IBR - When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Members Starting the BR: Vicki & Trisha / Chapter Champions
Challenge: Book Quest Adventures
Book: When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

Anyone is free to join in this Buddy Read! Happy Reading!

[Trisha]

through Part 1 / 95 pages

(view spoiler)[ wow this is a very broken family
I'm so sad they aren't being more honest with each other - when each other seems to be all they have

but Wynton's stealing - I don't blame his mom for being upset

but Miles, she is thinking about him but not reaching out.
I'm so sad he feels like he can't be real with anyone

and Dizzy losing her best friend and having no one. I'm so sad for her

I love that the mom is writing these notes/letters to them but she isn't showing them so I don't think that's helping except helping her.

and now Cassidy and the accident
I wonder where this goes from here and if their dad comes back (hide spoiler)]

[Heather]

I'm going to start this today.

[Trisha]

Through Part 2 / 203 pages

(view spoiler)[
wow, there are so many thread and I'm not 100% sure how they all over lap

is the guy Cassidy met at the campground (that left her and her mom) - is he their dad?
or was he someone somehow tied to their restaurant?

and is she still visiting Wynton?

I'm so sad this is a family of such lonely people because they aren't being honest with each other

and I'm really sad about Cassidy and how sad and lonely it was for her to grow up

but she's on her own now, so I wonder where her mom is. . .and why she's still searching for this guy
(hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

Heather wrote: "I'm going to start this today."

yay!! I hope you like it!
so far, it's really good!

[Heather]

I'm at about 40%/7 hours. I'm really enjoying it, but there's a whole lot of sad messed-up people! However they're also complex and magical.

[Trisha]

it IS really sad! But I do like Cassidy and all the warmth and hope she seems to bring

and I like how unique each character is!

[Heather]

Yes!
And sometimes I find magical realism to be too happy, but here it's lovely. And gently magical.

[Heather]

(Too sappy) #%$*>= autocorrect!

[Vicki]

I'm starting on this one today (now). It sounds like it's going to be really good, so fingers crossed!

[Heather]

I just finished it. I loved how everything came together. But oh, so many details and so many different connections! And now I need to let it all sort of wash over me.

[Vicki]

Through Part 1 / 95 pages

(view spoiler)[Wow! Three siblings all so different from each other yet suffering from much the same cause. I think their dad abandoning them/being absent in their life has messed with them.

I thought Miles breaking Wynton's violin bow was pretty mean. Of all things for him to steal from his mom...jeez!

And Dizzy never did know her dad, right? Bernadette was pregnant when Theo disappeared.

Cassidy is very mysterious. I like her and feel for her too. All these poor kids!

Sandro and Miles telepathic communication is kind of fun. I'd love to do that with my dogs. Maybe I should try. lol (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Through Part 2 / 203 pages

(view spoiler)[I am still worried about how Miles is going to be after the accident. I think this section is pivotal though. Cassidy visits him all the time and I think she's opening up emotionally now that she might lose him. They've both been reluctant to move forward in relationships, but who can blame them?

I took Dave's presence and subsequent quickly leaving the next morning just another example of people leaving/abandoning you. I'm curious if he has more scenes in the rest of the book and if he's connected to all of them. He seemed like someone that even Marigold didn't know. I didn't understand her quickly being so trusting that she was able to tell him about her parents when it took her all of Cassidy's life to tell her.

I think my favorite part of the camping scenes were between Marigold and Cassidy because it seemed like they were starting to open up more and wanting to be closer. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Through Part 3 / 348 pages

(view spoiler)[Wow! So much has happened I don't know where to begin. So, if I got this all correctly, Alonso was born to Sofia who never wanted to marry Diego in the first place, so she had an affair. Alonso was the love child whom Diego never accepted as his son. Then we get Hector, evidently his half-brother, who eventually kills him because of jealousy? In turn and in Alonso's defense, Sebastian kills Hector. Did I get all of that right? lol And how sweet that they were holding hands by the morning. It must've been something rather magical unless somebody displayed them that way.

THUS the Fall family curse...well, wow! That was a lot to take in! It appears that Miles is waking up and will be okay. He's weak and obviously not fully alert yet but he is seeing the disconnect between himself and his brother and seems to want that repaired.

And now they have met their dad face-to-face. Dizzy...she must've been so taken aback having seen him for her first time ever. I'm curious what will happen from here, if there'll be a reconciliation and with Bernadatte too.

Bernadette seems to have continued to love him. But that section where she talks about her dream about her teeth I thought was super powerful. I love contemplating the philosophical meaning of passages and this one, to me, must mean something like she has no way to tell her secrets. Her mouth is "gone" meaning she's silent and too emotionally distraught to speak up? Isn't one of the worst things ever the inabiltiy (for any reason) to feel free to speak one's truth? She's holding back for sure.

Then there's all the talk about ghosts...jeez, I could go on forever! (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Finished

(view spoiler)[I am blown away. I loved this book and the depth of the characters. Jandy Nelson blew it out of the water with this one! The generational abuse, family "curse", abandonment issues, secrets etc. were just so well intertwined throughout and brilliantly unfolded. I thought this book was amazing, as awful and sad as it was that there was SO much loneliness, lack of friends like Cassidy and Miles having NO friends. Miles only having Sandro. But the way she unfolds all the family secrets, the Fall curse through generations and finally looking forward was just amazing. (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

through Part 3 / 348 pages

what an emotional section! We learned so much!

(view spoiler)[
Wow, Miles is really coming into his own. I love that Felix is so sweet to him and is being a great crush. . .but why is he unavailable? hmmm. . ..

and Cassidy sharing the stories so that Miles could hear them from Felix. I love that Miles feels less alone and he's hearing such moving history about love.

interesting that Wyn is taking just the bad brother parts tho. The feud and the curse. I'm sad he's only hearing and believing he did bad things

and WOW! Now we know that Wyn didn't leave Miles in a garbage can! That makes so much more sense and I'm glad we know! I just hope Miles and Wyn have the time to get to know each other again!

and we've heard the story of Wyn and Cassidy meeting. I'm sad for her mom and her and how that guy used them. but I'm glad she got to meet Wyn and they got to share that moment in the meadow.

and now, right at the end, we've learned that the dad is right there. Why hasn't he come to see them? Poor Bernadette. She's been waiting and waiting (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

and done!

awe, this one was so good!
(view spoiler)[ okay, so it's a little too nice - all in a bow at the end
but I really needed it to be! It broke my heart, all the ways they had hurt each other and I was so glad when they all found their way back to each other.

silly, but even the dog staying and leaving Miles alone was heartbreaking, so was the mom leaving Cassidy and the dad refusing to come back.
so was theo and clive fighting each other because their dad was mean. and dizzy so confused and Wyn so alone
it was all so heartbreaking that I was so glad when they all found their way again (hide spoiler)]

[Heather]

I agree!

[bamaace83]

It took me awhile to read this one and I read it on and off. Overall, I gave it a three. I agree with everyone's comments above. I really liked all the characters but I think I liked Miles the best. He just kinda stuck with me. I'm glad it ended the way it did.

[Benedicte, Bookmark First, Ask Later]

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