Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Genres
Publication
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2012), Edition: 1, 224 pages
Description
Sixteen-year-old Shelby finds it difficult to balance her mother's dying request to live a life without restraint with her father's plans for his "little princess," which include attending a traditional father-daughter dance that culminates with a ceremonial vow to live "whole, pure lives."
User reviews
LibraryThing member stephxsu
Several years after her mother died, Shelby still manages to keep three promises she made to her. However, the promises—of which one involves listening to her father—prove hard to keep when Shelby’s father asks her to participate with him in the father-daughter Princess Ball, during which the
To Shelby, this means one thing: that she must have sex before the Ball, so that the vow will be null. But finding someone to have sex with her in the space of a few weeks proves harder than she thinks. And along the way, Shelby realizes the true meaning of the other two promises she made her mother: to love as much as possible and to live without restraint.
PURITY had a great premise that catches the attention of even the most jaded of readers—promises to a dead person! a ball! SEX!—but unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. The story seems to struggle with an identity crisis over whether it’s lighthearted or philosophical, with the result that it doesn’t really succeed at either end.
The good thing is that the characters, their relationships with one another, and the story’s romance are done very well. Shelby is a bit of a Jane Everygirl, which was slightly disappointing, as there was great potential for her to have some interesting quirks, and not every story requires an Everygirl at its heart in order for it to be relatable and likable. Fortunately, other characters, such as Shelby’s friends, are lovely to read about. Nothing too special about them, but they’re nice and supportive and people whom you want to be your friends. Shelby’s relationship with her father is more noteworthy, in that I think that a fair number of daughters can relate to Shelby and her father’s awkward yet fierce love for each other.
What tripped me up about PURITY, however, was its intent. Was it a straightforward novel about overcoming lifelong grief, looking for sex, and finding love instead? If PURITY wanted simply to be a grief novel, I think I would have been okay with it. Grief novels are obviously a dime a number in YA literature these days, but there are still some decent, if perhaps not original, stories among the lot. However, at many points PURITY dipped into random paragraphs about questioning one’s belief in God and faith, and I suppose that I didn’t feel like the religion aspect of this book was built up enough to support Shelby’s questioning thoughts.
PURITY is a noble effort at making different a tried-and-true contemporary YA routine, but ultimately it didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Read it if you want a slightly different spin on the classic grief novel, albeit one that doesn’t entirely succeed at being different.
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daughter will vow to lead a “pure” life.To Shelby, this means one thing: that she must have sex before the Ball, so that the vow will be null. But finding someone to have sex with her in the space of a few weeks proves harder than she thinks. And along the way, Shelby realizes the true meaning of the other two promises she made her mother: to love as much as possible and to live without restraint.
PURITY had a great premise that catches the attention of even the most jaded of readers—promises to a dead person! a ball! SEX!—but unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. The story seems to struggle with an identity crisis over whether it’s lighthearted or philosophical, with the result that it doesn’t really succeed at either end.
The good thing is that the characters, their relationships with one another, and the story’s romance are done very well. Shelby is a bit of a Jane Everygirl, which was slightly disappointing, as there was great potential for her to have some interesting quirks, and not every story requires an Everygirl at its heart in order for it to be relatable and likable. Fortunately, other characters, such as Shelby’s friends, are lovely to read about. Nothing too special about them, but they’re nice and supportive and people whom you want to be your friends. Shelby’s relationship with her father is more noteworthy, in that I think that a fair number of daughters can relate to Shelby and her father’s awkward yet fierce love for each other.
What tripped me up about PURITY, however, was its intent. Was it a straightforward novel about overcoming lifelong grief, looking for sex, and finding love instead? If PURITY wanted simply to be a grief novel, I think I would have been okay with it. Grief novels are obviously a dime a number in YA literature these days, but there are still some decent, if perhaps not original, stories among the lot. However, at many points PURITY dipped into random paragraphs about questioning one’s belief in God and faith, and I suppose that I didn’t feel like the religion aspect of this book was built up enough to support Shelby’s questioning thoughts.
PURITY is a noble effort at making different a tried-and-true contemporary YA routine, but ultimately it didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Read it if you want a slightly different spin on the classic grief novel, albeit one that doesn’t entirely succeed at being different.
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LibraryThing member breakingdownslowly
Basically, I really loved Purity.
Jackson Pearce captured grieving so, so well. The grief and the struggle with God and religion is just spot on. It was intense and strong and it's really rare to see it captured so perfectly. I think that was the best part of the book for me. It was honest and real
I also loved Shelby as a character. She was trying to hard to make everyone happy. Her mom, her dad, herself. It's another thing that makes her, and Purity as a whole, easy to relate to. Many, many people want to please everyone and that's just not possible all the time, so you pick the best path for you.
As always, Jackson Pearce's writing is wonderful. Despite being short, I don't feel like I missed anything from Purity. It didn't drag or slow down and it was plenty descriptive.
Really, this wasn't what I was expecting. It was so much more. Shelby feels like a real teen and Purity felt like it could be someone's life. Was it perfect? No, but it was pretty freaking close for me.This isn't going to be a book for everyone, but as someone who's Shelby's age and is dealing with a lot of the things she's dealing with, it was amazing.
Jackson Pearce captured grieving so, so well. The grief and the struggle with God and religion is just spot on. It was intense and strong and it's really rare to see it captured so perfectly. I think that was the best part of the book for me. It was honest and real
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and it doesn't just apply to people who lost a parent, it applies to anyone who's ever lost someone or anyone who struggles with religion. I started this struggle over 10 years ago and it's not one that's easy to let go of and find an answer.I also loved Shelby as a character. She was trying to hard to make everyone happy. Her mom, her dad, herself. It's another thing that makes her, and Purity as a whole, easy to relate to. Many, many people want to please everyone and that's just not possible all the time, so you pick the best path for you.
As always, Jackson Pearce's writing is wonderful. Despite being short, I don't feel like I missed anything from Purity. It didn't drag or slow down and it was plenty descriptive.
Really, this wasn't what I was expecting. It was so much more. Shelby feels like a real teen and Purity felt like it could be someone's life. Was it perfect? No, but it was pretty freaking close for me.This isn't going to be a book for everyone, but as someone who's Shelby's age and is dealing with a lot of the things she's dealing with, it was amazing.
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LibraryThing member BookSpot
Just before her mother died, ten-year-old Shelby promised she would do three things: listen to her father, love as much as possible, and live without restraint. It's been fairly easy to follow those three promises so far - she avoids having her father tell her not to actually do something so that
But when her father tells her about the Princess Ball where daughters vow to live a 'pure' life (no drugs, no sex until marriage and no alcohol until age 21), Shelby finds herself torn between Promise One and Promise Three. Until, she finds a loophole. Just like the one that allows her to do crazy things as long as her dad tells her best friend Jonas or someone else not to do them, Shelby has found a way around the chastity vow for the ball.
If she loses her virginity before the ball, the vow will be void and therefore she can make it and not be lying to her father but still not break Promise Two or Promise Three to her mother.
When I heard that Jackson Pearce was writing a contemporary YA about a purity ball, I was in a bit of love . . . and I so wanted to stay in it. But, I didn't.
I actually had a hard time finishing Purity. Shelby's mother makes her promise to 'listen' to her father and somehow Shelby takes that as doing exactly what her father says - if he says don't do x she can't do x. I can understand listening to him but just because he wants her to do the purity ball doesn't mean she can't voice some disapproval. To me, 'listen to your father,' doesn't quite translate to 'blindly obey - while finding any loophole around doing what your father says.'
Shelby didn't talk to her father about her discomfort with the vows, or anything at all, really. I had a hard time connecting with a character who makes a promise to her mother to listen to her father and then, because she doesn't want to vow to remain a virgin until marriage (or tell her father so), plans to lose her virginity in seven weeks.
The ending (as it pertained to two characters) was one I could see coming from the very beginning. It wasn't a big to-do at the end so it wasn't particularly rewarding, it was just something predictable throughout the story.
I still love the idea of a contemporary YA about the purity balls - and what they really mean; whether girls are taking them seriously or just doing it to look good to outsiders, how their families feel about it, if it's like a Deb Ball but with the vows and really just a society thing . . . I love all of that, but I didn't quite find it in Purity.
Here are two reviews one and two by bloggers who liked Purity more than I did - you might get a different sense of the book from them (I think they were able to connect with it more than I did).
As I said, I'm a Jackson Pearce fan and do hate that I didn't like this one - I'm hoping for more contemporary YA from here, though.
thank you to LBYR and NetGalley for my egalley for review
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she can still follow through on the third promise and even has a list of (sometimes crazy) things she hopes to accomplish in life.But when her father tells her about the Princess Ball where daughters vow to live a 'pure' life (no drugs, no sex until marriage and no alcohol until age 21), Shelby finds herself torn between Promise One and Promise Three. Until, she finds a loophole. Just like the one that allows her to do crazy things as long as her dad tells her best friend Jonas or someone else not to do them, Shelby has found a way around the chastity vow for the ball.
If she loses her virginity before the ball, the vow will be void and therefore she can make it and not be lying to her father but still not break Promise Two or Promise Three to her mother.
When I heard that Jackson Pearce was writing a contemporary YA about a purity ball, I was in a bit of love . . . and I so wanted to stay in it. But, I didn't.
I actually had a hard time finishing Purity. Shelby's mother makes her promise to 'listen' to her father and somehow Shelby takes that as doing exactly what her father says - if he says don't do x she can't do x. I can understand listening to him but just because he wants her to do the purity ball doesn't mean she can't voice some disapproval. To me, 'listen to your father,' doesn't quite translate to 'blindly obey - while finding any loophole around doing what your father says.'
Shelby didn't talk to her father about her discomfort with the vows, or anything at all, really. I had a hard time connecting with a character who makes a promise to her mother to listen to her father and then, because she doesn't want to vow to remain a virgin until marriage (or tell her father so), plans to lose her virginity in seven weeks.
The ending (as it pertained to two characters) was one I could see coming from the very beginning. It wasn't a big to-do at the end so it wasn't particularly rewarding, it was just something predictable throughout the story.
I still love the idea of a contemporary YA about the purity balls - and what they really mean; whether girls are taking them seriously or just doing it to look good to outsiders, how their families feel about it, if it's like a Deb Ball but with the vows and really just a society thing . . . I love all of that, but I didn't quite find it in Purity.
Here are two reviews one and two by bloggers who liked Purity more than I did - you might get a different sense of the book from them (I think they were able to connect with it more than I did).
As I said, I'm a Jackson Pearce fan and do hate that I didn't like this one - I'm hoping for more contemporary YA from here, though.
thank you to LBYR and NetGalley for my egalley for review
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LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
Purity is a book that is going to raise questions. I can tell you that even though I enjoyed the book, I do not agree with the characters choices. That'ts just me. Despite all of that, I still enjoyed Ms. Pearce writing.
The story hits right on target of teens. Teens rush to do anything. The rush to
In any case, I like that Shelby made self discoveries. She realized what she actually wanted. She told the truth at the ball and finally understood what her mom is really saying. I like that she had her friends to guide her in whatever she needed.
Purity is an good coming of age story. Life lessons about love and loss fill the pages as the readers see Shelby grow into a woman. Purity is a good read.
*Sex scene*
The story hits right on target of teens. Teens rush to do anything. The rush to
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get old, drink, have sex, party, etc. I know when I was a teen, I could not wait to grow up. To be on my own, to have no one tell me what to do, etc. Even though Shelby has a plan for her life, I felt as though she is rushing through it. She wanted to get things done so she can move on to the next item. I felt that Shelby rushing to loose her virginity, was well, wrong. Again, my opinion. (Don't jump all over me!)In any case, I like that Shelby made self discoveries. She realized what she actually wanted. She told the truth at the ball and finally understood what her mom is really saying. I like that she had her friends to guide her in whatever she needed.
Purity is an good coming of age story. Life lessons about love and loss fill the pages as the readers see Shelby grow into a woman. Purity is a good read.
*Sex scene*
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LibraryThing member ilikethesebooks
I love Jackson Pearce. Well... at least I love her writing (since I have never officially met her... but I'm sure we'd get along perfectly awkwardly). I have not read As You Wish, but I have read both of her fairytale retellings, Sisters Red and Sweetly (I cannot wait for Fathomless!), so needless
When Shelby's mother was dying, she asked Shelby to keep three promises. Shelby kept those promises, even if it meant finding every loophole possible to stay true to her word, but to also get to do what it is that she wants. When her father asks her to be part of the annual father/daughter Princess Ball, Shelby doesn't really think anything of it... until she reads into it and finds out that she will be required to take a vow to her father to live a pure life. If she takes the vow, she has to keep it. But... if she is able to loose her virginity before the ball, the vow will be void.
There were so many aspects of this novel I enjoyed, but I have to say that the part that I most appreciated was how the author took on the "virginity" challenge. What I mean is, for a subject that is found quite frequently in Young Adult literature, almost all of the occurrences end up the same way - either deciding that being true to yourself and waiting is the best option, or that going through with the act was a mistake (and sometimes end up with life-changing consequences). Teenagers are bombarded with that message all the time in school, but the truth of the matter is, it is not always that way, nor should it be. Lets just say, it was nice to see a new side to the subject matter.
Overall, this story was sweet and super awkward (realistically so). The atmosphere is extremely comforting, even with all the drama and angst - it feels familiar and welcoming, although I have never experienced most of what the main character is going through. All of that and more makes Purity a great contemporary.
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to say, I was ecstatic when this pretty blue book showed up at my doorstep. It was interesting to see how different the author's voice was between her fantasy and contemporary, something that I really appreciated. Purity was a different novel then I was expecting, but in a really great way. When Shelby's mother was dying, she asked Shelby to keep three promises. Shelby kept those promises, even if it meant finding every loophole possible to stay true to her word, but to also get to do what it is that she wants. When her father asks her to be part of the annual father/daughter Princess Ball, Shelby doesn't really think anything of it... until she reads into it and finds out that she will be required to take a vow to her father to live a pure life. If she takes the vow, she has to keep it. But... if she is able to loose her virginity before the ball, the vow will be void.
There were so many aspects of this novel I enjoyed, but I have to say that the part that I most appreciated was how the author took on the "virginity" challenge. What I mean is, for a subject that is found quite frequently in Young Adult literature, almost all of the occurrences end up the same way - either deciding that being true to yourself and waiting is the best option, or that going through with the act was a mistake (and sometimes end up with life-changing consequences). Teenagers are bombarded with that message all the time in school, but the truth of the matter is, it is not always that way, nor should it be. Lets just say, it was nice to see a new side to the subject matter.
Overall, this story was sweet and super awkward (realistically so). The atmosphere is extremely comforting, even with all the drama and angst - it feels familiar and welcoming, although I have never experienced most of what the main character is going through. All of that and more makes Purity a great contemporary.
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LibraryThing member ShaEliPar
I wasn't sure about Purity when I first started reading it. I bounce back between really enjoying it and down right hating it, in the end my opinion falls right smack in the middle.
I sympathized with the main character of Shelby right away and I liked her quite a lot. Though she does some things I
For people who are worried this book is just about a girl who bashes religion, I would like to say I didn't find it that way at all. Its much more about how Shelby wishes she had something like religion to have faith in; something that is always there for her no matter what, something she never questions. Unfortunately after her mother's death she doesn't find that in religion does that for her anymore. The novel is about her journey to accept the things she can't change. To find faith and understanding in herself.
WOW, I didn't mean to ramble so much.
Anyways, while I obviously enjoyed the honesty and heart in Jackson Pearce's novel I had a harder time with its predictability. I felt like after about 20 or 30 pages you already knew how the novel was going to end and that doesn't really change. Some of the supporting characters feel flat for me as well. I do think the novel could be helpful to young teens who are trying to deal with loss or thinking of losing there virginity. Its definitely the kind of book to be a conversation starter.
I sympathized with the main character of Shelby right away and I liked her quite a lot. Though she does some things I
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found annoying or immature, I respected her for wanting to honor both her mother and father's wishes while still trying to be her own person.For people who are worried this book is just about a girl who bashes religion, I would like to say I didn't find it that way at all. Its much more about how Shelby wishes she had something like religion to have faith in; something that is always there for her no matter what, something she never questions. Unfortunately after her mother's death she doesn't find that in religion does that for her anymore. The novel is about her journey to accept the things she can't change. To find faith and understanding in herself.
WOW, I didn't mean to ramble so much.
Anyways, while I obviously enjoyed the honesty and heart in Jackson Pearce's novel I had a harder time with its predictability. I felt like after about 20 or 30 pages you already knew how the novel was going to end and that doesn't really change. Some of the supporting characters feel flat for me as well. I do think the novel could be helpful to young teens who are trying to deal with loss or thinking of losing there virginity. Its definitely the kind of book to be a conversation starter.
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LibraryThing member BookRatMisty
I was a little hesitant to read this, I'm not even going to lie. It's not that I don't like Jackson's writing (because I do), or that I thought that she would be heavy-handed and didactic and...zealous (because I didn't, really). It's just that there was the chance. I mean, a YA book that tackles god how do I say this without sounding close-minded narrow evil jaded awful what the hell I'll just go for it religious and saccharine and gee-golly-gosh wholesome for my tastes. It runs the risks of being a little too brain-washy for me. I like me some free thought, okay? Some exploration of deep issues and personal choice, not just a battle of lustfulness and godliness. (do not want.)
[Also: is it wrong of me to say that I was also worried that there was a chance that I would lose respect for Jackson and her writing if that was the path it did take? Because that was part of the trepidation, I'm not going to lie. I avoid religious discussions whenever I can because I don't want to inevitably view people differently afterward... Unintentional moment of truth, there.]
FORTUNATELY, Jackson avoided all of the pitfalls I feared the story might fall into. It's much more coming of age - and coming to terms - than some heavy-handed emphasis on religion and purity. It is about questioning and finding yourself and your beliefs, whatever those may be. Shelby questions God - and questions everything - as she learns to navigate her relationships and discover who she is and what she thinks, feels, and wants. It's funny and poignant - and predictable, yes but not in a bad way. And it's super quick.
Now, here's for the opposite-of-me warning: I think the things I liked may offend some readers.Where I found it well handled and thought it was authentic and relatable, others may find it, uh...sinful? I'd venture to say that reading the synopsis should really be enough to tell you if you'd be offended or made uncomfortable by this book. It's all pretty laid out (pun accidental, but...eh, appropriate, I guess). At its core, it's not so simple, but on the surface, it IS a book about a girl trying to lose her virginity (with someone, anyone - a stranger, if need be) as a loophole in a promise to her parents, and that will inevitably bother some people. If you're one of those, you may want to skip this. (Though I think maybe you're exactly the type of person that needs to read this.)
I think also there are times people may find Shelby's relentless adherence to the "Rules" at any cost a bit ridiculous. Personally, I thought it made sense in a really sad, human way, so it didn't bother me too much. People do this. In real life, people do seemingly bizarre things like this. They hold on too tight and too long, and do absurd things out of love and guilt and fear of what's next, and because they don't know how to stop. They don't know what will happen if they stop, and it's easier not to confront whatever it is that this bizarre thing (like The Rules, or whatever it may be that people cling to) is helping to avoid. Added to the fact that Shelby's so young, and her reaction didn't really seem so farfetched anymore. But there are those who will always think it's farfetched, or will think it's forced for the purposes of the story. Or who just plain won't relate to Shleby.
But those two warnings aside, I think this is definitely worth the read. It was sweet and enjoyable, and engaging and quick. And even if it didn't necessarily knock my socks off and have me pushing it on everyone I knew, it still wasn't something I wanted to put down or pass on, which is really saying something considering how hesitantly I started it.
[And it didn't make me think less of Jackson or her writing. If anything, it made me think better of both.]
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virginity in terms of purity runs the risk of being much more [Also: is it wrong of me to say that I was also worried that there was a chance that I would lose respect for Jackson and her writing if that was the path it did take? Because that was part of the trepidation, I'm not going to lie. I avoid religious discussions whenever I can because I don't want to inevitably view people differently afterward... Unintentional moment of truth, there.]
FORTUNATELY, Jackson avoided all of the pitfalls I feared the story might fall into. It's much more coming of age - and coming to terms - than some heavy-handed emphasis on religion and purity. It is about questioning and finding yourself and your beliefs, whatever those may be. Shelby questions God - and questions everything - as she learns to navigate her relationships and discover who she is and what she thinks, feels, and wants. It's funny and poignant - and predictable, yes but not in a bad way. And it's super quick.
Now, here's for the opposite-of-me warning: I think the things I liked may offend some readers.Where I found it well handled and thought it was authentic and relatable, others may find it, uh...sinful? I'd venture to say that reading the synopsis should really be enough to tell you if you'd be offended or made uncomfortable by this book. It's all pretty laid out (pun accidental, but...eh, appropriate, I guess). At its core, it's not so simple, but on the surface, it IS a book about a girl trying to lose her virginity (with someone, anyone - a stranger, if need be) as a loophole in a promise to her parents, and that will inevitably bother some people. If you're one of those, you may want to skip this. (Though I think maybe you're exactly the type of person that needs to read this.)
I think also there are times people may find Shelby's relentless adherence to the "Rules" at any cost a bit ridiculous. Personally, I thought it made sense in a really sad, human way, so it didn't bother me too much. People do this. In real life, people do seemingly bizarre things like this. They hold on too tight and too long, and do absurd things out of love and guilt and fear of what's next, and because they don't know how to stop. They don't know what will happen if they stop, and it's easier not to confront whatever it is that this bizarre thing (like The Rules, or whatever it may be that people cling to) is helping to avoid. Added to the fact that Shelby's so young, and her reaction didn't really seem so farfetched anymore. But there are those who will always think it's farfetched, or will think it's forced for the purposes of the story. Or who just plain won't relate to Shleby.
But those two warnings aside, I think this is definitely worth the read. It was sweet and enjoyable, and engaging and quick. And even if it didn't necessarily knock my socks off and have me pushing it on everyone I knew, it still wasn't something I wanted to put down or pass on, which is really saying something considering how hesitantly I started it.
[And it didn't make me think less of Jackson or her writing. If anything, it made me think better of both.]
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LibraryThing member ethel55
When an impressionable ten year old promises her dying mother to listen to her father, love as much as she can and live without restraint, it's hard to see that those same vows will take you to a trestle bridge, waiting to jump off into the lake, to scratch another thing off a 100+ to do list at
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sixteen. With well written best friends Ruby and Jonas, Shelby has been tackling her list (and vows) for years, using various loopholes when necessary. When her father adds yet another committee to his resume, this one for the Princess Ball, it seems the vow of chastity (and Shelby's unwillingness to a virgin until 35) could be a deal breaker. What starts as a mission to lose her virginity before the Ball becomes a much richer story about fathers and daughters, God's plan (or lack thereof) and best friends. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sullywriter
Funny, honest, and occasionally poignant. The idea of a ceremony in which teenage girls pledge their virginity to their fathers is one of the creepiest non-criminal things I can think of.
LibraryThing member leftik
2.5.
My largest issue with Purity is it seemed to bite off more than it could chew. It tried to straddle a light-hearted tone with a serious, grieving tone and it didn't quite work out. Almost like a mullet. Serious in the front, party in the back, but vice versa. And just as problematic.
I really
This is one of those books where it's a fine book, but it had such POTENTIAL to be better. And that makes it worse, you know?
My largest issue with Purity is it seemed to bite off more than it could chew. It tried to straddle a light-hearted tone with a serious, grieving tone and it didn't quite work out. Almost like a mullet. Serious in the front, party in the back, but vice versa. And just as problematic.
I really
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liked Shelby's voice initially - she has some witty one-liners throughout the book that had me chortling - but her voice seemed lost towards the end amongst the issues of the book. This is one of those books where it's a fine book, but it had such POTENTIAL to be better. And that makes it worse, you know?
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LibraryThing member BooksOverTv
A cute light well written heart warming contemporary read.
LibraryThing member ccathee17c
Title : Purity
Series : -
Author : Jackson Pearce
Pages : 218
Release Date : April 24th 2012
Publisher : Little, Brown and Company for YR / Hachette Book Group Canada
Format : Harcover
Source :
**I received this copy from HBG Canada in exchange for an honest review.**
My Opinion :
Purity is the first book
I thought Purity by Jackson Pearce would be a less fluffy book, and maybe more of a big dramatic book.
The plot was the best part of the book, although I thought the 'Promises', which are promises she told her mom (before her mom died) that she would respect and obey. But, Miss Pearce felt like she was trying to make it sound like Shelby was taking the Promises too far... but I don't feel like she really was... Anyways, in Purity, Shelby needs to attend this Princess Ball, where daughters vow to their fathers their purity for life (therefore, the title of the book), and so, Shelby is freaking out, because she just can't break a promise, one being that she holds every promise she tells her dad. And so, she tries to lose her virginity before the ball, because she and her two best friends figured out that the promise she didn't 'have meaning' if you broke it before doing it, so, like, it deletes the promise. But...
In Purity, Shelby has two best friends, the main bet friend being Jonas, a boy, and her second best friend, Ruby. Alright, so we develop Jonas a little bit... but not enough. I feel like maybe you should have flashbacks of when they were younger, or maybe just some things that happened to Jonas, but he wasn't involved enough, in my opinion. Same thing for Ruby. except that Ruby felt like a third wheel that was never there (or almost), and that she wasn't really Shelby'S friend, moer like a someone Shelby knew...
The writing was nothing that special, although it was pretty easy to read. It was pretty much fast-paced - too fast-paced. You skipped big time (because each chapters is like '3 days before', and it's before the Princess Ball), and sometimes you'd just skip so many days. I mean, in those days, something could have happened! I don't know, Shelby could have gotten a A in a English test or something. Just... add something! And, add drama (because, well-done drama is what makes a book good!)
I enjoy Jackson Peace'S videos a lot on Youtube, so, I am sure to continue watching them, even if I didn't like Purity that much. Also, I'm hoping that Sisters Red will be better!
*Although Purity wasn't the best book I have read this year, I know that a lot of people enjoyed it, and so I don't recommend you decide not to buy it because of my review; you should check out other people'S review to see if, maybe you'D like it. This is just my take on the book.*
RATING
3.5 roses...
Series : -
Author : Jackson Pearce
Pages : 218
Release Date : April 24th 2012
Publisher : Little, Brown and Company for YR / Hachette Book Group Canada
Format : Harcover
Source :
**I received this copy from HBG Canada in exchange for an honest review.**
My Opinion :
Purity is the first book
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by Jackson Pearce that I have read (although, I do own Sisters Red...). I was actually really looking forward to it. I was so excited when I got it, that I read it the evening it came. But... it just didn't meet my expectations.I thought Purity by Jackson Pearce would be a less fluffy book, and maybe more of a big dramatic book.
The plot was the best part of the book, although I thought the 'Promises', which are promises she told her mom (before her mom died) that she would respect and obey. But, Miss Pearce felt like she was trying to make it sound like Shelby was taking the Promises too far... but I don't feel like she really was... Anyways, in Purity, Shelby needs to attend this Princess Ball, where daughters vow to their fathers their purity for life (therefore, the title of the book), and so, Shelby is freaking out, because she just can't break a promise, one being that she holds every promise she tells her dad. And so, she tries to lose her virginity before the ball, because she and her two best friends figured out that the promise she didn't 'have meaning' if you broke it before doing it, so, like, it deletes the promise. But...
In Purity, Shelby has two best friends, the main bet friend being Jonas, a boy, and her second best friend, Ruby. Alright, so we develop Jonas a little bit... but not enough. I feel like maybe you should have flashbacks of when they were younger, or maybe just some things that happened to Jonas, but he wasn't involved enough, in my opinion. Same thing for Ruby. except that Ruby felt like a third wheel that was never there (or almost), and that she wasn't really Shelby'S friend, moer like a someone Shelby knew...
The writing was nothing that special, although it was pretty easy to read. It was pretty much fast-paced - too fast-paced. You skipped big time (because each chapters is like '3 days before', and it's before the Princess Ball), and sometimes you'd just skip so many days. I mean, in those days, something could have happened! I don't know, Shelby could have gotten a A in a English test or something. Just... add something! And, add drama (because, well-done drama is what makes a book good!)
I enjoy Jackson Peace'S videos a lot on Youtube, so, I am sure to continue watching them, even if I didn't like Purity that much. Also, I'm hoping that Sisters Red will be better!
*Although Purity wasn't the best book I have read this year, I know that a lot of people enjoyed it, and so I don't recommend you decide not to buy it because of my review; you should check out other people'S review to see if, maybe you'D like it. This is just my take on the book.*
RATING
3.5 roses...
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LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
Purity by Jackson Pearce runs the extremes. There’s some humor, but essentially it is a sad book, but different types of sad for different reasons. It’s my first foray into Pearce’s books and despite a recommendation and review from some journal or other, I wasn’t quite ready for the
So, I’ll ask you. If you’re 10 years old and your mother is dying of breast cancer and she asks you to promise her three things, what would you do? Of course, you’d do anything under those circumstances. And, when you’re fifteen, and those promises either don’t make sense or are unrealistic or you disagree with them, what would you do then? Keep them? Find loopholes? Well, that’s Shelby’s dilemma.
Shelby’s father, who for the past five years, has been a relatively silent house partner, gets involved in planning the Princess Ball, a father-daughter dance, and wants to attend with Shelby. That’s all well and good, but there are vows that the daughters must make, part of which is purity (abstinence) until marriage, of which Shelby disagrees. So, she goes looking for pre-Princess Ball sex (the loophole being if you’ve done it before the vow, then the vow is null and void).
I’ll let you read the book to find out what happens. But here are the different sads:
1. A 10-year-old (or anyone, for that matter) losing a loved one to cancer. We adults can’t come to grips with “God’s plan” or the withering of a body. How can a 10-year-old?
2. Pearce makes a point at the end about taking promises literally or understanding the meaning. Shelby’s relationship with her father is the result of a literal translation but there is so much missed as a result. But then again, can a 10-year-old read between the lines? Can a grown man read between the lines?
3. Although Pearce makes and reinforces the distinction between ‘getting laid’ and ‘making love’, Shelby and her friends’ cavalier attitudes to losing their virginity (both boys and girls) is unnerving for an old guy like me. And while pre-marital, extra-marital affairs are commonplace in our world, I would hope I’ve instilled in my children that making love is special and getting laid is vulgar. (My own humble opinion, folks.)
4. More melancholy than sad are the memories of moms (and dads) who have passed away. Regardless of your age, those memories remain and Pearce says it wonderfully.
“People expect you to miss the big things after someone you love dies. They expect you to think about graduating, falling in love, getting married without your mother there. And I do think about those things. But the things I really miss are smaller, fractions of my life intersected with hers, the moments I didn’t bother remembering because they seemed too unimportant–going to the grocery store, coming down the stairs in the morning, watching television, folding laundry. Things that happened a thousand times that will never, ever happen again. It’s like a drug that I can’t have, yet am hopelessly addicted to; I want those moments all the time. Some days all I do is imagine them, an endless stream of daydreams.”
From a literary standpoint Purity is nicely written but it’s the story that makes this book worth reading and thinking about. Unfortunately, I find much of it a sad commentary.
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story.So, I’ll ask you. If you’re 10 years old and your mother is dying of breast cancer and she asks you to promise her three things, what would you do? Of course, you’d do anything under those circumstances. And, when you’re fifteen, and those promises either don’t make sense or are unrealistic or you disagree with them, what would you do then? Keep them? Find loopholes? Well, that’s Shelby’s dilemma.
Shelby’s father, who for the past five years, has been a relatively silent house partner, gets involved in planning the Princess Ball, a father-daughter dance, and wants to attend with Shelby. That’s all well and good, but there are vows that the daughters must make, part of which is purity (abstinence) until marriage, of which Shelby disagrees. So, she goes looking for pre-Princess Ball sex (the loophole being if you’ve done it before the vow, then the vow is null and void).
I’ll let you read the book to find out what happens. But here are the different sads:
1. A 10-year-old (or anyone, for that matter) losing a loved one to cancer. We adults can’t come to grips with “God’s plan” or the withering of a body. How can a 10-year-old?
2. Pearce makes a point at the end about taking promises literally or understanding the meaning. Shelby’s relationship with her father is the result of a literal translation but there is so much missed as a result. But then again, can a 10-year-old read between the lines? Can a grown man read between the lines?
3. Although Pearce makes and reinforces the distinction between ‘getting laid’ and ‘making love’, Shelby and her friends’ cavalier attitudes to losing their virginity (both boys and girls) is unnerving for an old guy like me. And while pre-marital, extra-marital affairs are commonplace in our world, I would hope I’ve instilled in my children that making love is special and getting laid is vulgar. (My own humble opinion, folks.)
4. More melancholy than sad are the memories of moms (and dads) who have passed away. Regardless of your age, those memories remain and Pearce says it wonderfully.
“People expect you to miss the big things after someone you love dies. They expect you to think about graduating, falling in love, getting married without your mother there. And I do think about those things. But the things I really miss are smaller, fractions of my life intersected with hers, the moments I didn’t bother remembering because they seemed too unimportant–going to the grocery store, coming down the stairs in the morning, watching television, folding laundry. Things that happened a thousand times that will never, ever happen again. It’s like a drug that I can’t have, yet am hopelessly addicted to; I want those moments all the time. Some days all I do is imagine them, an endless stream of daydreams.”
From a literary standpoint Purity is nicely written but it’s the story that makes this book worth reading and thinking about. Unfortunately, I find much of it a sad commentary.
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LibraryThing member Je2nif4
Book:Purity
Author: Jackson Pearce
Characters: Shelby, Jonas and her Father
Setting: --
Theme: Dealing with grief and coming of age
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Ages 15 +
Curriculum: Great book for teen age girls and even boys that can focus on the interactions of relationships and balancing all those
Summary: Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.
Personal Response: This is a great mix of the “bucket list” movie and Judy Bloom’s Forever with a focus on a Father- Daughter relationship. The delicate and misguided communication that happens between a father and daughter is always confusing and can sometimes lead to disaster. But the connection between them is their love for her Shelby’s Mom who reminded her of the three promises and we watch as she learns the most challenging one to keep is to “live without restraint”. A challenge even for adults.
Author: Jackson Pearce
Characters: Shelby, Jonas and her Father
Setting: --
Theme: Dealing with grief and coming of age
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Ages 15 +
Curriculum: Great book for teen age girls and even boys that can focus on the interactions of relationships and balancing all those
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relationships. The divide between doing what’s right by society’s standards and learning how to re-define your own. Summary: Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.
Personal Response: This is a great mix of the “bucket list” movie and Judy Bloom’s Forever with a focus on a Father- Daughter relationship. The delicate and misguided communication that happens between a father and daughter is always confusing and can sometimes lead to disaster. But the connection between them is their love for her Shelby’s Mom who reminded her of the three promises and we watch as she learns the most challenging one to keep is to “live without restraint”. A challenge even for adults.
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LibraryThing member BookSpot
Just before her mother died, ten-year-old Shelby promised she would do three things: listen to her father, love as much as possible, and live without restraint. It's been fairly easy to follow those three promises so far - she avoids having her father tell her not to actually do something so that
But when her father tells her about the Princess Ball where daughters vow to live a 'pure' life (no drugs, no sex until marriage and no alcohol until age 21), Shelby finds herself torn between Promise One and Promise Three. Until, she finds a loophole. Just like the one that allows her to do crazy things as long as her dad tells her best friend Jonas or someone else not to do them, Shelby has found a way around the chastity vow for the ball.
If she loses her virginity before the ball, the vow will be void and therefore she can make it and not be lying to her father but still not break Promise Two or Promise Three to her mother.
When I heard that Jackson Pearce was writing a contemporary YA about a purity ball, I was in a bit of love . . . and I so wanted to stay in it. But, I didn't.
I actually had a hard time finishing Purity. Shelby's mother makes her promise to 'listen' to her father and somehow Shelby takes that as doing exactly what her father says - if he says don't do x she can't do x. I can understand listening to him but just because he wants her to do the purity ball doesn't mean she can't voice some disapproval. To me, 'listen to your father,' doesn't quite translate to 'blindly obey - while finding any loophole around doing what your father says.'
Shelby didn't talk to her father about her discomfort with the vows, or anything at all, really. I had a hard time connecting with a character who makes a promise to her mother to listen to her father and then, because she doesn't want to vow to remain a virgin until marriage (or tell her father so), plans to lose her virginity in seven weeks.
The ending (as it pertained to two characters) was one I could see coming from the very beginning. It wasn't a big to-do at the end so it wasn't particularly rewarding, it was just something predictable throughout the story.
I still love the idea of a contemporary YA about the purity balls - and what they really mean; whether girls are taking them seriously or just doing it to look good to outsiders, how their families feel about it, if it's like a Deb Ball but with the vows and really just a society thing . . . I love all of that, but I didn't quite find it in Purity.
Here are two reviews one and two by bloggers who liked Purity more than I did - you might get a different sense of the book from them (I think they were able to connect with it more than I did).
As I said, I'm a Jackson Pearce fan and do hate that I didn't like this one - I'm hoping for more contemporary YA from here, though.
Rating: 5/10
thank you to LBYR and NetGalley for my egalley for review
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she can still follow through on the third promise and even has a list of (sometimes crazy) things she hopes to accomplish in life.But when her father tells her about the Princess Ball where daughters vow to live a 'pure' life (no drugs, no sex until marriage and no alcohol until age 21), Shelby finds herself torn between Promise One and Promise Three. Until, she finds a loophole. Just like the one that allows her to do crazy things as long as her dad tells her best friend Jonas or someone else not to do them, Shelby has found a way around the chastity vow for the ball.
If she loses her virginity before the ball, the vow will be void and therefore she can make it and not be lying to her father but still not break Promise Two or Promise Three to her mother.
When I heard that Jackson Pearce was writing a contemporary YA about a purity ball, I was in a bit of love . . . and I so wanted to stay in it. But, I didn't.
I actually had a hard time finishing Purity. Shelby's mother makes her promise to 'listen' to her father and somehow Shelby takes that as doing exactly what her father says - if he says don't do x she can't do x. I can understand listening to him but just because he wants her to do the purity ball doesn't mean she can't voice some disapproval. To me, 'listen to your father,' doesn't quite translate to 'blindly obey - while finding any loophole around doing what your father says.'
Shelby didn't talk to her father about her discomfort with the vows, or anything at all, really. I had a hard time connecting with a character who makes a promise to her mother to listen to her father and then, because she doesn't want to vow to remain a virgin until marriage (or tell her father so), plans to lose her virginity in seven weeks.
The ending (as it pertained to two characters) was one I could see coming from the very beginning. It wasn't a big to-do at the end so it wasn't particularly rewarding, it was just something predictable throughout the story.
I still love the idea of a contemporary YA about the purity balls - and what they really mean; whether girls are taking them seriously or just doing it to look good to outsiders, how their families feel about it, if it's like a Deb Ball but with the vows and really just a society thing . . . I love all of that, but I didn't quite find it in Purity.
Here are two reviews one and two by bloggers who liked Purity more than I did - you might get a different sense of the book from them (I think they were able to connect with it more than I did).
As I said, I'm a Jackson Pearce fan and do hate that I didn't like this one - I'm hoping for more contemporary YA from here, though.
Rating: 5/10
thank you to LBYR and NetGalley for my egalley for review
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Awards
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2013)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
224 p.; 5.75 inches
ISBN
031618246X / 9780316182461