Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | TEEN FICTION RED | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Stillwater Public Library | TEEN FICTION RED | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
The only sort of risk 18-year-old Laila Piedra enjoys is the peril she writes for the characters in her stories: epic sci-fi worlds full of quests, forbidden love, and robots. Her creative writing teacher has always told her she has a special talent. But three months before her graduation, he dies suddenly - and is replaced by Nadiya Nazarenko, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who is sadistically critical and perpetually unimpressed.
At first, Nazarenko's eccentric assignments seem absurd. But before long, Laila grows obsessed with gaining the woman's approval. Soon Laila is hiking through the Catskills during a thunderstorm in March and discovering the psychedelic highs and perilous lows of nightlife, temporary flings, and instability. Dr. Nazarenko has led Laila to believe that she must choose between perfection and sanity - but rejecting her all-powerful mentor may be the only way for Laila to thrive.
Author Notes
Riley Redgate is a graduate of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Her first two novels, Noteworthy and Seven Ways We Lie , earned critical acclaim. She lives and writes in Chicago.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-Laila wants to be a writer more than anything. She loves science fiction and is writing her very first novel that she'll only show to her writing instructor. He encourages her to share it with her friends, but she is reluctant. When her instructor gets into an accident, her world is upended as the substitute, a famous author, becomes harshly critical of her writing. She claims her work lacks verve and suggests that Laila go out and experience life. Laila does things she would never normally do-goes to parties, gets a fake ID, and takes risks-all in the hopes of bringing more to her stories. The protagonist is half Ecuadorian and half French Canadian; she is also pansexual and plus sized. Many of the characters in the book also come from different backgrounds and sexual orientations. While the writing is very well done, the formatting can be strange sometimes when depicting the story that Laila has written (there is no spacing between the words). Redgate's engaging style draws readers in, and the main character will resonate with young people. VERDICT A recommended purchase for YA shelves, -especially where Redgate has fans.-Kristin Joy -Anderson, Bloomingdale Public Library, IL © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
From cult TV shows to epic book sagas, Brooklyn high schooler Laila is obsessed with science fiction. She's an aspiring author but faces unexpectedly harsh criticism from her new creative writing teacher. Laila seeks out new experiences to inspire her writing; it's a familiar trope, but halfFrench Canadian, half-Ecuadorian Laila's distinctive characterization--including nascent pansexuality--and densely loquacious, stylized narration set this teen-novelist story apart. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Eighteen-year-old high school senior Laila Piedra is determined to write the best sci-fi story ever. Her kind, gentle, albeit anemic, white creative writing teacher, Mr. Madison, offers her constant positive feedback after class. Her friends African-American Leo Major, Korean-American Hannah Park, and Puerto Rican Felix Martinez meet regularly to watch The Rest, a long-running sci-fi show. At home, her Ecuadorian dad, French-Canadian mom, and annoying 13-year-old sister, Camille, rarely get in the way. Laila sees her senior year going smoothly until a tragic accident places Mr. Madison in the hospital and the enigmatic Pulitzer Prize-winning Ukrainian author Nadiya Nazarenko becomes the substitute. Suddenly, Laila's writing is not good enough to earn a passing grade. When Nazarenko suggests that Laila live a little, she realizes how much time she spends inhabiting worlds other than her own. As Laila awkwardly attempts to gain new experiences, she learns that the world is not a draft that can be revised again and again. She stumbles, makes mistakes, and crashes a few times along the way to finding out who she is and who will accept her. This is a gorgeous novel with diverse characters of different ethnicities and sexualities that are true to life in their messiness and earnest missteps. Redgate (Noteworthy, 2016, etc.) treats each character with care, gently guiding them through uncomfortable situations and tender, heartfelt moments.Final Draft hits every mark: A must-read. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Laila Piedra is as well-behaved as they come: her hobbies consist mainly of writing sci-fi stories and watching a cult TV show with her friends. Her creative writing teacher is nothing but supportive, and he encourages Laila to take pride in her work. When an accident puts him out of commission for the rest of Laila's senior year, however, Laila suddenly finds herself at the mercy of Nadiya Nazarenko, a Pulitzer Prize winner who is thoroughly unimpressed by her students. Laila is unexpectedly tasked with learning how to be present in her own life. That means taking a few risks and having a few adventures, but it also means exploring her sexuality coming to terms with not just who she's attracted to but with the fact that she has sexual feelings at all. Redgate (Noteworthy, 2017) offers up an intensely focused portrait of a girl who, through first love and first loss, begins to find the story she wants to tell. For many cautious teens, watching Laila come into her own will be a triumph.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2018 Booklist
