Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork- Starting Aug 15th 2018

[min sung ellie]

Marcelo Sandoval hears music no one else can hear--part of the autism-like impairment no doctor has been able to identify--and he's always attended a special school where his differences have been protected. But the summer after his junior year, his father demands that Marcelo work in his law firm's mailroom in order to experience "the real world." There Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the firm.

He learns about competition and jealousy, anger and desire. But it's a picture he finds in a file -- a picture of a girl with half a face -- that truly connects him with the real world: its suffering, its injustice, and what he can do to fight.

Reminiscent of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" in the intensity and purity of its voice, this extraordinary novel is a love story, a legal drama, and a celebration of the music each of us hears inside.

[min sung ellie]

I didn't really know the genre of this book- it's literally just YA fiction so I put it in here hopefully that's fine.

[GridGirl]

I'm sure it's fine :)

[min sung ellie]

27% or page 85 (view spoiler)[ This book is great so far. I am really loving the character of Marcelo and I would really like to learn more about the music he hears. This seems to be a coming-of-age novel, even though the book starts when Marcelo is seventeen. I think Jasmine is a great mentor. Some of the people at the law firm seem a little suspicious, espically the guy that class Marcelo “Gump” (I forgot his name haha). Hopefully Marcelo doesn’t get in trouble. Can’t wait to keep on reading! (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Chapter 7:
(view spoiler)[
So far I'm really enjoying the book. I think the author does a great job describing Marcelo's condition (English is not my first language, I'm sorry if I sound rude, it's definitely not my intention). I don't like his father very much. He doesn't seem to understand at all how difficult all those things are for Marcelo. Jasmine is actually really nice and it's cute how protective she is of Marcelo although she isn't to fond of him working there.
(hide spoiler)]

[min sung ellie]

52% or up to Chapter 17 (view spoiler)[Wendell is just getting creepier and creepier!! (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Chapter 15:
(view spoiler)[Oh no, poor Marcelo.... I feel so bad for him... :(
Wendell is just using him and it's making me so angry...
I really like Jasmine and I don't something bad to happen to her :/
I hope everything this will have a happy ending, because right now I'm just completely worried about what's going to happen next....
(hide spoiler)]

[min sung ellie]

GridGirl wrote: "Chapter 15:
Oh no, poor Marcelo.... I feel so bad for him... :(
Wendell is just using him and it's making me so angry...
I really like Jasmine and I don't something bad to happen to her :/
I hope ..." I totally agree, everything seems to be going downhill, and Marcelo is being used.

[min sung ellie]

Page 206 (view spoiler)[ Is he hinting that there is something about Vidromek windshields in the sixth box? I am really loving this new aspect of the book: mystery and Marcelo working through cases. (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Chapter 22:
(view spoiler)[Oh, the book actually went in a very different direction than I thought it would. I didn't expect that Marcelo would have to make such a hard decision, but I have no doubt that he will decide to help that girl (I forgot her name) after his trip to Vermont with Jasmine. (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Finished:
(view spoiler)[I liked the ending, but I think it was very predictable. But I guess contemporary novels tend to be this way. I just would have hoped for it to be a little bit more than that. (hide spoiler)]

[min sung ellie]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ I definitely agree with GridGirl. I thought the ending was predictable and kind of boring. Check out my full review of this novel here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (hide spoiler)]