The Museum of Intangible Things -> 21st Dec 2015

[Martha]

oyalty. Envy. Obligation. Dreams. Disappointment. Fear. Negligence. Coping. Elation. Lust. Nature. Freedom. Heartbreak. Insouciance. Audacity. Gluttony. Belief. God. Karma. Knowing what you want (there is probably a French word for it). Saying Yes. Destiny. Truth. Devotion. Forgiveness. Life. Happiness (ever after).

Hannah and Zoe haven’t had much in their lives, but they’ve always had each other. So when Zoe tells Hannah she needs to get out of their down-and-out New Jersey town, they pile into Hannah’s beat-up old Le Mans and head west, putting everything—their deadbeat parents, their disappointing love lives, their inevitable enrollment at community college—behind them.

As they chase storms and make new friends, Zoe tells Hannah she wants more for her. She wants her to live bigger, dream grander, aim higher. And so Zoe begins teaching Hannah all about life’s intangible things, concepts sadly missing from her existence—things like audacity, insouciance, karma, and even happiness.

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Mei and I will be reading this on Monday 21st :) Feel free to join

[Mei]

I just finished the chapter "loyalty".

It didn't pull me in because it seemed like very direct narration, but it's a story of friendship and roadtrip so it's difficult to just abandon this. Fingers crossed though xx

[Mei]

obligation (view spoiler)[I don't know if it's me being uniterested or the book, but there's really something about the book that makes me go "nah" about it...

The writing is quite different from the others but I've gotten the grasp of it. The story depicts well of a town far from the city. Curious to know more, at least. There's just something difficult about this book. (hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

dreams (view spoiler)[" The bedspread is gray. The throw pillows are lemon yellow. My dresser is white, and I have a lemony yellow and white area rug outlined in gray. "

See... it's too direct. (hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

dreams (view spoiler)[Zoe says it’s good to be goal oriented but that I have the wrong goals.

Err... what kind of a friend is that? I don't think there is anything wrong with her goals. She wants to study, then she needs something to make money from, and it's her hotdog business. At least she knows the details down to the last drop. (hide spoiler)]

negligence (view spoiler)[See, sometimes this book is direct with its descriptions but sometimes the sentences are enveloped with metaphors. I don't get it. What happened between Ethan and Zoe? I'm not even sure how old the best friends are. 17? I'm sure they haven't reached 18, at least because they haven't gone to college, yet, or just planning to.

Hannah knows Zoe has a bipolar disorder yet she left her to fend for herself WITH A GUY alone. I guess some will think, I want to be a person who doesn't have to take care of others but myself, too, because really, it sometimes feels good not to worry about anything at all at the moment, but she was braless and people their age are at a party who are probably all drunk or tipsy.

Recall to me again...is Ethan a student or a teacher? Because if whether he is either, I think he is older than them? And who knows how he can take advantage of this moment, especially in a small town like this.

This book is confusing me.

And what's wrong about Hannah's father, aside from being a drunk?
The book gives off a vibe that he's worse than what he appears to be. And her mom... is she mentally ill, too?

Really... I have to read more than twice sometimes just to fully get it. I'm not sure if this is working for me :(
(hide spoiler)]

[Martha]

Sorry Mei I'll start this tomorrow :D

[Martha]

Mei wrote: "obligation I don't know if it's me being uniterested or the book, but there's really something about the book that makes me go "nah" about it...

The writing is quite different from the others but ..."

I agree about it being difficult. I think the language is quite wordy, and at times I feel confused by what's going on. I am interested to know more, though.

[Mei]

Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!

[Mei]

lust (view spoiler)[Okay, this romance is weird. Before "kissing" danny should've made it clear he has no girlfriend. I think it's obvious that's what Hannah knows, since "she's avoiding him". Duh! Not ideal.

And only more than 50% of the chapter has it been clarified.
(hide spoiler)]

nature (view spoiler)[Really? How did her dad got her money? What a selfish b*stard. He can't even send her ONLY child to college and now he's just simply getting the money she earned? How insensitive!!!

On the other hand, this book is misleading. That cover screams that this is a lighthearted story but it's really not. (hide spoiler)]

heartbreak (view spoiler)[What a jerk. I knew I was right with this guy Danny. He actually did what Hannah told him to do. (hide spoiler)]

[Martha]

Mei wrote: "dreams Zoe says it’s good to be goal oriented but that I have the wrong goals.

Err... what kind of a friend is that? I don't think there is anything wrong with her goals. She wants to study, then ..."

Haha I feel the same! It's a bit confusing and I'm not quite sure what's happening. I can't work out who are the good guys... (view spoiler)[ I agree - I don't think Hannah should have left Zoe alone and she definitely shouldn't have left Noah alone!!! Why did Zoe bring him to a party anyway? (hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

Because Noah is clingy to Zoe, but is still isn't an excuse to bring him to a "liberated" party. What if he sees her sister braless? Ugh! The kid even mentioned hearing sex noises. It really isn't appropriate to bring a child that age to that party.

[Mei]

insouciance (view spoiler)[Have they even thought what would have happened to Noah when they leave? Seriously! (hide spoiler)]

insouciance (view spoiler)[" I settle into my Leirvik bed with Gäspa sheets and a Gosa pillow. "

I did not understand a thing. Are these brands supposed to be special? :/
(hide spoiler)]

audacity (view spoiler)[So... they're leaving their car in NY? (hide spoiler)]

gluttony (view spoiler)[Ethan most likely raped Zoe. (hide spoiler)]

gluttony (view spoiler)[Eew! A stuffed dead squirrel. I don't know what she would do with that. (hide spoiler)]

god (view spoiler)[And now she just lets Squirrely go. What a waste of money! It's embarrassing enough that they pay through coins... hahaha.

And srsly, Hannah doesn't want to talk to Zoe about Noah, because at the mention of her younger brother, she'll head home. Yeah, "because she isn't fixed, yet". I'm not sure I'm gaining sympathy on this area here...
(hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

truth (view spoiler)[Is this what a bipolar disorder supposed to look like? It's scary! Chasing tornadoes, really, Zoe??!!

No one can stop her even if she doesn't have any money left, is it? If she settles on what she wants, she'll definitely get it! It would be embarassing if they strap or chain her and that would be too brutal or harsh because she's human and if you're Hannah she's you're her best friend, but see how this girl acts so quick, naughty and impulsive! Frustrating, I admit.
(hide spoiler)]

Ending (view spoiler)[Well... a lot of things got predictable here. Zoe's death didn't shock me, I find that it's something she's serious at sometime soon. I guess I kinda sympathized with her that even if she goes back, she'll be sent to a hospital and she doesn't like it, so maybe for her this was better.

But that left Noah and her mom. I don't quite understand what Noah's doing at the end. NASA? How old is he at the end?

I'd say the strengths of this book was that it wrapped up conflicts in the story that although mentioned at the end, didn't felt like crammed into an epilogue or a single chapter: Susan probably blaming Hannah, Hannah mad at her dad for being a drunk father who stole her college money, her grief towards Zoe, and Danny. Susan said she doesn't blame Hannah, and I believe her. It felt genuine, sincere and true, since evidence points out that it really wasn't her fault. But somehow, she'll blame herself.

The author didn't dwell on the negativity of it all, but instead focused on building Hannah's relationship with her dad, even wrapping up her graduation (that Zoe missed, ugh :( ).

The romance was fine. I did not feel any giddiness towards the two but I guess it's fine the author didn't put much interest on the romance since this was a friendship book after all. I didn't feel anything for Danny. I just felt like hebwas there, okay, he likes Hannah, so what?

I'm kinda creating a review here, haha. I guess that's enough for my thoughts. :)
(hide spoiler)]

[Martha]

heartbreak - (view spoiler)[ Danny is such a jerk! Really not into their "romance"
I don't know... I'm losing interest in this. It seems so stupid and irresponsible of Hannah to take Zoe on this road trip when she clearly needs help (hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

I SO AGREE! Hannah thinks leaving their problems behind is gonna solve anything. Oohh just keep reading please, hahaha. You'd find more frustrations lol

[Martha]

Oh no >.< Haha!

[Martha]

Finished - (view spoiler)[ This book was very blah to me. I didn't get into it. I agree that I had no opinion of Danny - he was a very bland character and I didn't root at all for him and Hannah. But it was a friendship book and though I understood what the author was doing I thought Hannah was a very immature and careless friend to Zoe, for encouraging her like she did. Maybe Zoe needed that... but I just think her ending could have been avoided.
I don't know... It was depressing and... it just didn't work for me :( (hide spoiler)]

[Mei]

Because we needed a cheerful book, that's why! Hahaha. No matter. Merry Christmas Martha!

[Martha]

Haha you too, Mei! Hope you have a good Christmas day! :)