink is about the struggles of a girl named Ava who transfers from a public school to a fancy private school willingly in order for her to be able to find herself, something she yearns for and just can’t understand. The main theme of the book is on how she forms relationships through lies as she figures out whether she likes boys or girls and where she wants to fit in. Her efforts at being normal t...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Summer Cull rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

Knowing the history of Stonewall books, I expected this book to be a bit edgy. The issues in this book are definitely for a more mature reader (perhaps late junior high or high school) seeing as they address sexuality, drinking, and sexual orientation. However, the most prominent theme in this story is simply fitting in and figuring out who you are.
Ava is not unhappy with her life, but she is definitely wondering if this is all there is for her. She loves her girl friend, parents, and friends, b...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Janalee Vasquez rated it 5 of 5 stars

The novel pink was a really good novel. I really enjoyed reading it. It all starts with a girl named Ava. Ava is a girl that doesn't know who she is. Ava has a girlfriend named Chloe and Chloe is always telling her what to do. Ava decides to move schools and she goes to Billy Hughes a really good school with top performance. Ava meets a girl named Alexis. Alexis is very nice to Ava and suggests that Ava should try out for the school musical so she's able to date a guy named Ethan. Ava fails at t...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Mary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbtq

I was curious about how this book would turn out. It is about an all-black wearing lesbian that's actually lost when it comes to her sense of self and wants to try something new including her look and friends. I was curious about how it would treat Ava's interest in being feminine and sexy and interested in boys and being friends with the popular kids. I wondered if it would have the typical tone that feminine/gossip/popularity is bad and to let your freak flag fly.

Ava narrates the book and is a...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Ashley Morin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was really interesting. A different spin on being a lesbian along with a combination of confusion as well. Ava wants to be accepted by her girl friends lesbian friends at the lesbian clubs, but she isn't. She is a very strait A student and decides to transfer to a progressive school. However, she does not want to be known as the black wearing goth styled girl. So she makes herself up into a girly girl that wears pink. Which is the funny part, she keeps the make over a secret from her g...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Steve lovell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

‘Here you go Dad, you’ll enjoy this then. It’s her best book.’

I had been relating to my BTD (Beautiful Talented Daughter) how much I had savoured another recent borrowing, Lili Wilkinson’s ‘Love-shy’ – and then BTD handed me it, placing it in my hands. I recoiled somewhat – I hope she didn’t notice – and muttered some thanks. Once I recovered from my shock I thought – ‘I may possibly enjoy what is inside this, but how do I get over the cover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not sure what percentage of the male...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Abby K rated it 3 of 5 stars

In this novel, the main character Ava is sick of her old school. She was not challenged enough academically in that school so she decides to transfer to Billy Hughes. When her girlfriend Chloe asks her why, Ava tells her that her parents want her to transfer. She decides that for her new school she wants to be pretty and popular. Ava goes out and buys some new clothes that aren’t black and prepares herself for the first day. When she gets to school she gets greeted by Alexis. Alexis brings her i...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Penny Linsenmayer rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Ava is so conflicted about her sexuality that she effectively runs away from the problem by going to great lengths to change to a new school so she can escape her current relationship with Chloe and discover if she is in fact straight or a lesbian or may even be bisexual. At her new school, she says nothing about her relationship with Chloe, and she drastically alters her appearance and wardrobe (from Goth to preppy). Before too long, she has friends in th...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Patricia Arroyo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Pink is an inspiring book. It’s about a girl name Eva she is really smart. She is really focused on her education. When she decides to make a change to her life, something many people don’t do because there scare of a change but she did it she moved schools. She wanted to be challenge. She had to live her girlfriend in her old school. She told her that she was really hurt. Her girlfriend was scared to loss her. When she goes to the new school that is considered one of the best school for academi...more

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Aug 13, 2012 shayla added it

1. Q: What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?
A: I would say the authors specific themes would be be yourself, and not everyone is what they seem. I think she is trying to talk or display equality and truth are very important.

2. Q: In what ways do the events in the book reveal evidence of the author's world view?
A: The author wants to show that there is never a reason to be anyone but yourself. And the...more 1. Q: What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?
A: I would say the authors specific themes would be be yourself, and not everyone is what they seem. I think she is trying to talk or display equality and truth are very important.

2. Q: In what ways do the events in the book reveal evidence of the author's world view?
A: The author wants to show that there is never a reason to be anyone but yourself. And the consequences for being someone your not.

3. Q: Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
A:I didn't feel uncomfortable about any part of this book. It very real situations. they do bring up individuality and homosexuality but my views on these didn't conflict what the author was saying. I have a strong feel toward peoples right to have and share feelings to whomever they want, so it didn't bug me when she talked about it.

4. Q: Do you recommend this book? Why or why not?
A: I recommend this book. It is good way to look at many things in life and teaches the consequence choices can make. I think it could open up a couple minds. This book is very good.

Summary:
I would say the authors specific themes would be be yourself, and not everyone is what they seem. I think she is trying to talk or display equality and truth are very important.The author wants to show that there is never a reason to be anyone but yourself. And the consequences for being someone your not.I didn't feel uncomfortable about any part of this book. It very real situations. they do bring up individuality and homosexuality but my views on these didn't conflict what the author was saying. I have a strong feel toward peoples right to have and share feelings to whomever they want, so it didn't bug me when she talked about it. I recommend this book. It is good way to look at many things in life and teaches the consequence choices can make. I think it could open up a couple minds. This book is very good.

See you all at school soon!(less)

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May 21, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-books

YA book by an Australian author about a lesbian (possibly) high school student who goes to a Waldorf school and is being raised by two progressive academics. She just wants to fit in and have a normal life. She transfers to a school for academically talented students, and all goes well, until, well, it doesn't.

I thought this was a realistic portrayal of what it is like to be a teenager figuring out who they really are - what is your true personality, and what is merely a construct to fit it. Al...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Katie (Call Me Crazy) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews, books-read-in-2012, favorites

This was the first LGBT book that I had read since I did a banned book project my junior year in high school about Annie On My Mind. In complete honesty, I strongly disliked that book. I couldn't connect to the characters and some parts just felt really slow, so I was a little worried to read this book. Oh my goodness, I seriously worried for nothing, it was so stupid of me to compare books just because they both dealt with LGBT teens! Pink is incredible, it is definitely one of my new favorites...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt, school-story, young-adult, romance

Ava is a 16 year old radical, all-black-wearing lesbian whose radical university professor parents are thrilled that she's a radical, all-black-wearing lesbian and welcome her radical, all-black-wearing lesbian girlfriend Chloe with open arms. Trouble is, Ava's not sure that in her heart of hearts, she's really a radical, all-black-wearing lesbian. She doesn't seem to fit with any particular crowd, even Chloe's aggressively artsy lesbian crowd, so she makes the radical decision to test out a new...more Ava is a 16 year old radical, all-black-wearing lesbian whose radical university professor parents are thrilled that she's a radical, all-black-wearing lesbian and welcome her radical, all-black-wearing lesbian girlfriend Chloe with open arms. Trouble is, Ava's not sure that in her heart of hearts, she's really a radical, all-black-wearing lesbian. She doesn't seem to fit with any particular crowd, even Chloe's aggressively artsy lesbian crowd, so she makes the radical decision to test out a new identity. She gets herself into an academically challenging private school, starts wearing pink, and starts looking at boys--without telling her parents or Chloe about anything but the change of schools. Things start out pretty well--Ava gets adopted by one of the 'Pastels,' the pretty crowd, but a disastrous theater audtion (to try to join the Pastels in the cast of the musical) drives her to join the 'freaks' in stage crew. Trouble is, Ava soon discovers she doesn't fit in any crowd at her new school, either, and she makes mistake after mistake and steps on person after person until things might just be too screwed up to fix.

I didn't love this book, but didn't end up disliking it as much as I thought I would. Ava quickly makes herself pretty unlikeable as she blows hot and cold on everyone, trying to agree with everyone even when they're insulting her other friends, trying to pick up boys when she's still dating an oblivious Chloe, trying to matchmake people she barely knows without finding out more about them, and basically lying to everyone nonstop. I get that she's confused and having an identity crisis, but she's so wishy-washy in places and too aggressive in others I really didn't want to finish the book. I did, though, and she does get better in the end--which is actually almost too happily-ever-after, especially when the mean popular girl turns out to be nice after all (I admit, it's a nice change from other books, but hard to believe). I did like that in the end, it's okay for Ava still not to know whether she likes boys or girls or both--that seemed believable. But overall, not a favorite.(less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Level: Grades 7+

What does pink mean to you? Does it mean a little girl’s bedroom, wallpapered with ponies, princesses, ballerinas and unicorns? A color occasionally featured in your wardrobe? A bonafide, lip-glossed, perfect 'Plastic' a la Mean Girls? Or is pink a color you hate with every dark black fiber of your being?

For Ava, pink is a secret. Pink is the color, the person, that she wants to become – a girl who likes color instead of cloaking herself in black, hiding behind the monoch...more

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Feb 19, 2012 cecilia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I forget where I first heard about pink, but I knew that I had to read it and I knew that I loved its slick cover design. Fast forward a year to now, and I can regretfully say that pink is the book I should have read sooner than later because it is one of those rare sock-rocking books that make up for all the reading FAIL! in my TBR pile.

THE GOOD BITS

{Girl cut from a different cloth} I loved the concept of Ava trying to figure out not only her identity, but also her sexuality. For some teenagers...more I forget where I first heard about pink, but I knew that I had to read it and I knew that I loved its slick cover design. Fast forward a year to now, and I can regretfully say that pink is the book I should have read sooner than later because it is one of those rare sock-rocking books that make up for all the reading FAIL! in my TBR pile.

THE GOOD BITS

{Girl cut from a different cloth} I loved the concept of Ava trying to figure out not only her identity, but also her sexuality. For some teenagers, these might be one and the same and quite obvious, but I think Ava represents those in-betweeners who feel alone in their indecision and uncertainties. Is she still a feminist if she likes the color pink? How can she crush on a boy when she is involved with a girl? Can two girls be friends if one of them is a lesbian? Is it too late to change your mind and/or change teams? Lili Wilkinson treads carefully and thoughtfully as the teenagers try to figure out themselves as well as each other in this whole crazy mess we fondly label as “high school.”

{You eat, sleep, and breathe tech} There are no words to explain why I have such high regards to theater techies. I never really buried myself into the gritty underbelly of theater since it definitely required more commitment than I could handle in high school, but I could feel its allure. Set changes are the BEST. THING. EVER! to watch. In pink, I loved the cranky old stage manager, the geeky banter and random “would you rather” questions, and can I get a shout-out to Boys from the Dwarf? These were my people, and I always love watching the main character fall in love with them too. pink is a homage to techies out there, and I loved every moment of it!

{Think PINK} This color pops up a lot in this book, and I love how the ending comes together for Ava, her girlfriend, and her classmates. The story begins with a pink sweater of incredible softness – what Ava deems as “normal” clothes and not the black chicness that her parents and girlfriend prefer. As a former pink-hater, I too can appreciate Ava’s embrace of the pink. Sure, it may be considered the color of girly power, but in the end it is just a color – and if we want to wear said color, it does not necessarily lead to simpering or emotional trainwrecks. In this book, pink becomes Ava’s trademark – it may have started out as a way to feel normal, but pink is the color that makes her happy inside.

THE BAD BITS

{Nothing} If there were any bad bits to this story, Lili Wilkinson just tickled me pink with everything else that I don’t remember them. Maybe that the ending tied together a little too perfectly? But, honestly, I wouldn’t have imagined it any other way.

THE OVERALL

Why did I wait so long to have my socks rocked by pink? I am not sure, but I am hoping that YOU do not waste any more time! The characters are far from perfect, but together they paint such a heartfelt and honest picture of the confusion everyone goes through in life. I laughed a lot, cried some, and enjoyed the entirety of pink – and when I reached the last page, I sighed with such satisfaction for a story well done!(less)

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Feb 10, 2012 Kris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ya-books, books-reviewed

In a society that encourages children, teens, and adults alike to be unique and to express their individuality, Lily Wilkinson's Pink asks: What if I want to fit in? What if I like what everyone else is doing? I first read Pink last year when I won a copy of the book in a writing challenge and enjoyed reading about Ava's story about becoming herself in a very un-radical fashion that would receive disapproval from her parents and old girlfriend.

While I appreciate characters strong enough to break...more In a society that encourages children, teens, and adults alike to be unique and to express their individuality, Lily Wilkinson's Pink asks: What if I want to fit in? What if I like what everyone else is doing? I first read Pink last year when I won a copy of the book in a writing challenge and enjoyed reading about Ava's story about becoming herself in a very un-radical fashion that would receive disapproval from her parents and old girlfriend.

While I appreciate characters strong enough to break away from, say, a brainwashed society, I appreciate books that look into not-so-well-explored topics like 'what if someone doesn't want to be a radical?' In this case, I think it takes a heck of a lot more courage to be who you want to be. It is easy to buy black clothes and act disinterested in society when you want to rebel against everyone else, but it is much harder to try and conform to society when your parents are into radical politics and everyone else, especially said parents, expects you to be the same. What I love most about this book is the message that conformity doesn't happen with just the 'in' crowd; it happens to someone belonging to a group of radicals. It happens to Ava, a former radical and lesbian who decides to wear pink and be straight.

While she isn't a total conformist, Ava is quite demure compared to her parents. In fact, it is easier for Ava to see her ex-girlfriend as someone belonging her to household than herself, and she doesn't know what to expect of herself, other than the fact that she wants to wear the color pink. However, Ava lacks the courage to wear pink in front of her parents, and she gets a girlfriend because she wants to be like Chloe (her ex) and it is what her parents expect of her in spite of their constant encouragement for Ava to be herself.

It is at Billy Hughes School for Academic Excellence, away from her parents and ex-girlfriend, that Ava finally finds the courage to try new things. Only, it's easier said than done to try and be herself. Ava makes her fair share of mistakes while trying to fit in for the first time. After having been her parents' little radical for so long, she feels the need to swing to the other extreme and conform to the 'in' crowd before she finally realizes that all she really needed to do was be true to her heart. Pink is a heartwarming and very realistic story about a girl attempting to express her true self for the first time.

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