Author: Laura Buzo
Published: Allen & Unwin may 2012
Holly is a young social worker who's life should be falling into place. she's just moved in with her gift-from-God boyfriend Tim, a great group of friends from high school, and a job where she gets to help change the world. the Layer of steel around her heart is beginning to tarnish. she's being drawn back to the dream boy who could have been and memories of her father, just as she's grasping for the future.
Quick Review A brilliantly written novel, loaded with sadness, pain, and beautiful moments. it has those little touches and the humour which really make a book unforgettable. it's also very true to life. not a sweet book, some parts a quite gritty, definitely for an older YA audience. also not great for those who don't like open endings. Good for Fans of the Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta, Deadline by Chris Crutcher and My Candlelight Novel by Joanne Horniman.
Quotes "A nurse and social worker took fifteen minutes out of their shitty thankless jobs in the roughest corner of town, sat on a couple of milk crates drinking coffee, flopped their real selves out on the cement and both liked what they saw"
"I knew that in my darker moments he wanted to reach out and soothe me somehow. He Wanted to protect me, to bathe my wounds. He's such a nurse that way. And my darker moments, my darker preoccupations we're okay with him.
" 'what are your legs?' he asked 'steel springs' i said"
Ramble Review
this book absorbed me from the very beginning. the writing had a certain gentle quality that worked well with the rough topics and characters. it really is quite a disillusioned book, i was realistic. there was no unbelievable happy ending, nor no massive change character in Holly. The ending was left quite open, it almost seemed to have just trailed away without giving you the last piece, but it grew on me, the more I've though about it the more i like it.
the characters were great. they didn't seem overdone which was nice. I grew to really love Holly, in all her cynical glory. Nick was so sweet, but in a good way. it wasn't too sweet. in the same way, Tim wasn't portrayed as the typical, too perfect boyfriend. the way the characters were flawed, how you could see their mistakes and how they were changing, how you could see the relationships changing before their eyes was almost painful. it was so well done.
Holier Than Thou is so true to life, there are moments when you wish they would give the characters a fantasy ending. But the bitter edge makes the beauty of parts all the more stunning, very much like real life. My only real complaint is that i wish i knew what happened next! grrrr :)
5 comments:
I'll add it to my tbr. it sounds like something I will enjoy.
i really love this "ramble review*
i read this recently, too, and it is exactly my kind of book. so excited for anything she writes now, she's made it to my elite list of faves
My review is...still in the works. I don't get much further than "This book is life. It is all that hurts, all that brings happiness and joy and excitement, along with all the tedium in between."
It's definitely going to be one of those re-read books. I still haven't come to terms with the ending. It's so open-ended I can't grab onto anything, it's like I've fallen and Buzo just hasn't given me what most endings do. And that's part of what makes this book SO GOOD, but it's just so frustrating! Nice review. Seems we share similar views. ;)
Thank you so much for your comments! They make me so happy!
Thank you- I've almost finished revising now, so I'll be sending the files off to be printed soon! It's very exciting and nervewracking!
Good luck with your work- have you done NaNoWriMo? It's a fantastic way of getting writing done!
I'll be sure to keep an eye out for Finding Darcy and After! Thanks for recommending them!
I've heard a little about Holier then Thou; I didn't like Good Oil so maybe Laura Buzo isn't for me... it does sound interesting though- great review!
Romi.x
I'm glad you like Baking Day too! It's such a cool book!
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