Inside The Mind Of Gideon Rayburn (2006) - Plot & Excerpts
It's interesting to read "Carter Finally Gets It" and "Inside the Mind of Gideon Rayburn" within the same time span. Both novels attempt to get inside the mind of a teenage boy and find out what makes him tick. I imagine this is a valid concern for many teenage girls, trying to figure out what makes certain guys tick and why we act that we do. And while each novel concludes that guys are driven by one thing, it's interesting to see how differently each novel approaches that driving factor.With "Gideon" the feeling I got was that guys are motivated only by one thing--sex. And that's it. The insight into the guy's mind is that teenage boys think about sex A LOT. They think about the ways they could possibly have sex, where they could have sex and who they would like to have sex with. And that drives just about everything they do in trying to win over and impress girls. Honestly, the story doesn't go much deeper than that and, in the end, it becomes a bit repetitive by the halfway mark of the book. What will keep you reading is the curiosity factor over which of the characters is the first-person narrator with the all access pass to Gideon's mind. There were times I felt like skipping ahead to find out, but I kept thinking I might miss some pivotal moment or some character development. Alas, that never quite happens.On the other hand, you've got "Carter Finally Gets It," a story about high school freshman Will Carter and his journey though his first year of high school. Carter and his fellow male friends are clearly motivated by lust for their fellow females, but most of them would clearly have no idea what to do with a willing female should they get one. In fact, Carter and his crew really have no clue as to who they really are and instead put on airs and try to be the stud they all think the should be. The results are humorous and realistic. Carter starts off the book in a romance with his home ec partner from the previous year who has blossomed a bit. Helped by his older sister's advice, Carter is able to at first woo her but allows his early small successes such as holding her hand, kissing her and getting to first base to cloud his judgment and boost his ego. Before you know it, Carter is trying to have his cake and eat it too instead of just being the guy that he liked being and that most people liked him being.It all catches up to him in a realistic way and then the rest of the novel finds Carter finally "getting it" and figuring out who he is. Yes, by the novel's end Carter is still a hormonally imbalance waiting to happen, but there's been some growth and learning by Carter along the way. There's also been a couple of nice laughs that are grounded in the character. As I said in my review of "Swim the Fly," the tone is similar to the early "American Pie" movies where you had some crude humor but it was balanced by some heart. That's the case with "Carter" and while the book isn't necessarily perfect, it's still an interesting and enjoyable enough read.
If I’m not mistaken, the review on the front cover of this book reads something like, “Being inside Gideon’s mind is like reading the diary of a boy you have a huge crush on.”Number one, I would never have a crush on a boy who keeps a diary. Enough said.Number TWO, this cannot possibly be like reading the diary of the boy you have a huge crush on because the book is written by a woman. Is anybody else ever annoyed about “guide to boys”-like books that are written by women? I know this is an all-in-good-fun, fictional novel, but it’s irritating, nonetheless, seeing as we’re not any closer to understanding the male sex than we were before we read the book. Because it’s written by a woman. Which doesn’t help us at all.This story takes place at a boarding school for the beautiful. Now, I’m all for beautiful people, but it was a little annoying to be introduced to every character through their flawless skin, pearly white teeth, and/or designer clothing. Even more annoying was the fact that there were only two less-than-gorgeous people attending the school, and they happened to be the two main characters. What a drag.The plot of this book, basically, is Gideon is a weird virgin and spends the entirety of the next 300 pages trying to lose his innocence. And there’s a bet. And a girl named Pilar who leaves a square patch of skin unshaved above her thigh-high Chanel boots, which Gideon finds alluring. Ew? And all the while a nameless, faceless girl is reading Gideon’s thoughts 24/7, leading the reader to believe that she is living her own life on autopilot. There’re a few girls involved in the book, and essentially, the big question is who gets Gideon’s v-card at the end of the book? Big surprise, it is autopilot girl. The way Sarah Miller closes the book, finally revealing to us who the narrator is, would be cute and creative, if the book weren’t so god damn predictable.It’s an okay read, but you’re better off reading something else. This book just revolves around stupid teens obsessed with not being a virgin and getting high before class.
What do You think about Inside The Mind Of Gideon Rayburn (2006)?
I absolutely hated this book. If I could have given it 0 stars, I would.The whole plot of the book is absolutely ridiculous. The only reason the guy ends up liking her is because she's being someone she isn't. She's simply playing out the ideals and fantasies of one guy and disregarding the fact that he doesn't love her for who she actually is. She's coming across as manipulative and desperate rather than sweet, which I will assume Sarah Miller wanted the reader to think.I probably would have given this book a higher rating if the ending weren't so predictable. I definitely would have given it at least a 3 if she didn't end up with Gideon at the end.
—Tina
Have you ever wondered what the opposite sex was thinking? Well in this book, a nameless girl (you have to figure out who she is throughout the book) gets inside Gideon Rayburn's head, she can hear and see what Gid is thinking and see what hes doing. Gideon's new at a Connecticut Prep School called Midvale Academy, where he meets his two roommates and friends, Cullen and Nicholas. Cullen and Nicholas are popular, handsome, and wealthy-everything Gideon is not. To help Gid "fit in", they make a bet with Gid to have sex with a girl of their choice by Halloween. The girl they pick is Molly McGarry, a girl who isn't like other girls at Midvale. Gideon takes the bet to up his "coolness factor and because afterall, he is a virgin. I found this book very funny but also found it to be a bit too risk-ay for middle school or even high school. I am a 22 year old women and at times in this book I felt uncomfortable reading. I found this book to be a some what spin off of the teen movie- " She's all that". Although it deals a lot with sex, drugs and underage drinking, the story line is very fast pasted and funny. I even laughed out loud a couple times. I rated this 3 stars because it was an okay book but the other factors (Sex, drugs, underage drinking) was a bit overwhelming at times for the 16 year old characters. Characters: Gideon: a 16 year boy who take his roommates up on a bet to lose his virginity Cullen: Gid's roommate who is handsome and very wealthy, have no problem in the girl dept. they seem to flock to him Nicholas: Gid's other roommate who is also handsome and very wealthy. The strong silent type. Molly McGarry: the girl who Gideon must have sex with in the bet, Molly says what's on her mind and doesn't care what others think.Pilar: The object of Gideon's affection, a beautiful girl who continues to lead Gideon on throughout the book
—Jennifer
I thought this book was pretty weird at first. I mean, how many girls get to know what exactly is going on in guy's head. However, I do love the fact how the girl in his head starts to fall in love with him. Despite the fact that he is not the brightest or the most good-looking. I also think it is pretty cool that we get to know and idea of what goes through an male teenager's mind. This story really reflects on how teenagers act and how they get in trouble and also how they get out of trouble. I think the theme in this story is not to pay attention to people's physical features and focus what is on the inside. I would recommend this story to my friends because it isn't just a sappy love story but it also has humor and keeps me entertained.
—Miranda Kelley
