Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Book review - Ode to a Nobody

 

Title: Ode to a Nobody

Author: Caroline Brooks DuBois

Genre: realistic fiction/verse novel

Similar books:The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

                     Rhyme Schemer by K A Holt

Rating:

solid

Summary (provided by publisher): Before the storm, thirteen-year-old Quinn was happy flying under the radar. She was average. Unremarkable. Always looking for an escape from her house, where her bickering parents fawned over her genius big brother.
     Inside our broken home / we didn’t know how broken / the world outside was.
But after the storm, Quinn can’t seem to go back to average. Her friends weren't affected by the tornado in the same way. To them, the storm left behind a playground of abandoned houses and distracted adults. As Quinn struggles to find stability in the tornado’s aftermath, she must choose: between homes, friendships, and versions of herself.
       Nothing that was mine / yesterday is mine today.

My opinion: DuBois has created an interesting combination of elements here. You might not think that a natural disaster story would be well conveyed by the verse novel format but since the tornado functions largely as a catalyst for addressing relationship issues, for forcing Quinn to come to terms with her own opinions and strengths, it words surprisingly well. As with any verse novel, our relationship with and understanding of the characters is limited. But this is a strong example of the genre.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

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