Sister Safety Pin: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Funny, Realistic, Captivating
Review: I first read this book when my friend suggested it to me. After I read a few pages, I got really into it and couldn't really put it down. It was very realistic, dealing with problems that are likely to happen. There's funny times, and sad times. There's a realization of oneself and deciding on where to go from there. This book gets you thinking on what will happen. I like that Melany has pride in herself.

I think this book is good to read for everyone with an open mind. It deals with relationships, friends, work, school, politics (somewhat), and just trying to make a living while still being who you are.

Rating:
Summary: Funny, Realistic, Captivating
Review: I first read this book when my friend suggested it to me. After I read a few pages, I got really into it and couldn't really put it down. It was very realistic, dealing with problems that are likely to happen. There's funny times, and sad times. There's a realization of oneself and deciding on where to go from there. This book gets you thinking on what will happen. I like that Melany has pride in herself.

I think this book is good to read for everyone with an open mind. It deals with relationships, friends, work, school, politics (somewhat), and just trying to make a living while still being who you are.

Rating:
Summary: beautiful and soft like pillows
Review: One of the most beautiful books I've read. It left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling. A good book for the hopeless romantic in everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Literary MTV for Punk Rockers
Review: Sister Safety Pin was a messy saga following Melanie, a love sick, adolescent who jumps from an assortment of doomed lesbian relationships.
The authors attempts to create at hip, and edgy tone for the book by referencing artists like The Clash, The Pretenders etc. However, the book becomes a big advertisement for punk rock music, a sort literary MTV. The author's constant plugs for different punk songs and albums were very distracting. Especially to those who do not listen to punk rock music, and also to those who expect an author to have enough writing ability to explain a situation with out plugging a song to describe the mood.
Nevertheless, the characters were poorly developed and the plot was also lacking. Melanie, the main character, started out a young and naive blue hair girl. However, by the end of the story she had not grown or matured. She seemed to learn nothing for her twisted love affairs, but rather she just moves on to another relationship doomed for failure.
The plot was fresh and interesting at the start of the book. However, the middle lags. The main character becomes a depressive, love sick puppy chasing a woman who does not want her. Not mention the lame political protest scene that's unrealistic and choppy at best. The ending is abrupt and predicable, with no resolution of the problems that plagued the main character throughout the book.

Rating:
Summary: Best Book I've ever Read!
Review: Sister Saftey Pin was the first "lesbian novel" that I ever read. Reading this right after I came out to my mom as bisexual, it was the first thing that gave me comfort in my new identity. Even though Melanie was a lesbian I still felt that I had a strong connection with her throughout the entire book. I highly recommend this book to any bi or lesbian girl.

Rating:
Summary: As Punk As You Wanna Be
Review: This book was recomended to me by a boy who used to come into my work everyday. Well, I'm glad I took his suggestion-because this a good read. It's not the most amazing book out there, but it is one of the few I reread every year. Melany is a 17 year old punk rock college girl on the verge of a lesbian, Feminist, grown-up track. In the begining, her wavering on-is she-or isn't she- a lesbian get a little tiring, but it stops right before you get really sick of it. Also the name dropping of Punk Rock bands is plentiful, but also doesn't quite go overboard (Plus it's nice to see bands I like mentioned in print). She falls in love (maybe?) with this girl,Iso, who she always seems to miss-connect with. During this termoil, she finds out just who she is and how she relates in this place. You don't have to be a punk rocker or a feminist or even a lesbian to enjoy this book. The core story is really good, and Melany has some realy cool thing happen to her (like working as a temp. for the government and puting her mark on confidential papers and having a cool friend, Patti, who leaves college in a really big F-You type of way). Anyway, just get this book. It's sensitive, well written and takes place in this world (time, place, music) that I kinda wish I could have been a party to.

Rating:
Summary: punkerdykes will appreciate this one
Review: This one actually deserves 3.5 stars, but the rating system likes even numbers. I enjoyed this novel about a punk rock girl coming to grips w/ her lesbian identity. It's a good quick read w/ a slamming soundtrack consisting of bands like the Clash, the Pretenders, and X-Ray Spex. On the downside, at times Sprecher seems to try too hard to make the story accessible to non-punks, and I think this sometimes hurts the book more than helps it. True punk rock attitude wouldn't care if you don't get all the references, so why does Sprecher? The love story angles are a little better than the political notes that sometimes get a bit tedious, and it has a sweet, if predictable, resolution. I think people in general can relate to the twisted need to give a relationship that just won't die a second chance. Get out your vinyl punk records, spike up your hair, shut yourself in your room w/ the lights low, and spend the afternoon reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible.
Review: when I had first read a review on this book, I was instantly intrigued. After recieving it as a birthday gift, I devoured it in a mere day. All I can say is that it's incredible. You feel for the characters so much that you cry when they cry, smile when they smile. You feel their pain, and that's what makes this novel worth it.

The characters are easy to relate with(that is, if you're suffering from teenage angst, sexual/gender identity crisis, and dealing with clumps of distortion). But really. This book is very enjoyable. I suggest all who have been through that search for your true identity buy a copy. It's well worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Funny and Moving!
Review: When I read this book, I wished like crazy that I had known about it when I first came out. Although I am not a punk rocker like Melany, I never really fit into the "lesbian community" either. It is an unfortunate fact of life that no matter how alternative our lifestyles are, conformity is still highly valued and enforced. As far as the GLB community has come in the past ten years, we have still not learned that truly being open and affirming means welcoming *everyone*, even if they look different from you, think different from you, came out at a different age from you, or are more/less "out" than you. Clique-ishness is still the bane of many highly oppressed communities and ours is no different.

*Sister Safety Pin* is, therefore, a great comfort to me! I read it whenever I become convinced that I too am "too weird" to have love and caring in my life. My heartfelt thanks to Lorrie Sprecher for writing it!