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It's a Wonderful Life
Dutch almost-eighteen-year-old Anna is not allowed to go on a Spanish beach vacation with her friends. Instead her parents send her to small town in America to spend the summer with her uncle. To pass the time, Anna starts working in an antique shop where she befriends different kinds of people ranging from the local undertaker--a boy her age--to an elderly Jewish couple. Anna could never have imagined that what she thought would be the dullest holiday ever would turn out to be a time where she discovers what life is about.
- GenresYoung AdultContemporary
241 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 1, 2011
I saw this on netgalley and the blurb got my attention because I love classic movies. First: the movie quotes in the books are not just from classic movies.. but from more recent stuff too. The movie quotes come from Wizard of Oz, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Home Alone, The Heiress (I recognized this one!!), Frankenstein, and more. Actually, most of the quotes were from 80s and up. I was a bit bummed about that. And the movie quotes.. well, they don't really tie in to the story. BUT...
It's a good read. It's about this Holland chick who travels to small town Pennsylvania for her summer vacation rather than go with her parents to a nudie colony. She gets a job in a vintage store (where she proceeds to make up cool stories and insinuations about the products being from movie stars), starts a tea corner, meets a young undertaker, and in one month in America learns about a lot of different cultures and...
to read full review, please click on the link and follow it to the blog post.
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2011/...
It's a good read. It's about this Holland chick who travels to small town Pennsylvania for her summer vacation rather than go with her parents to a nudie colony. She gets a job in a vintage store (where she proceeds to make up cool stories and insinuations about the products being from movie stars), starts a tea corner, meets a young undertaker, and in one month in America learns about a lot of different cultures and...
to read full review, please click on the link and follow it to the blog post.
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2011/...
August 19, 2012
My Thoughts
This was cute. Anna meets some colorful characters and has some poignant moments during her five week stay in Bakerton. She is a movie buff, so she has quite a collection of movie quotes that she tosses out during conversations which most of the townspeople find quite amusing.
There were some very good parts of this story, and some not so good. It seemed a bit choppy and I’m not sure if it was the writing style or the translation to English. Some of Anna’s conversations with the locals were a bit overdone and lengthy. So - it was good enough to finish but I’m glad it was only 188 pages.
Thank you to Lemniscaat USA and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
This was cute. Anna meets some colorful characters and has some poignant moments during her five week stay in Bakerton. She is a movie buff, so she has quite a collection of movie quotes that she tosses out during conversations which most of the townspeople find quite amusing.
There were some very good parts of this story, and some not so good. It seemed a bit choppy and I’m not sure if it was the writing style or the translation to English. Some of Anna’s conversations with the locals were a bit overdone and lengthy. So - it was good enough to finish but I’m glad it was only 188 pages.
Thank you to Lemniscaat USA and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
December 7, 2011
3.5/5
Dutch almost-eighteen-year-old Anna is not allowed to go on a Spanish beach vacation with her friends. Instead her parents send her to small town America to spend the summer with her uncle. To pass the time, Anna starts working in an antique shop where she befriends different kinds of people ranging from the local undertaker--a boy her age--to an elderly Jewish couple. Anna could never have imagined that what she thought would be the dullest holiday ever would turn out to be a time where she discovers what life is about.
The first thing I love about this book is : Thank God Anna is not a whiny brat.
Most characters I've came across in books like this tend to have an awful lot of complains when they were forced to spend their summer in-the-middle-of-nowhere (Quote : Courage the Cowardly dog), thus, I am very pleased to find that Anna was a mature teenager and calmly accepted her 'impending' fate.
I had a great time reading A Wonderful Life, and I dare to say that it is one of it's kind. I love how the story was narrated, short and simply, fun and witty, and absolutely no roll-your-eyes drama. During Anna's stay in Bakerton, she met different kind of 'exotic' people, ranging from a funeral director, a big guy who works in a bakery and an ancient grave digger! But these people doesn't scare her off, instead, she was intrigued by their story and soon, she was smitten by the small town magic. Living in a close knit community definitely has its benefits.
I've read books which quoted lines from movies, but not one which actually compiled quotes from movies! Anna was a movie buff so it seems fair that she quoted lines from classic and non-classic movies in her conversations, that should have annoyed me but oddly I was captured by her words, that was what made the book even more special! Therefore the author deserved to be rewarded with an extra point for the effort!
(Note: The quotes were taken from movies dated back to 1931 up until the most recent, 2007. So don't be surprised to find quotes ranging from Frankenstein, to Casablanca and Pirates of the Carribean...)
Favourite quote:
Another aspect I came to like is the variety of personalities in the characters. Like I said, 'exotic'. In A Wonderful Life, you'll meet an 18 year old Funeral Director Daniel who thinks 'directiing a funeral' is an art worth respecting, an ancient grave digger who still digs graves and is mighty fine, Tilly, a Jewish old woman with a young heart and also Ben, a big guy who could be so very gentle. One sentence, not your everyday people.
Overall, it has a good plot with a good moral value. It was a story of how a summer in Bakerton changed the life of a teenager who's searching for her true identity (gosh I love these books!) and encountered a series of life-changing experiences, by meeting the small town residence of Bakerton.
Though I love the resolution of the story, however I was a teeny bit disappointed by the writing. Oh not in sense of grammatical mistakes, but I thought that the last few chapters should be elaborated. It ended perfectly, but there was just something lacking, I was left with questions unaswered, perhaps it was forgotten? Still, end result = love it!
Reviewed by
Natasha Anne (Natshane)
Dreamland Teenage Fantasy
Dutch almost-eighteen-year-old Anna is not allowed to go on a Spanish beach vacation with her friends. Instead her parents send her to small town America to spend the summer with her uncle. To pass the time, Anna starts working in an antique shop where she befriends different kinds of people ranging from the local undertaker--a boy her age--to an elderly Jewish couple. Anna could never have imagined that what she thought would be the dullest holiday ever would turn out to be a time where she discovers what life is about.
The first thing I love about this book is : Thank God Anna is not a whiny brat.
Most characters I've came across in books like this tend to have an awful lot of complains when they were forced to spend their summer in-the-middle-of-nowhere (Quote : Courage the Cowardly dog), thus, I am very pleased to find that Anna was a mature teenager and calmly accepted her 'impending' fate.
I had a great time reading A Wonderful Life, and I dare to say that it is one of it's kind. I love how the story was narrated, short and simply, fun and witty, and absolutely no roll-your-eyes drama. During Anna's stay in Bakerton, she met different kind of 'exotic' people, ranging from a funeral director, a big guy who works in a bakery and an ancient grave digger! But these people doesn't scare her off, instead, she was intrigued by their story and soon, she was smitten by the small town magic. Living in a close knit community definitely has its benefits.
I've read books which quoted lines from movies, but not one which actually compiled quotes from movies! Anna was a movie buff so it seems fair that she quoted lines from classic and non-classic movies in her conversations, that should have annoyed me but oddly I was captured by her words, that was what made the book even more special! Therefore the author deserved to be rewarded with an extra point for the effort!
(Note: The quotes were taken from movies dated back to 1931 up until the most recent, 2007. So don't be surprised to find quotes ranging from Frankenstein, to Casablanca and Pirates of the Carribean...)
Favourite quote:
Another aspect I came to like is the variety of personalities in the characters. Like I said, 'exotic'. In A Wonderful Life, you'll meet an 18 year old Funeral Director Daniel who thinks 'directiing a funeral' is an art worth respecting, an ancient grave digger who still digs graves and is mighty fine, Tilly, a Jewish old woman with a young heart and also Ben, a big guy who could be so very gentle. One sentence, not your everyday people.
Overall, it has a good plot with a good moral value. It was a story of how a summer in Bakerton changed the life of a teenager who's searching for her true identity (gosh I love these books!) and encountered a series of life-changing experiences, by meeting the small town residence of Bakerton.
Though I love the resolution of the story, however I was a teeny bit disappointed by the writing. Oh not in sense of grammatical mistakes, but I thought that the last few chapters should be elaborated. It ended perfectly, but there was just something lacking, I was left with questions unaswered, perhaps it was forgotten? Still, end result = love it!
Reviewed by
Natasha Anne (Natshane)
Dreamland Teenage Fantasy
May 28, 2012
The story of a Dutch girl who goes abroad to America for a month, but instead of being in the big smoke of NYC she ends up in tiny Bakerton where everyone knows everybody else and she ends up with a summer job in a sort of bric-a-brac store.
Interesting, but just not as good as I was hoping for. One of the problems was the translation, which seemed to be a rather poor job at times - wonky sentences, missing words and grammatical errors all over the place! (Also several instances of 'en' instead of 'and' slipping through the cracks XD) Also the text messages were almost impossible to understand most of the time. Anna herself once complains how her friend overuses text-speak and makes her texts incomprehensible... so the reader is forced to suffer through that as well?! Ugh. There was one case where even after Anna's reply I still couldn't tell what her friend's text had been :/
Another problem was that my first impression of Anna was that she was not really someone I cared for too much. I wanted to love her, but at first I didn't even like her! She immediately struck me as the slutty, drinking-to-get-drunk kind of teenager and I'm just not interested. At least she was forced to be 'dry' in America ;)
The action seemed to jump around a bit as well, and skip over things too fast - for instance when she is picked up at the airport, she's told she's going to get a tour of NYC before heading to Bakerton, but then we never see any of that, nor do we get to read about it later.
As a classic film fan, I really enjoyed recognising a lot of Anna's quotes, but as the book went on she started to feel extremely robotic. I'd just started to warm to her too, but then that really made me cool off. Instead of just answering a question, she'd so often come out with a movie quote and it just started to get really bizarre and cold, like she was a machine and not a real person.
The whole being-an-undertaker-is-awesome storyline was strange. Very unique and quirky, can't fault it there. But still, strange. The adoption storyline felt a little redundant. And the group of people with their moon landing "conspiracy" really made me go WHOA when they casually dropped in that September 11 was another fake. Wow, no, you don't go there! Not even in one little throwaway comment that is never elaborated on.
I liked Anna's wild stories she made up to sell stuff in the store. I liked the idea of her tea corner. The small town and its characters were fun and I loved that there was no romance whatsoever, a nice change. But overall, this just wasn't as great as it could have been. It's not long, but it took me over a week to slog through it because I was just never dying to continue, to see what happened next.
Interesting, but just not as good as I was hoping for. One of the problems was the translation, which seemed to be a rather poor job at times - wonky sentences, missing words and grammatical errors all over the place! (Also several instances of 'en' instead of 'and' slipping through the cracks XD) Also the text messages were almost impossible to understand most of the time. Anna herself once complains how her friend overuses text-speak and makes her texts incomprehensible... so the reader is forced to suffer through that as well?! Ugh. There was one case where even after Anna's reply I still couldn't tell what her friend's text had been :/
Another problem was that my first impression of Anna was that she was not really someone I cared for too much. I wanted to love her, but at first I didn't even like her! She immediately struck me as the slutty, drinking-to-get-drunk kind of teenager and I'm just not interested. At least she was forced to be 'dry' in America ;)
The action seemed to jump around a bit as well, and skip over things too fast - for instance when she is picked up at the airport, she's told she's going to get a tour of NYC before heading to Bakerton, but then we never see any of that, nor do we get to read about it later.
As a classic film fan, I really enjoyed recognising a lot of Anna's quotes, but as the book went on she started to feel extremely robotic. I'd just started to warm to her too, but then that really made me cool off. Instead of just answering a question, she'd so often come out with a movie quote and it just started to get really bizarre and cold, like she was a machine and not a real person.
The whole being-an-undertaker-is-awesome storyline was strange. Very unique and quirky, can't fault it there. But still, strange. The adoption storyline felt a little redundant. And the group of people with their moon landing "conspiracy" really made me go WHOA when they casually dropped in that September 11 was another fake. Wow, no, you don't go there! Not even in one little throwaway comment that is never elaborated on.
I liked Anna's wild stories she made up to sell stuff in the store. I liked the idea of her tea corner. The small town and its characters were fun and I loved that there was no romance whatsoever, a nice change. But overall, this just wasn't as great as it could have been. It's not long, but it took me over a week to slog through it because I was just never dying to continue, to see what happened next.
August 13, 2016
This translation starts off with a self absorbed teenager who would much prefer to live in a movie rather than real life. As scenes unfold in her own life, she re-imagines them in her head to how they SHOULD be if they were a movie and, of course, the movie version is always better. The story line bounces back and forth from current to how she ended up on a plane to America and unfortunately, the transitions are terrible. One paragraph you are on the plane, the next you are days beforehand. It makes it exceptionally difficult to follow and would be almost impossible for reluctant readers. The translation causes some word issues - sentences that don't flow or word choices that American youth will have difficulty defining in their own terms.
As the story progresses, movie quotes are sprinkled throughout the book but are more Anna's inner monologue than having any relation to the plot itself. It comes off almost gimmicky and most YA readers will quickly see through that. The book is exceptionally wordy (compounded with her inner thoughts). Introductions to her American "family" for example take over 7 pages. As characters are introduced later in the book, this trend still continues. The book attempts to give a portrayal of Americans from an outsiders perspective but the problem is that the author is an outsider...which means, a lot of things are gotten wrong. While it didn't bother me so much, it will bother teens. Assuming anything about teens is the way to get on their bad side and this book makes assumptions throughout the tale. Like the quotes, the entrance of quirky friends comes off gimmicky rather than genuine.
Obviously, this book just wasn't for me and I've found it difficult to try and place what audience it might appeal to. Reluctant readers wouldn't sit for the wordy descriptions and slow pace, average teens would find many parts condescending and adults who enjoy YA lit would likely find the gimmicks too annoying or cliche. I think, perhaps, that the only ones this may appeal to are those not from America (so they can chose to believe what view they want about American teens) and perhaps there isn't any mass market appeal on this side of the pond. Unfortunate really because while I can't recommend the book, the author does have a story and defined voice that could be cleaned up, tightened and appeal to a more varied audience.
ARC Galley Proof
As the story progresses, movie quotes are sprinkled throughout the book but are more Anna's inner monologue than having any relation to the plot itself. It comes off almost gimmicky and most YA readers will quickly see through that. The book is exceptionally wordy (compounded with her inner thoughts). Introductions to her American "family" for example take over 7 pages. As characters are introduced later in the book, this trend still continues. The book attempts to give a portrayal of Americans from an outsiders perspective but the problem is that the author is an outsider...which means, a lot of things are gotten wrong. While it didn't bother me so much, it will bother teens. Assuming anything about teens is the way to get on their bad side and this book makes assumptions throughout the tale. Like the quotes, the entrance of quirky friends comes off gimmicky rather than genuine.
Obviously, this book just wasn't for me and I've found it difficult to try and place what audience it might appeal to. Reluctant readers wouldn't sit for the wordy descriptions and slow pace, average teens would find many parts condescending and adults who enjoy YA lit would likely find the gimmicks too annoying or cliche. I think, perhaps, that the only ones this may appeal to are those not from America (so they can chose to believe what view they want about American teens) and perhaps there isn't any mass market appeal on this side of the pond. Unfortunate really because while I can't recommend the book, the author does have a story and defined voice that could be cleaned up, tightened and appeal to a more varied audience.
ARC Galley Proof
October 5, 2011
*the actual rating may be a bit lower than five stars*
Mild spoilers ahead!
I don't even know where to begin telling you how much I liked this book. I love pop-culture references in books and this one sounded great with all the movie quoting. It was not exactly what I imagined it would be, and the movies are not so much in the focus of the story. A great book, nonetheless.
Anna is a "cinephile" who sometimes responds to people using quotes from movies. Cute and interesting as it was in the novel, if someone did this to me in real life, I imagine it would get annoying. Anna almost gets in trouble for it, so I'm obviously not the only one who thinks so :)
It seems as if the author pulls out some YA cliches and adds a morbid twist to it. It feels like an inside joke, and the book is full of them. Girl moving to a new place and the hardships she encounters? Ordering a burger with chilly is not the same in Netherlands and USA. Hint of a love triangle? Two guys competing to organize her funeral...sorry, take her out. If I tell any more, I'd spoil the book, but it's anything but cliche.
The characters were amazing. Anna is kind of an outcast even among her friends back home, but you feel she doesn't give a damn. Spending the summer on another continent, away from everything she knows, gives her a chance to look at her life and find out who the real Anna is. Down to earth and real, she's imperfect but lovable. Daniel was very interesting and full of surprises. Probably my favorite-a group of nerds who host an annual Toast to the Hoax where they drink in celebration of the greatest hoax in the history of the USA. Who wouldn't love them?
I already mentioned that it's not so much about movies. It's about death. Yep. Death, and funerals, and the prettier side of it. Sometimes it was morbid and sickening, but there was a scene that had me laughing so hard. Who would have thought that tombstone engravings can be so much fun?
This book is magical while being firmly on the ground. It shows you that it's really a wonderful life. My only complaint is the writing. Since it's a translation from Dutch, I can't really judge, but it was kind of bland, too simple and sometimes odd. Luckily, it makes the story no less interesting and charming. Also, the cover doesn't do it justice, the other one resembling a movie poster is much better.
Highly recommended.
Mild spoilers ahead!
I don't even know where to begin telling you how much I liked this book. I love pop-culture references in books and this one sounded great with all the movie quoting. It was not exactly what I imagined it would be, and the movies are not so much in the focus of the story. A great book, nonetheless.
Anna is a "cinephile" who sometimes responds to people using quotes from movies. Cute and interesting as it was in the novel, if someone did this to me in real life, I imagine it would get annoying. Anna almost gets in trouble for it, so I'm obviously not the only one who thinks so :)
It seems as if the author pulls out some YA cliches and adds a morbid twist to it. It feels like an inside joke, and the book is full of them. Girl moving to a new place and the hardships she encounters? Ordering a burger with chilly is not the same in Netherlands and USA. Hint of a love triangle? Two guys competing to organize her funeral...sorry, take her out. If I tell any more, I'd spoil the book, but it's anything but cliche.
The characters were amazing. Anna is kind of an outcast even among her friends back home, but you feel she doesn't give a damn. Spending the summer on another continent, away from everything she knows, gives her a chance to look at her life and find out who the real Anna is. Down to earth and real, she's imperfect but lovable. Daniel was very interesting and full of surprises. Probably my favorite-a group of nerds who host an annual Toast to the Hoax where they drink in celebration of the greatest hoax in the history of the USA. Who wouldn't love them?
I already mentioned that it's not so much about movies. It's about death. Yep. Death, and funerals, and the prettier side of it. Sometimes it was morbid and sickening, but there was a scene that had me laughing so hard. Who would have thought that tombstone engravings can be so much fun?
This book is magical while being firmly on the ground. It shows you that it's really a wonderful life. My only complaint is the writing. Since it's a translation from Dutch, I can't really judge, but it was kind of bland, too simple and sometimes odd. Luckily, it makes the story no less interesting and charming. Also, the cover doesn't do it justice, the other one resembling a movie poster is much better.
Highly recommended.
January 20, 2012
I liked how bits make an attempt at making something grim less so~ as with Daniel, his bet and the numerous people coming up to her with their respective stories. I liked Ann Bot’s odd ball, movie quoting antics... at first. I even liked the thought that she'd had to move across the ocean to find herself, making her come across as how as independent and strong and mature. Sure, she was all those things at certain points, but she could also sound young, be naïve, and act melodramatic.
I'd probably have loved it more had the translation been better. As is, her being odd never breached the point of me feeling more than amused but it manage to go to the point of me feeling slightly uncomfortable for those listening to her. I mean what exactly does one respond with when faced with a line out of the movie? She’s random and could be so out of place sometimes, and I’m not talking about her across the globe traveling either.
Maybe the fact that the story is twice removed from my tongue, added to it feeling a bit stilted. Factor in the small town warmth that was a touch too cutesy quaint, well… I think some will find it charming; personally, though it just wasn’t my thing. I read on though because other than Ann, odd ball behavior abound. The town she’d found herself in was quiet welcoming, but filled such Personalities. One person with his ‘everyday is a holiday;’ another with his I love my job and I’ll convince you, they all seemed random and sometimes inauthentic. YET I had to read on, wanting to see what their point was.
It’s a Wonderful Life is an interesting concept of one jumping into something foreign only to become more at home there than from whence one came. Still, some of the people around Ann were just too odd and out there but not quiet endearing enough (or sometimes too much so) for me to like. So much so that my favorite moments were not when something sweet took place, but rather were those moments of her contemplating how different she was and how lonely she’d been/could be.
2.5/5
THANKS NETGALLEY!
I'd probably have loved it more had the translation been better. As is, her being odd never breached the point of me feeling more than amused but it manage to go to the point of me feeling slightly uncomfortable for those listening to her. I mean what exactly does one respond with when faced with a line out of the movie? She’s random and could be so out of place sometimes, and I’m not talking about her across the globe traveling either.
Maybe the fact that the story is twice removed from my tongue, added to it feeling a bit stilted. Factor in the small town warmth that was a touch too cutesy quaint, well… I think some will find it charming; personally, though it just wasn’t my thing. I read on though because other than Ann, odd ball behavior abound. The town she’d found herself in was quiet welcoming, but filled such Personalities. One person with his ‘everyday is a holiday;’ another with his I love my job and I’ll convince you, they all seemed random and sometimes inauthentic. YET I had to read on, wanting to see what their point was.
It’s a Wonderful Life is an interesting concept of one jumping into something foreign only to become more at home there than from whence one came. Still, some of the people around Ann were just too odd and out there but not quiet endearing enough (or sometimes too much so) for me to like. So much so that my favorite moments were not when something sweet took place, but rather were those moments of her contemplating how different she was and how lonely she’d been/could be.
2.5/5
THANKS NETGALLEY!
December 13, 2011
This book grabbed my attention due to sharing a title with the beloved Christmas movie as well as a blurb touting a main character with a love for movies, a love that I share. I'm partial to the classic old ones but I can enjoy a modern blockbuster too.
It's different from most of the YA I read as it is actually a translation from a Dutch novel, featuring a Dutch teenager who instead of partying in Spain with her friends is sent to Pennsylvania for what might be the dullest vacation ever. Except that the people she meets are genuine and kind and might be exactly what Anna needs at this crossroad in her life.
There are a lot of bizarre occurrences in this book: an eighteen year old funeral director, another young funeral director who is in competition with the first, both for business and for Anna, the vintage store which has a steady supply of famous movie props if you believe Anna's stories, a yearly toast to the "hoax" of the moon landing, and more. Looking back, the events seem odd but in the context of the story, they create a quirky small town where Anna finds a place to belong.
Another part of the charm of the story is Anna herself. Although disappointed about not going to Spain, she accepts her parents' directive and throws herself into small-town life, learning how to drive, taking up responsibilities, and building connections. The other characters are also sweet although as the book is quite short, there isn't much time spent on them.
Overall: An offbeat story that will take you someplace different from the typical, mainstream YA novel.
Cover: I liked the girl looking at the lovely dress but it's a little plain for my taste.
It's different from most of the YA I read as it is actually a translation from a Dutch novel, featuring a Dutch teenager who instead of partying in Spain with her friends is sent to Pennsylvania for what might be the dullest vacation ever. Except that the people she meets are genuine and kind and might be exactly what Anna needs at this crossroad in her life.
There are a lot of bizarre occurrences in this book: an eighteen year old funeral director, another young funeral director who is in competition with the first, both for business and for Anna, the vintage store which has a steady supply of famous movie props if you believe Anna's stories, a yearly toast to the "hoax" of the moon landing, and more. Looking back, the events seem odd but in the context of the story, they create a quirky small town where Anna finds a place to belong.
Another part of the charm of the story is Anna herself. Although disappointed about not going to Spain, she accepts her parents' directive and throws herself into small-town life, learning how to drive, taking up responsibilities, and building connections. The other characters are also sweet although as the book is quite short, there isn't much time spent on them.
Overall: An offbeat story that will take you someplace different from the typical, mainstream YA novel.
Cover: I liked the girl looking at the lovely dress but it's a little plain for my taste.
November 8, 2011
"It's A Wonderful Life" by Jesse Goossens. This was a great look at life from an outside looking in perspective. Many of the young adult books appeal to me because they renew that youth that still lives deep inside of me soul. I think we are all sorta like that. In this one Anna gets to experience life if a different setting from her home. Across an ocean and from her European life to a rural American town. Never did she guess that in this new setting she would experience more and relate so well with the community as she did. It just goes to show you that when you get involved your heart and soul open up ever more. This is what let's the goodness of life fill you.
July 6, 2012
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this book.
I really enjoyed this coming-of-age novel about a Dutch young woman who travels to the US for summer break. Likes: random movie quotes throughout the book, a great translation from the original Dutch (this seemed more fluid than most translation attempts), memorable characters, and a comfortable plot. Dislikes: the ending seemed a bit rushed, with some details left up in the air. Overall, the story was a bit like tubing down a lazy river: the ride is pleasant, with few surprises, but at the end you're ready to be done!
I really enjoyed this coming-of-age novel about a Dutch young woman who travels to the US for summer break. Likes: random movie quotes throughout the book, a great translation from the original Dutch (this seemed more fluid than most translation attempts), memorable characters, and a comfortable plot. Dislikes: the ending seemed a bit rushed, with some details left up in the air. Overall, the story was a bit like tubing down a lazy river: the ride is pleasant, with few surprises, but at the end you're ready to be done!
February 27, 2012
I heard about It's a Wonderful Life from others and I had to read it myself. I don't think the translation makes the book lack at all and it was actually a great read that I think many different age groups would enjoy. I plan to get this book for my library and I think many students will enjoy it. The cover is great- it’s what will draw in many readers at first glance but the story itself is strong enough to hold its own and keep the reader wanting more. Well worth the read.
October 9, 2016
I loved this book. I read it in Dutch (original language) a few years ago. I loved the eccentric characters in the books and the plot. I ended up buying the same crystal one of the characters in the book had. That's how much of an impression it had left on me. It's probably the only book written by a Dutch writer that I was very pleasantly surprised by because I prefer English writers.
I recommend it. It's a nice read.
I recommend it. It's a nice read.
July 3, 2012
A cute, quirky story about a Dutch girl who spends some time in the States. She meets an interesting set of characters, all lovely people with an eclectic range of professions, religions, values, customs and cultures. You never quite know what to expect from any of them.
February 20, 2013
I really liked it. I had to read this book like really fast, so I may have skipped through some pages really fast. The only things I didn't really like was the long history of more unimportant characters.
April 5, 2015
It was a nice adventure to read, simple, but rather enjoyable. The story follows Anna, who is visiting a small town in the USA, and gets to enjoy the calm, quiet life of Muffindale.
I will definitely re-reading this sometime in the future.
I will definitely re-reading this sometime in the future.
August 3, 2011
Geen súper goed boek, maar veel beter dan ik had verwacht en best wel emotioneel.
November 6, 2012
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ellen@lemniscaat-usa.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews