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Most Helpful Reviews
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Liked It “This was a clever book visually and the story was really good. You'll enjoy following TS on his adventure across the country on a train. But the maps and illustrations which are an integral part of the book make it truly special. There's a T.S. Spivet website too. It gives you the feel of the...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “At first I though I was going to love this book, but I didn't. The footnotes take the attention away from the real story which already moves pretty slow. Not as great as people tend to make you believe.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“At first I though I was going to love this book, but I didn't. The footnotes take the attention away from the real story which already moves pretty slow. Not as great as people tend to make you believe.”
xroldx e wrote this review 8 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“The first two-thirds of this book were amazing, one of the most touching, complex, intricate, sad, wonderful things I had read in a long time. The picture of this family coping with grief through the reality of a kid who is both intelligent and highly focused (to the point you almost wonder if he is autistic) is both spectacular and believable. Unfortunately, as T.S.'s life becomes increasingly complex and unsatisfying once her reaches Washingtion D.C., the book becomes overly complex and unsatisfying to match. This culminates in an abrupt ending that simply ignores most of the twists that have been introduced in the final section and rips apart some of the conceptual framework that had made the book so interesting. In short, through the first two sections this was one of the best books I'd ever read, but the ending was disappointing, and I felt more than a little cheated out of what should have been a wonderful book.”
Benjamin E wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“This was a clever book visually and the story was really good. You'll enjoy following TS on his adventure across the country on a train. But the maps and illustrations which are an integral part of the book make it truly special. There's a T.S. Spivet website too. It gives you the feel of the book. Really great!”
Alice F wrote this review Wednesday, November 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I love everything about this book. According to reviews, some of its readers do not like the ending. I reiterate. I love everything about this book and will not forget it, as if I could.”
Jessica M wrote this review Wednesday, November 11 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Very interesting book, I loved the drawings and diagrams. The extra material added depth to the story. ”
Mary Johnson Mollner wrote this review Monday, November 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Didn't finish but it was really interesting. Pages were a bit too busy for me.”
luna51 wrote this review Thursday, October 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A twelve year old cartographic phenom hobo's across the country to consult for the Smithsonian. The story within the story of Spivet's great great grandmother is one i want to be true. Two thirds of this book is an excellent read. The illustrations are provoking throughout but the last third is too rushed and random. ”
LaroosBirthdayPretzel wrote this review Thursday, October 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A 12 year-old cartographer wins an award and travels, cross-country, "hobo-style" to accept it. ~Howard W.”
Michelle T wrote this review Thursday, October 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I'm giving it 3 stars for the story, but think it deserves at least 4 stars for the presentation. Beautiful book. I think if you liked the character in A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime that you would like this novel. The character is very similar in that he sees things in black and white and doesn't seem to even try to consider options, and yes, I know he's 12. I did like how the author wove in Plato's Allegory of the Cave and I liked the way he writes, but I prefer a narration that is more direct. I had to read all the asides and maps and "notes" that T.S. includes and I didn't like the way that slowed down my reading of the story. Also, would a child notice how dysfunctional his family is, especially if he really doesn't have any friends or outside influences with which to compare them?
Ms Beaton wrote this review Sunday, October 4 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Read the publication information page. I liked the evidence of thorough detail!”
“Tecumseh Sparrow Spivet is a 12-year-old genius cartographer who lives on a ranch in Montana. He maps everything, from creek drainage systems to corn shucking movements to cicada wings. His teachers are not appreciative of the effort T.S. puts into his Grade 7 school projects. For the unit on photosynthesis, T.S. made intricate diagrams of the opening and closing of a plant's stoma. "Mr. Stenpock had given me a C on the project for not properly following his instructions, but I was later given some vindication by publishing the illustration in Discover." His work has also been published in an number of other scientific magazines and at the Smithsonian Institute. Illustrations and footnote-like asides take up about a third of each page in this novel, adding a whimsical touch and giving us insight into the unusual workings of T.S.'s mind.
Lindy P wrote this review Saturday, October 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
T.S. and his parents and sister are each grieving privately the death of the youngest member of the family, 10-year-old Layton. Not a lot of communication happens in this family. When someone from the Smithsonian phones to tell T.S. he has won a prestigious award and to invite him to speak at an upcoming banquet, T.S. decides not to disabuse the man of the notion that T.S. is an adult. He also decides not to say anything to his parents, but to get to Washington, D.C. on his own. It is a road trip as unique as the boy making the journey.
This is primarily a novel for adults, but anyone from about Grade 5 and up who likes reading about interesting characters will enjoy this funny and tender story.”
