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Cassie Draws the Universe
Cassie Harper is a disillusioned high school senior who is daily losing ground in a battle against her own nihilistic inclinations. When a beautiful new girl from California comes to town and attempts to befriend a reluctant Cassie, the two unlikely companions find common ground in a shared sorrow. Cassie lives with her mother and grandmother in a dilapidated house in a nameless Kansas town, where she is haunted nightly by dreams of a father who died before she was born. Amy Cole has just moved from California, where she recently lost her mother and brother in a car accident. When Amy finally breaks down the walls of Cassie's self imposed solitude, the girls band together to avoid the common end of all high school inexorable assimilation into an increasingly empty and incomprehensible world. But as Amy and Cassie attempt to outrun fate, their pursuit will be cut short by an unexpected adversary, leading Cassie to devise a chilling and unimaginable revenge. Cassie Draws the Universe is a complex and tragic tale of friendship and betrayal, living and dying, human cruelty, and the terrible price of vengeance.
- GenresFictionYoung AdultEbooks
427 pages, Paperback
First published August 23, 2010
17 people are currently reading
666 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 1, 2011
I'm not going to lie, I had a hard time getting through this book. Of the things that bothered me the biggest were:
- The use of the analogy "splayed like a bullfrog awaiting dissection" used within 5 pages of each other, in one instance referring to masturbation and in the other describing a notebook being open. The analogy itself is a strong one, but to use it within such close proximity (neglecting the fact that I think a metaphor as such be used only once) seemed to be an oversight. It may seem minimal, but it really bothered me.
- The dialogue seemed unnatural and forced. Conversations between the characters evolved into many monologues or lectures. The speech seemed written as opposed to spoken, so I had a hard time "hearing" their communications.
The book did get better towards the end of the novel, with some shocking and unexpected turns. However all-in-all, I feel a lot of the themes and teenage angst was heavily exaggerated and hard to relate to.
- The use of the analogy "splayed like a bullfrog awaiting dissection" used within 5 pages of each other, in one instance referring to masturbation and in the other describing a notebook being open. The analogy itself is a strong one, but to use it within such close proximity (neglecting the fact that I think a metaphor as such be used only once) seemed to be an oversight. It may seem minimal, but it really bothered me.
- The dialogue seemed unnatural and forced. Conversations between the characters evolved into many monologues or lectures. The speech seemed written as opposed to spoken, so I had a hard time "hearing" their communications.
The book did get better towards the end of the novel, with some shocking and unexpected turns. However all-in-all, I feel a lot of the themes and teenage angst was heavily exaggerated and hard to relate to.
November 13, 2010
A dark and complex mix of Chuck Palahniuk, Stephen King, Jodi Picoult, and Sylvia Plath, with a touch of Pynchon, and maybe even some Nabokov. It bogged down a bit in the middle, but once the author put her pieces in place, I could not put the book down. This is an intellectually challenging book, full of allusions, allegory, extended metaphor, word-play, etc., but it's also emotionally gripping because the characters are crafted so well.
November 26, 2010
Another First Reads win!
P.S. Baber has created a remarkable work with Cassie Draws the Universe. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Baber's book is a tragedy from which I couldn't turn away. Complex, haunting, disturbing, intellectually challenging and often shocking and dark, this is an intense but well-crafted story with believable characters, multiple layers, myriad allusions and thought-provoking themes. Though I have finished reading the book, my mind is not ready to move on to the next book on my list; I find myself revisiting scenes and passages, formulating more questions, making connections, asking questions about the characters and turning to literature to explore Baber's allusions. This is the most powerful book I've read in a long time.
P.S. Baber has created a remarkable work with Cassie Draws the Universe. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Baber's book is a tragedy from which I couldn't turn away. Complex, haunting, disturbing, intellectually challenging and often shocking and dark, this is an intense but well-crafted story with believable characters, multiple layers, myriad allusions and thought-provoking themes. Though I have finished reading the book, my mind is not ready to move on to the next book on my list; I find myself revisiting scenes and passages, formulating more questions, making connections, asking questions about the characters and turning to literature to explore Baber's allusions. This is the most powerful book I've read in a long time.
January 7, 2011
I won this book on Goodreads First-Reads and I am so glad that I did!
The cover is unusual but very striking. After a few chapters I was totally hooked onto this book and could not bear to put it down. The story was interuging and the relationship between Cassie and Amy was special and the conversations which they shared very unusual and interesting. When Mr Cole was first introduced I really liked him but his huge flaw overtook this side of him and he became so cruel.
I would never have guessed what was going to happen at the end and I was astonished when I read it. I think it was a well thought out book with tons of detail and a great deal of imagination and effort was put into it.
I would reccomend this to anyone over the age of 15.
The cover is unusual but very striking. After a few chapters I was totally hooked onto this book and could not bear to put it down. The story was interuging and the relationship between Cassie and Amy was special and the conversations which they shared very unusual and interesting. When Mr Cole was first introduced I really liked him but his huge flaw overtook this side of him and he became so cruel.
I would never have guessed what was going to happen at the end and I was astonished when I read it. I think it was a well thought out book with tons of detail and a great deal of imagination and effort was put into it.
I would reccomend this to anyone over the age of 15.
December 11, 2011
If there was an option for half stars I may have given Baber 1.5 stars for effort. I think it's always risky to write fiction and this novel proves that Baber's risk was a failure on several levels. Would I be able to have a conversation with her I would ask the following:
1) Who the heck edited your book? If you paid them demand your money back! The editing in this book was horrible. Worse than horrible actually.
2) Were you trying to work every word in the Thesarus into the first 100 or so pages? Reading it felt like Baber was attempting, in an effort to be different, to use descriptives for every word that she could think of that may be considered common. News flash: sometimes those "common" words are the best, otherwise you run the risk of alienating your reader. The overuse of descriptives was only the beginning of this book's downward spiral.
3) So you studied physchology and law? I think you should return to one of those two fields and leave the writing to others. I understand you were a High School English teacher but that doesn't mean you should be writing fiction.
4) Are you mentally sick? This book and the main character, Cassie, are so disturbing that only someone equally as disturbed could come up with it.
5) Did you mean for the reader to be able to relate to Cassie in any way? Nobody is like that. It was entirely unrelateable overall. And disturbing in case you didn't get that message from #4.
6) Did you mean to use the same "word picture" only 4.5 pages apart and to describe two completely different circumstances? See #1.
This was a HORRIBLE read. I can't believe how twisted, disturbing, and just plain bad it was. Outside of what I mention above there were these notebook entries of Cassie's and those added nothing to the overall story - it just proved that Baber should not be writing fiction or she wanted to write two books within one. Not only did I read this nonsense but I actually had to have it transferred in from another library system in order to read it! Hutchinson Library System, Pikes Peak Library System? I apologize for the waste of time and resources I incurred to obtain this book.
1) Who the heck edited your book? If you paid them demand your money back! The editing in this book was horrible. Worse than horrible actually.
2) Were you trying to work every word in the Thesarus into the first 100 or so pages? Reading it felt like Baber was attempting, in an effort to be different, to use descriptives for every word that she could think of that may be considered common. News flash: sometimes those "common" words are the best, otherwise you run the risk of alienating your reader. The overuse of descriptives was only the beginning of this book's downward spiral.
3) So you studied physchology and law? I think you should return to one of those two fields and leave the writing to others. I understand you were a High School English teacher but that doesn't mean you should be writing fiction.
4) Are you mentally sick? This book and the main character, Cassie, are so disturbing that only someone equally as disturbed could come up with it.
5) Did you mean for the reader to be able to relate to Cassie in any way? Nobody is like that. It was entirely unrelateable overall. And disturbing in case you didn't get that message from #4.
6) Did you mean to use the same "word picture" only 4.5 pages apart and to describe two completely different circumstances? See #1.
This was a HORRIBLE read. I can't believe how twisted, disturbing, and just plain bad it was. Outside of what I mention above there were these notebook entries of Cassie's and those added nothing to the overall story - it just proved that Baber should not be writing fiction or she wanted to write two books within one. Not only did I read this nonsense but I actually had to have it transferred in from another library system in order to read it! Hutchinson Library System, Pikes Peak Library System? I apologize for the waste of time and resources I incurred to obtain this book.
December 21, 2010
My first First Reads win!
I have to write a review, right now, five minutes after finishing the book, because it will never let me go otherwise. Even so, it will probably refuse to let me go for a while yet. This book is powerful. This book will stay with you. This book holds onto you, so much so that you don't feel like you're holding onto it, physically. The book is not in your hands. You are in the book's hands.
It is a compelling read. From the very beginning, it promises darkness ahead. There is always the sense of the inevitable doom that will befall the central characters, but you spend so much of the first half of the book trying to ignore that foreboding, desperately hoping that nothing too terrible will happen and that there will be light at the end of the tunnel for these characters, because they all seem so likeable and identifiable in some way or another. I won't say that this book is completely unpredictable, but the twists are brilliant, even if I did see some of them coming.
This book is disturbing and bleak. I have a feeling sleep won't come easily tonight. I will be haunted, by the tragedy of Cassie, in all my dreams. Because that's what it is, at its core. It is a tragedy. It is a story of a teenage girl who suffers too many things, including betrayal. It is, in some ways, an exploration of faith, of belief, of religion, of philosophy. It is a study of civilisation, of mythos, of stories, of memory, of meaning, of literature (especially poetry). Rape, self-harm, and suicide are all discussed and/or described in this book. The theme of death is a relentless one.
This book raises many questions about all of these things. This book raises questions about itself, and truth: how much of Cassie's story can you trust? Or does it not matter whether it's true or false? I don't know much about literary terms, but I'd say this is quite a postmodernist novel. And it is beautifully written, and a terrifyingly unsettling read.
I have to write a review, right now, five minutes after finishing the book, because it will never let me go otherwise. Even so, it will probably refuse to let me go for a while yet. This book is powerful. This book will stay with you. This book holds onto you, so much so that you don't feel like you're holding onto it, physically. The book is not in your hands. You are in the book's hands.
It is a compelling read. From the very beginning, it promises darkness ahead. There is always the sense of the inevitable doom that will befall the central characters, but you spend so much of the first half of the book trying to ignore that foreboding, desperately hoping that nothing too terrible will happen and that there will be light at the end of the tunnel for these characters, because they all seem so likeable and identifiable in some way or another. I won't say that this book is completely unpredictable, but the twists are brilliant, even if I did see some of them coming.
This book is disturbing and bleak. I have a feeling sleep won't come easily tonight. I will be haunted, by the tragedy of Cassie, in all my dreams. Because that's what it is, at its core. It is a tragedy. It is a story of a teenage girl who suffers too many things, including betrayal. It is, in some ways, an exploration of faith, of belief, of religion, of philosophy. It is a study of civilisation, of mythos, of stories, of memory, of meaning, of literature (especially poetry). Rape, self-harm, and suicide are all discussed and/or described in this book. The theme of death is a relentless one.
This book raises many questions about all of these things. This book raises questions about itself, and truth: how much of Cassie's story can you trust? Or does it not matter whether it's true or false? I don't know much about literary terms, but I'd say this is quite a postmodernist novel. And it is beautifully written, and a terrifyingly unsettling read.
February 22, 2011
I think this book, so far, is a lot like stumbling around in a mad man's fun house.
When I bought the ticket (got the book), I'm pretty sure I was smiling ~ excited even.
Then, upon stepping into the fun house, I'm peaking into each mirror and....I'm not sure if I understand what I see. The walls are lopsided, the mirrors are distorted. I'm sure there's a message here, I'm wondering when I finally pop out the end ~ if I'm going to understand the message or simply feel dazed after experiencing someone's insanity.
I've finished it and it's left me dazed but moved. I did like the book, although there were parts that I could have done without ~ it doesn't mean the book would have been better without them.
This isn't a book for everyone (as a matter of fact, there are many I would tell NOT to read the book) but I liked it and think I could even reread it.
When I bought the ticket (got the book), I'm pretty sure I was smiling ~ excited even.
Then, upon stepping into the fun house, I'm peaking into each mirror and....I'm not sure if I understand what I see. The walls are lopsided, the mirrors are distorted. I'm sure there's a message here, I'm wondering when I finally pop out the end ~ if I'm going to understand the message or simply feel dazed after experiencing someone's insanity.
I've finished it and it's left me dazed but moved. I did like the book, although there were parts that I could have done without ~ it doesn't mean the book would have been better without them.
This isn't a book for everyone (as a matter of fact, there are many I would tell NOT to read the book) but I liked it and think I could even reread it.
August 10, 2011
Gritty with a few scattered adult themes, I found this book very interesting and certainly worthy of group discussion. The main character is a brilliant yet struggling female high school senior, a loner, who becomes involved in a friendship triangle as she struggles to cope with her future. The main character, occasionally through illusions of fantasy or exaggeration, deals with many of life's major issues in passing, never quite resolving them. There are occasional questions of continuity, yet they are usually resolved by the reader upon adequate reflection. When the narrative seems to lead to a dead end or predetermined conclusion, the novel turns unexpectedly and opens in another direction. This is the best independent author I've read to date. 4.5 stars. I hope we hear more from him.
February 16, 2013
It was beautifully written and showed great promise at the start. However, after their winter formal, everything just went downhill for the lead character, the story and my interest. It was really dark. Cassie gets raped, almost died, her poem got plagiarized, she found out her real father is still alive and she was accused of cheating thus losing her scholarship and not being able to graduate. It was also weird in some way. I didn't know if it was metaphorical, really happening or Cassie is crazy or maybe this book is really a fantasy novel. Cassie was given a titanium heart and metal legs and arms (you can only read this for about 2-3 chapters then it was never mentioned again), Cassie can suddenly see the future, her grandmother turned into a tree, she cut open her bestfriend. All I can say was "WHAAAAAAT?!?". This was confusing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2010
A very intense and complex book, addressing serious themes. Stylistically, substantively, and philosophically convention-defying. A highly imaginative plot with A LOT of twists that most readers will never see coming. There's a lot going on under the surface here; definitely worthy of multiple reads.
July 1, 2011
This book is brutal. Brutally good. Raw, rich, and unexpected. I wasn't sure what to think going in, having read some of the reviews for it, but from the opening, I was captivated, wanting to know what happened in order to get to the place where the book starts (9 months from now).
This is most definitely not a young adult novel, I never thought it was, but apparently YA has taken over the world so much that some people assume if the main character is a teen, then it must be YA. It was actually refreshing to read an adult novel written about a teenager, and I really enjoyed the philosophical conversations that Cassie has with her new friend Amy, and Amy's father as well.
There are a lot of these conversations. The dialogue is heavy, yet intelligent and while at times it doesn't seem as though it has a point, in the end, I think it all does. This is not light reading, but it's interesting and engaging.
I don't typically read literary fiction, but this book has a dark core to it which really appeals to me. There are lots of subtle hints, and threads of tension and threat running through it. Every now and then I would think I knew what was coming, but I was never right. These moments of relief never alleviated the underlying sense of unease that seems to be inherent in the novel.
And the climax? It will blow you away. It's not easy reading at times, but despite this it seemed entirely fitting. I would never have guessed what was coming, yet when it did, it felt like it evolved naturally from all the things that went before. It was beautiful and desperate and sad and weeks after reading it, I am still thinking about it. Still feeling the impact of it.
I actually think I will read this book again, and I don't often revisit novels. There are so many new ones to read that it seems indulgent to go back and read something twice. This one, I feel like I need to.
If you like a thinkers book, if you like intelligent, dark, literary fiction which doesn't pull punches then you'll probably enjoy this book. But I warn you, it is not for everyone.
This is most definitely not a young adult novel, I never thought it was, but apparently YA has taken over the world so much that some people assume if the main character is a teen, then it must be YA. It was actually refreshing to read an adult novel written about a teenager, and I really enjoyed the philosophical conversations that Cassie has with her new friend Amy, and Amy's father as well.
There are a lot of these conversations. The dialogue is heavy, yet intelligent and while at times it doesn't seem as though it has a point, in the end, I think it all does. This is not light reading, but it's interesting and engaging.
I don't typically read literary fiction, but this book has a dark core to it which really appeals to me. There are lots of subtle hints, and threads of tension and threat running through it. Every now and then I would think I knew what was coming, but I was never right. These moments of relief never alleviated the underlying sense of unease that seems to be inherent in the novel.
And the climax? It will blow you away. It's not easy reading at times, but despite this it seemed entirely fitting. I would never have guessed what was coming, yet when it did, it felt like it evolved naturally from all the things that went before. It was beautiful and desperate and sad and weeks after reading it, I am still thinking about it. Still feeling the impact of it.
I actually think I will read this book again, and I don't often revisit novels. There are so many new ones to read that it seems indulgent to go back and read something twice. This one, I feel like I need to.
If you like a thinkers book, if you like intelligent, dark, literary fiction which doesn't pull punches then you'll probably enjoy this book. But I warn you, it is not for everyone.
March 23, 2012
originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions
*i won this book form member giveaways program*
this is a thought-provoking book and definitely recommended for young adult readers too.
the story is simple yet unique in its own way.the author manages to unfold a wonderful and engaging story from simple teen dramas..the dialogues presented are well-thought and heavy with understanding and deeper meanings..the story is well-written and the characters are outstanding..depicting human nature, especially teen nature that would surely make you realize small things in life that makes all the difference!
**Cassie Draws the Universe is a complex and tragic tale of friendship and betrayal, living and dying, human cruelty, and the terrible price of vengeance.**
Cassie Harper is a disillusioned high school senior who is daily losing ground in a battle against her own nihilistic inclinations. When a beautiful new girl from California comes to town and attempts to befriend a reluctant Cassie, the two unlikely companions find common ground in a shared sorrow.
Cassie lives with her mother and grandmother in a dilapidated house in a nameless Kansas town, where she is haunted nightly by dreams of a father who died before she was born. Amy Cole has just moved from California, where she recently lost her mother and brother in a car accident. When Amy finally breaks down the walls of Cassie's self imposed solitude, the girls band together to avoid the common end of all high school students: inexorable assimilation into an increasingly empty and incomprehensible world. But as Amy and Cassie attempt to outrun fate, their pursuit will be cut short by an unexpected adversary, leading Cassie to devise a chilling and unimaginable revenge.
*i won this book form member giveaways program*
this is a thought-provoking book and definitely recommended for young adult readers too.
the story is simple yet unique in its own way.the author manages to unfold a wonderful and engaging story from simple teen dramas..the dialogues presented are well-thought and heavy with understanding and deeper meanings..the story is well-written and the characters are outstanding..depicting human nature, especially teen nature that would surely make you realize small things in life that makes all the difference!
**Cassie Draws the Universe is a complex and tragic tale of friendship and betrayal, living and dying, human cruelty, and the terrible price of vengeance.**
Cassie Harper is a disillusioned high school senior who is daily losing ground in a battle against her own nihilistic inclinations. When a beautiful new girl from California comes to town and attempts to befriend a reluctant Cassie, the two unlikely companions find common ground in a shared sorrow.
Cassie lives with her mother and grandmother in a dilapidated house in a nameless Kansas town, where she is haunted nightly by dreams of a father who died before she was born. Amy Cole has just moved from California, where she recently lost her mother and brother in a car accident. When Amy finally breaks down the walls of Cassie's self imposed solitude, the girls band together to avoid the common end of all high school students: inexorable assimilation into an increasingly empty and incomprehensible world. But as Amy and Cassie attempt to outrun fate, their pursuit will be cut short by an unexpected adversary, leading Cassie to devise a chilling and unimaginable revenge.
August 10, 2011
I was lucky enough to win this book in a giveaway! :D
It's really hard to shelve because it's not generic at all... wow, what a read, what a crazy, fucked up read! I loved it. I didn't find Cassie very likeable, but she was interesting - I especially enjoyed the parts set in her school, her classes. I really enjoyed her friendship with Amy as well... yes, I admit because they were kind of slashy at times. But it was also just really refreshing to have two high-school girls being friends and being close and talking and not always being distracted by boys! And not just talking about boys either! There were precious few boy mentions between them and I seriously appreciate that.
The god-discussions were not really my cup of tea I must admit. Amy's grandfather was such a brilliant character :D Her father though... wow. I really liked him at the start
I finished this yesterday before work and didn't have time to write anything then. So now the initial thoughts have all gone away, fail :/ but this was lots of wow and weird and incredible. Very gripping, gritty and harsh.
It's really hard to shelve because it's not generic at all... wow, what a read, what a crazy, fucked up read! I loved it. I didn't find Cassie very likeable, but she was interesting - I especially enjoyed the parts set in her school, her classes. I really enjoyed her friendship with Amy as well... yes, I admit because they were kind of slashy at times. But it was also just really refreshing to have two high-school girls being friends and being close and talking and not always being distracted by boys! And not just talking about boys either! There were precious few boy mentions between them and I seriously appreciate that.
The god-discussions were not really my cup of tea I must admit. Amy's grandfather was such a brilliant character :D Her father though... wow. I really liked him at the start
I finished this yesterday before work and didn't have time to write anything then. So now the initial thoughts have all gone away, fail :/ but this was lots of wow and weird and incredible. Very gripping, gritty and harsh.
August 11, 2011
Cassie Draws the Universe is one of the hardest books I have ever read. I don't mean that I didn't like it; in fact, quite the opposite, once I started, I couldn't put it down for very long and finished it in one afternoon. No, by hard I mean it is the kind of book that makes you stop and think - it is dark and gritty and very, very heart-rending. At many places in the story, I had to put it down, get a cup of tea, and try to absorb what I just read. More than once, I thought 'I can't finish this' but every time I had to go back to see where the story was leading. There are twists and turns that take you in directions you don't expect or want to go.
This book is definitely not for everyone and, despite the age of Cassie, the young protagonist (17), it is definitely not YA. There are some very graphic and disturbing scenes of rape, betrayal, and murder but there are also some wonderful scenes of faith, unconditional love, and even a little humour. It is a book about loss of love and identity, about betrayal and vengeance, but, in the end, it is about faith and redemption.
I understand that this is Mr Baber's first novel. If so, what a brilliant debut - I hope it is not his last because I look forward to reading more by him.
This book is definitely not for everyone and, despite the age of Cassie, the young protagonist (17), it is definitely not YA. There are some very graphic and disturbing scenes of rape, betrayal, and murder but there are also some wonderful scenes of faith, unconditional love, and even a little humour. It is a book about loss of love and identity, about betrayal and vengeance, but, in the end, it is about faith and redemption.
I understand that this is Mr Baber's first novel. If so, what a brilliant debut - I hope it is not his last because I look forward to reading more by him.
June 29, 2013
UGHAHFKAJDNFE! fuuuuuuuu&%
i just wrote a friggin long ass review for this book which i finally finished but i accidentally removed it from my books instead of changing shelves. so mad right now i want to cry :(.
just no.
i won this as a goodreads first reads giveaway so i have to review it.
i can't really summarize everything i had in my review but for now i'll just say i thought it was awful. then it got better.
maybe someday i'll rewrite my review :(
i really didn't like cassie as a person. felt no sympathy for her. also the writing was pedantic and frustrating. it took a long time to get the plot moving. The prologue was really interesting and promising but the majority of the book was...just not for me. there was too much from cassie's notebook. i think that if i liked her even a little bit I'd have enjoyed those parts more instead of just rolling my eyes at each one. I will say that the story took a turn I wasn't expecting which is why I didn't end up hating it. The last portion moved faster and was more entertaining but I can't say it was worth it having to get through the rest of the book first.
i just wrote a friggin long ass review for this book which i finally finished but i accidentally removed it from my books instead of changing shelves. so mad right now i want to cry :(.
just no.
i won this as a goodreads first reads giveaway so i have to review it.
i can't really summarize everything i had in my review but for now i'll just say i thought it was awful. then it got better.
maybe someday i'll rewrite my review :(
i really didn't like cassie as a person. felt no sympathy for her. also the writing was pedantic and frustrating. it took a long time to get the plot moving. The prologue was really interesting and promising but the majority of the book was...just not for me. there was too much from cassie's notebook. i think that if i liked her even a little bit I'd have enjoyed those parts more instead of just rolling my eyes at each one. I will say that the story took a turn I wasn't expecting which is why I didn't end up hating it. The last portion moved faster and was more entertaining but I can't say it was worth it having to get through the rest of the book first.
August 1, 2011
This is the kind of book I like to read. To say it is interesting doesn't do it justice. Interesting is too dull, and too much of an overused word to describe this book. I could say it is unique, or one of a kind, but yet again, I feel like those words aren't quite right in describing this book because of how much those words can be thrown around. This book lived and breathed. It was born and it died. Nothing was written by accident. I believe there was a lot of thought put into this book.
It took a path that I wasn't quite expecting. The well read avid writer Cassie Harper is an outcast of above average intelligence living in a small Kansas town. In comes a new English teacher with his beautiful daughter Amy Cole, the light of his life. Both Mr. Cole and Amy become a part of Cassie's life, forming unlikely friendships that send waves through her universe.
I entered the giveaway for this book, but didn't win. However, the author was awesome enough to offer an e-book copy as a consolation prize! So thanks to P.S. Baber for the good read!
It took a path that I wasn't quite expecting. The well read avid writer Cassie Harper is an outcast of above average intelligence living in a small Kansas town. In comes a new English teacher with his beautiful daughter Amy Cole, the light of his life. Both Mr. Cole and Amy become a part of Cassie's life, forming unlikely friendships that send waves through her universe.
I entered the giveaway for this book, but didn't win. However, the author was awesome enough to offer an e-book copy as a consolation prize! So thanks to P.S. Baber for the good read!
December 9, 2010
I'm very pleased to learn that I've won a copy of Cassie Draws the Universe.
I wanted to win this one, especially after reading some reviews here at Goodreads!
P.S. Baber shipped my copy quickly and I started reading it this morning.
Absorbing and completely unpredictable!
I loved it, not only because of how well it was written, but because I honestly didn't see the end coming. One thing I enjoy most about a good book is not being able to figure out early on how it will play out.
I also enjoyed the philosophical conversations between Cassie and Amy, the two main characters.
I could sense tension between the two -- not that unsual when friendships between two completely differnt people are developing -- but did not expect the turn of events.
P.S. Baber delivers a thought-provoking story.
Highly recommend!
I wanted to win this one, especially after reading some reviews here at Goodreads!
P.S. Baber shipped my copy quickly and I started reading it this morning.
Absorbing and completely unpredictable!
I loved it, not only because of how well it was written, but because I honestly didn't see the end coming. One thing I enjoy most about a good book is not being able to figure out early on how it will play out.
I also enjoyed the philosophical conversations between Cassie and Amy, the two main characters.
I could sense tension between the two -- not that unsual when friendships between two completely differnt people are developing -- but did not expect the turn of events.
P.S. Baber delivers a thought-provoking story.
Highly recommend!
June 15, 2011
ebook.
i had to think about this book for a while before i reviewed it. i loved it...it's lingered in my mind since i finished the last few words.
it starts off a simple story of an angst filled teenager who is pretty much friendless, a loner, a writer....and that part of the novel alone is awesome. i was devouring the story of cassie...i loved her stories and poetry....i loved the way she viewed the world she lived in.
then the second and third parts of the book happened. and my world was turned upside down. i was shocked at where this book went.
the writing style is incredibly complex and clever...full of allusions and metaphors...it had almost a mystical quality to it. the characters are drawn beautifully...the story unfolds so perfectly and surprisingly.
i agree with other reviewers that this book may not be for everyone..but it surely was for me.
i had to think about this book for a while before i reviewed it. i loved it...it's lingered in my mind since i finished the last few words.
it starts off a simple story of an angst filled teenager who is pretty much friendless, a loner, a writer....and that part of the novel alone is awesome. i was devouring the story of cassie...i loved her stories and poetry....i loved the way she viewed the world she lived in.
then the second and third parts of the book happened. and my world was turned upside down. i was shocked at where this book went.
the writing style is incredibly complex and clever...full of allusions and metaphors...it had almost a mystical quality to it. the characters are drawn beautifully...the story unfolds so perfectly and surprisingly.
i agree with other reviewers that this book may not be for everyone..but it surely was for me.
March 28, 2019
This book takes place in Kansas, my home state, and immediately paints an extremely bleak and depressing picture of the landscape and the people, so we didn't get off to a very friendly start. However the more I read the better I felt about the story. Cassie, the main character, is an intelligent and thoughtful girl at an emotional cross roads, and I became rather invested in her story. I really enjoyed the excerpts from her notebook, and the poetry was beautiful. The writing was well done and even a bit poetic itself, if a little unpolished at times. As I approached the end of the book, however, I noticed an uncomfortable trend, and the author deals you a terrible blow, which seemed entirely inappropriate to me. I really felt betrayed by that ending, and I don't mind saying I was a bit miffed. emnoir.wordpress.com
May 6, 2013
This book definitely has its flaws but I liked that it was very raw. It gives you a little bit of philosophy: nihilism vs. the absolute while at the same time it juxtaposes harsh everyday realities and the more prototypical good vs. evil paradigms with Cassie's created safe space. On the whole, it was a quick and easy to read although much of the subject matter was emotionally troublesome.
Baber does an excellent job of provoking the reader to evaluate specific thoughts and questions. Cassie's quips are kept me chuckling while her some of her experiences made me cringe. This book is not necessarily meant for the everyday audience, but I give it a thumbs up.
Baber does an excellent job of provoking the reader to evaluate specific thoughts and questions. Cassie's quips are kept me chuckling while her some of her experiences made me cringe. This book is not necessarily meant for the everyday audience, but I give it a thumbs up.
December 24, 2012
I just don't know where to begin... Great writing, beautiful writing but such a dark, dark, dark story that I wouldn't recommend it to someone without the warning of: nothing good happens to the girl that so deserves something good to happen. This story will darken your soul. Baber reminds me of Wallie Lamb. Jeez! Poor Cassie. She is so witty, so amazingly smart, you can't wait for her to get an opportunity to thrive, but all the opportunities that she could have are all ripped away from her and then some. Supposedly a young adult read, but I will not be putting this one on my shelf at school. I am in desperate need for a laugh out loud funny book now...
March 18, 2013
I thought that this such an amazing book, that it inspires me to write something just as good!!! At first it was a little "iffy", but the farther I got, the better it seemed to get. I hope I will be able to read another book from First Reads soon. I'm sure I will be able to read it twice as fast. Thank you!! It starts out with such an unusual character that keeps to herself and let's everyone no that she is to be left alone. But then it suddenly changes when a new girl comes. I just love it when the new girl takes her notebook/journal and the room goes silent. It was great.
July 30, 2011
I took a day before I wrote this review to see if thinking it over would give me more prospective on it. That didn't help. This book definitely isn't for YA it is an adult book and it is dark. I enjoyed reading it but it is written in a way to keep one guessing as to exactly what Cassie is. Is she mentally ill or something else? Maybe psychic or so smart that she can't handle life in a normal way. I would recommend this to other adults that enjoy a book that you have to make your own assumptions. Kudos to the writer P.S. you have made me think.
February 6, 2013
This title was a Goodreads - Firstreads win.
As a mother of three teenagers, I was a little hesitant to begin this book. I was worried I would experience teenage whining and petty drama overload. None of that happened. In fact, I found "Cassie Draws the Universe" to be refreshingly intellectual. Completely not what I was expecting. Loved the IRONY!!
I would mention that although the main characters are teenagers, this is a very adult title. The themes and language are quite mature and may not be appropriate for teenage audiences.
As a mother of three teenagers, I was a little hesitant to begin this book. I was worried I would experience teenage whining and petty drama overload. None of that happened. In fact, I found "Cassie Draws the Universe" to be refreshingly intellectual. Completely not what I was expecting. Loved the IRONY!!
I would mention that although the main characters are teenagers, this is a very adult title. The themes and language are quite mature and may not be appropriate for teenage audiences.
December 20, 2010
I won this in a First Reads giveaway!! Am really excited to read this!
Stayed up late to power read then woke up early to finish it.
Wow!!! I don' t know how to feel about Cassie. On one hand, I feel bad for her, on the other I feel somewhat repulsed by her. Repulsed may be too strong a word. More distrustful, maybe. Issues!!! I don't want to say too much without giving anything away. Great book!!
Stayed up late to power read then woke up early to finish it.
Wow!!! I don' t know how to feel about Cassie. On one hand, I feel bad for her, on the other I feel somewhat repulsed by her. Repulsed may be too strong a word. More distrustful, maybe. Issues!!! I don't want to say too much without giving anything away. Great book!!
March 11, 2013
I am really confused about this book - it was horrific but necessary. I have to think a while longer to really digest its message and the impact it has on me. The whole premise is so real but the outcome is like a bad fairy tale. I watched this movie this weekend called Lovely Molly and it was awful and violent and painful but I had to see how it ended. Cassie Draws the Universe is like that too. I want to forget it but I know it will stay with me for longer than it should.
September 25, 2011
I thought the beginning of this book developed nicely, and the prologue set the stage and set me on edge for the rest of the book. Though I was expecting a turn based on the prologue & metalogue, the turn was ultimately so drastic and so untenable that I found the latter half wanting a bit. So much happened that it just suddenly became unbelievable, and I quickly lost the connection to the story.
February 8, 2011
This was an odd book. I'm really not sure what I think about it. It was definitely a complex and sad story. Unfortunately, I think that there may actually be people out there who have had similar feelings and experiences. Very, very sad.
December 26, 2010
My mind can't settle on just one thing to say about this book. It deserves multiple reads to truly see the grasp everything it offers. Like others have said, this book will stick with you in a haunting kind of way.
January 5, 2011
Totally suggest this book as a read! I did not want to put it down from the beginning. Trying to figure out how the mind of Cassie works keeps you going to the end. She is an amazing character and quite complex.
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