Tuesday, July 22, 2008

I Was a Teenage Popsicle Bev Katz Rosenbaum (vacation read)

Teenage girls always want to be cool. But frozen is another story. Floe Ryan was frozen-or 'vitrified'-at sixteen. She and her parents had a rare disease, so it was their only choice until a cure was found. Now she's been thawed and it's ten years in the future-but she's still a teenager. And her parents are still chilling out... So now her little sister is her older sister, and she's making Floe suffer for every snotty thing she ever did. It's hard getting used to...not to mention a new school, new technology, and a zillion other new things that happened while she was napping in the freezer. Luckily, she has Taz, the hottie skater boy who was a popsicle too, so they get to reintegrate together. But now they're trying to close the Venice Beach Cryonics Center-with Floe's parents still in it! It's up to her to save the clinic and her parents-so she can finally have a somewhat normal life.
(summary courtesy of Amazon)

I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I don't think the writing or the plot was particularly remarkable, but there was something in it all that drew me in. I wasn't flipping pages manically or anything like that, but it was interesting enough that I wanted to keep reading. I think the whole futuristic world that the author created was a little far-fetched, but it was just wacky enough to be fun and entertaining to read about. The unitards, sked-pets, and hover blades probably won't happen in the next ten years, but there's a thing about the future world that is undeniably drawing to me. You know how your parents told you stories about how things were so much different in their childhood? It'll be cool to see the stories we're telling our children in 20 years. Will they be as appalled at our ruggedness as we were by our parents'? I think that single aspect of the book was what drew me in. Because really, other than that, there wasn't anything hugely amazing about the story. The plot was predictable as was Taz and Flo's relationship, and the ending was perfect and happy. There needed to be lots more excitement, but I think the book did fine because of its actual subject matter. So although I Was a Teenage Popsicle wasn't terrific, it wasn't horrendous either. I'd recommend it and I myself will try to get to reading the sequel, Beyond Cool, soon.

5 comments:

  1. I loved reading this and the sequel- they were so hilarious and clever, I thought.

    Great review- I loved hearing about your mixed reaction to it. :)

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  2. I have been wanting to read this review forever!! Great review. Now, I'll just have to wait until my library get;s it in.

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  3. I liked the book and its sequel, with science and explanation for the premise and the fun tongue-in-cheek remarks on society and trends.

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  4. I think this sounds so promising - I will read it someday I'm sure. I just can't pass up premises like that :)

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  5. I thought it was super-funny, but I agree, the plot wasn't too special and kind of slow, really.

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