What Became of Her

Rating:
Summary: Not the best
Review: I hate books that, once I'm finished, leave me with that unsettled feeling and saying to myself, "THAT'S how it ended?" If you're the same way, don't waste your time with this one. I also hate books that are made to sound so much better than they actually are with the summary on the inside of the jacket. I picked up "What Became of Her" at the library and thought it would turn out to be really good--well, we all make mistakes. It's pretty sad when the summary on the inside of the book jacket is more entertaining than the actual book itself. Although the plot wasn't bad, all of the characters were horribly undeveloped; I felt like I never really got to know any of them, not even the narrator. While I could see this as being an ambitious, first-novel attempt, I couldn't believe that this was Kerr's 12th book and that she is considered to be a top author for young adults. Maybe her other books are better, but there is definitely room for improvement with "What Became of Her." When I'm 3/4 of the way through the book and find myself wondering, "Um, when is this going to get good?", I consider my time wasted in reading it. Some people might enjoy it for its semi-unusual plot, but I was unsatisfied.

Rating:
Summary: Kristen's Believe it or Not
Review: In Kerr's 12th novel, narrator Edgar befriends Julie, the desparate-to-be-liked adopted niece of the town's eccentric Queen of Greed. Mrs. Slaymaster is a landowner who carries around a leather doll dressed in designer duds (the doll, Peale, is said to be a good luck charm). Edgar and Julie pal around with socially eccentric buddy Neil, forming tight threesome. When Edgar finds an old diary or Mrs. Slaymaster, he discovers the secrets of her unhappy childhood, and discovers how past shapes the present and future.
As, Julie, Neal and Edgar speculate on their own futures, they learn the outcome is never what you expect or plan for. Julie, a dramatic "spiller" believes that the "dude with a scythe" has an appointment with everyone, and you never know when your number will be up, a theory that will no doubt appeal as much as the sprinklings of poetry and pop culture.
Fans of Kerr will recognize the familiar themes in the struggles between the haves and the have-nots, the interwoven stories of two generations, and the cruelty of children (and teens) to their peers. As in her other novels, Kerr has fun playing with names here too: the town of Serenity is anything but, the Slaymaster estate is nicknamed Danger; Sonny is a father; and most characters.
The cover art is disappointing. Although the background photo of a valley with a shining estate at the top of a hill is beautifully colored, the superimposed image of Julie doesn't match up with her description in the book. Teens who can keep up with the various characters and each one's significance will be rewarded for their efforts when it all comes together in the final chapters; a hasty sketch of who's who may be in order. A must have if you are a Kerr fan.

Rating:
Summary: Familiar terrority, unique characters
Review: In Kerr's 12th novel, narrator Edgar befriends Julie, the desparate-to-be-liked adopted niece of the town's eccentric Queen of Greed. Mrs. Slaymaster is a landowner who carries around a leather doll dressed in designer duds (the doll, Peale, is said to be a good luck charm). Edgar and Julie pal around with socially eccentric buddy Neil, forming tight threesome. When Edgar finds an old diary or Mrs. Slaymaster, he discovers the secrets of her unhappy childhood, and discovers how past shapes the present and future.
As, Julie, Neal and Edgar speculate on their own futures, they learn the outcome is never what you expect or plan for. Julie, a dramatic "spiller" believes that the "dude with a scythe" has an appointment with everyone, and you never know when your number will be up, a theory that will no doubt appeal as much as the sprinklings of poetry and pop culture.
Fans of Kerr will recognize the familiar themes in the struggles between the haves and the have-nots, the interwoven stories of two generations, and the cruelty of children (and teens) to their peers. As in her other novels, Kerr has fun playing with names here too: the town of Serenity is anything but, the Slaymaster estate is nicknamed Danger; Sonny is a father; and most characters.
The cover art is disappointing. Although the background photo of a valley with a shining estate at the top of a hill is beautifully colored, the superimposed image of Julie doesn't match up with her description in the book. Teens who can keep up with the various characters and each one's significance will be rewarded for their efforts when it all comes together in the final chapters; a hasty sketch of who's who may be in order. A must have if you are a Kerr fan.

Rating:
Summary: An enticing delight !
Review: Serenity, Pennsylvania has not lived up to its name, at least not for Rose Fitch, now Rosalind Slaymaster. As a child, Rosalind was tormented by her classmates, now she has returned to her hometown, blowing in like a violent storm. As each character gets caught up in the path of her force, the reader learns that the past of the town and its members can effect the present. Pay careful attention to all the people mentioned, each vignette has a purpose, and it is quite gratifying to discover all the web-like connections between the characters. Highly recommended for family drama and/or mystery lovers. This book has many elements that will entice all.

Rating:
Summary: An enticing delight !
Review: Serenity, Pennsylvania has not lived up to its name, at least not for Rose Fitch, now Rosalind Slaymaster. As a child, Rosalind was tormented by her classmates, now she has returned to her hometown, blowing in like a violent storm. As each character gets caught up in the path of her force, the reader learns that the past of the town and its members can effect the present. Pay careful attention to all the people mentioned, each vignette has a purpose, and it is quite gratifying to discover all the web-like connections between the characters. Highly recommended for family drama and/or mystery lovers. This book has many elements that will entice all.

Rating:
Summary: the epitome of rich storytelling
Review: The premise of the book immediately intrigued me: a wealthy widow whose best friend is a 2 foot leather doll? And everyone just accepts this? I just had to read this book!

I discovered that this intriguing idea is just one of many plot lines interwoven in this rich, detailed and complex story. This isn't one of those novels you can bring to the pool and just sort of read-- if you aren't paying attention, you will miss out!

The book encompasses the past and present of several families in the town of Serenity. The first person narration is excellent- the angst and curiousity of Edgar is real and fresh. As he unravels the history of Rosalind Slaymaster, her doll Peale and her niece, Julie, he discovers things about his own family and friends.

If you are like me, you'll try to figure out things before they happen... but usually Kerr manages to stay one step ahead, creating a book full of surprises, humor and sadness.

As always, Kerr has presented readers with an intelligent, real and "different" sort of novel that promises a rich reward for those who pick it up and give it their full attention.

Rating:
Summary: Kristen's Believe it or Not
Review: The title of this book is What Became of Her, by M.E. Kerr. It is a young adult book. It is three misfits becoming friends. One steals a doll to keep his friend in town. she leaves because he confesses and gets in trouble.
This book was not as good as Stotan, which is about friendship too. Both books are funny, but Stotan was more amusing and had more action in it. The characters in both books were distinctive
The book was good. It was also a little sad about how hard the people's lives were. It was in way that people might not notice that they were hurt. Also, some of the characters were a little crazy, but it is somewhat explained by their pasts. The friendship between Neil, Julie, and E.C. was very touching, they were finding solace in being with each other. this is why it was so hard to see Julie leave, and why E.C. did something so stupid and desperate. It was too bad she did leave. They're friendship didnt last long but it changed their lives, especially for julie. She had been a mess when it started, she was trying too hard, "I'd come to believe that if we never met, her life would be quite different. And so it would be...just not as i'd feared." page 243.
I thought the ending was good, but sometimes the writing was confusing. Also i thought the book had humorous moment but not a lot. i thought some of the characters were kind of strange, and some weren't developed enough. I thought it was an almost potimistic book at times, but then it could be viewd pessimistic, like the poem they talked about. it depended on how you interpreted the book.

Rating:
Summary: Totally weird- L.M.G.
Review: This book was totally different from anything I've ever read because the topic was so unusual. A lot of the characters in the book took an important part in the story, but the main character was E.C. Tobbit. He was a good student, sort of shy. He didn't have many friends and liked to make jokes and make people laugh. He liked to write and was basically a normal kid.

The story takes place in a quiet town named Peligro. At least it was quiet until Mrs.Slaymaster,a rich, snobby woman moved into town. She had a niece named Julie, and she and E.C. hit it off right away. E.C.'s only and trouble-making friend Neil and Julie also hit it off, and the three become best friends. One night E.C. discovers Mrs. Slaymaster's old diaries and finds out how bad and embarrasing her life was and why she hated her hometown. That's when the trouble with Neil and Mrs. Slaymaster started. Neil gets caught stealing in her house and gets arrested. Mrs. Slaymaster plans to leave to get her niece away from them. Everything seems to fall apart when E.C. realized he could lose his two best friends, and he takes matters in his own hands to try to make things right.

You shouln't read this book if you can't stand waiting and the suspense this book holds. It seemed to me that the author just seemed to make the plot more interesting and long, and I just wanted to know what would happen. It was all worthwhile in the end, though.

Rating:
Summary: Totally weird- L.M.G.
Review: This book was totally different from anything I've ever read because the topic was so unusual. I have never heared of a lady whose best friend was a doll. A lot of the characters in the book took an important part in the story, but the main character was E.C. Tobbit. He was a good student, sort of shy. He didn't have many friends and liked to make jokes and make people laugh. Trying hard to get over his fathers sudden death wasn't easy,and his tragic past compared to Neal's. The two became friends, and his normal life took a wild turn.

The story takes place in a quiet town named Peligro. At least it was quiet until Mrs.Slaymaster,a rich, snobby woman moved into town.Her best friend, a leather doll named Peale,and her troubled niece Julie make an impact on E.C.'s life. E.C.'s only and trouble-making friend Neal and Julie also hit it off, and the three become best friends. One night E.C. discovers Mrs. Slaymaster's old diaries and finds out how bad and embarrasing her life was and why she hated her hometown. That's when the trouble with Neil and Mrs. Slaymaster started. Neil gets caught stealing in her house and gets arrested. Mrs. Slaymaster plans to leave to get her niece away from them, convinced they were both criminals. Everything seemed to fall apart when E.C. realized he could lose his two best friends, and with the help of Peale he took matters into his own hands to try to make things right.

You shouln't read this book if you can't stand waiting and the suspense this book holds. It seemed to me that the author just seemed to make the plot more interesting and long, and I just wanted to know what would happen in the end! The author did a great job at keeping me hooked and it was all worthwhile in the end.

Rating:
Summary: WOW !!!!!
Review: This is a very very strange book. But strange doesn't always mean bad, and it this case, it definitely doesn't. This book is amazing, even if the plot is a little out of the ordinary. Rosalind Slaymaster is quite fascinating, and so is her mannequin Peale. If you want to try something new and different to read, you cannot pick a better book.