Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2008 23:43:06 GMT -5
I think Jessi should have stayed in New York. If this book was after Mal went to Riverbend, I'm sure she would have stayed. This book would have been a much better ending for her story than being written out in the Friends Forever Everything Changes special.
Its realistic that she decided to go back home since she is only 11. I think this is the best Jessi book.
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Post by helsieboo on Aug 14, 2008 3:00:15 GMT -5
I just read this one. Bits of it I liked, other bits I didn't. I felt that Jessi's feelings about how it was 'refreshing' to be with the other black kids was annoying. Race doesn't matter to a lot of people - but it really does to Jessi, despite her saying it shouldn't matter if she's black. I did like her Dance NY friends, though.
I loved Becca. Yes, she was a bit bratty, but it was nice to see someone actually acting their age!
Has anyone else noticed that in the later books, Aunt Cecelia seems to have become a bit of a parody of herself? I liked her in the early ones - strict, firm, fussy, bossy, but with essentially a good heart. I know this is how she's supposed to be later on, but with all the cries of "Mercy" I just can't take her as a character seriously anymore.
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Post by wenonah4th on Aug 14, 2008 6:24:21 GMT -5
^Everyone seems to become caricatures later in the series. It's none too surprising that Aunt Cecelia does as well.
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lilafowler
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,163
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Post by lilafowler on Aug 14, 2008 8:15:51 GMT -5
But that's what she was used to her entire life, before moving to Stoneybrook (where, ignoring the time warp, she's lived for less than a year).
I enjoy hanging out with other people my age whose parents are Indian immigrants in a different way that I like hanging out with my other friends, but that doesn't mean I don't have any right to say that other people shouldn't take my ethnicity into account when deciding how to treat me. I can understand what the character is saying there, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it :/
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Post by helsieboo on Aug 14, 2008 8:34:47 GMT -5
I guess maybe I'm a bit ignorant, probably because I'm never experienced any type of racism.
I hope I didn't offend you Lila Fowler, as I wasn't trying to upset anyone. I suppose I wasn't very clear, either.
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lilafowler
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,163
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Post by lilafowler on Aug 14, 2008 17:53:15 GMT -5
^Not offended I don't know if it has as much to do with experiencing racism...I was thinking it was more of a cultural thing.
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starlett2010
Junior Sitter
It's been YEARS but I'm back!!!! :)
Posts: 696
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Post by starlett2010 on Aug 15, 2008 20:00:27 GMT -5
^I took it as a cultural thing too. I thought it had more to do with the fact the Jessi's black friends had a similar perspective on life/experiences as she did, rather than actually having to do with race. Like, how Abby said in some book of hers how her Long Island friends understood her Jewish humor better than her Stoneybrook friends, if that makes sense.
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Post by firecausesburns on Mar 29, 2009 5:47:38 GMT -5
I can imagine Jessi being a lot more interested in sticking with Dance NY after Mallory leaves for Riverbend - Mallory seemed like one of her main ties to Stoneybrook, obviously besides her family, and once the older girls started high school Jessi would be the only one left at SMS. I only got this book recently, but I like it, aside from Becca's bitchiness. Thinking of myself at age 11, though, it seems kind of ridiculous that Jessi and her friends would have that much freedom. Also, didn't it mention that Quint's 5'8"? I was 5'3" at 11, and I was the tallest person in my grade. And aren't boys at that age usually shorter than girls?
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Post by otempora541 on Mar 29, 2009 18:36:53 GMT -5
Isn't Quint supposed to be 15?
I find it odd it's the last Jessi book (and relativly early in the series too.) I agree with a lot of what the previous people said, but I think that Jessi should've gone to a Fame type high school for performing arts instead of Dance NY. In my head she always goes to the Fame school after BSC land.
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Post by firecausesburns on Mar 29, 2009 21:24:58 GMT -5
I think Quint was Jessi's age. When Jessi asks him "what do you think we are?" one of the things he mentioned was "eleven going on twelve".
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Post by greer on Mar 30, 2009 1:24:56 GMT -5
Yeah, Quint is definitely NOT fifteen.
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Post by sparklymouse on Nov 23, 2009 17:12:00 GMT -5
I didn't like this book at all. Way, way too much Jessi. There were only two chapters that weren't Jessi's, and they were about missing Jessi! I guess since this was her last book (yay) it had to be a love-fest.
Didn't Quint and the BSC know each other a little bit prior to this? He went to the Winter Wonderland Dance in Snowbound. I thought it was odd that Claudia said something like "Are you going to see what's his name in NYC...Clint?" (This is Claudia we're talking about, but I don't think she was joking.) And then when Jessi mentioned Mallory coming to visit, Quint thought "Mal" was a guy.
The one thing I thought was interesting was that I saw Jessi and Mallory's friendship differently after this. This is the first time that I could easily see Jessi outgrowing Mallory in the future.
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Post by zoar3 on Nov 23, 2009 22:46:27 GMT -5
This book was even worse than Jessi and the Jewel Thieves, though the Becca aspect of the plot (in this) seemed to simply have been extended from the former. So very boring. I think I was most disappointed by how this ended than any other book. All that lead up for nothing. I do have to give major kudos to Aunt Cecelia at the end. I think this was the first time we got to see how much she truly does love Jessi and want the best for her. I also think that Jessi should have remained in New York. I don't think she ever felt 100% at home in Stoneybrook. If you're going to be an eternal 6th Grader you might as well be in a place and situation best suited to you. Jessi/Mal. We saw the worst of Jessi (regarding Mal) in BSC in the USA at the Grandparents house. In this book it does indeed appear as if Jessi no longer needs Mal...to depend on Mal to help her "fit in" so she in a sense wants to ditch her. In a less emotional way like Kristy warned Claudia not to do to Corrie Addison in Claudia and the Sad Goodbye. Any case, yes I understand and appreciate (begrudingly happy for her even, may not like her but why not let her be happy)? Jessi, in her 10th year of 6th Grade, wanting something different. Mal found the same at Riverbend. I wish either this book had occurred after that or right before. Different choices might have been made. The other thing that just occurred to me is I know the Ramseys now live and work in Stoneybrook. I think this story took place maybe during Jan some of Feb. Jessi was invited to attend Dance NY full time but it was said the next session was for 3 more weeks. Why not have her stay for 3 more weeks and see if she still feels the same way? If Jessi was still enchanted by all things NY, perhaps she could have finished out her 6th Grade year there and during the summer a long term decision could have been made. It seemed like Aunt C was finally trying to get closer to Michael and Marian. Perhaps the family could move to NY? They've already been in Stoneybrook for 10 years!
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Post by helsieboo on Nov 24, 2009 10:05:56 GMT -5
There was another annoying thing about this book I've just noticed. Why did they allow her to audition if there was a possibility she wouldn't be allowed to go?
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Post by sparklymouse on Nov 24, 2009 14:20:12 GMT -5
^I thought it was good to let her audition and then deal with the results later. It's better than living with what-ifs for the rest of their lives.
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