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Monica Bloom
Matt Sherman is in his final year of school. And he's ready to move onto bigger and better things. But from the moment he hears her voice over the fence, Matt knows he has to meet his neighbours' cousin, Monica Bloom. She's just flown in from Dublin ready for the start of school, but not at all ready, it turns out, for what the year holds.
Things slip out of control when Matt's dad is embroiled in a scandal at work that makes news headlines. Meanwhile, Monica Bloom finds trouble of her own, and Matt finds that he can't stop thinking about her.
Things slip out of control when Matt's dad is embroiled in a scandal at work that makes news headlines. Meanwhile, Monica Bloom finds trouble of her own, and Matt finds that he can't stop thinking about her.
147 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2006
1 person is currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Nick Earls
74 books173 followersNick Earls is the author of twelve books, including bestselling novels such as Zigzag Street, Bachelor Kisses, Perfect Skin and World of Chickens. His work has been published internationally in English and also in translation, and this led to him being a finalist in the Premier of Queensland’s Awards for Export Achievement in 1999.
Zigzag Street won a Betty Trask Award in the UK in 1998, and is currently being developed into a feature film. Bachelor Kisses was one of Who Weekly’s Books of the Year in 1998. Perfect Skin was the only novel nominated for an Australian Comedy Award in 2003, and has recently been filmed in Italy.
He has written five novels with teenage central characters. 48 Shades of Brown was awarded Book of the Year (older readers) by the Children’s Book Council in 2000, and in the US it was a Kirkus Reviews selection in its books of the year for 2004. A feature film adapted from the novel was released in Australia by Buena Vista International in August 2006, and has subsequently screened at festivals in North America and Europe. His earlier young-adult novel, After January, was also an award-winner.
After January, 48 Shades of Brown, Zigzag Street and Perfect Skin have all been successfully adapted for theatre by La Boite, and the Zigzag Street play toured nationally in 2005.
Nick Earls was the founding chair of the Australian arm of the international aid agency War Child and is now a War Child ambassador. He is or has also been patron of Kids Who Make a Difference and Hands on Art, and an honorary ambassador for both the Mater Foundation and the Abused Child Trust. On top of that, he was the face of Brisbane Marketing’s ‘Downtown Brisbane’ and ‘Experience Brisbane’ campaigns.
His contribution to writing in Queensland led to him being awarded the Queensland Writers Centre’s inaugural Johnno award in 2001 and a Centenary Medal in 2003. His work as a writer, in writing industry development and in support of humanitarian causes led to him being named University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year in 2006. He was also the Queensland Multicultural Champion for 2006.
He has an honours degree in Medicine from the University of Queensland, and has lived in Brisbane since migrating as an eight-year-old from Northern Ireland in 1972. London’s Mirror newspaper has called him ‘the first Aussie to make me laugh out loud since Jason Donovan’. His latest novel is Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight, co-written with Rebecca Sparrow.
Zigzag Street won a Betty Trask Award in the UK in 1998, and is currently being developed into a feature film. Bachelor Kisses was one of Who Weekly’s Books of the Year in 1998. Perfect Skin was the only novel nominated for an Australian Comedy Award in 2003, and has recently been filmed in Italy.
He has written five novels with teenage central characters. 48 Shades of Brown was awarded Book of the Year (older readers) by the Children’s Book Council in 2000, and in the US it was a Kirkus Reviews selection in its books of the year for 2004. A feature film adapted from the novel was released in Australia by Buena Vista International in August 2006, and has subsequently screened at festivals in North America and Europe. His earlier young-adult novel, After January, was also an award-winner.
After January, 48 Shades of Brown, Zigzag Street and Perfect Skin have all been successfully adapted for theatre by La Boite, and the Zigzag Street play toured nationally in 2005.
Nick Earls was the founding chair of the Australian arm of the international aid agency War Child and is now a War Child ambassador. He is or has also been patron of Kids Who Make a Difference and Hands on Art, and an honorary ambassador for both the Mater Foundation and the Abused Child Trust. On top of that, he was the face of Brisbane Marketing’s ‘Downtown Brisbane’ and ‘Experience Brisbane’ campaigns.
His contribution to writing in Queensland led to him being awarded the Queensland Writers Centre’s inaugural Johnno award in 2001 and a Centenary Medal in 2003. His work as a writer, in writing industry development and in support of humanitarian causes led to him being named University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year in 2006. He was also the Queensland Multicultural Champion for 2006.
He has an honours degree in Medicine from the University of Queensland, and has lived in Brisbane since migrating as an eight-year-old from Northern Ireland in 1972. London’s Mirror newspaper has called him ‘the first Aussie to make me laugh out loud since Jason Donovan’. His latest novel is Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight, co-written with Rebecca Sparrow.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 4, 2017
This was not at all what I was expecting. I haven't read any Nick Earls for years, but what I used to love about his novels was the banter, the awkwardness of initial attraction and most of all the humour. What was missing from Monica Bloom was the humour. It actually had a pretty downbeat - almost melancholic - tone. I'm not saying I didn't like it, just that it was unexpected.
I don’t know what I was doing, though, having fixed ideas about other people’s futures, about their whole lives, when certainty can turn quickly and a change of plans can come in the next unguarded moment.
I don’t know what I was doing, though, having fixed ideas about other people’s futures, about their whole lives, when certainty can turn quickly and a change of plans can come in the next unguarded moment.
June 10, 2013
Another quality read from Nick Earls.I don't know exactly what it is about Earls that makes him able to take me back to when I was a teenager and dealing with all the (as far you are concerned)life and death matters of that age. I read his young adult fiction and think "Oh God, yes, I remember those first torturous conversations with the boy I liked!"
Where Earls shone in this book though was his handling of the way Matt reacted to what was happening with his dad. He was aware of it, knew very well that it had long term consequences, but his focus was still on Monica Bloom. I know as a teen whenever there was upheaval in our family, I was aware of it, but it was out of my control - very little I did or could do would change it. In the end, you rode it out, maybe tried to be a little more helpful, a little more considerate, but in the end it was still you and your issues that dominated your time and thoughts. I thought Earls portrayed this beautifully. As always his teen characters are realistic, believable and you just want to help them! Me personally, I wanted to take Monica Bloom home and look after her.
This book also gave me a reminder of how different life is now. While never stated, the music mentioned in the book suggests late 70's early 80's. A time when the worst thing smuggled into a high school disco was alcohol. No iphones, no internet, no Facebook. Harder in many ways, but a lot simpler in others.
Where Earls shone in this book though was his handling of the way Matt reacted to what was happening with his dad. He was aware of it, knew very well that it had long term consequences, but his focus was still on Monica Bloom. I know as a teen whenever there was upheaval in our family, I was aware of it, but it was out of my control - very little I did or could do would change it. In the end, you rode it out, maybe tried to be a little more helpful, a little more considerate, but in the end it was still you and your issues that dominated your time and thoughts. I thought Earls portrayed this beautifully. As always his teen characters are realistic, believable and you just want to help them! Me personally, I wanted to take Monica Bloom home and look after her.
This book also gave me a reminder of how different life is now. While never stated, the music mentioned in the book suggests late 70's early 80's. A time when the worst thing smuggled into a high school disco was alcohol. No iphones, no internet, no Facebook. Harder in many ways, but a lot simpler in others.
June 11, 2020
A long time ago, in a different life, I was going to see Nick Earls, but his tour got cancelled or something and the publisher sent me the ARC of this to make me feel better. (Wow - that sentence) It did somewhat - nah not really. I currently have no recollection of the story except how much I liked it. My memories of past favs have been known to change on reread so I won't (possibly) wreck these memories.
September 17, 2022
3.5stars- short and sweet
June 9, 2013
Es ist der Sommer, in dem Matt sich zum ersten Mal rasiert und in dem sich auch alles andere ändern wird. Während seines letzten Schuljahrs lernt der fünfzehnjährige Australier Matt bei den Zwillingstöchtern der Nachbarn Monica Bloom kennen, die ein Schuljahr in Australien verbringen soll. Die Nachbarn wirken gutbürgerlich und gastfreundlich, die Jugendlichen aalen sich im Pool und spielen miteinander Tennis. Monica besucht eine katholische Mädchenschule. Monica wirkt auf Matt von Anfang ihrer Bekanntschaft an exotisch. Während Matt in Gedanken ständig um Monica kreist, bricht das Leben seiner Familie zusammen. Matts Vater fühlt sich verpflichtet, seine Stelle in der Verwaltung eines Bergbauunternehmens aufzugeben, weil ein Untergebener Geld unterschlagen hat. Für kurze Zeit bestimmt der Skandal die Schlagzeilen. Während der Vater spürbar unter Depressionen leidet, fängt Matts Mutter wieder an zu arbeiten. Ihr Haus werden die Shermans verkaufen müssen - das Ende der Beziehung zu den Zwillingen und zu Monica zeichnet sich ab.
Nick Earls (*1963) lässt einen knapp Sechzehnjährigen in der Ichform von alltäglichen Erlebnissen erzählen, deren Folgen der Erzähler selbst vermutlich noch nicht absehen kann. Earls, der in Australien schon zwölf Romane, zwei Kurzgeschichtensammlungen und zahlreiche Theaterstücke veröffentlicht hat, konnte mich mit der authentischen Sprache seiner Hauptfigur sofort fesseln und hat mich neugierig auf seine Romane gemacht.
Nick Earls (*1963) lässt einen knapp Sechzehnjährigen in der Ichform von alltäglichen Erlebnissen erzählen, deren Folgen der Erzähler selbst vermutlich noch nicht absehen kann. Earls, der in Australien schon zwölf Romane, zwei Kurzgeschichtensammlungen und zahlreiche Theaterstücke veröffentlicht hat, konnte mich mit der authentischen Sprache seiner Hauptfigur sofort fesseln und hat mich neugierig auf seine Romane gemacht.
October 12, 2012
From the cover and the blurb you kind of really expect more of the story to focus around this girl Monica. But by the end of the book, I didn't know barely a thing about her, and she was kind of only in the book at the beginning and the end. A lot of this book was mostly about Matt's family and their struggles.
It was a very short novel, but even so, in the short space, the book sort of floated in between two plots and didn't really do anything with either.
The thing I did like about it though was that it was set in Brisbane, where I live, and made reference to quite a few suburbs and such that I know of. I don't know, I just get a thrill out of that. I don't know many books that are set in Brisbane that make all that much reference to the actual suburbs and places out and about town. Mostly it was set in Hamilton (a now very rich suburb in Brisbane) but you know. The novelty of it was pretty much the only thing that kept me reading this book.
So sadly like I said, there were two half plots, and Monica was barely mentioned except to wrap up things at the end. I didn't feel any chemistry like I expected to and when she wasn't on the scene, she was barely mentioned or thought of anyhow by Matt.
It was a very short novel, but even so, in the short space, the book sort of floated in between two plots and didn't really do anything with either.
The thing I did like about it though was that it was set in Brisbane, where I live, and made reference to quite a few suburbs and such that I know of. I don't know, I just get a thrill out of that. I don't know many books that are set in Brisbane that make all that much reference to the actual suburbs and places out and about town. Mostly it was set in Hamilton (a now very rich suburb in Brisbane) but you know. The novelty of it was pretty much the only thing that kept me reading this book.
So sadly like I said, there were two half plots, and Monica was barely mentioned except to wrap up things at the end. I didn't feel any chemistry like I expected to and when she wasn't on the scene, she was barely mentioned or thought of anyhow by Matt.
January 10, 2009
I really liked this book. The thing I like about Nick Earls books is that they seem more realistic and real to me than other teenage fiction. At least they more reflect my teenage experiences, where everything was awkward and fumbling and no one had any cool pick-up lines.
This book tells the tale of Matt Sherman and his crush on Monica Bloom, who he only meets five times. It's also about Matt's life and his family, and a few months of his last year at school.
I had this book in my reading pile and put off reading it for a while, and I'm very glad that I did read it. From the start it sucked me in and I kept wanting to flick forward to see how everything turned out.
I met Nick Earls once at a local fundraiser for a church roof, and he is very nice. Well, he's the kind of guy who would give up a night to host a church trivia event (I'm fairly sure he doesn't even go to the church) to help raise money so the church can repair its roof and so the trivia night can become "A Night with Nick Earls" and not just trivia. A nice guy who writes very funny and sweet books.
This book tells the tale of Matt Sherman and his crush on Monica Bloom, who he only meets five times. It's also about Matt's life and his family, and a few months of his last year at school.
I had this book in my reading pile and put off reading it for a while, and I'm very glad that I did read it. From the start it sucked me in and I kept wanting to flick forward to see how everything turned out.
I met Nick Earls once at a local fundraiser for a church roof, and he is very nice. Well, he's the kind of guy who would give up a night to host a church trivia event (I'm fairly sure he doesn't even go to the church) to help raise money so the church can repair its roof and so the trivia night can become "A Night with Nick Earls" and not just trivia. A nice guy who writes very funny and sweet books.
September 3, 2014
I went into the bookstore. I thought 'I want a book'. (Well, der.) I thought I want a particular book, a remembering sort of book that blends fiction and autobiography, that depicts recent history, that will make me remember things I thought I'd forgotten, that will stay with me... And I found this.
Reminded me a little of New Guinea Moon by Kate Constable.
Reminded me a little of New Guinea Moon by Kate Constable.
January 19, 2012
Despite his claims to the contrary, I suspect that there was a fair amount of autobiographical material in this one. High school boy pines over a girl he barely knows while his family goes through a small crisis. A coming of age tale that doesn't involve a "first time" experience, which is rather nice. 2.5/5
December 13, 2012
Writing was poignant and really put me into Matt's world, with his budding relationship with Monica and his discomfort with the changes in his family life. For me, it was a little too short. I wanted more!
July 27, 2014
A subtle and very human character-driven story. The main character is almost unbelievably good, for a teenager.
August 18, 2014
Why am I enjoying something tagged as 'young adult fiction'. Seems most recent books which examine serious issues with a lighter touch are in this genre.
January 6, 2015
Bit meh... Brought back some memories of adolescent first loves etc but didn't really do it for me.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews