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Tumbling
Five gymnasts. One goal.
Grace lives and breathes gymnastics—but no matter how hard she pushes herself, she can never be perfect enough.
Leigh, Grace’s best friend, has it all: a gymnastics career, a normal high-school life…and a secret that could ruin everything.
Camille wants to please her mom, wants to please her boyfriend, and most of all, wants to walk away.
Wilhelmina was denied her Olympic dream four years ago, and she won’t let anything stop her again. No matter what.
Monica is terrified. Nobody believes in her—and why should they?
By the end of the two days of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, some of these girls will be stars. Some will be going home with nothing. And all will have their lives changed forever.
Grace lives and breathes gymnastics—but no matter how hard she pushes herself, she can never be perfect enough.
Leigh, Grace’s best friend, has it all: a gymnastics career, a normal high-school life…and a secret that could ruin everything.
Camille wants to please her mom, wants to please her boyfriend, and most of all, wants to walk away.
Wilhelmina was denied her Olympic dream four years ago, and she won’t let anything stop her again. No matter what.
Monica is terrified. Nobody believes in her—and why should they?
By the end of the two days of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, some of these girls will be stars. Some will be going home with nothing. And all will have their lives changed forever.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2016
35 people are currently reading
2699 people want to read
About the author
Caela Carter
10 books344 followersCaela Carter grew up in Basking Ridge, NJ and Baltimore, MD. She's been writing since she learned how to pick up a pen but before the writing thing got serious she spent six years teaching English to middle and high school students in Jacksonville, FL and Chicago, IL. Her debut novel, ME, HIM, THEM AND IT was published in 2013 by Bloomsbury. When she's not writing, Caela is a teacher of some awesome teens in Brooklyn, a Notre Dame football enthusiast, and a happy explorer in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
June 22, 2016
This one really hit the Make It Or Break It fan in me.
Read
August 17, 2016This is a super fun, well-written, female-led sports book with tension and a good bit of drama. But it's realistic, competitive drama, and it's actually pretty compelling. Diverse & inclusive & realistic to gymnastics as a sport.
August 24, 2017
4 Olympic Dream Stars
THIS WAS SUCH A NICE SURPRISE! 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
I don't usually read sports books, is difficult for me to enjoy a book plainly for the sport if it doesn't have a back story or plot for the characters. Thanks to the universe, Tumbling includes the personal story of multiple gymnasts, the drama, and describes the competition vividly. If you were dreaming of becoming a gymnast this book may seriously want to question the decision, because it doesn't talk about the fairy tale of being an athlete, but it talks about all the hardships once needs to go through. Aging, starving, peer pressure, private life, rivalries, discordances with the system, family, devotion, shattered dreams.
THIS WAS SUCH A NICE SURPRISE! 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
I don't usually read sports books, is difficult for me to enjoy a book plainly for the sport if it doesn't have a back story or plot for the characters. Thanks to the universe, Tumbling includes the personal story of multiple gymnasts, the drama, and describes the competition vividly. If you were dreaming of becoming a gymnast this book may seriously want to question the decision, because it doesn't talk about the fairy tale of being an athlete, but it talks about all the hardships once needs to go through. Aging, starving, peer pressure, private life, rivalries, discordances with the system, family, devotion, shattered dreams.
Read
April 26, 2016Pretty much exactly what I wanted it to be <3 If you're interested in the premise, if you loved Make It or Break It...read this.
June 1, 2016
Aw, man, I just loved this book. It was right up my alley and it's one that I'd hand to teens who are excited about the Olympics coming up this summer or who are interested in gymnastics or who love ~drama~.
Told in alternating points of view by five gymnasts over the two-day Olympic trial meet, it's a story of chasing dreams, dreams lost, secrets, betrayal, and the pressure of being an elite athlete. There are plenty of play-by-play gymnastics moments as well as seemingly well-researched details about the minutiae of gymnastics life. I don't have the experience to verify the book's accuracy, but it seemed well-researched to me. A lengthy glossary of gymnastics terms is included in the back, as well. So I think this will please readers looking to experience days in the life of elite athletes.
But there is also plenty of behind-the-scenes drama. Mind games. Politics. Strategies. The gymnast who hasn't played along with the Olympic coach's master plan, the gymnast who doesn't actually want to go to the Olympics but is living out the dream of a parent. The gymnast who's not eating anything. The gymnast who doesn't think she has a chance. The gymnast who is a closeted lesbian.
So, I'd also hand this to teens who like ~drama~ books like Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton.
Told in alternating points of view by five gymnasts over the two-day Olympic trial meet, it's a story of chasing dreams, dreams lost, secrets, betrayal, and the pressure of being an elite athlete. There are plenty of play-by-play gymnastics moments as well as seemingly well-researched details about the minutiae of gymnastics life. I don't have the experience to verify the book's accuracy, but it seemed well-researched to me. A lengthy glossary of gymnastics terms is included in the back, as well. So I think this will please readers looking to experience days in the life of elite athletes.
But there is also plenty of behind-the-scenes drama. Mind games. Politics. Strategies. The gymnast who hasn't played along with the Olympic coach's master plan, the gymnast who doesn't actually want to go to the Olympics but is living out the dream of a parent. The gymnast who's not eating anything. The gymnast who doesn't think she has a chance. The gymnast who is a closeted lesbian.
So, I'd also hand this to teens who like ~drama~ books like Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton.
December 19, 2016
I knew I shouldn't have bought this when I did. I knew I was going to be cringing at a book written by someone who clearly didn't know what she was talking about. But it was about gymnastics, so I did it. We all have our vices.
And honestly, I feel bad giving it a straight-up one star, because it wasn't just absolutely horrible, but as a gymfan, I would just feel dirty giving it anything else.
Before I go any further:
*If you have a publicist, you've already gone pro
*A DTY lands facing the vault
*No one actually gets a benefit from the "international look" (see Simone Biles, Jordyn Wieber, Shawn Johnson, Vanessa Ferrari, Chellsie Memmel, Carly Patterson, et al... and Aliya Mustafina and Gabby Douglas and the Romanians successful at the beginning of the 2000s all had body types in between the willowy shape and the tiny, compact muscular shape)
*Bars routines don't last 90 seconds
*A double Arabian is a forward skill
*You don't pick the gymnasts who compete in the AA final before the Olympics, you put up three AAers in qualifications and the lowest scorer gets booted from the final
*If you get a 12.355 on a DTY, that means the vault had to be terrifyingly, horrifically crashed, or you literally walked off the podium. You don't get that for a slip onto your bum.
*On bars, you either kip between skills and don't connect them or you get the connection. There aren't hesitant connections you don't get credited for.
*JO is separate from junior elite (and only a US program) and there is no junior World Championships
From what I could tell from what was written, the routines were either extremely rudimentary for a team that expects to be in the hunt for an Olympics team medal or the skill sets were straight-up impossible. Back layouts to back tucks on beam don't happen. You can't do a double layout+double tuck direct combination. A double-double beam dismount has never been done onto a competition surface, let alone in competition, and you can't do a dismount of that difficulty out of a layout. But in another routine, the gymnast is counting giants into her D-score on bars.
The rules and scoring were all over the place. In one routine, it was stated (correctly) that elements can't be repeated for credit, but in two other routines in the book, a gymnast does a skill multiple times in separate connections. One gymnast completely seriously sets the goal of getting a 9.5 E score on every event, which is absolutely ridiculous and completely impossible to achieve, and she's still talking about how that won't necessarily clinch first. If that doesn't get you into first, your D scores must be those of a thirteen-year-old. Yet, at another point, a gymnast gets a 6.555 E score for issues that would get her at worst a point higher than that, unless her form is utterly abhorrent. And one gymnast's beam dismount changes from day one to day two.
And, to top it all off, only a fool would play by the strategy of dropping all events except for one and not showing work on any other events at camps for two and a half years and then pulling out three new routines at Olympic Trials. It's not stupid politics that's hurting your chances, it's you and your coach's stupid strategy. The US has an established enough program and enough gymnasts who aren't completely broken by the Olympics that it has the luxury of options, which means the luxury of choosing based on consistency and not just who are the talented enough gymnasts. If you only hit a routine twice in a two and a half year period leading up to the meet, you haven't hit it at all. It doesn't matter that they're your only two performances, you've only hit it twice. You need enough competition reps not to be a risk. So shut up about how unfair it is, because you simply chose not to prove yourself.
I get that this review is just me ranting about gymnastics and nothing really regarding characters, plot, or any of that kind of stuff, but it is all just so clearly written with such bad understanding. And again, the book really isn't horrible enough to warrant a one star, but as a gymfan, that is the stuff that I can't look past.
And honestly, I feel bad giving it a straight-up one star, because it wasn't just absolutely horrible, but as a gymfan, I would just feel dirty giving it anything else.
Before I go any further:
*If you have a publicist, you've already gone pro
*A DTY lands facing the vault
*No one actually gets a benefit from the "international look" (see Simone Biles, Jordyn Wieber, Shawn Johnson, Vanessa Ferrari, Chellsie Memmel, Carly Patterson, et al... and Aliya Mustafina and Gabby Douglas and the Romanians successful at the beginning of the 2000s all had body types in between the willowy shape and the tiny, compact muscular shape)
*Bars routines don't last 90 seconds
*A double Arabian is a forward skill
*You don't pick the gymnasts who compete in the AA final before the Olympics, you put up three AAers in qualifications and the lowest scorer gets booted from the final
*If you get a 12.355 on a DTY, that means the vault had to be terrifyingly, horrifically crashed, or you literally walked off the podium. You don't get that for a slip onto your bum.
*On bars, you either kip between skills and don't connect them or you get the connection. There aren't hesitant connections you don't get credited for.
*JO is separate from junior elite (and only a US program) and there is no junior World Championships
From what I could tell from what was written, the routines were either extremely rudimentary for a team that expects to be in the hunt for an Olympics team medal or the skill sets were straight-up impossible. Back layouts to back tucks on beam don't happen. You can't do a double layout+double tuck direct combination. A double-double beam dismount has never been done onto a competition surface, let alone in competition, and you can't do a dismount of that difficulty out of a layout. But in another routine, the gymnast is counting giants into her D-score on bars.
The rules and scoring were all over the place. In one routine, it was stated (correctly) that elements can't be repeated for credit, but in two other routines in the book, a gymnast does a skill multiple times in separate connections. One gymnast completely seriously sets the goal of getting a 9.5 E score on every event, which is absolutely ridiculous and completely impossible to achieve, and she's still talking about how that won't necessarily clinch first. If that doesn't get you into first, your D scores must be those of a thirteen-year-old. Yet, at another point, a gymnast gets a 6.555 E score for issues that would get her at worst a point higher than that, unless her form is utterly abhorrent. And one gymnast's beam dismount changes from day one to day two.
And, to top it all off, only a fool would play by the strategy of dropping all events except for one and not showing work on any other events at camps for two and a half years and then pulling out three new routines at Olympic Trials. It's not stupid politics that's hurting your chances, it's you and your coach's stupid strategy. The US has an established enough program and enough gymnasts who aren't completely broken by the Olympics that it has the luxury of options, which means the luxury of choosing based on consistency and not just who are the talented enough gymnasts. If you only hit a routine twice in a two and a half year period leading up to the meet, you haven't hit it at all. It doesn't matter that they're your only two performances, you've only hit it twice. You need enough competition reps not to be a risk. So shut up about how unfair it is, because you simply chose not to prove yourself.
I get that this review is just me ranting about gymnastics and nothing really regarding characters, plot, or any of that kind of stuff, but it is all just so clearly written with such bad understanding. And again, the book really isn't horrible enough to warrant a one star, but as a gymfan, that is the stuff that I can't look past.
August 8, 2016
If you're wishing for anything Olympic-related, this book is so endearing. It follows five gymnasts over the span of the two-day Olympic trials. Very much Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets Make It or Break It -- only instead of exchanging pants over a summer, it's two days of gymnasts competing against their friends for the chance at Olympic glory.
Besides the great sport politics, anxiety, betrayals, and so much more -- what I loved most was something even simpler. With the five POVs, we were able to see everyone's perceptions of each other and what each girl believed their competitors thought of them. Often times these girls were a lot harsher on themselves than their competitors actually were on them. It made every girl feel so incredibly human, and I began cheering for each one :)
Besides the great sport politics, anxiety, betrayals, and so much more -- what I loved most was something even simpler. With the five POVs, we were able to see everyone's perceptions of each other and what each girl believed their competitors thought of them. Often times these girls were a lot harsher on themselves than their competitors actually were on them. It made every girl feel so incredibly human, and I began cheering for each one :)
September 5, 2016
I read this book solely as a guilty pleasure read. And though I would love to say that this book surprised me and change my life forever, it didn't. It still is a guilty pleasure read. And I loved every minute of it.
August 6, 2016
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
A little disclaimer: I know nothing about the actual landscape of gymnastics. So I can't attest to the accuracy, or any such beast. Tumbling takes place during the two days of the Olympic trials. There are twelve girls vying for one of five spots on the team (there are a couple alternates too, but if you're anything like me, those don't count- and they sure didn't count to these athletes). The story is told via five of these girls, all of whom are at different stages in their careers, have different goals and experiences, etc.
The book has a lot of positives, so I am starting with those, naturally.
Women. In. Sports. That's a win right off the bat. Each of these women were elite, hard working gymnasts and they had goals and competitive streaks that weren't just tolerated, but embraced- coveted, even. I loved reading about them competing, and feeling their emotions as their dreams were being realized or fading away.
Gymnastics is fascinating! So, I am going to date myself here for a minute, and tell you about one of my all-time favorite Olympic moments. It was 1996, and well.... here it is:
Kerri Strug doing that vault with ONE WORKING LEG, nailing it, winning the damn thing for the US, basically. You couldn't have written a better ending. Anyway, I became pretty enamored with Kerri, and gymnastics in general for awhile after that. This book definitely features a lot of the good and bad sides of gymnastics. It's a harsh sport (I mean, do you see Kerri, above? Holy crap, and also, ouch.) It takes a toll on the body and the psyche; Tumbling really does a great job of exploring that.
There was a lot of focus on relationships. There are family relationships explored as well as friendships and romantic relationships. I feel like there was a pretty good balance, no one type of relationship took center stage. That made a lot of sense to me, since these girls were at such different life stages.
There are a lot of accurate depictions about sports-related things in general. You don't have to be a gymnast to understand these; I'm not even sure you have to be an athlete for all of them.
♦In the book, some of the characters have to face that they're simply out of time in their careers- it's an incredibly hard pill to swallow. I loved the honest reflection about that, and that the girls were so aware of it. Because it is something that is always in your head as an athlete, and no amount of rumination prepares you for it.
♦There was also a focus on coaching, and while there were some real assholes, there were also some shining examples of how coaches should be. Yes, there was a light shone on the darker side, but there was also an emphasis on the positive.
♦Since much of the book is spent inside the girls' minds as they prepare to compete, we get lots of insight about their thought processes- both in the meet and out.
I really only had a few issues with the book, overall.
First, it's kind of long. Granted, 432 pages isn't ridiculous or anything, but it was overwhelming at the start when I realized that all of those pages would take place in the span of a two day gymnastics meet. It wasn't a slow book, so that was good, but it is spent mostly in the girls' heads as they compete in the meet, so it's worth taking into consideration.
I kind of wanted a little more from the ending. Obviously I can't say much about that. It wasn't bad, I just wished for a little more.
The girls were definitely intense, and that brought a lot of drama to the table, which wasn't really surprising to me, nor was it inaccurate. There were a few instances where I think the miscommunication trope was a little overused, but that's also kind of a personal thing since that has always bugged me a bit in books.
Bottom Line: This is a very solid book with five very distinct POVs, which is kind of a rare feat. If you are interested at all in gymnastics, Tumbling is a must. If you are just looking for a good contemporary about athletes, it's also a great choice. Definitely glad I read it, and it's a perfect read for this Olympic season!
A little disclaimer: I know nothing about the actual landscape of gymnastics. So I can't attest to the accuracy, or any such beast. Tumbling takes place during the two days of the Olympic trials. There are twelve girls vying for one of five spots on the team (there are a couple alternates too, but if you're anything like me, those don't count- and they sure didn't count to these athletes). The story is told via five of these girls, all of whom are at different stages in their careers, have different goals and experiences, etc.
The book has a lot of positives, so I am starting with those, naturally.
Women. In. Sports. That's a win right off the bat. Each of these women were elite, hard working gymnasts and they had goals and competitive streaks that weren't just tolerated, but embraced- coveted, even. I loved reading about them competing, and feeling their emotions as their dreams were being realized or fading away.
Gymnastics is fascinating! So, I am going to date myself here for a minute, and tell you about one of my all-time favorite Olympic moments. It was 1996, and well.... here it is:
Kerri Strug doing that vault with ONE WORKING LEG, nailing it, winning the damn thing for the US, basically. You couldn't have written a better ending. Anyway, I became pretty enamored with Kerri, and gymnastics in general for awhile after that. This book definitely features a lot of the good and bad sides of gymnastics. It's a harsh sport (I mean, do you see Kerri, above? Holy crap, and also, ouch.) It takes a toll on the body and the psyche; Tumbling really does a great job of exploring that.
There was a lot of focus on relationships. There are family relationships explored as well as friendships and romantic relationships. I feel like there was a pretty good balance, no one type of relationship took center stage. That made a lot of sense to me, since these girls were at such different life stages.
There are a lot of accurate depictions about sports-related things in general. You don't have to be a gymnast to understand these; I'm not even sure you have to be an athlete for all of them.
♦In the book, some of the characters have to face that they're simply out of time in their careers- it's an incredibly hard pill to swallow. I loved the honest reflection about that, and that the girls were so aware of it. Because it is something that is always in your head as an athlete, and no amount of rumination prepares you for it.
♦There was also a focus on coaching, and while there were some real assholes, there were also some shining examples of how coaches should be. Yes, there was a light shone on the darker side, but there was also an emphasis on the positive.
♦Since much of the book is spent inside the girls' minds as they prepare to compete, we get lots of insight about their thought processes- both in the meet and out.
I really only had a few issues with the book, overall.
First, it's kind of long. Granted, 432 pages isn't ridiculous or anything, but it was overwhelming at the start when I realized that all of those pages would take place in the span of a two day gymnastics meet. It wasn't a slow book, so that was good, but it is spent mostly in the girls' heads as they compete in the meet, so it's worth taking into consideration.
I kind of wanted a little more from the ending. Obviously I can't say much about that. It wasn't bad, I just wished for a little more.
The girls were definitely intense, and that brought a lot of drama to the table, which wasn't really surprising to me, nor was it inaccurate. There were a few instances where I think the miscommunication trope was a little overused, but that's also kind of a personal thing since that has always bugged me a bit in books.
Bottom Line: This is a very solid book with five very distinct POVs, which is kind of a rare feat. If you are interested at all in gymnastics, Tumbling is a must. If you are just looking for a good contemporary about athletes, it's also a great choice. Definitely glad I read it, and it's a perfect read for this Olympic season!
April 3, 2017
I feel like a proud mother. The writing wasn't anything amazing but the character development and detail in the plot made up for it. I have a sudden urge to fly around on uneven bars even though I'm 5'7 and can't touch my own damn toes.....
September 2, 2025
this is a surprisingly excellent book. i read it when i was in middle school and enjoyed it greatly, but i was wary of its ability to hold up on reread - to my pleasure, it is still excellent!
as a former gymnast (i never got anywhere close to this level though obviously), i had just enough investment and understanding of the sport to feel a personal connection to the characters, but they truly are well-written in their own right. each girl feels like a complete and separate person, with her own worldview and conflicts and goals.
grace is someone i always wanted to succeed, because that's the only thing that was important to her, and i just wanted her to be happy. grace may seem to be on top of the world, but she's in a constant mental struggle, dealing with her dad who only knows how to be her coach in the wake of her mother leaving. she's devoted her whole life to gymnastics, and the fact that she feels like nothing without it means she ends up being a pretty nasty person and friend sometimes, but it also means she treats her body terribly. and as much as i got frustrated at grace i really just wanted her to get better. (and for ted to shut the hell up, sometimes.)
i love leigh and her energy and passion for gymnastics as well as her want to be a kind, good person. the scene where made me so mad on her behalf - grace, really?! - and the part where she made me so, so upset. i can only imagine how miserable she was in that moment. i think caela carter did a really good job writing an lgbtq+ character whose personality isn't entirely revolving around her sexual orientation but also isn't just thrown in their for rep points without addressing the repercussions of her identity within her circumstances.
monica is the youngest, and the one i liked the most upon my first read, but seems even younger on my second. she's so little, and she doesn't know quite what she's doing, but in many ways she has more wisdom than the elder gymnasts. she sets a goal - just don't fall - and she tries her hardest to stick to it. and if that's not admirable, i don't know what is.
the story of wilhelmina is heartbreaking and frustrating but also very satisfying as an arc. the poor girl's birthday meant she couldn't compete at the olympics when her body was at its physical peak, and due to her changed strategy to allow her to compete at age 20, katja somethingsomething the official olympic gymnastic selector absolutely hates her. (katja is the real villain oml. "our little sport" bffr.)
camille is different from the others in that she doesn't actually want what everyone else does. she was knocked violently out of her sport a few years back, and she's returned changed. i liked camille, i liked the variation her perspective added, but she wasn't one of my favorites.
all in all, this writing is not superb - it's very juvenile, it's very obvious, it's sometimes ridiculous in its phrasing and word choice. but what it is good at, what carter seems to excel at, is making the audience truly, deeply invested in the suspenseful, tense world of these teen gymnasts - who are so so very young - and root for them until the very end. she doesn't shy away from tough subjects like eating disorders, homophobia, body dysmorphia, unhealthy family and relationship dynamics, and the problems that result from 'peaking' in one's sport at the age of 16. but at the end of the day, it is a middle grade to young adult novel, and it's quite well written. i'd recommend this to any kid ages 10-14, especially if they're into gymnastics.
as a former gymnast (i never got anywhere close to this level though obviously), i had just enough investment and understanding of the sport to feel a personal connection to the characters, but they truly are well-written in their own right. each girl feels like a complete and separate person, with her own worldview and conflicts and goals.
grace is someone i always wanted to succeed, because that's the only thing that was important to her, and i just wanted her to be happy. grace may seem to be on top of the world, but she's in a constant mental struggle, dealing with her dad who only knows how to be her coach in the wake of her mother leaving. she's devoted her whole life to gymnastics, and the fact that she feels like nothing without it means she ends up being a pretty nasty person and friend sometimes, but it also means she treats her body terribly. and as much as i got frustrated at grace i really just wanted her to get better. (and for ted to shut the hell up, sometimes.)
i love leigh and her energy and passion for gymnastics as well as her want to be a kind, good person. the scene where made me so mad on her behalf - grace, really?! - and the part where she made me so, so upset. i can only imagine how miserable she was in that moment. i think caela carter did a really good job writing an lgbtq+ character whose personality isn't entirely revolving around her sexual orientation but also isn't just thrown in their for rep points without addressing the repercussions of her identity within her circumstances.
monica is the youngest, and the one i liked the most upon my first read, but seems even younger on my second. she's so little, and she doesn't know quite what she's doing, but in many ways she has more wisdom than the elder gymnasts. she sets a goal - just don't fall - and she tries her hardest to stick to it. and if that's not admirable, i don't know what is.
the story of wilhelmina is heartbreaking and frustrating but also very satisfying as an arc. the poor girl's birthday meant she couldn't compete at the olympics when her body was at its physical peak, and due to her changed strategy to allow her to compete at age 20, katja somethingsomething the official olympic gymnastic selector absolutely hates her. (katja is the real villain oml. "our little sport" bffr.)
camille is different from the others in that she doesn't actually want what everyone else does. she was knocked violently out of her sport a few years back, and she's returned changed. i liked camille, i liked the variation her perspective added, but she wasn't one of my favorites.
all in all, this writing is not superb - it's very juvenile, it's very obvious, it's sometimes ridiculous in its phrasing and word choice. but what it is good at, what carter seems to excel at, is making the audience truly, deeply invested in the suspenseful, tense world of these teen gymnasts - who are so so very young - and root for them until the very end. she doesn't shy away from tough subjects like eating disorders, homophobia, body dysmorphia, unhealthy family and relationship dynamics, and the problems that result from 'peaking' in one's sport at the age of 16. but at the end of the day, it is a middle grade to young adult novel, and it's quite well written. i'd recommend this to any kid ages 10-14, especially if they're into gymnastics.
March 10, 2016
A great read for anyone who has ever put their heart and soul into something only to wonder if it was worth it in the end. This novel is told from the perspective of five gymnasts competing at the Olympic trials. It's an inside look into what's required to become an Olympian--the sacrifices you must make and what makes up the girl beneath the chalk and make-up. It touches on important themes including health and body image (on all spectrums), self-acceptance, sexuality, friendships, and familial and romantic relationships.
This book kept me up half the night because I just couldn't put it down--I needed to know who was going to the Olympics. This book scores a perfect 10!
This book kept me up half the night because I just couldn't put it down--I needed to know who was going to the Olympics. This book scores a perfect 10!
August 29, 2016
★☆☆☆☆ 1.5 YOU’RE-NOT-MAKING-IT-TO-THE-OLYMPICS STARS
I mean, at the beginning the book was like:
But the dramas kept on piling up and it was like:
As a gymnastics fan, this book was, regrettably, a disappointment.
Tumbling followed the lives of 5 teenie gymnastic queens on the most significant meet of their lives: the Olympic trial. Everyone had trained hard for the past four years, sacrificing their social lives and their bodies for it. So picture something similar to Battle Royal but with teenage girls killing one another with giggles, gossip, secrets and Arabian double half-outs.
Here we have Grace, the manipulative somersault-machine with a problem (hint: eating). Leigh, a confused champion but otherwise had one leg already on the Olympic team, also with a problem (hint: she liked girls). Camille was on the road of redemption, having a comeback after a car accident abruptly robbed her chance off of Olympics 4 years ago, Her problem? Boyfriend and existential crisis. Wilhelmina fought her own way into the trial, but beating the best gymnasts was one thing when what she was actually doing was fighting the system and the unfairness of it all (and that’s her problem). And then, finally, Monica, the underappreciated rookie who was invisible to probably everyone but us readers. Would she succumb to mean gossips and giggles or would she finally get the balls to become the top scorer?
And here we dealt with teenage soap on determination, friendship and dreams. The book tended to deal with real problems like petty mind games, favoritism, eating disorder, and something similar to existential crisis. How girls overwork their bodies just for their dreams to be crushed by the unfairness of the sport and life. Sadly, none of these had been explored deeply. They were mentioned, but there was nothing much else done to confront them.
So here’s the realproblem; it was extremely difficult to write multi POVs without losing your ways throughout the book. I’m actually in the middle of ASOIAF marathon so it’s quite impossible to impress me right now (GRRM is the king of multi-POVs, period). And such mistake could be seen clearly in Tumbling; halfway through the book all voices started to melt into one. I didn’t even care which voice belonged to whom anymore. All of them sounded like a manipulative, underappreciated, overconfident, confused, reluctant teenager with a serious case of split-personality to me.
Grace, for example, one minute she was this jealous, selfish, paranoia competitive little bitch with series of shenanigans up her sleeves, then she claimed it wasn’t who she was and she might or might not or might need herbestfriend, Leigh. Then Leigh was one minute giggling about a wedgie trying to destroy her competitor’s career and the next claimed she had no idea what she’d done and it wasn’t really herself? See what I had to put up with? These girls were just a bunch of kids growing in the gym with no real social life, fine I get it. But do they have to be so unlikeable? It’s a fucking novel, for crying out loud! How could I finish your book if none of your five main characters were likeable, Ms. Carter?
I was put into an all-girl conservative royalist school for 12 years straight (which was pretty much felt like 12 Years A Slave but with Hello Kitty and a lot of curtsies). Maybe I kinda forgot what it's like to be a young girl surrounded by girls, but the dramas were so pointless and annoying. The conversation felt forced and unnatural. I get that they were just a bunch of kids looking for their place in the world, but did they all have to be so one-dimensional? No evidence of any crucial character development or whatsoever.
This wasn’t a story about friendship, family or sportsmanship. It's more about the ugly truth and the unknown side of this graceful, beloved sports adored by worldwide receivers. I kind of like that, to be honest. I didn't know much about the camps or the homeschooling and all those sacrifices the young ladies have to make in order to become an elite. So that part I'd appreciated the research and information.
But that's pretty much where the good thing ends. I didn’t even care who the hell got to go to the Olympics. It was a shame, really, this book had so much potential, too bad the execution was a bit of a disappointment. I was really really looking forward to reading this book before.
Then I turned on the TV, seeing the beloved “Final Five” and wondered if their paths to the Olympics were as stupidly messy, unfair and disgusting like this one. Hopefully not.
Find out more:
https://thebleedingeyes.wordpress.com/
I mean, at the beginning the book was like:
But the dramas kept on piling up and it was like:
As a gymnastics fan, this book was, regrettably, a disappointment.
Tumbling followed the lives of 5 teenie gymnastic queens on the most significant meet of their lives: the Olympic trial. Everyone had trained hard for the past four years, sacrificing their social lives and their bodies for it. So picture something similar to Battle Royal but with teenage girls killing one another with giggles, gossip, secrets and Arabian double half-outs.
Grace said new words quietly, staring at the ice cup. “I think I might be happier.”
Now Leigh was the startled one. She sat up and stared at her friend. “If you weren’t a gymnast?” Grace didn’t respond.
“Then why are you one?” Leigh asked.
Grace sucked a piece of ice, thinking, until she said, “Because I might be happier, but I wouldn’t be me.”
Here we have Grace, the manipulative somersault-machine with a problem (hint: eating). Leigh, a confused champion but otherwise had one leg already on the Olympic team, also with a problem (hint: she liked girls). Camille was on the road of redemption, having a comeback after a car accident abruptly robbed her chance off of Olympics 4 years ago, Her problem? Boyfriend and existential crisis. Wilhelmina fought her own way into the trial, but beating the best gymnasts was one thing when what she was actually doing was fighting the system and the unfairness of it all (and that’s her problem). And then, finally, Monica, the underappreciated rookie who was invisible to probably everyone but us readers. Would she succumb to mean gossips and giggles or would she finally get the balls to become the top scorer?
“But your vault doesn’t matter. You know that, right?”
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Nothing mattered. Her whole life Monica’s gymnastics had almost—but not quite—mattered. “To me,” she said, trying to sound strong but instead squeaking like a mouse. “It matters to me.”
Wilhelmina nodded. “Yeah, get ready for it,” she said. “Lots of things will matter to you that don’t matter to anyone else."
And here we dealt with teenage soap on determination, friendship and dreams. The book tended to deal with real problems like petty mind games, favoritism, eating disorder, and something similar to existential crisis. How girls overwork their bodies just for their dreams to be crushed by the unfairness of the sport and life. Sadly, none of these had been explored deeply. They were mentioned, but there was nothing much else done to confront them.
So here’s the realproblem; it was extremely difficult to write multi POVs without losing your ways throughout the book. I’m actually in the middle of ASOIAF marathon so it’s quite impossible to impress me right now (GRRM is the king of multi-POVs, period). And such mistake could be seen clearly in Tumbling; halfway through the book all voices started to melt into one. I didn’t even care which voice belonged to whom anymore. All of them sounded like a manipulative, underappreciated, overconfident, confused, reluctant teenager with a serious case of split-personality to me.
“We’re best friends,” Leigh blurted. Although she didn’t feel like they were at the moment. She narrowed her eyes at Grace, trying to make them say, What are you doing? Why would you try to destroy me right in the middle of the Olympic trials?
“Yes,” Grace said. “We’re best friends . . . we’re only friends. Nothing more.”
Leigh almost choked. It was like being stabbed in the back right in front of her face.
“Okay . . .” the reporter said slowly.
What had happened? Only a few minutes ago they were working together to trip up Monica. That whole plot had been Grace’s idea and entirely for Leigh’s benefit. Now, suddenly, Grace was trying to destroy Leigh?
Grace, for example, one minute she was this jealous, selfish, paranoia competitive little bitch with series of shenanigans up her sleeves, then she claimed it wasn’t who she was and she might or might not or might need her
“I heard what you said about me earlier,” Monica said.
“Huh?” Leigh said.
“What’s wrong with you? You can’t just pretend . . . You’re . . . you and Grace . . . you’re . . . mean.”
“Oh,” Leigh said. The butt glue. The snickering. Had she really done that? It felt like someone else had said those things and smiled that nasty smile.
I was put into an all-girl conservative royalist school for 12 years straight (which was pretty much felt like 12 Years A Slave but with Hello Kitty and a lot of curtsies). Maybe I kinda forgot what it's like to be a young girl surrounded by girls, but the dramas were so pointless and annoying. The conversation felt forced and unnatural. I get that they were just a bunch of kids looking for their place in the world, but did they all have to be so one-dimensional? No evidence of any crucial character development or whatsoever.
This wasn’t a story about friendship, family or sportsmanship. It's more about the ugly truth and the unknown side of this graceful, beloved sports adored by worldwide receivers. I kind of like that, to be honest. I didn't know much about the camps or the homeschooling and all those sacrifices the young ladies have to make in order to become an elite. So that part I'd appreciated the research and information.
But that's pretty much where the good thing ends. I didn’t even care who the hell got to go to the Olympics. It was a shame, really, this book had so much potential, too bad the execution was a bit of a disappointment. I was really really looking forward to reading this book before.
Then I turned on the TV, seeing the beloved “Final Five” and wondered if their paths to the Olympics were as stupidly messy, unfair and disgusting like this one. Hopefully not.
Find out more:
https://thebleedingeyes.wordpress.com/
November 28, 2023
definitely didn’t expect the ending. i’ve been into reading gymnastics books lately and this was a good read from start to finish. would definitely recommend.
June 8, 2016
Gosh, this was such a great book! Most sports books don't work for me because they don't seem very well researched, but this one COMPLETELY was. Warning: if teenage girl angst, drama, and animosity is not your thing, you will not like this. There is quite a bit of girl on girl hate, but this is a competition, and I feel it's realistic in this case.
There is great diversity here as well, and the book touches a lot on issues teen girls face, and not just gymnast girls.
It wasn't a perfect book for me, because the ending wasn't as emotional as I thought it was going to be, and I really wanted one thing to happen that didn't. Yay for realistic endings though. That's the second book I've read that didn't wrap everything up with a neat bow, and though this one didn't work for me as well, I still really liked it.
Oh, and finally, 5 POVs in this book from five different gymnasts. I think they are handled really well and each girl is distinct from the others and they all have their stories to tell, but it multiple POVs are a thing you don't like, keep that in mind.
This is a very timely book since the Olympics are in August, and the gymnastic Olympic trials are coming up at the beginning of July, and it's made me very excited to watch these girls compete and go for the gold.
There is great diversity here as well, and the book touches a lot on issues teen girls face, and not just gymnast girls.
It wasn't a perfect book for me, because the ending wasn't as emotional as I thought it was going to be, and I really wanted one thing to happen that didn't. Yay for realistic endings though. That's the second book I've read that didn't wrap everything up with a neat bow, and though this one didn't work for me as well, I still really liked it.
Oh, and finally, 5 POVs in this book from five different gymnasts. I think they are handled really well and each girl is distinct from the others and they all have their stories to tell, but it multiple POVs are a thing you don't like, keep that in mind.
This is a very timely book since the Olympics are in August, and the gymnastic Olympic trials are coming up at the beginning of July, and it's made me very excited to watch these girls compete and go for the gold.
July 11, 2016
I'm super impressed by two things here: first, that Carter managed to spend 400+ pages on two days of plot and still keep it interesting, and second, that the characters all stayed distinct.
Plotwise, this is pretty straightforward: it's the US Olympic trials for women's gymnastics, and the characters are battling it out for a spot on the team. Two days, five POV characters, four events, several secrets, one goal.
What keeps it interesting, though, is that it's not really one goal—it's several. For all that they're all at the Olympic trials, they want different things out of it. Leigh just wants to qualify. Grace won't be happy unless she not only qualifies but blows the rest of the competition (including her best friend) out of the water. Camille wants to vault, but she doesn't like the politics and the drama and the pressure that come with competitive gymnastics. Wilhelmina wants to qualify, but she also wants to prove that she doesn't have to break her body to do so. And Monica isn't here to compete, not really; her longstanding goal is don't fall.
The plot is to an extent predictable, which is to say that there are certain elements that are just...going to be there. But there are also a lot of twists that I wouldn't have anticipated; there's a level of unpredictability that feels right for the sport. The rankings fluctuate. People succeed, or stumble, where you might not expect. Carter also works in some subtle diversity in ways that I don't see enough of in YA.
Excellent read for gymnastics fans. I want more books like this.
Plotwise, this is pretty straightforward: it's the US Olympic trials for women's gymnastics, and the characters are battling it out for a spot on the team. Two days, five POV characters, four events, several secrets, one goal.
What keeps it interesting, though, is that it's not really one goal—it's several. For all that they're all at the Olympic trials, they want different things out of it. Leigh just wants to qualify. Grace won't be happy unless she not only qualifies but blows the rest of the competition (including her best friend) out of the water. Camille wants to vault, but she doesn't like the politics and the drama and the pressure that come with competitive gymnastics. Wilhelmina wants to qualify, but she also wants to prove that she doesn't have to break her body to do so. And Monica isn't here to compete, not really; her longstanding goal is don't fall.
The plot is to an extent predictable, which is to say that there are certain elements that are just...going to be there. But there are also a lot of twists that I wouldn't have anticipated; there's a level of unpredictability that feels right for the sport. The rankings fluctuate. People succeed, or stumble, where you might not expect. Carter also works in some subtle diversity in ways that I don't see enough of in YA.
Excellent read for gymnastics fans. I want more books like this.
June 29, 2016
If you're a die hard gymnastics fan, like myself, then I think you would love this book. It really gives you a behind the scenes and realistic feel to the book. I enjoyed it every step of the way, the good, the bad, and the sad parts that crushed me.
January 14, 2019
I love gymnastics… a lot. So I was really excited to read a YA book about gymnasts trying to make the Olympic team. But I was let down by this book… a lot.
I think this book was too ambitious, perhaps it could’ve been better with a smaller scope. Tumbling follows five gymnasts over the two days of Olympic Trials. Switching between the five different perspectives could get confusing at times. Some of the characters weren’t fleshed out that well and started to blend together. I think if there were only 3 POV characters there could’ve been more time to develop the characters more fully.
I also wasn’t a fan of the book fully taking place during the two days of competition. There were some flashbacks to things that happened beforehand, but I just feel like the story could’ve been more impactful following a longer period of time. The years of training for one competition that could make or break your entire career. And how you deal with the aftermath if it went well or if your dreams were totally crushed. All of those are really interesting topics that couldn’t really be explored in just a 2 day span.
The writing was mediocre at best. In a book about gymnastics I want to have descriptions of their skills and routines where I can see it perfectly in my head. This is a great place to use language that evokes movement, grace, and power. But instead a lot of the routines are just explained by a series of skills, like “Standing back tuck. Check. Switch leap. Check. Dance poses. Perfect. Second tumbling run. Awesome.” That’s not interesting to read.
I did appreciate some things this book did. It talked about eating disorders and how dangerous gymnastics can be. Gymnastics not getting the respect it deserves as a sport is brought up. Also, one of the characters is a lesbian and is worrying about how that will impact her career. But even those interesting aspects couldn’t bring this book up for me.
I wasn’t expecting this book to be amazing, but I thought I would enjoy it way more than I did.
I think this book was too ambitious, perhaps it could’ve been better with a smaller scope. Tumbling follows five gymnasts over the two days of Olympic Trials. Switching between the five different perspectives could get confusing at times. Some of the characters weren’t fleshed out that well and started to blend together. I think if there were only 3 POV characters there could’ve been more time to develop the characters more fully.
I also wasn’t a fan of the book fully taking place during the two days of competition. There were some flashbacks to things that happened beforehand, but I just feel like the story could’ve been more impactful following a longer period of time. The years of training for one competition that could make or break your entire career. And how you deal with the aftermath if it went well or if your dreams were totally crushed. All of those are really interesting topics that couldn’t really be explored in just a 2 day span.
The writing was mediocre at best. In a book about gymnastics I want to have descriptions of their skills and routines where I can see it perfectly in my head. This is a great place to use language that evokes movement, grace, and power. But instead a lot of the routines are just explained by a series of skills, like “Standing back tuck. Check. Switch leap. Check. Dance poses. Perfect. Second tumbling run. Awesome.” That’s not interesting to read.
I did appreciate some things this book did. It talked about eating disorders and how dangerous gymnastics can be. Gymnastics not getting the respect it deserves as a sport is brought up. Also, one of the characters is a lesbian and is worrying about how that will impact her career. But even those interesting aspects couldn’t bring this book up for me.
I wasn’t expecting this book to be amazing, but I thought I would enjoy it way more than I did.
March 5, 2021
Este libro se ambienta en las pruebas de selección para el equipo olímpico en gimnasia rítmica de Estados Unidos. Es el equipo juvenil y la historia se va a centrar en Wilhelmina, Camille, Monique, Grace y Leigh.
Es una novela muy, pero que muy dura. Trata temas como la anorexia, la autoexigencia y no poder hacer lo que realmente quieres para no decepcionar a nadie porque claro, posees un talento y no cualquiera puede llegar ahí.
Supone una superación constante. Una novela que nos enseña como es el mundo de la gimnasia realmente.
Me ha gustado muchísimo y os la recomiendo.
Es una novela muy, pero que muy dura. Trata temas como la anorexia, la autoexigencia y no poder hacer lo que realmente quieres para no decepcionar a nadie porque claro, posees un talento y no cualquiera puede llegar ahí.
Supone una superación constante. Una novela que nos enseña como es el mundo de la gimnasia realmente.
Me ha gustado muchísimo y os la recomiendo.
August 30, 2022
Grade: B+
One Word: fun
I enjoyed TUMBLING more the second time around.
TUMBLING follows 5 gymnasts at the 2-day Olympic Gymnastic Trials as they strive to fulfill their goals: Grace, the anorexic coach's daughter, Leigh, the closeted lesbian, Camille, trying to come back after a car accident stole her Olympic dreams four years ago, Wilhelmina trying to make the team by her own rules and newcomer Monica, who is just happy to have made the trials.
The multicultural characters were fairly well developed, with interesting back stories. They showed a range of positive and negative behaviors. Katja was a one-dimensional Marta Karoli character, I almost felt like Caela Carter was trying to send a message or write a social commentary on USA gymnastics. Carter did a great job telling the story from the third person POVs from the five main characters. She used eight events, four each day to break down TUMBLING finishing each round with scores. I was so curious as to who made the team I peeked in the back, something I've never before done. TUMBLING kept my interest, though I did skip over the details of each girl's routine. Gymnast readers will probably enjoy that, but for me I felt the listing of elements in routines slowed down the pace. The ending was a bit too Disneyish for me and fairly predictable.
THEMES: gymnastics, friendship, sports, Olympics, family, pressure, mental health, eating disorders
TUMBLING will appeal to gymnastics fans, particularly during an Olympic year.
One Word: fun
I enjoyed TUMBLING more the second time around.
TUMBLING follows 5 gymnasts at the 2-day Olympic Gymnastic Trials as they strive to fulfill their goals: Grace, the anorexic coach's daughter, Leigh, the closeted lesbian, Camille, trying to come back after a car accident stole her Olympic dreams four years ago, Wilhelmina trying to make the team by her own rules and newcomer Monica, who is just happy to have made the trials.
The multicultural characters were fairly well developed, with interesting back stories. They showed a range of positive and negative behaviors. Katja was a one-dimensional Marta Karoli character, I almost felt like Caela Carter was trying to send a message or write a social commentary on USA gymnastics. Carter did a great job telling the story from the third person POVs from the five main characters. She used eight events, four each day to break down TUMBLING finishing each round with scores. I was so curious as to who made the team I peeked in the back, something I've never before done. TUMBLING kept my interest, though I did skip over the details of each girl's routine. Gymnast readers will probably enjoy that, but for me I felt the listing of elements in routines slowed down the pace. The ending was a bit too Disneyish for me and fairly predictable.
THEMES: gymnastics, friendship, sports, Olympics, family, pressure, mental health, eating disorders
TUMBLING will appeal to gymnastics fans, particularly during an Olympic year.
June 17, 2016
I liked this. It came pretty darn close to my ideal mixture for a "famous people" book. It was realistic without being cynical. These girls work hard, make sacrifices . . . and still love what they do. That's what I want in my celebrity books. I want to read about the good stuff, not just the bad stuff.
But I did want just a touch more idealism at the end.
Also, like The Leaving, there were characters mentioned that I felt like should've had a bigger role in the book. It's an interesting line to think about because probably it's a good thing both books limited POVs. But . . . you can let us get to know more people without giving them POVs . . . I think. I will have to think about this more.
I was also surprisingly okay with this book only covering two days and not seeing how the Olympics turned out!!! Limited timeframe books often don't work for me, but this one did. It was an intense two days and I felt like I got to know all the POV characters very well. And I'm happy making up my own future for them.
But I did want just a touch more idealism at the end.
Also, like The Leaving, there were characters mentioned that I felt like should've had a bigger role in the book. It's an interesting line to think about because probably it's a good thing both books limited POVs. But . . . you can let us get to know more people without giving them POVs . . . I think. I will have to think about this more.
I was also surprisingly okay with this book only covering two days and not seeing how the Olympics turned out!!! Limited timeframe books often don't work for me, but this one did. It was an intense two days and I felt like I got to know all the POV characters very well. And I'm happy making up my own future for them.
March 7, 2016
Loved the way this novel was structured! I don't think I'd have liked it as much if Carter had just written a narrative about one or two girls, and hadn't broken it down by rotations at the Olympic Trials. It really helped to build tension and suspense, and to keep your loyalties rotating with each routine. All 5 girls that had POV sections were sympathetic, but I especially loved Wilhelmina's and Leigh's bits. I was going to go to bed part of the way through "Day 2", but stayed up and finished the book, just because I was jonesing to see who would make it.
About as stress-inducing as the real Olympic Trials!
About as stress-inducing as the real Olympic Trials!
August 1, 2016
Disclosure; Penguin Teen sent me a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. This did not affect my opinions in any way.
Wow. Full review to come.
Wow. Full review to come.
August 14, 2016
4.5 stars
There were 5 POVs so I kept getting confused about who was who. Other than that, I really enjoyed this one. It was a perfect read during the Summer Olympics.
There were 5 POVs so I kept getting confused about who was who. Other than that, I really enjoyed this one. It was a perfect read during the Summer Olympics.
September 6, 2020
I really enjoyed this book - but probably only because I like gymnastics and having no Olympics this year was a huge blow. Having a book that is set solely during the two days of Team USA Olympic Trials sounded intense, but it actually worked rather well since it followed a number of different contenders.
Leigh won the national championships this year over her best friend Grace. She's the favourite to make the Olympic team through the one automatic spot for the top all arounder at trials. She's got a lot on her mind though - like who does she want to be? She's also got a crush on other competitor Camille.
Camille made the Olympic team four years ago only to get in a car crash that ended her dream. She is this year's comeback superstar - but she's not really sure if she even wants to make the Olympics.
Grace is coached by her Dad, who is actually kind of a jerk and a bad coach. She's set on beating her friend Leigh, but her body isn't quite up to it. Grace is suffering with an eating disorder which nobody has really picked up on.
Monica is the other girl coached by Grace's Dad. He mostly ignores her, not thinking she has a real chance this time around. But when things start becoming unpredictable, Monica really has a chance to make her mark.
Wilhelmina was probably my favourite character and I was routing for her throughout. She was four days too young to contend for an Olympic spot four years ago. To make it this time around, she's been taking it slow, just competing vault. But now she's taking on the All-Around but the selection committee are not fans of surprises.
This is a really cool book where we watch the girls interact throughout the course of the 2 days. Yes, they are mean to each other, but each has their own struggles and dilemmas. I really enjoyed how detailed this competition was, even if it was chaotic and unrealistic. Such a great book overall.
Leigh won the national championships this year over her best friend Grace. She's the favourite to make the Olympic team through the one automatic spot for the top all arounder at trials. She's got a lot on her mind though - like who does she want to be? She's also got a crush on other competitor Camille.
Camille made the Olympic team four years ago only to get in a car crash that ended her dream. She is this year's comeback superstar - but she's not really sure if she even wants to make the Olympics.
Grace is coached by her Dad, who is actually kind of a jerk and a bad coach. She's set on beating her friend Leigh, but her body isn't quite up to it. Grace is suffering with an eating disorder which nobody has really picked up on.
Monica is the other girl coached by Grace's Dad. He mostly ignores her, not thinking she has a real chance this time around. But when things start becoming unpredictable, Monica really has a chance to make her mark.
Wilhelmina was probably my favourite character and I was routing for her throughout. She was four days too young to contend for an Olympic spot four years ago. To make it this time around, she's been taking it slow, just competing vault. But now she's taking on the All-Around but the selection committee are not fans of surprises.
This is a really cool book where we watch the girls interact throughout the course of the 2 days. Yes, they are mean to each other, but each has their own struggles and dilemmas. I really enjoyed how detailed this competition was, even if it was chaotic and unrealistic. Such a great book overall.
July 17, 2024
Stumbled upon this one in my search for Olympic themed books. Exactly what I was looking for. Something that was set during the Olympic trials or Olympics. Tumbling primarily takes place during the 48 hours of the gymnastics trials. Set in a world that very much looks like present day USA gymnastics without as much scandal. Also published in 2016 before the BIGGEST scandal. Anyone familiar with gymnastics will know that Olympic trials has undergone scrutiny in how the team is selected, how team camps are run and the focus on the weight/appearance of the gymnasts. Many of these issues are hinted at or are part of this book. No real names of gymnasts are used.
Felt very realistic with correct terminology and obvious knowledge of the issues that have rocked the sport. Focused on a small number of girls in the group vying for the 5 spots on the team. Each girl has different reasons for wanting to be successful, different coping mechanisms and different hardships. The impact of the intensive training on personal life and relationships is a big focus. These girls aren’t the most well balanced and it’s obvious in their interactions with each other and peers. Family life, friendship, normal growing up experience are all impacted. Since gymnastics is really an individual sport even though there is a team medal, these girls are in it for themselves. There were many scenes where one athlete thought another athlete was trying to get in her head/sabotage her. It didn’t really seem like the other athlete was trying to do this. Maybe sometimes that was true. It was more about perception and the focus on individual. Made it hard for each athlete to believe that another one was supporting her. Interesting look into the psychology of the athletes.
Enjoyed this fictional take of the Olympic trials.
Felt very realistic with correct terminology and obvious knowledge of the issues that have rocked the sport. Focused on a small number of girls in the group vying for the 5 spots on the team. Each girl has different reasons for wanting to be successful, different coping mechanisms and different hardships. The impact of the intensive training on personal life and relationships is a big focus. These girls aren’t the most well balanced and it’s obvious in their interactions with each other and peers. Family life, friendship, normal growing up experience are all impacted. Since gymnastics is really an individual sport even though there is a team medal, these girls are in it for themselves. There were many scenes where one athlete thought another athlete was trying to get in her head/sabotage her. It didn’t really seem like the other athlete was trying to do this. Maybe sometimes that was true. It was more about perception and the focus on individual. Made it hard for each athlete to believe that another one was supporting her. Interesting look into the psychology of the athletes.
Enjoyed this fictional take of the Olympic trials.
March 26, 2019
4.5 stars
Something about girls who are passionate and devote their lives to something always gets me. This reminded me a bit of Tiny Pretty Things but a bit less dark and about gymnastics obviously.
We follow 5 girls competing at the U.S. Olympic trials, and it does feature some diversity as one of them is gay and in the closet (Leigh), one is half Asian (Grace), and another is Black (Wilhelmina). I can't speak to the Asian or lesbian representation, but for Wilhelmina something seemed off to me most likely because this isn't own voices (None of the rep is). I don't think it was bad representation at all just something I noticed. For example throughout the story I think it was implied that Wilhelmina was treated unfairly at least partly because she was Black but the story never went *there* likely because the author didn't want to overstep.
I was intrigued by all the unique characters and their stories. I thought they were well written and I really felt for their struggles. I actually don't know a lot about gymnastics so I'm not the person to ask about any errors regarding that. The part of the story that endeared me the most was really the theme of seeing how all of them LOVE gymnastics and struggling with how much they've given up for the sport. I thought how each of the characters described it was realistic and tugged at my heart strings.
Something about girls who are passionate and devote their lives to something always gets me. This reminded me a bit of Tiny Pretty Things but a bit less dark and about gymnastics obviously.
We follow 5 girls competing at the U.S. Olympic trials, and it does feature some diversity as one of them is gay and in the closet (Leigh), one is half Asian (Grace), and another is Black (Wilhelmina). I can't speak to the Asian or lesbian representation, but for Wilhelmina something seemed off to me most likely because this isn't own voices (None of the rep is). I don't think it was bad representation at all just something I noticed. For example throughout the story I think it was implied that Wilhelmina was treated unfairly at least partly because she was Black but the story never went *there* likely because the author didn't want to overstep.
I was intrigued by all the unique characters and their stories. I thought they were well written and I really felt for their struggles. I actually don't know a lot about gymnastics so I'm not the person to ask about any errors regarding that. The part of the story that endeared me the most was really the theme of seeing how all of them LOVE gymnastics and struggling with how much they've given up for the sport. I thought how each of the characters described it was realistic and tugged at my heart strings.
April 8, 2017
Just what I needed-fast paced and intense, with pages that turn themselves and diverse characters with different backgrounds and different personalities.
I loved each of the uniquely drawn characters and how each of them got equal development-so I was able to connect with and feel for all of the characters, especially Leigh, Monica, and Wilhelmina-regardless of how many pages they got. It's quite a feat to balance so many different perspectives, problems, and personalities but Carter certainly manages it.
Tumbling also provides a raw and real look at competitive gymnastics and I love the way the story was told-brutal when it needed to be, but always genuinely. I honestly couldn't stop reading it because I wanted to get to the finish. Honestly, what a rush. Not an incredibly deep book that made me reconsider my life and everyone in it, but it was a good read just the same.
My only wish is that there was a sequel...
I loved each of the uniquely drawn characters and how each of them got equal development-so I was able to connect with and feel for all of the characters, especially Leigh, Monica, and Wilhelmina-regardless of how many pages they got. It's quite a feat to balance so many different perspectives, problems, and personalities but Carter certainly manages it.
Tumbling also provides a raw and real look at competitive gymnastics and I love the way the story was told-brutal when it needed to be, but always genuinely. I honestly couldn't stop reading it because I wanted to get to the finish. Honestly, what a rush. Not an incredibly deep book that made me reconsider my life and everyone in it, but it was a good read just the same.
My only wish is that there was a sequel...
July 5, 2018
This book really did a great job capturing the intensity of elite athletes, while also reminding us how human they are. Tumbling follows five gymnasts during the two days of the Olympic trials. There are ups and downs and lots of revelations.
Carter depicts the drama and inner conflicts, which women competing at this level experience. She shows us the sacrifices they make and the toll the sport takes on their bodies and their relationships. She shows us the glory of the win and the agony of the defeat.
Overall: A compelling look into elite sports, which was quite deep and very emotional.
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Carter depicts the drama and inner conflicts, which women competing at this level experience. She shows us the sacrifices they make and the toll the sport takes on their bodies and their relationships. She shows us the glory of the win and the agony of the defeat.
Overall: A compelling look into elite sports, which was quite deep and very emotional.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
May 19, 2018
Dang, this was one repetitive book!! Every. Single. Rotation. Was the same. Someone was worried about being the best. Or the worst. Then someone falls towards the end of the book and she gets withdrawn from the team and blah blah blah. And are we gonna try again in four years? Who cares?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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