Fly on the Wall is a loose retelling of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, narrated by Gretchen Yee, who feels like the dullest of girls at a creative arts school where everyone has big talents and bigger personalities. She spends her time drawing Spider-Man and crushing on the gorgeous Titus, while trying to ignore her drawing teacher, who disapproves of her comic-style work. Gretchen only has one close friend, Katya, who doesn't seem to want to hang out with her much anymore. When her parents announce their separation, she really starts to feel invisible. But then, in a moment of frustration at the apparently alien behaviour of boykind, Gretchen makes a wish that changes everything. She wishes she could be a fly on the wall of the boys' locker room.
At first, when Gretchen finds herself in fly form, it's quite funny. She
has both human and fly desires - she wants to see what the boys have
under their boxer shorts, but she also wants to sniff that
delicious-smelling wet patch on the ceiling. She watches and listens as different classes arrive to get changed, and slowly she comes to realise that boys aren't mysterious, alien-like creatures and are in fact just people. Gretchen discovers what she has in common with boys that she had never had any interest in before, observes friendly banter, and finds out what boys keep in their lockers. The story turns serious as Gretchen sees both overt and subtle forms of bullying, and learns a few secrets that change the way she sees Titus and his friends forever.
Fly on the Wall is a thoughtful and entertaining novel, from Gretchen's first few tentative moments as a fly, to the confrontations she overhears about the homophobic words that Titus's friend Adrian throws
about casually. E. Lockhart explores the dynamics of friendship beautifully, with the romantic plot giving the story impetus and direction.
E. Lockhart writes school settlings so well, and just as with Tate Prep, the Wildewood Academy for the Performing Arts, and Alabaster, I found myself absorbed quickly in the world of the Manhattan High School for the Arts. We don't really have many specialist schools in the UK but I did
go to an arts university where at times I felt a bit like Gretchen does, the plain girl amongst the peacocks.
I love it when people dress creatively so all those details were like
delicious chocolate for me.
I think that setting most of the action in the boys' locker room was very brave, as it requires the mention of certain body parts, or as Gretchen calls them, 'gherkins', but its never gratuitious and before long Gretchen becomes more absorbed in the friendship politics and injustices she witnesses and her growing feelings for one of the boys.
I loved the ending, it was great to see how Gretchen deals with things when she is back in human form, armed with her locker-room knowledge, but to say any more would spoil the story.
No surprise really, but I would recommend it Fly on the Wall to fans of YA contemporary and if you've loved any of E. Lockhart's other books, you should definitely get your hands on a copy as soon as possible!
Ruby Oliver is nearly out of the Tate universe! Just one more year to go, and it would be a breeze, if she could control her panic attacks. She knows what she wants to study at university, and she knows what boy she's in love with. Noel is now her real live boyfriend.
Until he becomes a pod-robot.
Real Live Boyfriends was a lot sadder and a lot more seriousthan any of its predecessors in the Ruby Oliver series, however, it was also much more funny. I actually laughed out loud several times and if you'd like a preview of the hilariousness (and also, the sadness), check out this video of E. Lockhart reading from one of the early chapters:
Real Life Boyfriends is about the reality of romantic relationships and the nature of love. But it's also about pygmy goats, financial woes, dramatic parental reactions, movies, lists (mostly of movies), and above all, friendship.
I especially liked the way that Ruby's views on the last item on that list, friendship, develop. Ruby has been, up until now, a girl obsessed with her own social status. Even before she became a 'social leper and famous slut', she was very aware of where she fitted in. Her group with Kim, Nora and Cricket was not really popular, not really cool, but not on the fringes either. Since the debacle of junior year she's had to decide a) where she fits in, and b) whether she actually cares about the opinions of most of the other students at Tate Prep.
Towards the end of The Treasure Map of Boys, Ruby got over Jackson for once and for all, delivering a putdown that you know I loved if you highlighted the text at the bottom of my review, and that helps set her free. In Real Live Boyfriends Ruby interviews her friends to find out how they would define love and/or friendship for her film project, and the answers she gets clearly influence her decisions and self-esteem.
I loved the way all the characters developed in this novel, with the except of Ruby's mum, Elaine, she just goes scarily off the rails. But Noel, Hutch, Nora, and especially Meghan develop into ever more rounded and grown-up people. In the previous books, we've mostly known Meghan only from Ruby's impression of her and what Ruby says everyone else thinks about her, but in this one, she really comes into her own. I think Meghan becomes a GODDESS in Real Live Boyfriends, I really do.
Meghan and Ruby's scenes are my favourites, along with the really cute scene with Noel and Ruby at the start of chapter three. Oh, Noel. As I say in a slightly different way in every Ruby Oliver book review, be real and eight years older and my real live boyfriend, please.
If I said anything about the ending of Real Live Boyfriends I'd spoil it but I thought it was appropriate for Ruby's character and I was mostly just sad that the Ruby Oliver Quartet had come to an end. I really have loved reading this series and the lessons Ruby learns throughout have made a real difference to the way I see the world. The Ruby Oliver books will probably remain one of my favourite series for the rest of my life.
This book is the third in a series and therefore this review will inevitably contain spoilers for the first book, The Boyfriend List, and the second, The Boy Book.
If you thought Ruby Oliver’s life was complicated and dramatic before, just you wait.
It gets worse.
This term, Ruby has to:
Become Noel’s bodyguard
Continue trying to be friends with Nora whilst Nora is crushing on Noel
Attempt to evade her mother’s fashion choices
Run a bake sale
Deal with losing her job
Finish her therapy ‘treasure map’ homework
and make a decision about Jackson, who has broken up with Kim, and is taking an interest in Ruby again.
Ruby’s panic attacks are also getting more and more frequent, which was interesting to see her deal with, especially because they are increasingly happening when other people have put her in a difficult position and she doesn’t know how to deal with it. You could argue that in The Boyfriend List, some of Ruby’s problems were her own fault. Yes, she found it difficult to think straight after Jackson broke up with her and got together with Kim, but most of the drama would never have happened if she hadn’t kissed Jackson at the Spring Fling. By this time, Ruby is definitely trying to consider other people’s feelings, what she wants, and how to get it, as Doctor Z reminds her to do.
This means that she starts to stand up for herself and decide what rules she wants to live by, rather than going along with everyone else’s. It was fantastic to see Ruby taking on more responsibility and really starting to be more assertive, making decisions, and telling people how they made her feel. When she was working on the bake sale she even reminded me a little of Frankie Landau-Banks, who, as anyone who has read The Disreputable History... will know, has no problem making decisions and taking action.
I also loved Ruby’s devotion to using the word ‘spankin’, and her fondness for Robespierre, the pygmy goat. I also thought that it was great that we got to learn a little bit more about Dr Z., who has only appeared in Ruby’s therapy scenes in the previous two books. I also, as usual, loved the boys! Noel behaves a bit badly but is still generally wonderful, Finn is really cute (in fact I'm thinking that I might like Finn as much as Noel! Gasp!), and just wait until you meet Polka-dot (heehee)!
I thought that The Treasure Map of Boys was just as good as The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, if not better. I’m really looking forward to reading Real Live Boyfriends, the last in the Ruby Oliver quartet, especially as it deals with the topic of what love actually is.
If you’ve read The Treasure Map of Boys, highlight below to read some brief thoughts about my favourite part of the entire novel, and please feel free to comment. If you're reading on an RSS feed this may not work so click away now if you haven't read the novel!
‘I’m sure you have feelings, Jackson,’ I told him. ‘I just don’t think they’re very deep.’
Reader, I punched the air. What a put down! And so true. Not that I think it’s entirely Jackson’s fault. I mean, obviously he behaves terribly, and doesn’t treat his girlfriends properly. He cheats and declares love when he obviously doesn’t feel it. But it’s not his fault if he’s not cut out to do the love thing, if his feelings for others don’t run that deep. He just needs to realise this, get some independence so he’s not using girls to prop up his ego, and have casual relationships with girls/women who are fully aware of what they are getting into. But still! Go Ruby!
Social leper and famous slut Ruby Oliver is back at Tate Prep for junior year 1, and whilst trying to make amends with her former friends, get through therapy, and decide what boy she’s interested in, she has further potential debacles to deal with, such as:
Being friends with Meghan
Choosing an activity for November Week2
Being able to afford the activity for November Week
A new job at the Zoo
Protecting Nora from boys who want to pass topless photos of her around the school
and Meghan’s relationship problems.
Of course I loved The Boy Book! I’ve actually read it twice – after I got The Treasure Map of Boys for Christmas, I couldn’t resist a re-read so that I was properly prepared. Ruby’s adventures continue to enthral me, and whilst reading The Boy Book I developed even more of a crush on Noel than I had before. If you want to talk ships, I am definitely on the Ruby and Noel boat. I just loved reading their Hooter Rescue Squad e-mails. I also liked finding more out about Meghan, Tate Prep in general, and Ruby’s former friendship with Kim, Nora and Cricket. It was great to see Ruby try to make wiser decisions and be a better friend. Also, I really want to go on my own Canoe Island trip.
Each chapter begins with an excerpt from The Boy Book, a guide to boykind created by Ruby and her former friends, Kim, Cricket and Nora. It was mentioned briefly in The Boyfriend List and I think it works really well to tie the two novels together and to reminds us how Ruby feels about having lost the friendships she used to have.
If you enjoyed The Boyfriend List I’m sure you’ll love The Boy Book – it’s basically more of the same, which is why writing this review is so hard. I’ve already gushed over the wonders of the setting, Ruby’s parents, etc, in my review of The Boyfriend List, so check it out if you need more convincing to read the Ruby Oliver series.
Sarah Paulson longs for a life more exciting than the one she's got in boring Brenton. Her 'friends' are totally bland, and her parents don't understand her dissatisfaction, let alone her love of musicals. Everything changes when one day, after her tap dance class, she sees an advert for a musical theatre summer school: The Wildewood Academy for the Performing Arts. At the audition, she recognises a boy she goes to school with, Demi Howard. He recognises her, and most importantly, the Lurking Bigness that she feels she has inside her, waiting to come out and take the world by storm.
Together they reinvent Sarah as Sadye, and she feels like she finally has a true friend. Then Sadye and Demi both get into Wildewood, and they can't wait to get out of Ohio and go. But when they arrive and immerse themselves in the drama and glitter, everything becomes a lot more complicated than it was when they were best friends in Brenton. When Demi needed her as much as she needed him, and he didn't have boyfriends, or lead roles in plays. After their first few arguments, Sadye starts to feel like she's losing him. Will their friendship survive the summer? Will Sadye's Bigness ever stop Lurking?
I loved finding out. In fact, I was so excited to finally be reading Dramarama I think I squeaked as I turned the first few pages. I loved Sadye and Demi immediately. I could really relate to both Sadye's descriptions of her Lurking Bigness, and the trouble she has trying to release her potential. I thought Demi, with his incredible self-belief and talent, was a fantastic character. I also adored the whole world of Wildewood - lunch-table-top performances, rooftop evenings, gossip, glitter, and all. Sadye's roommates are a diverse, fun bunch. I love E. Lockhart's groups of friends. She gets the group dynamic so right. The teachers at Wildewood were completely believable, very flawed, but interesting. Special mentions also go to Lyle's possibly-hopeless love for Demi (I won't spoil it), the cuteness of Theo (oh E. Lockhart! How do you create so many varied and wonderful fictional specimens of attractive boy‽), and the Blake song.
I liked that Sadye struggled with fitting in, which at Wildewood is the same thing as standing out. I could see why she indulged in being cruel to her friends sometimes. And I could understand why Demi disagreed with Sadye's opinions, even though I could also understand all the misgivings she had about her teachers, and I think I would have had them too. It was great seeing Sadye develop over the summer.
Some other reviewers didn't like the ending, I know. I did think it was a bit rushed, because the pace was slower at the start of the book. It felt like there was a lot of build up, and then it was over quite quickly. I didn't have a problem with what actually happened though, it seemed realistic and necessary for Sadye's development as a person.
Dramarama is a fantastic read. Even if you don't know much about musical theatre, I'd give it a go - there are YouTube videos for almost every song mentioned and every reference can be Googled, and it's so much fun!
Photo by Lucas Cobb (slightly scary, slightly cute, yes?)
Ruby Oliver is a social outcast. She tried to get back with her ex-boyfriend, when he was dating one of her best friends, and now none of them are speaking to her. Most people at school are avoiding her. And so she starts having panic attacks. Her parents send her to Doctor Z, who tells her to write The Boyfriend List – a chronological list of all the boys she’s ever dated, liked, kissed, or shared a rumour with – and they work through it at their appointments. In-between meetings with Doctor Z, Ruby tells us more stories, goes to school, and manages to make things worse.
I love The Boyfriend List. It is one of the best teen/YA novels that I have ever read. It’s so good that I read it and then spent a year wanting to review it, but procrastinating instead because I was worried about doing it justice. I recently read it again, and decided that it was time to have a go at the review, because the world just needs my ravings about the wonders of The Boyfriend List. To make it a little easier for myself at first, I decided not to go straight into my usual review format, but to write a list of things I loved about the book instead. I was just going to use this to get a draft done, and then edit it into a more regular shape, but I think it fits the book better than my standard review style.
So I give you:
Ten Things I Love About The Boyfriend List
Ruby lives on a houseboat. A houseboat! I stayed on a houseboat for a week and it was great. Apart from the couple of occasions that it nearly crashed into other boats/the side of the canal.
The characterisation is amazing. There are loads of characters but even the minor ones are introduced with memorable details, so it’s not hard to keep track. Ruby’s mother is a performance artist, and her father runs a gardening newsletter and mail-order seed business. Her ex-boyfriend, Jackson, used to give her model frogs. Kim’s parents are both doctors. Hutch is into vintage heavy metal. Those are just a few iceberg tips.
Ruby is a brilliant narrator. She’s funny, she’s overdramatic, she’s intelligent but frequently completely oblivious to consequences, and I can feel my mind growing as hers does over the course of the book. Her relationships with the other characters are very true to life.
There are several totally crushworthy boys. Finn. Angelo. Gideon. Shiv. Noel. NOEL. And they’re not all the same ‘type’ either, they’re all really different. Each chapter is named after one of the boys on the list, so don’t worry, you will learn about them all!
Ruby’s friends are all really different and interesting too. I was especially intrigued by Nora and I hope we get to find out more about her in the other books.
Jackson, Ruby’s ex, is perfect for loving-to-hate. He’s such a slimeball. And yet at times I wondered if he actually means to be evil, or if he just doesn’t understand how much he hurts other people, or isn’t mature enough to properly care.
The mysterious Doctor Z. With her ponchos and occasional thoughtful prompts, both of which comically infuriate Ruby.
The footnotes, which are an ingenious way of including the tangents that a person would naturally go off on, if they were telling you a story in a conversation, without truly interrupting the main goings-on.
It’s just as great the second time around. On my second reading of The Boyfriend List, I noticed quite a few things that I didn’t notice the first time I read it. Cue more even more exclaiming aloud that E. Lockhart is a genius.
It’s just the first in the series! There are threeotherbooks!
How did you find this unorthodox review? Did it make you want to read The Boyfriend List? I really hope so! If you want more reviewy goodness, try:
Heather's Goodreads review, which I completely agree with. The Boyfriend List is a serious, painless, totally enjoyable educational experience.
When E. Lockhart announced this competition on her blog, I had to try very hard not to scare every living creature around with my excitement. She hasn't confirmed that it's open for international entries, but I don't mind. Even if I'm not able to win an ARC of Real Life Boyfriends, a book that I am so excited about that I have written the release date in my diary1, I don't mind promoting this amazing series that I love nearly almost as much as I love the Diary of a Crush trilogy2.
I will review The Boyfriend List soon, when I get over my 'Can I do this justice?' syndrome, but for now, a brief summary.
The Ruby Oliver series, which begins with The Boyfriend List, is about a girl who starts getting panic attacks after her boyfriend breaks up with her and starts dating her best friend. Her parents insist she starts seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Z, who tells her to write The Boyfriend List of the title - a list of every boy she's liked, dated, or been rumoured to be involved with. It is very funny. It makes my heart pound. It makes me gasp 'Ruuuuuuby, no!'. There are lots of fictional-crush worthy boys, and a couple to hate. It is also really educational, and I mean that in the best way. Plus, Ruby lives in a houseboat. A HOUSEBOAT. I don't understand how anyone could fail to love this.
Here is my entry for the competition: two translations of boyspeak.
What he says: Is it your time of the month?
What is understood: He thinks I'm being moody, because I'm arguing with him.
What he means: Why won't she just agree with me already?
What he says: You shouldn't listen to your best friend so much.
What is understood: He thinks I'm smarter than her, and that she's bad for my self-esteem.
What he means: I don't like your best friend.
1 I think I wrote it in in April, after reading The Boy Book. Other dates I have written in my diary include the International Day of the Nacho, Europe Day, Anti-Bullying Week, the day the next Sleek eyeshadow palettes are supposed to be in stores, and the birthdays of some of my favourite sadly-deceased writers.
2 An impressive feat, seeing as I first read Diary of a Crush when I was 14, and I only read The Boyfriend List last December.
you have a book by an author you love so you know you'll love the book and then when you read the book you love it and keep stopping to say silly things like 'Oh my god I love this book!' or 'Author-name you are a genius'. I love it. You don't say? Yeah. I say.
Last time I had this experience I was reading The Boy Book by E. Lockhart, which obviously I was going to love as I adored The Boyfriend List. I am having it again with Nobody's Girl by Sarra Manning. I swear she just keeps getting better and better! Every new book is just so much more detailed and powerful than the ones before, although of course those still remain brilliant and stand up to being re-read afterwards. I'm only on chapter five, but I can recognise improvement right from the start.
I always read with my 'writing hat' on. Some writers complain that learning the craft of writing can spoil the pleasure of reading unless you make a deliberate effort not to think like a writer whilst you're reading just for fun. This has not been my experience so far. Some advocate reading each book twice, once as a 'reader', and once as a 'writer', but my critical faculties are always on and usually at maximum power when I'm reading a book. I think this at least partly comes from having studied cultural theory, I always say that beginning to learn theory was like discovering that I live in the Matrix. I look at everything through that lens I developed as an undergraduate.
Yes, it involves thinking a lot. Yes, I can no longer bring myself to watch crap films in which a beautiful woman falls in love with some stupid man after various tedious slapstick things have happened. But I get to experience a added level of pleasure when I read or watch something that has been done right. I also admire nice plot twists, detailed characterisation, great dialogue - oh, how I love dialogue! I see how they did that, and I love it! I get especially excited when one of the things I particularly love to see in teen fiction turns up at the start of a book, because there is almost no way that it can fail to be good with one of these things in it. I first made up this list when talking to one of my postgraduate tutors about why I love teen fiction, and I included it in the commentary for my MA portfolio. I've added to it since, so now along with such things as 'intelligent, critical narrators', and 'teenagers with slightly-more-glamourous-than-mine lives', I have listed 'quirky families' and 'characters with hobbies'. One day I'll have to make a post about this list.
But today I am going to type up some reviews for Body Image and Self Perception Month, and then carry on with Nobody's Girl. I am so excited! When I have read Nobody's Girl I will be well prepared for the Chicklish birthday event having read every book by Sarra Manning and Simmone Howell and one of Luisa Plaja's. Unfortunately my local library does not have Della Says: OMG! by Keris Stainton and I won't have a chance to get it before Monday, but still, this is amazing, as most of the time when I go to see authors speak I haven't actually read any of their books!
I haven't posted anything that wasn't strictly a review on this blog for ages. How did I do?
. I am having it again with 
by Sarra Manning. I swear she just keeps getting better and better! Every new book is just so much more detailed and powerful than the ones before, although of course those still remain brilliant and stand up to being re-read afterwards. I'm only on chapter five, but I can recognise improvement right from the start.