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Skyscraping
A heartrending, bold novel in verse about family, identity, and forgiveness
Mira is just beginning her senior year of high school when she discovers her father with his male lover. Her world–and everything she thought she knew about her family–is shattered instantly. Unable to comprehend the lies, betrayal, and secrets that–unbeknownst to Mira–have come to define and keep intact her family’s existence, Mira distances herself from her sister and closest friends as a means of coping. But her father’s sexual orientation isn’t all he's kept hidden. A shocking health scare brings to light his battle with HIV. As Mira struggles to make sense of the many fractures in her family's fabric and redefine her wavering sense of self, she must find a way to reconnect with her dad–while there is still time.
Told in raw, exposed free verse, Skyscraping reminds us that there is no one way to be a family.
Mira is just beginning her senior year of high school when she discovers her father with his male lover. Her world–and everything she thought she knew about her family–is shattered instantly. Unable to comprehend the lies, betrayal, and secrets that–unbeknownst to Mira–have come to define and keep intact her family’s existence, Mira distances herself from her sister and closest friends as a means of coping. But her father’s sexual orientation isn’t all he's kept hidden. A shocking health scare brings to light his battle with HIV. As Mira struggles to make sense of the many fractures in her family's fabric and redefine her wavering sense of self, she must find a way to reconnect with her dad–while there is still time.
Told in raw, exposed free verse, Skyscraping reminds us that there is no one way to be a family.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2015
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March 26, 2022
"The constellation of a family can shift shape in seconds."
Holy freaking shit guys. Words can't even describe how absolutely flawless this book is. I cried my eyes out. It was beautiful as fuck and it is easily one of my favorite books of 2015 and maybe ever. This is the story of a girl named Mira who is a senior in high school, told in poetic verse. Mira discovers that her Father is gay when she walks in on him with his male lover and it takes a toll on her life. Later, she finds out that not only is her Father gay, but he is HIV positive. This isn't the first time I have read a book that deals with HIV and AIDS, but I've never gotten so emotional over this topic before. All of these characters felt real. That's probably because in the acknowledgments, Coredlia Jensen explains that this story is loosely based on her own experiences, and that made this story feel very raw and real. It made me wonder what if this happened to my own family and I imagined my Father dealing with this illness and my family going through hell and it literally made my heart ache.
There are many, many things I love about this book. Skyscraping has so many things I love including: 1) New York as the setting. I fucking love New York okay? and Mira constantly talks about the gorgeous skyline and this book in general has a brilliant atmosphere that truly does feel like New York. 2) Mira is obsessed with Astronomy. It's amazing how she constantly uses metaphors to describe people as constellations and beautiful things like that and astronomy was my favorite subject when I was in high school and it still is today. She also says things like: "Hope as slim as the sliver of moon hanging in this empty, starless sky." And there are tons of other gorgeous quotes relating to outer space, it's beautiful. 3) The 90's references. This book takes place in Fall 1993 to Summer 1994 and the 90's references are amazing! I absolutely love everything about the 90's so I really appreciated all the 90's references that made this book even more realistic and gave this book feel so atmospheric. Mira talks about the death of Kurt Cobain, Forrest Gump coming out in the movie theaters, going to try that new coffee place called Starbucks, wondering if Leonardo DiCaprio will win the Oscar that year for What's Eating Gilbert Grape and losing to Tom Hanks, trying this new website called AOL, and tons more that I didn't write down. I just really love when a book actually feels like it takes place in the time setting it is supposed to. 4) Mira's relationship with her dad. Though their relationship isn't always perfect, their relationship always feel so real. She's angry at him for lying for so long and I understand her pain but to she grows so much as a character throughout this book and it's phenomenal. Mira and her Father remind me a lot of my Father and I, in all their loving ways. I love how she picked him as her Mentor and she recorded several sessions of her asking him questions throughout the book. It added that sentimental touch. Her Father is a truly inspiring character. I could feel how much he cared for Mira and his family and how badly he just wanted everyone to be happy and do something positive in this world. Their relationship was the back bone of this novel and it was really beautiful to watch them go through all the things they did. She describes the idea of losing her Father like: "To think of losing him feels like losing the ground." which is such a simple statement but holds so much truth and gave me chills because I understand. I literally can't even imagine a world without my Father and as Mira tries to imagine a world without hers it made me cry like a baby.
The end of this book got me crying like I haven't cried in a while and it was so beautiful and perfect. I think the poetic aspect of this book really worked well. Before reading this book I was experiencing a bit of a reading slump and earlier today I went down to Barnes & Noble and decided to get this book, as it had been on my most anticipated books of the year list for quite a while, and I sat down to read it and finished it in one sitting. I could not put this book down. I was so attached to all these characters that I needed to know what would happen to them. I think this book has finally pulled me out of my week-long reading slump and I'm super happy about it. I'm also super happy that a book with a gorgeous as fuck cover has an even more beautiful story inside of it. A lot of the books on my most anticipated books of 2015 list have been disappointing me so far, but this one just blew me out of the water. I loved this book even more than I was expecting to. And to think this is the author's debut novel. I will read anything Cordelia Jensen writes. She is one talented writer. This book will forever be in my heart.
Read from: June 4th, 2015 10:00pm to June 5th, 2015 12:15am.
Holy freaking shit guys. Words can't even describe how absolutely flawless this book is. I cried my eyes out. It was beautiful as fuck and it is easily one of my favorite books of 2015 and maybe ever. This is the story of a girl named Mira who is a senior in high school, told in poetic verse. Mira discovers that her Father is gay when she walks in on him with his male lover and it takes a toll on her life. Later, she finds out that not only is her Father gay, but he is HIV positive. This isn't the first time I have read a book that deals with HIV and AIDS, but I've never gotten so emotional over this topic before. All of these characters felt real. That's probably because in the acknowledgments, Coredlia Jensen explains that this story is loosely based on her own experiences, and that made this story feel very raw and real. It made me wonder what if this happened to my own family and I imagined my Father dealing with this illness and my family going through hell and it literally made my heart ache.
There are many, many things I love about this book. Skyscraping has so many things I love including: 1) New York as the setting. I fucking love New York okay? and Mira constantly talks about the gorgeous skyline and this book in general has a brilliant atmosphere that truly does feel like New York. 2) Mira is obsessed with Astronomy. It's amazing how she constantly uses metaphors to describe people as constellations and beautiful things like that and astronomy was my favorite subject when I was in high school and it still is today. She also says things like: "Hope as slim as the sliver of moon hanging in this empty, starless sky." And there are tons of other gorgeous quotes relating to outer space, it's beautiful. 3) The 90's references. This book takes place in Fall 1993 to Summer 1994 and the 90's references are amazing! I absolutely love everything about the 90's so I really appreciated all the 90's references that made this book even more realistic and gave this book feel so atmospheric. Mira talks about the death of Kurt Cobain, Forrest Gump coming out in the movie theaters, going to try that new coffee place called Starbucks, wondering if Leonardo DiCaprio will win the Oscar that year for What's Eating Gilbert Grape and losing to Tom Hanks, trying this new website called AOL, and tons more that I didn't write down. I just really love when a book actually feels like it takes place in the time setting it is supposed to. 4) Mira's relationship with her dad. Though their relationship isn't always perfect, their relationship always feel so real. She's angry at him for lying for so long and I understand her pain but to she grows so much as a character throughout this book and it's phenomenal. Mira and her Father remind me a lot of my Father and I, in all their loving ways. I love how she picked him as her Mentor and she recorded several sessions of her asking him questions throughout the book. It added that sentimental touch. Her Father is a truly inspiring character. I could feel how much he cared for Mira and his family and how badly he just wanted everyone to be happy and do something positive in this world. Their relationship was the back bone of this novel and it was really beautiful to watch them go through all the things they did. She describes the idea of losing her Father like: "To think of losing him feels like losing the ground." which is such a simple statement but holds so much truth and gave me chills because I understand. I literally can't even imagine a world without my Father and as Mira tries to imagine a world without hers it made me cry like a baby.
The end of this book got me crying like I haven't cried in a while and it was so beautiful and perfect. I think the poetic aspect of this book really worked well. Before reading this book I was experiencing a bit of a reading slump and earlier today I went down to Barnes & Noble and decided to get this book, as it had been on my most anticipated books of the year list for quite a while, and I sat down to read it and finished it in one sitting. I could not put this book down. I was so attached to all these characters that I needed to know what would happen to them. I think this book has finally pulled me out of my week-long reading slump and I'm super happy about it. I'm also super happy that a book with a gorgeous as fuck cover has an even more beautiful story inside of it. A lot of the books on my most anticipated books of 2015 list have been disappointing me so far, but this one just blew me out of the water. I loved this book even more than I was expecting to. And to think this is the author's debut novel. I will read anything Cordelia Jensen writes. She is one talented writer. This book will forever be in my heart.
Read from: June 4th, 2015 10:00pm to June 5th, 2015 12:15am.
October 19, 2017
Bu kitapta ilk ilgimi çeken şey bir bütünlük olduğu halde kitabın şiirler halinde yazılmış olmasıydı. Şiirlerden oluşan bir roman okudum diyebilirim sanırım Gökyüzüne Tutunurken için.
Kitaba başlarken kitaptan bir beklentim yoktu. İlk defa böyle bir roman ile karşılaştığım için nasıl bir şey okuyacağımı merak ettiğimden dolayı başlamıştım. Fakat kitap bana umduğumun ötesinde hisler yaşattı.
Başlarda yazarın diline adapte olmakta zorlandım. Kitabın şiirler halinde yazılmış olması da alışılmışın dışında olunca bir süre zorlanarak okudum. Bir yerden sonra ise bu anlatım bana çok farklı bir tat vermeye başladı. Miranda'nın duygularını daha fazla özümsememi sağladı bile diyebilirim.
Mira'nın hayatı bir anda karşılaştığı bir şey sayesinde tepetaklak olmuş, parçalara dağılmaya başlamıştı. Elinde tuttuğunu sandığı, onun için değeri olan her şey bir anda anlamını yitirmeye başlamıştı. Günden güne kendisini hayattan ve çevresindekilerden uzaklaştırırken öğrendiği başka bir sır onu önce daha büyük bir yıkıma sürüklemiş ardından ise yine bu sır ona parçalarını birleştirmesi için yardımcı olmuştur.
Mira'nın duyguları şiirlere öyle güzel yansımıştı ki onunla dağılıp, onunla toparlandım. Beklediğimden daha güzel bir kitap okudum. Ve farklı. Ayrıca kitabın LGBT temalı kitaplardan birisi olduğunu da söylemek isterim. Ve sanıyorum ki şuana kadar okuduğum ilk LGBT temalı kitaptı Gökyüzüne Tutunurken.( İlk değilmiş tenks Gonca )
İnceden inceden bir sürü şeye değinirken aslında her şeyin dışarıdan göründüğü kadar basit olmayabileceğini de bize çok güzel gösteriyor. Aile bağlarının bir insanın hayatında ne kadar önemli bir yer tuttuğunu da gösteriyor kitap bize. Ve aslında bahsetmek istediğim birkaç detay daha var ama ne yazık ki spoiler olacağı için susup uzaklaşıyorum.
Farklı bir tat almak istiyorsanız bir göz atmanızı tavsiye ederim.
Kitaba başlarken kitaptan bir beklentim yoktu. İlk defa böyle bir roman ile karşılaştığım için nasıl bir şey okuyacağımı merak ettiğimden dolayı başlamıştım. Fakat kitap bana umduğumun ötesinde hisler yaşattı.
Başlarda yazarın diline adapte olmakta zorlandım. Kitabın şiirler halinde yazılmış olması da alışılmışın dışında olunca bir süre zorlanarak okudum. Bir yerden sonra ise bu anlatım bana çok farklı bir tat vermeye başladı. Miranda'nın duygularını daha fazla özümsememi sağladı bile diyebilirim.
Mira'nın hayatı bir anda karşılaştığı bir şey sayesinde tepetaklak olmuş, parçalara dağılmaya başlamıştı. Elinde tuttuğunu sandığı, onun için değeri olan her şey bir anda anlamını yitirmeye başlamıştı. Günden güne kendisini hayattan ve çevresindekilerden uzaklaştırırken öğrendiği başka bir sır onu önce daha büyük bir yıkıma sürüklemiş ardından ise yine bu sır ona parçalarını birleştirmesi için yardımcı olmuştur.
Kişilik kesinlikle belirlenmiş bir şey değildir, zamanla gelişen bir şeydir. Aynen bir kazı gibi. Kendimizle ya da etrafımızla ilgili neleri açığa çıkaracağımızı asla bilemeyiz. Bizi neyin sonsuza kadar değiştirebileceğini. Kendi kontrolümüzün ötesinde.
Mira'nın duyguları şiirlere öyle güzel yansımıştı ki onunla dağılıp, onunla toparlandım. Beklediğimden daha güzel bir kitap okudum. Ve farklı. Ayrıca kitabın LGBT temalı kitaplardan birisi olduğunu da söylemek isterim. Ve sanıyorum ki şuana kadar okuduğum ilk LGBT temalı kitaptı Gökyüzüne Tutunurken.( İlk değilmiş tenks Gonca )
İnceden inceden bir sürü şeye değinirken aslında her şeyin dışarıdan göründüğü kadar basit olmayabileceğini de bize çok güzel gösteriyor. Aile bağlarının bir insanın hayatında ne kadar önemli bir yer tuttuğunu da gösteriyor kitap bize. Ve aslında bahsetmek istediğim birkaç detay daha var ama ne yazık ki spoiler olacağı için susup uzaklaşıyorum.
Farklı bir tat almak istiyorsanız bir göz atmanızı tavsiye ederim.
December 21, 2017
3.5 Stars
I can’t believe I have owned this book for two years without reading it. I have a bad habit of reading books I borrow before the books I own because I know they will always be there.
This novel is written in verse and was so fast paced. I read it in its entirety in one sitting.
I can’t believe I have owned this book for two years without reading it. I have a bad habit of reading books I borrow before the books I own because I know they will always be there.
This novel is written in verse and was so fast paced. I read it in its entirety in one sitting.
June 10, 2015
I made it through this book with a box of Kleenex right next to me. Life is difficult at times, and for Mira, who discovered her dad with James, it just got more difficult. Teenagers can be so unforgiving of their own parents, even in the face of death, which Mira's father was. Mira had choices to make: "overlook" that her dad is gay/bi, or forgive him and spend those last days he has left by being there for him and loving him. For those of us who were alive in 1994 and old enough to know, it was a time when people feared HIV and AIDS. It was a time of uncertainty regarding AIDS.
This book was a tear-jerker for me. Even though it was heart-breaking, it was beautifully written in verse. No superfluous words in this book, so every word is valuable and has reason.
Recommendation: Absolutely a book to read if you can handle the emotional end.
This book was a tear-jerker for me. Even though it was heart-breaking, it was beautifully written in verse. No superfluous words in this book, so every word is valuable and has reason.
Recommendation: Absolutely a book to read if you can handle the emotional end.
January 4, 2017
3 Stars
Overview:
Written in verse, Skyscraping revolves around Mira discovering her parents not only have an open marriage—but that her father is bisexual. Taking place in 1990s NYC, this book touches upon several big themes and topics, including: HIV/AIDS, sexuality, first love and family dynamics.
I just don’t think it said anything new about them, or said them in particularly interesting way.
Pros:
Give me more characters who love “unconventional” school subjects, please! Mira loved astronomy and it was a strong repeating theme in this book, and I thought it worked very well.
And give me more characters with diverse and “unconventional” sexualities, please! Mira’s parents had a very interesting dynamic that I wish was expanded upon more.
I thought the poetry throughout was well-done and aided the story telling. It allowed for Mira’s confusion and emotions to show clearly and several repeating motifs clearly illustrated her development.
Cons:
As I said before, this book touches upon several interesting themes—but that’s all it does. Touch. The material several really grappled with any of the big issues or the overreaching effects of any of the topics. I’m not sure if the format was a limiting factor or what, but it only really seemed to skim these important themes.
While Mira’s emotions were clearly illustrated in the prose, I know very little about her as a character. To be honest, I felt very little for any of the characters. For some reason I just was unable to connect with them, and I think it really lessened the effect of later plots.
Even though the summary gives a different impression, this didn’t end up really being anything new? It ended up like most 90s movies, where a girl on the cusp of high school graduation has something happen that upsets her and ultimately changes her world view. It’s an important story, this one just felt riddled with cliché.
In Conclusion:
Some beautiful verse to tell an otherwise lack-luster story. Several heavy themes and topics are dealt with in passing while the main undergoes a typical coming-of-age story.
Overview:
Written in verse, Skyscraping revolves around Mira discovering her parents not only have an open marriage—but that her father is bisexual. Taking place in 1990s NYC, this book touches upon several big themes and topics, including: HIV/AIDS, sexuality, first love and family dynamics.
I just don’t think it said anything new about them, or said them in particularly interesting way.
Pros:
Give me more characters who love “unconventional” school subjects, please! Mira loved astronomy and it was a strong repeating theme in this book, and I thought it worked very well.
And give me more characters with diverse and “unconventional” sexualities, please! Mira’s parents had a very interesting dynamic that I wish was expanded upon more.
I thought the poetry throughout was well-done and aided the story telling. It allowed for Mira’s confusion and emotions to show clearly and several repeating motifs clearly illustrated her development.
Cons:
As I said before, this book touches upon several interesting themes—but that’s all it does. Touch. The material several really grappled with any of the big issues or the overreaching effects of any of the topics. I’m not sure if the format was a limiting factor or what, but it only really seemed to skim these important themes.
While Mira’s emotions were clearly illustrated in the prose, I know very little about her as a character. To be honest, I felt very little for any of the characters. For some reason I just was unable to connect with them, and I think it really lessened the effect of later plots.
Even though the summary gives a different impression, this didn’t end up really being anything new? It ended up like most 90s movies, where a girl on the cusp of high school graduation has something happen that upsets her and ultimately changes her world view. It’s an important story, this one just felt riddled with cliché.
In Conclusion:
Some beautiful verse to tell an otherwise lack-luster story. Several heavy themes and topics are dealt with in passing while the main undergoes a typical coming-of-age story.
Read
June 28, 2015This book took everything I dislike about trends in YA right now -- 1993 setting, New York City setting -- and made them work so well I didn't even care.
Mira's dad and mom have an open marriage, and when she discovers this, after walking in on her dad with his male partner, she feels herself becoming unhinged. Slowly, she learns more about the relationship between her parents, and has to come to terms with all of those things. Where does she fit in? What about her sister?
All she knows is she wants out. She needs to leave the city and go to college elsewhere to begin fresh next fall.
This novel in verse is powerful, quiet, and a weeper. In a lot of ways, this book is a really solid read alike to Jessie Ann Foley's THE CARNIVAL AT BRAY. Aside from sharing a scene in the books where teens mourn the death of Cobain, they traverse a lot of similar territory about family, grief, and what the future may hold.
Solid, memorable, and a book anyone who wants to see really well done verse novels should pick up. Pretty sure this one will be on my list of 2015 favorites.
Mira's dad and mom have an open marriage, and when she discovers this, after walking in on her dad with his male partner, she feels herself becoming unhinged. Slowly, she learns more about the relationship between her parents, and has to come to terms with all of those things. Where does she fit in? What about her sister?
All she knows is she wants out. She needs to leave the city and go to college elsewhere to begin fresh next fall.
This novel in verse is powerful, quiet, and a weeper. In a lot of ways, this book is a really solid read alike to Jessie Ann Foley's THE CARNIVAL AT BRAY. Aside from sharing a scene in the books where teens mourn the death of Cobain, they traverse a lot of similar territory about family, grief, and what the future may hold.
Solid, memorable, and a book anyone who wants to see really well done verse novels should pick up. Pretty sure this one will be on my list of 2015 favorites.
November 12, 2015
Gosh... uh.. i really don't know what to say.
I am not sure how i feel about this book tbh.
I am not sure how i feel about this book tbh.
October 29, 2017
Babam sabah bize kahvaltı hazırlamıştı.
Annem yine yoktu,
tıpkı televizyondaki aileler gibiydik;
canı istediğinde,
seçebiliyordu,
bizi ne zaman açacağına
ve hayatına dahil edeceğine...
4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
Konusunu okuduğumda gayet güzel bir kitap olacağını düşünüyordum fakat içeriğinin şiir tarzında yazıldığını görünce okuma konusunda önce kararsız kaldım, daha sonra belki de gerçekten farklı bir kitabın beni beklediğini düşünerek hevesle elime aldım. Kitabın anlatım tarzının şiir şeklinde kısa ve uyumlu cümlelerle oluşma şeklini çok beğendim. O bakımdan gerçekten okumama değdi ve farklı bir tarzı olduğunu kanıtladı. Konu bakımından yazılış tarzı gibi özgün ve sıra dışı olduğunu pek söyleyemem. Mira'nın ailesi hakkında öğrendiği gerçekler sonucunda iç dünyasıyla savaşını ve bu durum karşısındaki davranışlarını okuyoruz. Kitap ilerledikçe konusu biraz daha drama kayıyor ve böylece daha çok hoşuma gitti. Kitapta açık ara en çok beğendiğim kısımsa Mira'nın annesiyle arasında geçen çok güzel bir diyalogdu. Bu konuşmanın ardından yaptığı şey suratımda tebessüm filizlenmesini sağladı. Buna ek olarak da ses kayıtlarıyla soru cevap yapılan bölümler de çok güzeldi. Hakkında çok dolu dolu fikirlerin zihnimde dolandığını söyleyemesem de okumamın üzerinden uzun süre geçtikten sonra bile aklımda şiir dizeleriyle bu konuya hayat veren satırların ucundan bile olsa hatıramda kalacağından eminim ve size de okumanızı öneririm. Umarım çok beğenirsiniz, keyifli okumalar.
Annem yine yoktu,
tıpkı televizyondaki aileler gibiydik;
canı istediğinde,
seçebiliyordu,
bizi ne zaman açacağına
ve hayatına dahil edeceğine...
4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
Konusunu okuduğumda gayet güzel bir kitap olacağını düşünüyordum fakat içeriğinin şiir tarzında yazıldığını görünce okuma konusunda önce kararsız kaldım, daha sonra belki de gerçekten farklı bir kitabın beni beklediğini düşünerek hevesle elime aldım. Kitabın anlatım tarzının şiir şeklinde kısa ve uyumlu cümlelerle oluşma şeklini çok beğendim. O bakımdan gerçekten okumama değdi ve farklı bir tarzı olduğunu kanıtladı. Konu bakımından yazılış tarzı gibi özgün ve sıra dışı olduğunu pek söyleyemem. Mira'nın ailesi hakkında öğrendiği gerçekler sonucunda iç dünyasıyla savaşını ve bu durum karşısındaki davranışlarını okuyoruz. Kitap ilerledikçe konusu biraz daha drama kayıyor ve böylece daha çok hoşuma gitti. Kitapta açık ara en çok beğendiğim kısımsa Mira'nın annesiyle arasında geçen çok güzel bir diyalogdu. Bu konuşmanın ardından yaptığı şey suratımda tebessüm filizlenmesini sağladı. Buna ek olarak da ses kayıtlarıyla soru cevap yapılan bölümler de çok güzeldi. Hakkında çok dolu dolu fikirlerin zihnimde dolandığını söyleyemesem de okumamın üzerinden uzun süre geçtikten sonra bile aklımda şiir dizeleriyle bu konuya hayat veren satırların ucundan bile olsa hatıramda kalacağından eminim ve size de okumanızı öneririm. Umarım çok beğenirsiniz, keyifli okumalar.
March 5, 2016
I typically don't enjoy books written in verse, but this one was beautiful. Highly recommend it if you're looking for something to pull at your heart strings.
January 9, 2017
This one caught me completely unaware. Oh how I cried!
I became a fan of writing in verse when I devoured Ellen Hopkins' "Crank" series a few years back, and I am pretty sure if was for that reason alone that Cordelia Jensen's debut novel "Skyscraping" made its way onto my To Read list. It took me a long time to get my hands on a copy of this book, and I am so relieved it didn't disappoint.
At the beginning of this end to end 3 hour read (I was gripped and read it in one sitting), I was unimpressed by the moody teen storyline, and then BHAM! it went straight for the heart strings.
The poetic narrative is beautiful and overall this coming-of-age story set in 1993 New York City placed me right back into a time where pay phones, Nirvana, mixtapes and Connect Four were my teenage world!
Someone else said this is "raw, real, important and powerful" and I completely agree.
Can't wait for more from this amazing author!
I became a fan of writing in verse when I devoured Ellen Hopkins' "Crank" series a few years back, and I am pretty sure if was for that reason alone that Cordelia Jensen's debut novel "Skyscraping" made its way onto my To Read list. It took me a long time to get my hands on a copy of this book, and I am so relieved it didn't disappoint.
At the beginning of this end to end 3 hour read (I was gripped and read it in one sitting), I was unimpressed by the moody teen storyline, and then BHAM! it went straight for the heart strings.
The poetic narrative is beautiful and overall this coming-of-age story set in 1993 New York City placed me right back into a time where pay phones, Nirvana, mixtapes and Connect Four were my teenage world!
Someone else said this is "raw, real, important and powerful" and I completely agree.
Can't wait for more from this amazing author!
September 27, 2015
I usually love books in verse. Normally I find myself hanging on every word. I find that books in verse flush out the main character and make the drama/event more real because I have to spend more time looking between the words and the lines to find the full meaning.
but this one just....didn't work for me. I knew from about 100 pages in, that this was just not connecting with me like normal. I think it's a good story and I'm glad it's out there. it just wasn't for me
but this one just....didn't work for me. I knew from about 100 pages in, that this was just not connecting with me like normal. I think it's a good story and I'm glad it's out there. it just wasn't for me
January 20, 2018
Absolutely fabulous mature YA novel in verse about tough topics but dealt with in a beautiful and heartbreaking way. This book is set in a time period (the 90s) and a societal situation that not many others are - the uniqueness is so refreshing despite the trauma. Should be in all HS libraries.
April 4, 2015
Such a humane, moving book, full of wonderful, heartbreaking characters, set in a time and place that needs to be remembered.
February 2, 2015
Breathtaking and heartbreaking. In tears for both its ache and beauty.
Read
May 3, 2016This made me teary eyed while on a plane.
July 18, 2018
It’s 1994 and Mira is a senior looking forward to her last year at high school. When she catches her father with his lover, a man she’s known for years, her whole world is being turned upside down. Her mother has recently returned home after a long stay abroad and she finally discovers the truth behind her parents’ marriage. Mira can’t process this news, she’s devastated that her whole foundation is apparently based on lies and she no longer knows who she is anymore. She stops caring and distances herself from everyone around her. Can she eventually find her way back to the Mira she used to be?
Mira hasn’t had the time to get used to her father’s relationship when tragedy strikes. She has to help her father when he’s really sick and he tells her his next secret, he is HIV positive. The illness is progressing rapidly and Mira has to make a difficult choice, will she hold on to her anger or can she let go, so she can properly say goodbye to her father? Can she forgive her parents for their dishonesty and her father for shocking her to her core to make the most of the time they have left together?
Skyscraping is an incredibly impressive emotional book. I was blown away by Cordelia Jensen’s beautiful verse and she perfectly describes Mira’s struggles and each emotional stage she’s going through. I had tears in my eyes while reading her story. Her whole life shatters, she has to deal with coming to terms with the family secrets, her father’s terrible illness and people’s reactions, both good and bad. Fortunately she’s surrounded with love, friendship and acceptance and this eventually helps her to cope. I loved how Cordelia Jensen describes her journey, it’s raw, honest and open and it completely took my breath away.
Cordelia Jensen is a fantastic author. She has a rare ability to choose the exact right words, which makes every line she writes spot on. There’s so much depth in her story and each of Mira’s feelings are being throughly and beautifully explored. Skyscraping is poignant with many different layers and several easily distinguishable and precious kinds of love. It’s a strong story about the way a fractured, but close family deals with a heartbreaking disease. Cordelia Jensen’s writing moved and transformed me, Skyscraping is absolutely brilliant. It’s a compelling must-read that will stay with me for a very long time.
Mira hasn’t had the time to get used to her father’s relationship when tragedy strikes. She has to help her father when he’s really sick and he tells her his next secret, he is HIV positive. The illness is progressing rapidly and Mira has to make a difficult choice, will she hold on to her anger or can she let go, so she can properly say goodbye to her father? Can she forgive her parents for their dishonesty and her father for shocking her to her core to make the most of the time they have left together?
Skyscraping is an incredibly impressive emotional book. I was blown away by Cordelia Jensen’s beautiful verse and she perfectly describes Mira’s struggles and each emotional stage she’s going through. I had tears in my eyes while reading her story. Her whole life shatters, she has to deal with coming to terms with the family secrets, her father’s terrible illness and people’s reactions, both good and bad. Fortunately she’s surrounded with love, friendship and acceptance and this eventually helps her to cope. I loved how Cordelia Jensen describes her journey, it’s raw, honest and open and it completely took my breath away.
Cordelia Jensen is a fantastic author. She has a rare ability to choose the exact right words, which makes every line she writes spot on. There’s so much depth in her story and each of Mira’s feelings are being throughly and beautifully explored. Skyscraping is poignant with many different layers and several easily distinguishable and precious kinds of love. It’s a strong story about the way a fractured, but close family deals with a heartbreaking disease. Cordelia Jensen’s writing moved and transformed me, Skyscraping is absolutely brilliant. It’s a compelling must-read that will stay with me for a very long time.
October 3, 2022
This book wrecked me to a million tiny pieces. I am literally balling my eyes out rn. ❤
July 2, 2019
I’m so glad I finally read this one! It’s heartbreaking but beautifully written. The setting of 1993-1994 was comforting and fun to remember. Impossible to put down - I read it in one day:)
February 6, 2017
"I scrape the sky, scouting for warmer air"
4⭐️
This book was really good, it was the first book I've ever read in verse surprisingly and I am not disappointed.
What took away from this book is that at times it felt a little over dramatic for me and I was kind of like calm down love. But other than that I really enjoyed the plot and execution of the novel.
I also liked the huge family aspect placed on this book and breaking the norms of what a "normal" family is supposed to be and how they're supposed to act. You could tell all the characters cared about each other deeply and the intricacy of their different and complex relationships with each other was nice to see. I loved the portrayal of the kind and healthy friendships that they were there for each other and loved each other regardless of how cold one was being with the other.
Overall the whole book was a delight to read although it made me homesick because I'm not currently in NY (home). Def recommend if you're into contemporaries that focus on the themes of death and family and friendships.
4⭐️
This book was really good, it was the first book I've ever read in verse surprisingly and I am not disappointed.
What took away from this book is that at times it felt a little over dramatic for me and I was kind of like calm down love. But other than that I really enjoyed the plot and execution of the novel.
I also liked the huge family aspect placed on this book and breaking the norms of what a "normal" family is supposed to be and how they're supposed to act. You could tell all the characters cared about each other deeply and the intricacy of their different and complex relationships with each other was nice to see. I loved the portrayal of the kind and healthy friendships that they were there for each other and loved each other regardless of how cold one was being with the other.
Overall the whole book was a delight to read although it made me homesick because I'm not currently in NY (home). Def recommend if you're into contemporaries that focus on the themes of death and family and friendships.
October 4, 2015
Honestly, I was taken a back when I got Skyscraping in my hands and found it it's written in verse. I don't read poems or anything written in verse, it's just not my cup of tea. But I had been waiting for Skyscraping ever since I heard about it, the author was so nice and friendly, and I really yearned to read it. So I thought: I'll give it a try, it can't be bad even if it's different than prose. I'm so glad I decided that, because I fell in love with Skyscraping - every aspect of it. Truthfully, it's best as it is right now; written in verse, somehow it makes it more emotionally, more beautiful, more everything. Skyscraping became one of my favourite books, one to be treasured - and because of it, I might read more book written in verse in the future.
After reading the blurb I was sure Skyscraping is going to be bold and it's going to hurt - it's about a girl who finds out her parents have an open marriage, her father have a male lover and finally, her father have HIV. All of this shatters Mira's identity and makes her question everything. Maybe especially so since the book takes place in 1993 and 1994, when the world was less accepting than it's nowadays. It's bold, in every sense of the word, and I loved every heart-wrenching moment. I fell in love with the characters, how every one of them had their own voice, how their lives fit together and how they defined a family: it's more than just parents and their children. Mira's struggle with her identity and her journey towards forgiveness is wonderful journey to follow and I feel blessed to get to read it. Mira goes through such character development, and reader can see it and feel it: how her identity shatters, how she's lost and doesn't know what to do and what not, and how she finally finds herself and her family again. It's beautiful, it's full of emotions and it's brilliant.
I just have to praise the characters a little bit more. April was my favourite, hands down, because I could identify with her the most. However, I did end up liking Mira a lot even though there was a moment when I almost lost my faith in her. Mira's mother and father, James, and Dylan were all characters I liked really much, and besides them there was some truly brilliant characters like Gloria, and some I didn't really like but they were well crafted nonetheless. They all felt real, and that's the most important thing in characters. They were so real it hurt.
Skyscraping is a powerful story, as well as an important one: it should be read by many people from all ages. It teaches truly important lesson: there's more than one type of family. Jensen's novel is sharp, powerful and brilliant, and for a debut, it's an amazing accomplishment.
If it's not clear yet, I highly recommend Skyscraping to everyone. It's a novel you just need to read and live through.
After reading the blurb I was sure Skyscraping is going to be bold and it's going to hurt - it's about a girl who finds out her parents have an open marriage, her father have a male lover and finally, her father have HIV. All of this shatters Mira's identity and makes her question everything. Maybe especially so since the book takes place in 1993 and 1994, when the world was less accepting than it's nowadays. It's bold, in every sense of the word, and I loved every heart-wrenching moment. I fell in love with the characters, how every one of them had their own voice, how their lives fit together and how they defined a family: it's more than just parents and their children. Mira's struggle with her identity and her journey towards forgiveness is wonderful journey to follow and I feel blessed to get to read it. Mira goes through such character development, and reader can see it and feel it: how her identity shatters, how she's lost and doesn't know what to do and what not, and how she finally finds herself and her family again. It's beautiful, it's full of emotions and it's brilliant.
I just have to praise the characters a little bit more. April was my favourite, hands down, because I could identify with her the most. However, I did end up liking Mira a lot even though there was a moment when I almost lost my faith in her. Mira's mother and father, James, and Dylan were all characters I liked really much, and besides them there was some truly brilliant characters like Gloria, and some I didn't really like but they were well crafted nonetheless. They all felt real, and that's the most important thing in characters. They were so real it hurt.
Skyscraping is a powerful story, as well as an important one: it should be read by many people from all ages. It teaches truly important lesson: there's more than one type of family. Jensen's novel is sharp, powerful and brilliant, and for a debut, it's an amazing accomplishment.
If it's not clear yet, I highly recommend Skyscraping to everyone. It's a novel you just need to read and live through.
December 22, 2016
This is the first book I've read that was written entirely in verse. It was so different and so beautiful. <3
January 2, 2020
Skyscraping by Cordelia Jensen is by far my favorite book I’ve read this year. The emotion and tragedies that Miranda faces throughout the book give the story so much life and adds depth and detail. I liked this book so much because when Miranda looked past all of the struggles and complications that she had with her family, I could really connect with her because she showed so much support and love towards her family. I gave this book 5 stars because I loved how emotion was displayed in the book.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is facing family struggles because Miranda’s optimism will make you a stronger person as you read this book.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is facing family struggles because Miranda’s optimism will make you a stronger person as you read this book.
May 23, 2018
I was fortunate to win a class set of this novel in a giveaway run by the author. I typically don’t enjoy novels in verse because I am usually left feeling like the character development is poor, but that certainly wasn’t the case here! The characters are dynamic, and the controlling metaphor is a beautiful one. The dialogue surrounding AIDS in the 90s was very different than it is today, and this book does a wonderful job capturing that. I am delighted to have so many copies to share with my students.
October 24, 2017
3.55/5
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January 28, 2019
I personally don´t like poetry books, and I thought this book was kind of slow. I just don´t think it´s my type of book.
December 3, 2019
Skyscraping was a very interesting book with conflicts that you never saw coming. The poetry and language was intriguing to read.
January 15, 2018
This book had a huge emotional impact on me. I can’t even express how moving it was, and I can’t believe more people haven’t read it. I was considering putting it on my ultimate favorites shelf at one point—that’s how good it was. This book is a MASTERPIECE. I loved it.
February 4, 2016
I am going to try my best to write a coherent review that isn't a bunch of fangirl gibberish. But I can't make any promises. I have been waiting for this book all year. This book was one of my most anticipated releases of 2015 and I am so happy that it did not disappoint. This book was amazingly flawless. I really cannot think of a single bad thing about it.
When I first heard about this book, I didn't realize it was written in verse. I am snot typically a fan of books written in verse. Sometimes the writing style can make me feel a bit disconnected with the main character. But that was not a problem with this book. I could feel Mira's pain so clearly. The poetry was exquisitely beautiful. I loved Mira's obsession with astronomy and the metaphors Mira weaved throughout the poetry. I loved the realistic portrayal of her relationship with her parents. Mira's mom was always kind of absent and actually left the family for a period of a year to go to Italy. Because of that, Mira is holding onto a lot of resentment towards her. She has always been much closer to her father until she catches him with his lover, James. Suddenly her whole world is thrown into chaos and she doesn't know how to handle the fact that she feels everything is a lie. She starts pushing her friends away, skipping school, and rebelling against her parents.
When Mira realizes her father is sick, she struggles to come to terms with everything going on. Her confusion and sadness were so heartbreaking. This story took place at a time when people were still terrified of AIDS and thought they could get it just by drinking out of the same glass. I swear I spent the second 50% of this book crying my eyes out. The author's acknowledgements at the end made me tear up even more. This book was loosely based on the fact that the author's own father died of AIDS. I haven't felt this much emotion from a book in a long time. I was speechless when I finished it and I know this book will stay with me for a long time.
Also . . . can we talk about how beautiful that cover is? It is seriously one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen.
When I first heard about this book, I didn't realize it was written in verse. I am snot typically a fan of books written in verse. Sometimes the writing style can make me feel a bit disconnected with the main character. But that was not a problem with this book. I could feel Mira's pain so clearly. The poetry was exquisitely beautiful. I loved Mira's obsession with astronomy and the metaphors Mira weaved throughout the poetry. I loved the realistic portrayal of her relationship with her parents. Mira's mom was always kind of absent and actually left the family for a period of a year to go to Italy. Because of that, Mira is holding onto a lot of resentment towards her. She has always been much closer to her father until she catches him with his lover, James. Suddenly her whole world is thrown into chaos and she doesn't know how to handle the fact that she feels everything is a lie. She starts pushing her friends away, skipping school, and rebelling against her parents.
When Mira realizes her father is sick, she struggles to come to terms with everything going on. Her confusion and sadness were so heartbreaking. This story took place at a time when people were still terrified of AIDS and thought they could get it just by drinking out of the same glass. I swear I spent the second 50% of this book crying my eyes out. The author's acknowledgements at the end made me tear up even more. This book was loosely based on the fact that the author's own father died of AIDS. I haven't felt this much emotion from a book in a long time. I was speechless when I finished it and I know this book will stay with me for a long time.
Also . . . can we talk about how beautiful that cover is? It is seriously one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen.
November 26, 2016
This book is about family problems and how to deal with them, it's about forgiving the people you love and giving them second chances. I love the writing of this book it's very simple and has no excess description about events unlike other books. It's an easy read and a very emotional one.
Mira is a typical teenager who rebelled against her parents because of certain reasons. Her mom and dad were in an open marriage meaning they can have affairs to other people and won't get mad about it. Until one day Mira oblivious to the fact that her parents were arrange that way accidentally caught her dad sleeping with a guy. I love how this book showed the typical reaction a teenager would feel if she caught her dad sleeping with another man. I love how Cordelia Jensen wrote a book about people with AIDS and showed us that instead of being disgusted by them we should help and treat them like the people they are. This novel made me cry I can't imagine how hard it must be for Mira's family. From hate to love, from lost to found, from fear to hope. From ending to a new beginning.
The moral lesson of this book is to forgive the people we love because anytime they could just be gone.
4 out of 5 stars for this book.
P.S: Adam is a Jackass!
Mira is a typical teenager who rebelled against her parents because of certain reasons. Her mom and dad were in an open marriage meaning they can have affairs to other people and won't get mad about it. Until one day Mira oblivious to the fact that her parents were arrange that way accidentally caught her dad sleeping with a guy. I love how this book showed the typical reaction a teenager would feel if she caught her dad sleeping with another man. I love how Cordelia Jensen wrote a book about people with AIDS and showed us that instead of being disgusted by them we should help and treat them like the people they are. This novel made me cry I can't imagine how hard it must be for Mira's family. From hate to love, from lost to found, from fear to hope. From ending to a new beginning.
The moral lesson of this book is to forgive the people we love because anytime they could just be gone.
4 out of 5 stars for this book.
P.S: Adam is a Jackass!
August 13, 2015
A completely refreshing novel told entirely with poems. When I realized that this was the format for the entire book, I was a little apprehensive to read it, since poems aren't some of my favorite things to read. But this was a very easy, captivating read. This book revolves around Mira growing up as a senior in NYC who learns that her parents have an open marriage. Feeling betrayed by this revelation, Mira becomes rebellious and stopped caring about school, until her father's devastating health issues comes to light. I got sucked into this book immediately, with the format of this book being slightly reminiscent of that of Shatter Me, in that it doesn't follow proper sentence structure, since it was poem-based. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone, and probably one of my favorite books that I've read so far this year.
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