Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word. As a kid, I don't think I would've ever read this book. Not only because it's 'chick lit', but also because for the longest time, I just got bored with realistic fiction. Compared to the worlds of Pokémon (pronounced PO-kay-mon), Digimon, and BIONICLE, the ordinary world just seemed downright dull. However, my tastes have grown up, and thus, I gave this book a try. This is 13 Little Blue Envelopes.
Citation: Johnson, M. (2005). 13 little blue envelopes. New York: Harpercollins.
Plot: On getting a letter saying that her free-spirited aunt has died, teenage girl Ginny Blackstone gets a bank card and thirteen envelopes with instructions on what to do. This takes her all across Europe, from London, to Rome, to Paris, Amsterdam, and Greece. Along the way, she steps far out of her comfort zone, meeting new people and rediscovering two people she thought she knew: her aunt and herself.
Inpressions: I'm not really a big fan of the 'let go of your safe life to really live' kind of story (my form of Autism doesn't lend itself well to it). However, this story is done rather well. Everything adds up and I did find the main character's journey to be intriguing. However, it may not be for everyone. There is an Italian guy whom I thought was going to be a second possible romantic lead who just turned into a jerk and distraction from the first, British guy. Also, I imagine Romani (Gypsies) aren't going to be thrilled with their children being called thieves in the book (then again, given what I've read about antiziganism in Italy, it could be in-character by the person who said it). It could be useful for Travel Day at the library and people who like this kind of story might like this book. I'm just not sure what to make of it.
Second opinion: "The story is perforce rather traveloguish, but in a pleasing way... Johnson's style is comradely and ruefully humorous, inviting both strictly armchair travelers and wannabe world voyagers to accompany Ginny on her life-changing journey."
Citation: Stevenson, D. (2005). [13 Little Blue Envelopes]. Bulletin Of The Center For Children's Books, 59(2), 99-100.
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