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Playing with Matches
“Recommend this to fans of John Green’s books.” —Booklist
Leon Sanders has a mug that looks like it should be hanging in a post office with the caption WANTED FOR SHOPLIFTING AND CREDIT CARD FRAUD. His new locker neighbor is Melody Hennon—class outcast and certified freak. Everyone at school keeps their distance from Melody because she was burned in a childhood accident. Leon has avoided her too, until the day he takes a chance, tells her a bad joke, and makes her laugh. No one, least of all Leon, could have predicted that Melody would turn out to be a funny, smart, and interesting person, or that he and Melody would become good friends . . . and later, more than friends.
But when junior class hottie Amy Green asks Leon out after he saves her from getting detention, his devotion to Melody hangs in the balance. Leon tries to find a way out of this nasty dilemma without hurting anyone, but soon he realizes—a little too late—that playing with someone’s heart is as dangerous as playing with matches.
A 2009 ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults
Leon Sanders has a mug that looks like it should be hanging in a post office with the caption WANTED FOR SHOPLIFTING AND CREDIT CARD FRAUD. His new locker neighbor is Melody Hennon—class outcast and certified freak. Everyone at school keeps their distance from Melody because she was burned in a childhood accident. Leon has avoided her too, until the day he takes a chance, tells her a bad joke, and makes her laugh. No one, least of all Leon, could have predicted that Melody would turn out to be a funny, smart, and interesting person, or that he and Melody would become good friends . . . and later, more than friends.
But when junior class hottie Amy Green asks Leon out after he saves her from getting detention, his devotion to Melody hangs in the balance. Leon tries to find a way out of this nasty dilemma without hurting anyone, but soon he realizes—a little too late—that playing with someone’s heart is as dangerous as playing with matches.
A 2009 ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
May 16, 2019
"Of course I went over and tried to talk to her anyway. If there was one thing I learned from [my social studies teacher], it was that men seldom followed the sensible course of action. Granted, that usually led to wars and televised debate, but still . . . " -- protagonist Leon Sanders, page 238
Take some of RJ Palacio's wonderful Wonder and stir it with a more lighthearted version of Salinger's angst classic The Catcher in the Rye and I think you have Brian Katcher's debut Playing with Matches.
Leon Sanders is a seventeen year-old high school junior, biding his time until life happens to him in the suburban outskirts of St. Louis, MO. Through first-person narration Leon describes how he is the epitome of an average guy in looks, scholastic / athletic talent, dating success (or lack thereof), etc. In the start of the school year he's thrown a curveball - school lockers are reassigned and he comes to be 'neighbors' with Melody. Melody, a fellow junior, is a loner both by circumstance and by choice - when she was very young her face was scarred in a horrible accident. She has quietly kept her classmates at arm's length, but because of her looks said classmates have done likewise to her.
Leon and Melody naturally (and pleasingly) develop a easygoing friendship based on their similar sense of humor and some common interests. Before long they fall into teenage romance - a first for both - and began dating. It was believable, and I was rooting for them. But of course the story does not end there because we need a wrench thrown into the works, and that wrench is named Amy.
Leon has secretly pined away for bombshell classmate Amy for years. Through some plausible plot developments Amy comes to acknowledge and then actually admire Leon. She expresses interest in him, and Leon decides to discontinue his relationship with Melody to start dating Amy. The 'grass should be greener,' so to speak, but Leon soon wonders if he made a mistake in dismissing Melody. (Ominously, Amy remarks "I could use someone like you right now" to a moony Leon on their date.)
Katcher deftly mixes high school pathos with romantic comedy in this solid debut. The core trio - plus Leon's handful of school friends / acquaintances, as well as his parents - are all well-written characters that seemed quasi-realistic. The author also wisely doesn't shy away from profanity and sexuality (the main characters are teenagers, after all) but yet doesn't go overboard with it, and he maintains the right tone. Since this book is classified as 'Young Adult' the intended readers will no doubt appreciate Katcher being on the level with the norms and mores of American high school life.
I really enjoyed Matches, though it occasionally reminds me of moments from my own hormone- and heartbreak-involved teen years that I'd just as soon like to forget. (Thank goodness for adulthood?) I also want to really thank GR friend Rebecca M for bringing this great novel to my attention.
Take some of RJ Palacio's wonderful Wonder and stir it with a more lighthearted version of Salinger's angst classic The Catcher in the Rye and I think you have Brian Katcher's debut Playing with Matches.
Leon Sanders is a seventeen year-old high school junior, biding his time until life happens to him in the suburban outskirts of St. Louis, MO. Through first-person narration Leon describes how he is the epitome of an average guy in looks, scholastic / athletic talent, dating success (or lack thereof), etc. In the start of the school year he's thrown a curveball - school lockers are reassigned and he comes to be 'neighbors' with Melody. Melody, a fellow junior, is a loner both by circumstance and by choice - when she was very young her face was scarred in a horrible accident. She has quietly kept her classmates at arm's length, but because of her looks said classmates have done likewise to her.
Leon and Melody naturally (and pleasingly) develop a easygoing friendship based on their similar sense of humor and some common interests. Before long they fall into teenage romance - a first for both - and began dating. It was believable, and I was rooting for them. But of course the story does not end there because we need a wrench thrown into the works, and that wrench is named Amy.
Leon has secretly pined away for bombshell classmate Amy for years. Through some plausible plot developments Amy comes to acknowledge and then actually admire Leon. She expresses interest in him, and Leon decides to discontinue his relationship with Melody to start dating Amy. The 'grass should be greener,' so to speak, but Leon soon wonders if he made a mistake in dismissing Melody. (Ominously, Amy remarks "I could use someone like you right now" to a moony Leon on their date.)
Katcher deftly mixes high school pathos with romantic comedy in this solid debut. The core trio - plus Leon's handful of school friends / acquaintances, as well as his parents - are all well-written characters that seemed quasi-realistic. The author also wisely doesn't shy away from profanity and sexuality (the main characters are teenagers, after all) but yet doesn't go overboard with it, and he maintains the right tone. Since this book is classified as 'Young Adult' the intended readers will no doubt appreciate Katcher being on the level with the norms and mores of American high school life.
I really enjoyed Matches, though it occasionally reminds me of moments from my own hormone- and heartbreak-involved teen years that I'd just as soon like to forget. (Thank goodness for adulthood?) I also want to really thank GR friend Rebecca M for bringing this great novel to my attention.
November 29, 2008
Time to be honest here. I only read this book as a favor to a friend who gave me a stack of books to read. I picked this one to read first because it was the one I wanted to read the least. The cover did nothing for me and I dreaded starting it. Imagine my surprise to discover I couldn't put it down.
Leon is a self-professed loser. He was bullied in middle school and has gotten throgh high school by essentially being invisable. But when he has to do a project with the school "freak" - burn victim Melody, he knows attention will come his way. Little did he know it would be romantic attention from the girl no one wants to look at. Leon manages to work through some of his prejudices about Melody, but throws it all away when beautiful Amy starts to notice him.
Yes, the message of "it's what's inside that counts" is a little heavy, but I didn't care for one second. I LOVED the language of this book and found myself reading it outloud to my husband. I thought Leon was totally believable (often thinking with his brain below the waist like a lot of high school guys). I liked him when I was supposed to, wanted to smack him when I was supposed to, but wanted him to be happy in the end. A totally satisfying read.
Leon is a self-professed loser. He was bullied in middle school and has gotten throgh high school by essentially being invisable. But when he has to do a project with the school "freak" - burn victim Melody, he knows attention will come his way. Little did he know it would be romantic attention from the girl no one wants to look at. Leon manages to work through some of his prejudices about Melody, but throws it all away when beautiful Amy starts to notice him.
Yes, the message of "it's what's inside that counts" is a little heavy, but I didn't care for one second. I LOVED the language of this book and found myself reading it outloud to my husband. I thought Leon was totally believable (often thinking with his brain below the waist like a lot of high school guys). I liked him when I was supposed to, wanted to smack him when I was supposed to, but wanted him to be happy in the end. A totally satisfying read.
May 6, 2013
I seriously credit this book with having a huge impact on my life. September 2011. My freshman year of high school. I enjoyed reading, but did VERY little of it. However, I had nothing to do in my study hall, so I go to the library to find a book to read. This one catches my eye based on its cover that I thought was interesting. And so I checked it out, and fell in love. This book made me love reading. I was hooked and could not put this down. Amy mesmerized me. I had never read a book before with a female character so risqué doing drugs and whatnot, and again this was September of my first year of high school so I wasn't exposed to much by this point, and it just enthralled me. Since this book, I constantly have a book to read and cannot go 3 days after finishing one without starting a new book. Everyone should check this novel out. It's really not as romance wishy-washy as you may think it is based on the description.
April 9, 2009
I read this book two years ago - originally I had given it four stars, but now I'm giving it 3.5 and rounding it down to three. I felt like the main character possessed qualities (or a lack of qualities) that made him more relatable to the average teenage male. This didn't make me like him any less, though.
Also, the ending annoyed me. It sort of made the entire book pointless, at least plot-wise. If the author had the intention of utilizing this work as a wake-up call to all the individuals who judge others solely based on appearance, good for him - that's the book's strength - but otherwise, I'm not so sure what Brian Katcher was attempting to accomplish.
Also, the ending annoyed me. It sort of made the entire book pointless, at least plot-wise. If the author had the intention of utilizing this work as a wake-up call to all the individuals who judge others solely based on appearance, good for him - that's the book's strength - but otherwise, I'm not so sure what Brian Katcher was attempting to accomplish.
October 9, 2018
I ended up getting this book at a library discard sale at the public library in my town. In all the twenty books I got costed $2. Which means I bought this book for 10 cents (that is if i did my math correctly, it is currently 3:13 in the morning.) I would have sold my soul for this book. It has a sense of humor, but also a sense of longing for the characters that you don't quite get in every book. This is one of those books that you pick up one day because of its intriguing title and exciting cover and find yourself genuinely changed when you put it down. When you reach those useless blank pages at the end that make you beg for more.
“Playing with Matches,” is now one of my favorite books. The moral of this story is one we've all heard so many times before but this time it's different. We are inside the mind of a teenage boy who wants to fit in and be popular but finds himself falling for a girl who everyone is afraid to talk to. He actually meets her and talks to her. It's great to follow.
Naturally my favorite character of the book is Dan. Even though he’s a basket case he is insightful and even more wise than most of our parents, no matter how old you are. Everyone is kind of like Dan in a way. On of the themes for this book is that Outcasts aren't really outcasts. Dan is looked at like he's insane, when he's really one of the most sane ones in the book. Melody has been an outcast ever since she's started school because she looks different. She's spent her entire life being told she ugly. When in reality she is beautiful inside and out.
These are some of my favorite quotes from the book because why the hell not:
“In my entire life, I had never had a more desperate need to produce fire.” this is one of my favorites because without context it's really confusing but when you have context its really ironic, im one to find irony in every given situation.
“In a way i envied dan, I feared him even more, of course, but at least he was never lonely.” I wish I never have to be alone but I guess I’m never alone I have my thoughts, just like Dan has his.
“She looked like the angel of death in a sweater and jeans. It was strange, but there was beauty in that. Eerie, but not hideous.” Making unordinary things seem ordinary.
“For that moment nothing else mattered.” I long for a moment like this and someday it might just happen.
I have to wake up in exactly 2 hours and 46 minutes so i should probably sleep, but props to you Brian Katcher. I'll be showing this book to all of my friends. After all we are all outcasts maybe they will find this book a appealing as i did.
“Playing with Matches,” is now one of my favorite books. The moral of this story is one we've all heard so many times before but this time it's different. We are inside the mind of a teenage boy who wants to fit in and be popular but finds himself falling for a girl who everyone is afraid to talk to. He actually meets her and talks to her. It's great to follow.
Naturally my favorite character of the book is Dan. Even though he’s a basket case he is insightful and even more wise than most of our parents, no matter how old you are. Everyone is kind of like Dan in a way. On of the themes for this book is that Outcasts aren't really outcasts. Dan is looked at like he's insane, when he's really one of the most sane ones in the book. Melody has been an outcast ever since she's started school because she looks different. She's spent her entire life being told she ugly. When in reality she is beautiful inside and out.
These are some of my favorite quotes from the book because why the hell not:
“In my entire life, I had never had a more desperate need to produce fire.” this is one of my favorites because without context it's really confusing but when you have context its really ironic, im one to find irony in every given situation.
“In a way i envied dan, I feared him even more, of course, but at least he was never lonely.” I wish I never have to be alone but I guess I’m never alone I have my thoughts, just like Dan has his.
“She looked like the angel of death in a sweater and jeans. It was strange, but there was beauty in that. Eerie, but not hideous.” Making unordinary things seem ordinary.
“For that moment nothing else mattered.” I long for a moment like this and someday it might just happen.
I have to wake up in exactly 2 hours and 46 minutes so i should probably sleep, but props to you Brian Katcher. I'll be showing this book to all of my friends. After all we are all outcasts maybe they will find this book a appealing as i did.
August 12, 2008
Katcher, Brian. Playing With Matches, 304 pgs. Random House Children’s Books.; Language~PG-13, Sexual Content~PG-13; Violence~G;
Leon dreams of one day hooking up with the beautiful Amy Green. Unfortunately, Leon is your typical seventeen year old complete with obnoxious cohorts and girls who are friends . . . but not girlfriends. More often than not he is concentrating on her in chemistry instead of the teacher. Then he is paired with Melody for their history project and things start to change for Leon. Melody was involved in a sever accident that left her face badly burned. Teased relentlessly since her accident, Melody is used to people not wanting to be around her. Being forced to work with Melody, Leon discovers they have much in common and their friendship quickly develops into something more. . . until Amy enters the picture. This story maneuvers the reader through the halls of high school life complete with crude language, bawdy humor, and unexpected romance. It is a great story about inward beauty and the consequences that come with choices.
HS. Advisable Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
Leon dreams of one day hooking up with the beautiful Amy Green. Unfortunately, Leon is your typical seventeen year old complete with obnoxious cohorts and girls who are friends . . . but not girlfriends. More often than not he is concentrating on her in chemistry instead of the teacher. Then he is paired with Melody for their history project and things start to change for Leon. Melody was involved in a sever accident that left her face badly burned. Teased relentlessly since her accident, Melody is used to people not wanting to be around her. Being forced to work with Melody, Leon discovers they have much in common and their friendship quickly develops into something more. . . until Amy enters the picture. This story maneuvers the reader through the halls of high school life complete with crude language, bawdy humor, and unexpected romance. It is a great story about inward beauty and the consequences that come with choices.
HS. Advisable Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
February 7, 2011
mr. brian katcher you are officially one of my favorite authors!
it was oh-so-funny. i laughed (quite loudly, i must add) and grinned and smiled a lot throughout the book.
but it was also kind of.. painful. a lot of truths were said in this book. between looks and personality, looks almost always won. that realization was like a rude awakening for me. how many times did we bear with the hot guy/girl we've crushed on forever even if they are boring you out of your minds and you have nothing in common at all?
i found myself hating the protagonist, leon sanders, and loving him. he was like so many teen boys, but unlike many of them too, he did the right thing in the end. three cheers for leon sanders!
all the other characters were so real and believable. some YA books feels like the author was trying too hard to capture the lives of typical highschoolers and i cringe whenever i read those kind of books but "playing with matches" was dead-on accurate. it doesn't feel forced, which i was grateful for.
it was a really good read. funny and heartfelt.. 5 stars is what this book rightly deserves.
it was oh-so-funny. i laughed (quite loudly, i must add) and grinned and smiled a lot throughout the book.
but it was also kind of.. painful. a lot of truths were said in this book. between looks and personality, looks almost always won. that realization was like a rude awakening for me. how many times did we bear with the hot guy/girl we've crushed on forever even if they are boring you out of your minds and you have nothing in common at all?
i found myself hating the protagonist, leon sanders, and loving him. he was like so many teen boys, but unlike many of them too, he did the right thing in the end. three cheers for leon sanders!
all the other characters were so real and believable. some YA books feels like the author was trying too hard to capture the lives of typical highschoolers and i cringe whenever i read those kind of books but "playing with matches" was dead-on accurate. it doesn't feel forced, which i was grateful for.
it was a really good read. funny and heartfelt.. 5 stars is what this book rightly deserves.
January 27, 2013
Oh wow, you could really see into the characters heads, the honesty was brutal and brilliant. When he went to kiss her ear.... my heart broke. Well done Mr Katcher, well done.
July 27, 2019
Unique, funny and relatable
Sure I'll read this book again some day
5*
Sure I'll read this book again some day
5*
September 22, 2026
Katcher beautifully captures the feelings of being a teenager all over again. The awkwardness, the what-ifs, the expectations. It’s a great romance & coming of age story for young adults —- bonus if you lived in the Saint Charles County area of Missouri- there are a lot of Easter eggs! Well done , Brian! Wonderful read.
March 25, 2019
It's been a while since I've read a YA book but this was a good one to break the ice. Was a fast paced read and a love story. Very tender and makes me more companionate.
September 28, 2008
I enjoyed this somewhat cringe-worthy novel of teen romance, angst and whatnot. Leon is a junior in high school and can't seem to get any girls--especially his dream girl, Amy. He's pining away at his locker when he suddenly finds himself sharing locker space as well as project time with Melody, a scarred, childhood burn victim who is even more of an outcast than he is. Strange and wonderful things start to happen. He develops friendly--maybe even more than friendly--feelings for Melody, and (miracle of miracles) Amy suddenly takes a keen interest in him. What's a guy to do? Why he starts "playing with matches" of course. Will he get burned? Read and find out.
June 29, 2014
☆the good☆
leon is hilarious; his friends are on point; melody is such a great person i love her to death; the samantha/amy drag session about feminism; melody telling leon the truth and giving it to him straight; the freakin axlerod movies or w/e; satanic dan; satanic dan suffering through a foreign film w/ buttercup
☆the bad☆
leon thinking he deserves a gf; leon leaving melody for amy; amy as a whole; leon trying to get melody back by embarassing her to death at a movie theatre; leon getting easily riled and being sh!tty to his friends
☆in conclusion☆
★★★☆☆, because leon was a likeable douchebag, the book was funny, and melody won in the end
September 2, 2014
I absolutely loved this book! As a person who's gone through what Melody has gone(kind of: boy has girl, boy sees another girl, boy leaves original girl), this book really touched me. I laughed, I rolled my eyes, I grunted and I smiled at all Leon's moments. I even felt for Amy at some time, and I usually hate whoever "Amy" is in real life(the girl who home wreaks or the girl who's every guys dream). Brian Katcher really puts the mind of a teenage boy in this book! I can't stress enough how good this book was written. Even if it did have it's cliché moments, it lives up to it's interesting cover. I can't really say much other than read it!
October 7, 2014
4.5 stars- I love this author so much! I think hhe's underrated and maybe a little off the beaten path but I feel compelled to find everything he's written and read it. The writing evokes memories of my adolescence- good and bad and I can't read fast enough. Love, love, love!
August 20, 2008
Read for professional review.
October 23, 2023
It is always a good indication when you reach the end of a book wanting to spend a little more time with the characters. Katcher tells the story of the ‘cannot event’ that is navigating romantic relationships in high school. As a woman, the male perspective through main character, Leon, was quite through provoking. Despite their endless foolish mistakes, Katcher tells this story with such brutal honesty that the reader is able to relate and therefore see past the immaturity. It is definitely a light, quick read but worthwhile and well written.
September 21, 2018
Overall, a good read. I really enjoyed the Melody/Leon dynamic and Leon's friends. I didn't always care for the humor. Some of the jokes don't hold up now due to their unpolitically correct nature. And Leon was a little iffy. I get he's a horny teenager, but I found him too sex-obsessed at times.
Still, I liked this book. Read it twice.
Still, I liked this book. Read it twice.
October 5, 2009
Leon Sanders wants to date dream girl Amy Green, but he would settle for dating just about anybody. He has gone through the school systems with a relatively low place on the social food chain, experiencing somewhat decent luck with friends and zero luck with girls.
One day Leon finds that his new locker neighbor is Melody Hennon, the ultimate outcast. A victim on a childhood burn incident, Melody is severely disfigured.
“The flames had eaten away most of Melody’s face and left her with no ears whatsoever. She didn’t have much of a nose either, just the bony ridge over the misshapen nostrils. Her lips still remained puffy, clownlike masses of tissue covering the teeth she never showed the world. She usually wore a scarf around her head, hiding the scant fuzz that poked out here and there—those sad gray eyes under her grafted-on eyelids-did you realize you were looking at a human face. And no one ever looked Melody Hennon in the eyes” (Katcher, 6).
Leon is surprised when he tells Melody one of his jokes (they really aren’t very funny) and she laughs. Soon after Leon and Melody pair up on a class project. The more time Leon spends with Melody the more he likes her, as he looks past her scars into the wonderful, extremely compatible, and even beautiful girl inside. They begin to date and everything is teenage bliss, until the gorgeous Amy Green begins to give Leon the time of day. As Leon is faced with choosing between the ugliest and most beautiful girl in school he provides an in-depth evaluation of what is most important, and what brings true happiness in relationships, and the consequences of making the wrong choice.
This novel is fairly predictable, yet the extreme contrasts are quite provocative, the narration is pleasantly humorous, the presentation of high school life is familiar, and the relevant themes and conflicts make this a great read for teenagers, particularly those concerned with dating and relationships.
Questionable content: The narrator is a seventeen-year-old boy, who tells his story with distinct teenage-boy flair. There are brief references to the use of pornography, instances of sensuality, and of profanity. There are also instances of drug and alcohol use, though Leon is clear in his disapproval of these practices, and expresses this several times.
One day Leon finds that his new locker neighbor is Melody Hennon, the ultimate outcast. A victim on a childhood burn incident, Melody is severely disfigured.
“The flames had eaten away most of Melody’s face and left her with no ears whatsoever. She didn’t have much of a nose either, just the bony ridge over the misshapen nostrils. Her lips still remained puffy, clownlike masses of tissue covering the teeth she never showed the world. She usually wore a scarf around her head, hiding the scant fuzz that poked out here and there—those sad gray eyes under her grafted-on eyelids-did you realize you were looking at a human face. And no one ever looked Melody Hennon in the eyes” (Katcher, 6).
Leon is surprised when he tells Melody one of his jokes (they really aren’t very funny) and she laughs. Soon after Leon and Melody pair up on a class project. The more time Leon spends with Melody the more he likes her, as he looks past her scars into the wonderful, extremely compatible, and even beautiful girl inside. They begin to date and everything is teenage bliss, until the gorgeous Amy Green begins to give Leon the time of day. As Leon is faced with choosing between the ugliest and most beautiful girl in school he provides an in-depth evaluation of what is most important, and what brings true happiness in relationships, and the consequences of making the wrong choice.
This novel is fairly predictable, yet the extreme contrasts are quite provocative, the narration is pleasantly humorous, the presentation of high school life is familiar, and the relevant themes and conflicts make this a great read for teenagers, particularly those concerned with dating and relationships.
Questionable content: The narrator is a seventeen-year-old boy, who tells his story with distinct teenage-boy flair. There are brief references to the use of pornography, instances of sensuality, and of profanity. There are also instances of drug and alcohol use, though Leon is clear in his disapproval of these practices, and expresses this several times.
May 7, 2015
Some people only think that beauty comes from the outside. Do you personally value a pretty face or a charming character? Leon Sanders, a teenage boy, must decide which he values in Playing with Matches. Melody Hennon has a charming personality but is avoided by most people in her high school because of her scars she acquired in a childhood accident involving fire. One day, Leon was paired with Melody for a project, and they became really close because of it. They even start dating. After a few months of dating, Leon is tricked by Amy Green, the pretty face, into seeing her instead of Melody. Melody is crushed by this. Leon begins to struggle with what he wants and what he actually needs. Along the way, he must decide who he chooses; before it's too late, that is. Who does he decide in the end: beauty or beast? Looks or personality? It seems as though you will have to give this book a look and check it out to see.
Sometimes in life, we don't appreciate what we have until it's gone. Leon struggles with this when he first starts seeing Amy instead of Melody. Leon becomes bored at parties with Amy, but he doesn't want others looking down on him for being with Melody. What he fails to realize is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I wanted to read this book because the cover of it sounded really interesting, and it did not disappoint. This book reminds me of my life because I've actually helped some guy friends of mine in a struggle with this. The same kind of theme happened with my friends and actually ended in the same way this book did. On a different note, I can relate to the main character because I too forget sometimes what exactly it is I want. I need to constantly remind myself that my friends and even relationships need to be based off of personalities. You can't have conversations with looks, but you can with character. I think that all teenagers should read this book because it helps us to realize which is more important. And remember, just because someone is what you want doesn't mean that they have what you need.
Sometimes in life, we don't appreciate what we have until it's gone. Leon struggles with this when he first starts seeing Amy instead of Melody. Leon becomes bored at parties with Amy, but he doesn't want others looking down on him for being with Melody. What he fails to realize is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I wanted to read this book because the cover of it sounded really interesting, and it did not disappoint. This book reminds me of my life because I've actually helped some guy friends of mine in a struggle with this. The same kind of theme happened with my friends and actually ended in the same way this book did. On a different note, I can relate to the main character because I too forget sometimes what exactly it is I want. I need to constantly remind myself that my friends and even relationships need to be based off of personalities. You can't have conversations with looks, but you can with character. I think that all teenagers should read this book because it helps us to realize which is more important. And remember, just because someone is what you want doesn't mean that they have what you need.
November 16, 2015
Summary:
Leon Sanders is a young high school student who is very secluded. He seems to be unimportant to his friends and peers, and, in the dating section, very lonely. He seems to drool after a young girl named Amy Green, but who would want to notice a outcast like him? However, there is one girl who seems to capture his attention, and her name is Melody. Heś not very interested in her, but she likes his sense of humor. Due to this, things seems to warm up between them and they start to become closer than just friends.
Rating:
I rated this book four out of five stars because there were some things throughout the story that irritated me. Otherwise, I did enjoy the story and kept wanting to read more til the end.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to any mature high school students of either gender who enjoy realistic fiction and romance novels.
Characterization:
Leon Sanders is a young man who is a junior in high school. Throughout the story he lusts after what seems to be beautiful on the outside, but a monster on the inside. To him, looks are more important than personality. Due to this, he seems to make some bad choices that lead to a horrible ending with no turning back.
Melody is a young teen who is also a junior in high school. She was involved in an accident when she was younger which caused her face to be slightly deformed and leaving her bald. However, she is a very smart, sweet girl and she is very social. Throughout the story she seems to toughen up a bit and take charge.
Amy Green is a beautiful young teen who attends school with Leon and Melody. She seems to only sexualize everything and not act very grateful towards people. She does not change much throughout the story but she does try to change other people.
Setting:
The story is set in a large town at a rather large high school area and at various stores, restaurants, and houses.
Leon Sanders is a young high school student who is very secluded. He seems to be unimportant to his friends and peers, and, in the dating section, very lonely. He seems to drool after a young girl named Amy Green, but who would want to notice a outcast like him? However, there is one girl who seems to capture his attention, and her name is Melody. Heś not very interested in her, but she likes his sense of humor. Due to this, things seems to warm up between them and they start to become closer than just friends.
Rating:
I rated this book four out of five stars because there were some things throughout the story that irritated me. Otherwise, I did enjoy the story and kept wanting to read more til the end.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to any mature high school students of either gender who enjoy realistic fiction and romance novels.
Characterization:
Leon Sanders is a young man who is a junior in high school. Throughout the story he lusts after what seems to be beautiful on the outside, but a monster on the inside. To him, looks are more important than personality. Due to this, he seems to make some bad choices that lead to a horrible ending with no turning back.
Melody is a young teen who is also a junior in high school. She was involved in an accident when she was younger which caused her face to be slightly deformed and leaving her bald. However, she is a very smart, sweet girl and she is very social. Throughout the story she seems to toughen up a bit and take charge.
Amy Green is a beautiful young teen who attends school with Leon and Melody. She seems to only sexualize everything and not act very grateful towards people. She does not change much throughout the story but she does try to change other people.
Setting:
The story is set in a large town at a rather large high school area and at various stores, restaurants, and houses.
June 13, 2010
Playing with Matches is a young man's romantic coming of age story. Leon is a junior in high school hoping for his first serious girlfriend and a one way ticket out of the geekdom he feels mired in. Leon grapples with dating someone with whom he really connects with on many levels but doesn't find very attractive or dating someone really beautiful but flawed and selfish. Leon suffers from his own esteem problems which further complicate matters. Leon's romantic interests are diametric opposites, which stretches credulity a bit, and Leon's angst is more than a bit overwrought. Melody is intelligent, sweet, and generous but disfigured while Amy is model perfect, thin, beautiful, and popular. In the end, you'd like to believe that he has really learned some great insights about life and relationships but they feel forced and superficial. There is some character growth but I am left with the impression that he is likely doomed to repeat the same mistakes, at least for awhile. The Gateway nomination was most likely assured because it was written by a Missouri school librarian and set in Missouri, although Leon spends a lot of time complaining about living in what he considers to be "small town" Missouri, when in fact it is supposedly a St. Louis suburb. I think as I write the review, I like it less and less! I was prepared to like it because in the beginning Leon seems like a character who could grow on you with his foibles and underlying "good guy-ness," but in the end the novel fails to deliver. I am not sure who my readers will be for this novel. Not sure if teen boys will find it relatable and interesting and not sure if teen girls will find it appealing either. Probably too long for most teen boys, too much angst and analysis, and not enough action. Mild language and tame sexual situations make this a novel for more mature readers.
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September 29, 2015I'm having trouble with Playing with Matches. I began it because I need to read and see more representations of people with facial differences. However, I am unable to finish this book because it is a flaming load of toxic garbage that not only perpetuates seeing women as objects but also seeing women with facial differences as a worse form of less than human.
Playing with Matches? Because dating a girl with a facial difference is a tricky game?
I don't care, I did not get far enough to find out the metaphor, this book gave me a headache (Yes, person who survived a burn metaphor, wow).
Leon, the protagonist, is a high school boy who desperately wants to get laid. Every paragraph is filled with at least one whine about how he can't "get a girl horizontal" - a phrase which is actually used in this book. He desires Amy, a cool beautiful girl. She is an object too far away for him to touch.
Leon befriends Melody, a burn survivor, out of pity. As her character is introduced, the descriptions of her face, something Leon finds "hideous" - roll in and do not stop. *And then they start to date! And he finds her lips not that bad! Anyway-- she's got a great butt*
This book should not be recommended to anyone. This is a text that allows young men to be misogynist assholes who believe they are entitled to female affection and bodies. As a lot of us know and a lot more of us are in disbelief of, this train of thought often leads to anger and violence.
I want to read all the depictions of people with facial differences that I can, but I have given up on this book because there is nothing good I can get out of it. Even the critique is tired: another man writing about being a repressed dude.
I'm curious about people who like this book. The protagonist's traits are serious flaws which should not be seen as comical and should not be celebrated.
Playing with Matches? Because dating a girl with a facial difference is a tricky game?
I don't care, I did not get far enough to find out the metaphor, this book gave me a headache (Yes, person who survived a burn metaphor, wow).
Leon, the protagonist, is a high school boy who desperately wants to get laid. Every paragraph is filled with at least one whine about how he can't "get a girl horizontal" - a phrase which is actually used in this book. He desires Amy, a cool beautiful girl. She is an object too far away for him to touch.
Leon befriends Melody, a burn survivor, out of pity. As her character is introduced, the descriptions of her face, something Leon finds "hideous" - roll in and do not stop. *And then they start to date! And he finds her lips not that bad! Anyway-- she's got a great butt*
This book should not be recommended to anyone. This is a text that allows young men to be misogynist assholes who believe they are entitled to female affection and bodies. As a lot of us know and a lot more of us are in disbelief of, this train of thought often leads to anger and violence.
I want to read all the depictions of people with facial differences that I can, but I have given up on this book because there is nothing good I can get out of it. Even the critique is tired: another man writing about being a repressed dude.
I'm curious about people who like this book. The protagonist's traits are serious flaws which should not be seen as comical and should not be celebrated.
January 27, 2018
Katcher, Brian. Playing With Matches, 304 pgs. Random House Children’s Books.; Language~PG-13, Sexual Content~PG-13; Violence~G;
Leon dreams of one day hooking up with the beautiful Amy Green. Unfortunately, Leon is your typical seventeen year old complete with obnoxious cohorts and girls who are friends . . . but not girlfriends. More often than not he is concentrating on her in chemistry instead of the teacher. Then he is paired with Melody for their history project and things start to change for Leon. Melody was involved in a sever accident that left her face badly burned. Teased relentlessly since her accident, Melody is used to people not wanting to be around her. Being forced to work with Melody, Leon discovers they have much in common and their friendship quickly develops into something more. . . until Amy enters the picture.
This story maneuvers the reader through the halls of high school life complete with crude language, bawdy humor, and unexpected romance. It is a great story about inward beauty and the consequences that come with choices.
HS ADVISABLE Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
Leon dreams of one day hooking up with the beautiful Amy Green. Unfortunately, Leon is your typical seventeen year old complete with obnoxious cohorts and girls who are friends . . . but not girlfriends. More often than not he is concentrating on her in chemistry instead of the teacher. Then he is paired with Melody for their history project and things start to change for Leon. Melody was involved in a sever accident that left her face badly burned. Teased relentlessly since her accident, Melody is used to people not wanting to be around her. Being forced to work with Melody, Leon discovers they have much in common and their friendship quickly develops into something more. . . until Amy enters the picture.
This story maneuvers the reader through the halls of high school life complete with crude language, bawdy humor, and unexpected romance. It is a great story about inward beauty and the consequences that come with choices.
HS ADVISABLE Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
September 5, 2011
At first, I really loved Leon. He was an odd teenager, who was lucky enough to have the friends he did. He reached out to Melody despite how she looked and what everyone else thought but he still couldn't help but wonder what people would think of them together. No, that's not really cool but it's true and it's honest. Then along came Amy (boo-hiss! But what's a book without an antagonist, right?) and Leon gave up everything for her. Melody begged for Leon to come back but Leon had to go with the "pretty girl" and quickly learned the grass ain't always greener on the other side. I quickly went from liking Leon for going out there despite what others thought to hating him for hurting Melody. However, I can't say I loved the ending. I'm not sure what I wanted: Leon to end up hurting or them to live happily ever after.
I would give this book a 3/5 stars. Despite the fact that Leon ended up being the typical teenager, it still made you look inside yourself to see if you've ever made those comments/looks at people that are different and it let you know that you should look past the outside to really see what's on the inside.
I would give this book a 3/5 stars. Despite the fact that Leon ended up being the typical teenager, it still made you look inside yourself to see if you've ever made those comments/looks at people that are different and it let you know that you should look past the outside to really see what's on the inside.
October 8, 2009
How important is physical beauty in human relationships, and why? Young adult books and movies often suggest that inner beauty is far more valuable and that the smart hero or heroine will win out, despite not being on the Homecoming court. But the characters in those books - our their adult counterparts - are rarely repulsive, or even ugly.
Playing With Matches is different. The male narrator is the smart slightly nerdy type, probably average looking, certainly self-deprecating. But the object of his very confused affection was severely burned as a child, and has no hair, outer ears or features to speak of, excepting her eyes and mouth. This is not your typical teenage romance, and not your typical YA book. Brian Katcher asks questions about love and beauty without clear answers, with thoughtful ambiguity, and without heavy moralizing. Best of all, it's funny and a pleasure to read.
Playing With Matches is different. The male narrator is the smart slightly nerdy type, probably average looking, certainly self-deprecating. But the object of his very confused affection was severely burned as a child, and has no hair, outer ears or features to speak of, excepting her eyes and mouth. This is not your typical teenage romance, and not your typical YA book. Brian Katcher asks questions about love and beauty without clear answers, with thoughtful ambiguity, and without heavy moralizing. Best of all, it's funny and a pleasure to read.
March 13, 2014
I can't believe I never reviewed this...
Brian Katcher has a unique voice in the YA world and Playing With Matches is a book like none I'd ever read before. To be honest, I didn't expect to like it. That changed by the end of the first page. Really.
I'm not going to recap here, as the author's blurb does a wonderful job of introduction, and I'd hate to spoil this story for anyone. What I will say is this: the dialogue is realistic, the characters are genuine, and the plot moves along at the perfect pace. There are elements within the text that can be difficult to read, but as much as I sometimes cringed at some of the internal thought processes of our MC, I laughed out loud more often than I can count.
When I look back at this story, it is with a fondness and appreciation I will never articulate well enough. Read it.
Brian Katcher has a unique voice in the YA world and Playing With Matches is a book like none I'd ever read before. To be honest, I didn't expect to like it. That changed by the end of the first page. Really.
I'm not going to recap here, as the author's blurb does a wonderful job of introduction, and I'd hate to spoil this story for anyone. What I will say is this: the dialogue is realistic, the characters are genuine, and the plot moves along at the perfect pace. There are elements within the text that can be difficult to read, but as much as I sometimes cringed at some of the internal thought processes of our MC, I laughed out loud more often than I can count.
When I look back at this story, it is with a fondness and appreciation I will never articulate well enough. Read it.
June 5, 2017
This book was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a teen romance and it was a teen romance, but it was also a way to make some sense of what ifs from my high school days and my reunions. My ten year high school reunion was filled with conversations with women who told me that they had crushes on me in high school, but never said a thing as they introduced me to their husbands. I spent most of the night, and more than a bit of time in the years that followed, trying to figure out why. When I read this book and listened to the voices of the various characters I heard those reunion conversations again, but now I heard them from the other side. I understood what I seemed to have and why it looked good from the outside. I may not have liked everything about this book, in fact the ending makes me grumpy, but I like that it gave me that understanding.
October 23, 2011
At first I found the book interesting. I liked the main premise that it is important to look beyond appearances to find a true friend that can appreciate who you are as a person on the inside too. But then the main character still went for the girl who he had a crush on all along. I got so I didn't like him very much and I liked his choice of friends even less. I skipped to the end and was glad I didn't read the whole thing. The girl with the burn scars wasn't all that realistic. It is hard to believe she was taunted by other kids her whole life and never had any friends. Modern medicine being what it is, it was unbelievable that she hadn't had any recent surgeries to improve the way she looked. The fact that she wanted to go to the prom seemed ridiculous as well.
July 17, 2012
Another winner by author Brian Katcher, whose male narrators ring so true. Katcher has dealt with the complexities of relationships as he examines lust and friendship amid dreams and realities. In this book, while lusting over the cheer-leader he's adored since elementary, the main character makes friends with the burn victim who has been the butt of jokes and ignored for years. Of course, just when their relationship amps up, the cheerleader takes an interest at last. There are no stereotypes here. Confusion, hurt, and angst are common ingredients in fiction for teens, just as it is in their real lives. Katcher handles it all expertly, revealing the sad truth that there are no easy solutions.
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