I thought I was prepared.I'd seen many friends pick this up and then lay it down after 15 pages or so, saying this just really wasn't for them. But I've been the odd one out before, so maybe this could end up working for me! So I finally started my own copy of Anatomy of a Misfit and... well. Let's say my friends weren't wrong. The really sad thing about Anatomy of a Misfit is that it's really trying to prove a (good) point. But there are so many things that contradict that message that it just doesn't work.The major problem with Anatomy of a Misfit is its message. there are so many things, phrases scattered throughout the text that are just completely on the other side of my beliefs. Not that there's anything wrong with that, usually: I love it when books make me think. Sadly, Anatomy of a Misfit mostly made me bang my head against the wall. I can't really explain it well, so here are some quotes.Basically, for this "review" (which will basically be quotes and me ranting away) I just started at page one and flipped through until I found something I think offensive/"wrong" (for a lack of a better word). Believe me when I say I did not have to wait long, as there's something like that quite literally every other page. But first, introductions:Between number one and number two is Shelli Schroeder. Number two. She's my best friend even though she's kind of a slut.Aw, isn't that nice? Slut-shaming basically on page one, and of one's best friend too. Makes me wonder if they're even really best friends at all, but okay... We get more about Shelli!One time she told me Rusty Beck told her "she has the biggest pussy I've ever fucked." Yup. Try to unhear that. Nosiree, you cannot. By the way, she told me this like it was a compliment. I didn't have the heart to tell her I'm pretty sure that wasn't going to get her a date to the prom.Because of course Shelli can't just enjoy sex while also being a normal and rational human being. The thought alone! Show of hands, how many of you would take that as a compliment? (And even if she did, so what? Because of course a date to prom is the most important thing and also of course impossible to get if you *gasp* like sex.) Let alone the implication that having a "big pussy" of course means that you have loads of sex. (Which is, of course, baaad.) I mean, it's not like some of that is just genetics and all.Then we get family introductions. Anika loves her sisters very much....By the time I get home my stupid sisters are already locked in their room listening to the Stones and talking on the phone to more guys who don't like them.... Or maybe not. Later, she describes them as "sluts". Then wonders why they don't like her. I wonder why?!Anika also things she's hideous. She once literally describes herself as "hideous". A short description of our MC:[...] there is blond hair, blue eyes, pale skin. [...] I have a boy jaw, like a square jaw, and cheekbones you could cut yourself on.Because blond hair, blue eyes, pale skin and pronounced cheekbones are the definition of ugly. And also not over-used as a description at all.So, if Anika's so "hideous", I truly wonder why half of the male population seems to be interested in her. Including the most lusted-after boy of the school, of course.Oh, and one of the love interests literally calls her "beautiful".One thing you need to know about this book: all characters are stereotypes. They're all charicatures of themselves. We have our main character, Anika Dragomir, whose father is Romanian. Of course this means that he looks "like a vampire" and spends half of his time living in a castle-like house. Hmm.Then we have her mother. She is described as "the only decent person in [the] house". So that's fine, yeah? Except she remarried, which means Anika now has a stepdad.The guy she got is six foot three, three hundred pounds [...] He never talks to us, except in grunts, and then goes straight to his room after dinner, to lie on his water bed and watch Weel of Fortune. [...] my stepdad is an ogre.Yes, let's continue this cliché that all stepparents are awful human beings you should hate.I'm sure she married this guy so her kids would have a home and all [...]Because marrying for love? Who even DOES that anymore?! (And even if she only married him for money, you're one of those kids who needed a home. You know, you can be thankful for at least having somewhere to live because of this guy.)And then there's the best friend's family. Meet Shelli's mom:Shelli's mom is a real freak. Like, she's a total Christian and is always talking about what would Jesus do, and the real meaning of Christmas, and how to hate gay people.Because, y'know, that's ALL that Christianity is about. If you're not constantly preaching about your belief and hating gay people, you're a BAD Christian. Hey, guess what? I know plenty of Christian people that a) have nothing against gay people, b) never talk about the "real meaning" of certain holidays, and also c) I've never had a conversation about Jesus or God with, despite having talked many times.But Shelli's mother really is just an EXTREME Christian, you know? Example:Her mom makes her burn her hair after she gets a haircut, so no one tries to cast a spell on her.Really!? I mean, really!? Also, this is said about Shelli:Or maybe she can't add. She is a Christian. I don't think they believe in math.Make of that what you will.Lastly, there is the main (from what I could tell, anyway) love interest. You don't really need to know much about him, except that he's a "total nerd" with a moped. Therefore Anika and Logan's relationship must remain secret because omg what if the Queen Bee finds out!?! She would totally cast Anika out of the popular circle.Basically all you need to know about Logan is explained in the following quote. Know that at the time, he and Anika have had a grand total of three conversations, of which two were about two sentences long, and he just gave her a ride home."I'm gonna kiss you now and you're gonna like it."What a gentleman!NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. There is so much wrong with that sentence. If he weren't the sort-of-cute possible love interest this would be called sexual assault. Let that sink in. He and Anika are practically strangers to each other, aside from an obvious crush on Logan's side. If some random guy I vaguely knew would give me a ride home and then say that I would be fucking scared. I would also kick him in a certain region and then flee into my house. Nothing about that quote is even remotely okay. I cannot emphasize enough that this. Is. WRONG. But of course, Anika lets him kiss her and then says she did indeed like it, after which they become a couple. What a message to send out to kids reading this.Another thing I didn't like about Anatomy of a Misfit (though nothing tops the quote above) was the conversations. Or rather the words used. An example:"This October issue is so gay. All it is is back-to-school and Halloween parties. Again."Nothing gets me going like using "gay" as a description for anything that isn't a) a homosexual or b) meant as "merry" or "happy" (granted, the latter definition is a bit old-fashioned, but hey, you never know.). Using "gay" as an insult? No thanks.The book, by the way, is written in a style that just isn't for me. This is different per person, though, but know that words like "kinda", "gotta" and "woulda" are used not just in conversation, but in the general narration as well.Now we get to the really sad part: this book tried to make a point. It really did. This point is introduced in the form of a black girl who starts working at the same place as Anika. Now, Anatomy of a Misfit meant to make a point about racism and how ridiculous it is. Unfortunately, the point is exaggerated: there are some conversations with Anika's boss that are just plain ridiculous and exaggerated to a point that they're unbelievable. I mean, I appreciate what Anatomy of a Misfit is trying to do here, I really do. But you can't put down women, LGBT+ people and Christians and then try to make a point about stereotyping and how ridiculous it is. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't work.There's more, but honestly, I'm too tired to go on and this review is way too long already. In TL;DR terms I would say that nothing about this book I liked, which is why I DNF'ed at 40%. I tried to go on, but I really couldn't take it anymore. This book and I did just not get along.*By the way, I'm not trying to offend anyone here or something. I know I can be snarky at times, but that's just me. If you did enjoy this, great! Life's too short to read books you don't enjoy anyway. To each their own :) *~Thank you Harper Children's for the review copy.~
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/Who here is tired of people using Mean Girls .gifs in their book reviews? Well, tough shit ‘cause I’m gonna use a bunch of them.Anika Dragomir is the third most popular girl in high school. Think of her as Gretchen Wieners . . . . True Mean Girls fans are probably screaming that Karen Smith was probably the third most popular girl in school or something of the sort. Have no fear, Anika’s best friend Shelli is the Karen Smith of this story. She’s not stupid, but she’s totally a slut . . . Ahhhh, don’t get so worked up Shelli. You own it and are delightful.Both Anika and Shelli fear the wrath of one Becky Vilhauer – the HBIC who will ruin their high school years with vicious rumors should they ever dare to cross her . . . Seriously. Becky makes Regina George look sweet.On the outside Anika’s life looks pretty great: “On the outside I look like vanilla pudding so nobody knows that on the inside I am spider soup.”Which really means she is your average teenaged girl. She worries about not looking right, not dressing right, not living in a nice enough house, not having a nice enough family, and really not having nice enough friends (when you spend your days in fear of someone who calls you the “immigrant” because you happen to have a Romanian father, that isn’t hard to do). When former loser Logan McDonough moves back to town and (as far as Anika is concerned) has morphed from geek to chic, she’s torn between protecting her status and maybe taking a chance with this loner . . . I know, right? Social suicide.Anika also finds herself as the target of Aaron Samuels Jared Kline’s attention. “I’m not standing in line to defile myself with him like all these other girls . . . but . . . I don’t mind looking at him. It’s kind of like seeing Jesus in a tortilla or something.”But is Jared legit, or does he just want Anika to be another notch on his bedpost? And what’s the real story with Logan? Is he as dreamy as he seems to be, or is he hiding deeper, darker secrets???This little book sure wasn’t what I was expecting. Actually, I wasn’t expecting anything at all. None of my Goodreads friends have read it yet, I don’t even know how it ended up on my to-read list, and I really don’t recall requesting it from the library. But one day I booted up the old Kindle and there it was. I’m so glad I gave it a shot. Obviously I’m kind of a Mean Girls’ superfan, so I would have been perfectly content with a fun bit of fluff. And I wasn’t disappointed with Anika – her voice was brilliant, she was hilarious and she cracked up up. I had no idea this book would get deep and touch on actual issues, though. “You get one chance. You get to do this thing one time and you don’t even know when it goes from swirling forward and around and around in circles to just a plain cold stop and nothing more. This moment here. This is all you get. Before you are part of the sky.”What a surprise . . . and it was written so well. Highly recommended to all young adults – be they a Regina George or a Mathlete or a Janis Ian. Can we get some love for all the Janis Ians? Girls like you kick ass . . . Amiright?
What do You think about Anatomy Of A Misfit (2014)?
Book: Anatomy of a Misfit Author: Andrea PortesFinished Reading: April 12, 2015 (Sunday)Favorite Quote/s & Line/s:-t“Okay, listen. I don’t know what dumb lines you are used to giving girls so they fall all over you but I just want you to know that I wasn’t born yesterday so I am gonna go now and leave you to whatever dumb idiot girl is gonna buy that line.” Page 112-t“… nothing is ever the same again.” Page 141Book Review:These are some of the words that best describes the book.FUNNY. REALISTIC. FRIENDSHIP. FREAK. LIES.We are living in this world because we have a mission. Our mission is to not to judge other people based on their actions, their looks and their lives.This book requires a deeper understanding because this one’s not a light read (for me). You need to put yourself in the situation of Anika Dragomir. This book is very realistic. You can’t please everyone in your whole lifetime and the only key for that is just to be yourself. tThere are some points in this book where I got bored but it’s worth the wait. This book is somehow peculiar than other books. Sometimes, we are feeling the sense of being alone and no one is really there for us. One reason is maybe we don’t appreciate the effort of other people that’s why we can’t see them. tI don’t know how to explain this book but it gave me feels. And the ending? I’m satisfied! You should probably read it soon.
—Jasmine (Jasmine Pearl Reads)
4.5 starsOk, I really didn't think I was going to give this book such a high rating, but it completely redeemed itself. I'm still put off by the slut-shaming & using the term "gay" as an insult, but everything else was done really well. This book was described by someone as mean girls meets the perks of being a wallflower, and I literally could not come up with a better description. This was pretty fantastic & it definitely surprised me. Also, Anika's character development throughout this book is top notch, and I love how much she grew as a person by the end.
—Emily (ObsessedReader)
I can see from reading some other reviews that not everyone loved this. I really, really did! Perhaps because I am decades from my teens this was just perfect. The way Anika spoke rang true to me. She was not eloquent, but she was "real" and "sincere", and that's what I am always looking for in YA. The ending blew me away. I was simply not expecting what I got. I also blew through this over a period of about 16 hours when I really didn't have time to read which means I snuck a page here, a page there, on my Nook, on my phone, on my computer screen. To me that is the hallmark of a good read. When you simply cannot stop despite life's attempts to get in the way.Was Anika's life a little too perfect, despite her complaints, what with the lovely family, nice home and job? Sure, but that just made her the perfect vehicle to tell these other tragic stories. Was the lesson of appreciating what you have kind of beat over the head of the reader? Again, sure, but that's ok too, because the way it was beat over my head was entertaining to read.
—Kandice
