Nomes's Reviews > No and Me
No and Me
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Ahhhh, this book is just CHARMING.
I had no idea what to expect or if No and Me would be my kind of read ~ I really didn't expect to LOVE it as much as I did. It's a really different read to most contemp YA's I've read lately ~ which could be because this is imported and translated from French.
I think this is the kind of book that some people will ABSOLUTELY ADORE and soak up and fall in love with. It may also leave other people scratching their heads and 'just not getting it'
I am in the FALLEN IN LOVE category :)
It's very much a book for people who appreciate literary fiction, lyrical writing and just poetic and gorgeously funny sentiments. This is due to the CHARMING and unique narrator, Lou ~ who has leapt on to a list of protags I ADORE.
I'm not going to go much into the plot (you should discover it for yourself) but it centres around Lou (who's 13 ~ but skipped two years of school and is with the 15 year olds) and No ~ who's 18 and homeless. I wondered if it would be too MG for me (with a younger narrator) ~ but it's the opposite ~ it could easily slip into adult sales with it's intelligent and gorgeous protag and it's outstanding prose. It really is a cut above in terms of YA literary fiction ~ I was continually pausing to re-read sentences and paragraphs and just to make sure I was not missing out on even one perfectly placed word.
Alongside Lou and No, there's Lou going to school (and the usual coming of age school stuff ~ parties and a crush ~ there's always a guy, hey ~ and assignments) and also Lou's parents ~ who I loved as characters. Lou's mum was beautifully handled ~ there's some painful family history and some mental illness and it was achingly told.
The plot unravels at a steady pace, gradually revealing secrets and also moving forward to a conclusion that makes you feel like you just don't know what is going to happen. (I really didn't ~ it could have gone so many different ways)
But it's not the plot that had me enthralled (although I was invested in the story). It was the writing. I felt like I could keep pausing to jot down half the book into my journal of favourite quotes. I haven't crushed this hard on writing for a LONG time ~ it was perhaps reminiscent of Maggie O'Farrell and Sonya Hartnett for me ~ authors who make me gasp and think and just revel in words and ideas and sentiments.
Overall ~ it's a hopeful book, it'll break your heart a little, it'll make you think. It's nostalgic of the teenage years and the hope and optimism that surrounds them. It celebrates wanting to change the world, believing you can while at the same time feeling completely swamped and disenchanted and wildly fluctuating between everything. It's about family and friendship and growing up. It's just lovelylovelylovely. Le sigh...
I had no idea what to expect or if No and Me would be my kind of read ~ I really didn't expect to LOVE it as much as I did. It's a really different read to most contemp YA's I've read lately ~ which could be because this is imported and translated from French.
I think this is the kind of book that some people will ABSOLUTELY ADORE and soak up and fall in love with. It may also leave other people scratching their heads and 'just not getting it'
I am in the FALLEN IN LOVE category :)
It's very much a book for people who appreciate literary fiction, lyrical writing and just poetic and gorgeously funny sentiments. This is due to the CHARMING and unique narrator, Lou ~ who has leapt on to a list of protags I ADORE.
I'm not going to go much into the plot (you should discover it for yourself) but it centres around Lou (who's 13 ~ but skipped two years of school and is with the 15 year olds) and No ~ who's 18 and homeless. I wondered if it would be too MG for me (with a younger narrator) ~ but it's the opposite ~ it could easily slip into adult sales with it's intelligent and gorgeous protag and it's outstanding prose. It really is a cut above in terms of YA literary fiction ~ I was continually pausing to re-read sentences and paragraphs and just to make sure I was not missing out on even one perfectly placed word.
Alongside Lou and No, there's Lou going to school (and the usual coming of age school stuff ~ parties and a crush ~ there's always a guy, hey ~ and assignments) and also Lou's parents ~ who I loved as characters. Lou's mum was beautifully handled ~ there's some painful family history and some mental illness and it was achingly told.
The plot unravels at a steady pace, gradually revealing secrets and also moving forward to a conclusion that makes you feel like you just don't know what is going to happen. (I really didn't ~ it could have gone so many different ways)
But it's not the plot that had me enthralled (although I was invested in the story). It was the writing. I felt like I could keep pausing to jot down half the book into my journal of favourite quotes. I haven't crushed this hard on writing for a LONG time ~ it was perhaps reminiscent of Maggie O'Farrell and Sonya Hartnett for me ~ authors who make me gasp and think and just revel in words and ideas and sentiments.
Overall ~ it's a hopeful book, it'll break your heart a little, it'll make you think. It's nostalgic of the teenage years and the hope and optimism that surrounds them. It celebrates wanting to change the world, believing you can while at the same time feeling completely swamped and disenchanted and wildly fluctuating between everything. It's about family and friendship and growing up. It's just lovelylovelylovely. Le sigh...
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No and Me.
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Quotes Nomes Liked
“And when he catches me looking at him, he gives me this incredibly sweet, calm smile, and I think that we've got our lives ahead of us, our whole lives.”
― No and Me
― No and Me
Reading Progress
November 2, 2010
– Shelved
February 21, 2011
–
Started Reading
February 23, 2011
– Shelved as:
2011
February 23, 2011
–
Finished Reading
June 30, 2011
– Shelved as:
hidden-gem
June 30, 2011
– Shelved as:
quietly-awesome
November 1, 2011
– Shelved as:
faves-of-2011
Comments Showing 1-17 of 17 (17 new)
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Janina
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Feb 22, 2011 05:02AM
Looking forward to hearing what you think about this one! I've wanted to read the original version to polish up my French skills, but I wasn't too sure if I would like it ...
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Oh ~ it's GREAT so far. Plot-wise not a lot has happened, but the prose is really lovely to read. It seems really unique ~ just the voice and the overall vibe.
it has won a stash of awards. I'll let you know when I'm done ~ I got my copy from the library :)
it has won a stash of awards. I'll let you know when I'm done ~ I got my copy from the library :)
Totally agree with you Nomes, as I'm currently reading this too. I'm really loving the writing style, so I'm trying to devour it slowly :)
Isn't it awesome? it's ~ hmm, charming? it's hard to describe but I'm finding it refreshing and it's kind of making me nostalgic (though I don't know what for, LOL) now I'm not even making sense. anyway, it's headed for a really solid 4 stars from me ~ maybe more? have to see what happens :)
I love the feeling of knowing someones reading a book at the same time as me! :D can't wait to see what you think at the end Rach! xx
I love the feeling of knowing someones reading a book at the same time as me! :D can't wait to see what you think at the end Rach! xx
I'll let you know. It's very different ~ doesn't feel like a regular YA contemp (not following any formula) ~ must write them differently in France :)
I really loved it ~ more the prose and the characters ~ which I would give 5 stars to. the plot was not that exciting though. I'll get a review soon :)
Ah yes, I will be reading this one for sure! Just one question: Is it easy to read? I'm a bit scared my French is too bad for it. Maybe I should better read it in English?? Not sure ;).
It does have gorgeous prose rather than straightforward contemp commercial writing ~ so not sure what it's like in French? one of my Aussie mates has read it in English and is now reading it in French but I don't know how fluent she is?
I loved it. I want my own copy...
I loved it. I want my own copy...
you captured everything i wanted to say in my own review perfectly! i love it when people write what i can't figure out how to say!