Call number
Genres
Publication
New York: Tor, 1998.
Pages
350
Description
The lives of three sisters become complicated when they encounter a mysterious young man who asks for help with a complex science project.
Awards
Minnesota Book Awards (Finalist — 1999)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1998
Physical description
350 p.; 8.6 inches
ISBN
0312857908
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member Herenya
I am uncertain whether this is merely characteristic of the author, but like Tam Lin, with Juniper, Gentian and Rosemary I found “when it was good, it was very good” and was it wasn’t good it, well, wasn’t. The book was a partly captivating and nostalgia-inducing, partly a bit mundane and
As a look at the life of an astronomy obsessed adolescent (Gentian) and her relationship with her family and her friends, it was wonderful. Gentian and her group of friends are unique, intelligent – weird and nonconformist in many respects – with different interests and strengths. They spend their time quoting, and discussing literature, science, feminism, linguistics and history. They have a childhood’s worth of amusing in-jokes, sayings and traditions – childish enough to be believable, without being corny.
Yet I didn’t feel the group dynamics were romantised or unrealistic – there were still the (very normal) issues of group friendship, just without the bitching, the vapid gossip and the backstabbing. The warmth was genuine. It was enough to make me want to go and join the “Giant Ants” myself.
Most of the story actually lacked a strong plot. (Hence the comment about the mundane, which I do think the story overcame). There are interesting mystery element at the beginning – slight, subtle but enough to keep the interest. A house in the block next door which appears suddenly, a neighbour who speaks only in quotes and wants to build a time machine in Gentian’s attic…
However, when the subtle hints broadened into becoming the plot, it didn’t work so well. The ending was sudden, unexpected, confusing, inadequately explained, not completely believable, confusing, hurried and confusing. It dived into fantasy and out again. It was strange and anti-climatic. I’m not going to delve into specifics (amazon reviewers do a very good job of that.) I’m uncertain whether I just didn’t …get it or whether as a story it did not work. I suspect it was a combination of both.
There is a ballad-fairy-tale-retelling element in it but I mustn’t be familiar with it; I haven’t picked it.
Despite everything, there is still a part of me which wants to rave about this book and recommend it. The final note of the book was satisfying, because it was poignant, and focused on the novel's strongest point.
Show More
partly confusing. And possibly anti-climatic.As a look at the life of an astronomy obsessed adolescent (Gentian) and her relationship with her family and her friends, it was wonderful. Gentian and her group of friends are unique, intelligent – weird and nonconformist in many respects – with different interests and strengths. They spend their time quoting, and discussing literature, science, feminism, linguistics and history. They have a childhood’s worth of amusing in-jokes, sayings and traditions – childish enough to be believable, without being corny.
Yet I didn’t feel the group dynamics were romantised or unrealistic – there were still the (very normal) issues of group friendship, just without the bitching, the vapid gossip and the backstabbing. The warmth was genuine. It was enough to make me want to go and join the “Giant Ants” myself.
Most of the story actually lacked a strong plot. (Hence the comment about the mundane, which I do think the story overcame). There are interesting mystery element at the beginning – slight, subtle but enough to keep the interest. A house in the block next door which appears suddenly, a neighbour who speaks only in quotes and wants to build a time machine in Gentian’s attic…
However, when the subtle hints broadened into becoming the plot, it didn’t work so well. The ending was sudden, unexpected, confusing, inadequately explained, not completely believable, confusing, hurried and confusing. It dived into fantasy and out again. It was strange and anti-climatic. I’m not going to delve into specifics (amazon reviewers do a very good job of that.) I’m uncertain whether I just didn’t …get it or whether as a story it did not work. I suspect it was a combination of both.
There is a ballad-fairy-tale-retelling element in it but I mustn’t be familiar with it; I haven’t picked it.
Despite everything, there is still a part of me which wants to rave about this book and recommend it. The final note of the book was satisfying, because it was poignant, and focused on the novel's strongest point.
Show Less
LibraryThing member calmclam
As always, Dean writes the kind of prose that I want to curl up inside of on a cold night with a cup of cocoa. Juniper, Gentian, and Rosemary is cozy; the narrator (Gentian, 13) is articulate, smart, and funny; her friends are the kind of friends I would have loved to have at her age; her interests
My two complaints about this book were, first, that I found it hard to believe it was set in the nineties; Gentian's friends and sisters seemed to spend too much time sewing clothes, mending things, and baking for girls who are only meant to be a decade older than I am.
My second complaint was that the ending was too rushed and not nearly well enough explained--though I've read through it several times, I'm still not sure what was going on or what Dominic, the elusive boy next door, actually was doing. I found that frustrating.
Show More
are woven into the text without being tedious. The narration is chock full of allusions, references, and snatches of poetry.My two complaints about this book were, first, that I found it hard to believe it was set in the nineties; Gentian's friends and sisters seemed to spend too much time sewing clothes, mending things, and baking for girls who are only meant to be a decade older than I am.
My second complaint was that the ending was too rushed and not nearly well enough explained--though I've read through it several times, I'm still not sure what was going on or what Dominic, the elusive boy next door, actually was doing. I found that frustrating.
Show Less
LibraryThing member johnylitnin
So short of perfection it's eerie, Dean has once again wrapped a world of literature and magic in her work. I flipped from allusion to qoutation breathlessly, starting to wonder if any of me and my "sophistacated" friends of youth had ever sounded half as elegant. The word play and word craft is as
Show More
impeccable as Dean's other works - my notable favorites of Tam Lin and The Dubious Hills. The only thing lacking are the last few chapters where the intense, hallucination quality almost took over the story. Slightly hazy at times, the occasional lack of clarity is nearly made up for by the sheer poetry of Dean's writing. Show Less
LibraryThing member omnia_mutantur
Once upon a time, Pamela Dean wrote a book called Tam Lin, which ranks right up there with Tartt's Secret History for my favorite college-themed novel of all time, but with traditional fairy tales as opposed to Ancient Greek religion to provide the intrigue. But years ago I lent said novel to a
Show More
pearl wearing Philosophy prof, and never got it back. (i forgive her, though). So, i figured any other book by the same author, while probably not as endearing, would be good. no such luck. it's a disjointed plot-light opportunity for Dean to use her Bartlett's, when the devil, in the form of an adolescent boy, moves next door, speaks only in quotations, and half-seduces the middle daughter, thirteenyearold Gentain. (seduce in the sense of intrigue, there's nothing sexual here). the novel wins points for having Gentian's dad play Laurie Anderson's Strange Angels CD, and a cat named Margaret Mitchell , and assorted astronomy factoids. Show Less
LibraryThing member auntieknickers
Actually, I never finished this book, but my daughter, for whom I bought it, slogged through because she kept hoping it would get better. It was set in Minneapolis (Prospect Park, I'm pretty sure) and my kids went to Open Schools too, so we thought we might enjoy it. During the portion when I was
Show More
reading it aloud to her, there was a segment where the protagonist makes a cup of cocoa for a guest (or maybe herself). The description of her actions goes on for what seemed like forever, but may have only been a page or so. It is still our standard for bad, bad writing. And, as my daughter said, at the end, nothing really happened. A big disappointment and I can't believe so many people have rated it so highly. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenneB
This book has perfectly captured exactly the kind of person I was in junior high school, (and the kind of friends I WISHED I had!) and what it's like to realize you're growing up and there's nothing you can do to stop it. From the book:
"...Everything's changing so much. I don't even know how tall I
"...Everything's changing so much. I don't even know how tall I
Show More
am or what size bra I wear, and when I had that cold last week I got out a Goosebumps book to read, and it was so bad I wondered if somebody had taken the inside away and substituted a different one. " Show Less