Book Discussion #1
Book Discussion - Leah on the Offbeat #1
Hello Nail-Biters!! As mentioned before, we start publishing the monthly book discussion questions on the 25th of every month. So here are the first two topics of discussion about this month's book, Leah on the Offbeat.
- What is your general review of this book?
- What do you think of the book’s title? How does it relate to the book’s contents? What other title might you choose?
We will be posting two book discussion topics every day. You may comment on the posts any time and any day until the end of the month. Feel free to answer other Nail-Biters' comments or use our chat to discuss. If you have any doubts about our rules, you can check them out here. Don't forget to sign your comments, specially when using the annonymous mode!
Have fun!
1) This is my review:
ReplyDeleteLeah on the offbeat
3,5*
Pros: LGBT lead characters. PoC characters. Finally a decent mother figure in YA. Well-developed lead character (specially loved that Leah's personality wasn't just limited to her being bi, that she actually had hobbies and passions). Really loved all the anime and YA references there (Inej and Nina, who knew?). Loved that Leah has the same view as me about dog-earing books. And Simon and Bram, how can you be even cuter???
Cons: Lack of description, both of settings and other characters. How the secondary characters aside from Simon and Bram were developed. Leah's treatment of Morgan, after she apologised. I think in all the maelstrom of figuring out her romantic feelings, Leah ended up being a very crappy friend. Really disliked the ending, felt sugar-coated and rushed so the lead wouldn't have to deal with more difficult situations.
Yup. Totally agree. It's weird how the most well developed characters were Simon and Bram. I'm guessing she wanted to please her readers, but I fear she sacrifice Leah and her story. I'd have loved spending more time getting to know her and her romantic life. Since that was the point of the book. xD
Delete--Vanda
Ugh, no more of her romantic life, that took the whole book. I wanted more about her passions, like band and fanfiction and drawing.
DeleteAhahah! Did it take the whole book though? xD
DeleteI could probably count the times they talked in two and a half hands. Most moments were short and barely relevant. Only by the end of the book did we get some "lovin'". xD
And I agree! Not enough about her passions or Leah as a person really. It was mostly about prom and drama and Simon and his boo.
For a book that long, it doesn't have much story. I think Leah's ramblings just filled up the whole book, tbh.
---Vanda
Yeah, completely agree with that, the book was mostly Leah's ramblings.
DeleteHi, it's my first time Making a book review/breakdown so I will try my best.
ReplyDeleteRating: 6/10
The book isn't bad at all but it ain't amazing too. It's just good. Waffle on the offbeat.
Pros:
- The story is good and in some parts realistic.
- All of the characters interactions are funny.
- We get every single thought of Leah and that's an interesting thing that I never saw in a book.
Cons:
- The development of every character (unless Leah) is really small or almost non-existing:
The characters barely evolve their personality in months. They don't change and that makes them seem like an extra for the book. They receive general personality traits in the beginning and they keep it till the end.
- Too many details in simple things and barely any in the surroundings:
Like every single kiss of Leah and barely any in what is around her, where she is, what she is doing besides talking and thinking, and how the characters are dressed. I mean the writer just tell us the place Leah is and the facial expression of the character she is talking to.
- The final is really rushed and make Leah kinda bad person/friend (even more)
- Leah it's supposed to be on a band and drummer and it barely appears.
- It took me a while to understand which characters are girls or boys
I'm Samuel btw, I thought this would not comment anonymously if I had the email turned on.
DeleteYour alternative title would be Waffle on the Offbeat? That's awesome ahaha
DeleteYou've made great points! :) And I love "Waffle on the Offbeat" xD 10/10 Would read
Delete--Vanda
1) 3,5/5
ReplyDeleteI think Leah’s character was really raw and honest and not at all unrealistic or romantized. The problem in this was that there was space for me to dislike the main character/narrator so it was kind of annoying to listen to her “voice”. I think she was really childish and sometimes a bad person and I really wish I could just talk to her and tell her she’s being stupid.
Nevertheless, I really liked her hobbies and passions and how she described how she felt when she was drawing.
Still, I loved way more other characters and I wish I knew more about them (like Nora). In my opinion, the writer doesn’t describe the characters enough so she has space to construct them on another book (like Leah is so different from “Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda”) and how I didn’t even know Abby was black - and that wasn’t important at all and I think that’s her point: you should love the character for what she shows you of their personality.
Also that ending made my rate get lower because I felt like the author was bored of writing the book and wanted to end it with a “happily ever after” and it took all the realism of the whole novel.
2) I loved the title and how Leah also refers to herself as Leah on the Offbeat but I think it would be cooler if she explained it more deeply then just randomly mention it like it’s just to connect with the book title.
- Ana Igreja
I think the title meant that she didn't quite find her beat yet, so she was on the Offbeat.
DeleteAhahah! "The author was bored of writing the book." xD Honestly, same.
DeleteI think she had some awesome ideas, but lacked in execution. In theory, the ending could work, but the way it was written simply doesn't work. It seems it has left a lot of its readers with an unsatisfied feeling. Like it could've been great, but fell short.
I agree with a lot of the points that have been made so far. :) So some might be repeated in my review. Sorry. xD
ReplyDelete"What is your general review of this book?"
Goodreads rating: 2/5 (meaning: it was okay for me. not terrible nor great. Overall, I enjoyed it.)
Pros:
- a fast, easy read
- funny (it actually made me chuckle and laugh out loud)
- super relatable at times (drawing hot manga characters? that's my whole teenage years in a nutshell)
- representation (diverse and actually tells the story of a fat girl who doesn't diet or struggles with her weight, because she's okay with it)
Cons:
- no sense of place (the lack of description made it hard to imagine most scenes and moments. never felt "grounded")
-too many unnecessary characters (therefore, little time to develop the actually relevant characters)
-too many thoughts, not enough action (I'm certain 80% of the book was spent in Leah's head--in her rambling thoughts--rather than in the actual story/setting)
-the ending felt rushed and I didn't quite believe Leah's sudden change
"What do you think of the book’s title? How does it relate to the book’s contents? What other title might you choose?"
The title works since it does show Leah's inner turmoil and her passion for music. However, in my opinion, both the title and the blurb of the book oversell the fact that she's a drummer, while the book undersells that same fact. She only plays twice (each time, for like a paragraph at most) in the WHOLE novel. We see her only once in actual band rehearsal and they don't even rehearse! xD It's just friend-drama.
Leah does drum her fingers on things like tables and her legs every once in a while, but, like, don't we all? I feel like her passion for music was barely touched on. Not that it had to be a big focus, but the title and the blurb definitely made it seem like it was.
I genuinely have no ideas for the title of the book. It's a good title.
Sorry if it got too long. I, like Leah, ramble a lot.xD
---Vanda
Yeah, omg, that's so true, nothing on her being a drummer and she quits the band right at the beginning. So much the author could have developed...
DeleteReview:
ReplyDelete5/5 *
Let me explain.
For me this book has a lot of pros but also a few cons and you might think "Why the 5/5* then?" - simple, for the first time ever I felt like someone was writing ME and for me.
I loved Leah's passion in everything she does, even arguing, I got a chance to meet Simon again and fall for Abby. If I had to choose a big con though it would be the rushed ending. I wish the book had lasted a few more pages and that we could see how Leah and Abby adjusted themselves to a new relationship, a new group dynamic and college.
Being bisexual it's not easy to find books/movies/tv-shows where bisexuality is respectfully represented - or represented at all. Often it goes like this, if you're a girl dating a girl you're obviously gay even if you dated boys before and are attracted to more than one gender and if you start dating a guy you've suddenly became straight (insert sarcasm).
This book made me feel represented, it made me cry, laugh and brought back that warm fuzzy feeling from when I first came out, not to my friends or my parents but to myself.
Isn't that why books matter so much after all? To make us feel?
(Thank you Becky Albertalli you beautiful human being)
ALSO LEAH'S ADORBS.
---Daniela
You make great points. I do believe that the purpose of the book was to represent bisexual women and it's amazing, since it is so rare. That is definitely the biggest pro. However, personally, I tink it could have been better executed.
Delete